Coronation Street in 1976 1976 was " Coronation Street " ' s seventeenth year . Production . Susi Hush completed her two - year run as " Coronation Street " producer with Episode 1571 . Her final episodes saw the exit of Blanche Hunt - serviced by the brief return of Reginald Marsh as Dave Smith - and the arrival of chippie Terry Bradshaw . Four subsequent episodes were also produced by Hush - 1586 and 1587 in March and 1636 and 1637 in September . Hush ' s replacement was one Bill Podmore , a Granada comedy producer who had worked on the soap as a director . Podmore didn ' t want the job but , assigned to " Coronation Street " by David Plowright , he agreed to do a year and move on . He went on to become one of the programme ' s most celebrated producers , remaining in the job until he retired in 1989 ( with a period as executive producer ) . Upon watching recent episodes , Podmore observed that the programme ' s natural flair for comedy was all but gone , and instructed the writers to include more humour in scripts . Podmore sought out the areas " crying out for a facelift or even a face change " and began to put his stamp on the show ; Geoffrey Hughes was brought back full - time , with Eddie Yeats becoming a regular fixture at the Ogden household , Fred Gee became the new Rovers potman , bringing a balance to the sexes behind the bar , Madge Hindle was introduced as Corner Shop proprietress Renee Bradshaw , befitting Podmore ' s belief that the shop - as a focal point of gossip - needed an older woman in charge , and the defunct warehouse was re - opened as denim sweatshop Baldwin ' s Casuals , run by shrewd Cockney Mike Baldwin . The factory maintained a greater presence in storylines than its predecessors on the site , and heralded more regular appearances by machinists Ivy Tilsley and Vera Duckworth . The cast was expanded to accommodate the new arrivals , with only Tricia Hopkins , played by Kathy Jones , written out . Patricia Phoenix returned as Elsie Howard after an absence of over two years . Elsie came back to Weatherfield after separating from Alan , who was not brought back with her . As one 1960 veteran returned , another left ; returning after a three - month break , an increasingly ill Margot Bryant found it difficult to remember her lines to such an extent that it was affecting her performances . Minnie Caldwell was written out until further notice , and Bryant retired shortly thereafter , spending the rest of her life in a nursing home . The programme ' s fifth title sequence made its debut with Episode 1596 . The new sequence was a modification of the old one , with fewer shots and one significant addition : a cat , which became a staple from thereon in . Viewing figures . The highest - rated episode of the year was Episode 1589 ( 7th April 1976 ) , the episode after Elsie Howard ' s surprise re - appearance at the end of the previous episode , which was seen in 8 . 8 million homes ( translating to 16 . 83 million viewers ) . This was the highest audience for " Coronation Street " since 1970 . Despite Elsie ' s return which boosted figures for April and May , the average rating for the year was 15 . 39 million viewers , a drop of 70 , 000 viewers from 1975 and the third lowest of the decade . Seven months saw gains on 1975 , scattered across the year with no major trends . The programme ' s absence at the top of the viewing charts continued , with only one episode reaching number one . Who lives where . Coronation Street Rosamund Street Victoria Street Others