1988 ITV Telethon The 1988 ITV Telethon was a mammoth fundraising twenty - seven hour continuous broadcast , carried by all of the ITV channels to raise money for UK charities which began on Sunday 29th May 1988 and finished on the following evening , a Bank Holiday , at 10 . 00pm . The concept of a telethon originated in the United States of America but Britain was slow to adopt the concept with the first one being organised in 1980 and only shown by Thames Television . The 1988 event was the first national one and was hosted from the studios of London Weekend Television and presented throughout by . All of the ITV regions took part with many local op - outs from the London coverage to highlight events in their own area . The Granada coverage came from the Quay Street studios in Manchester and featured many spots in which the stars of " Coronation Street " took part , including meeting fundraisers and entertainment slots . Two highlighted in the local edition of " TV Times " were " Percy Sugden and Liz Dawn - the Weatherfield warbler . " One " Coronation Street " slot that " was " seen by the entire country was the return of Doris Speed ( Annie Walker ) to the studios at the age of 89 , five years after she had abruptly retired from the programme due to ill - health . " TV Times " did not specify she would be returning , only that a " familiar face " would be seen again but the news proper had been broken in the press on 12th May . However , the impression was given in the reports that the " character " would been seen again in the programme whereas in reality it was a short five - minute segment in which Ms Speed returned to the studios and met her old colleagues out of character . The segment was broadcast during the programme ' s usual 7 . 30pm timeslot on Monday 30th May with no actual episode being shown that night . It was introduced by Michael Scott who had been one of the show ' s first directors in 1960 and who had since carved himself out a successful career as a producer and presenter for Granada and therefore knew Doris well . She arrived in style in a Rolls Royce ( Registration " RR3 " ) in a pre - recorded sequence on the 1982 outdoor set where Scott was waiting with Sally Whittaker and Denise Wild of Barclays Bank who presented bouquets of flowers . The party then entered " the pub " ( in reality , the studio set ) where cast members Julie Goodyear , Bryan Mosley , Barbara Knox , Thelma Barlow , Sue Jenkins , Lisa Lewis , Sally Ann Matthews , Elizabeth Dawn and William Tarmey were waiting , most of them bedecked with large rosettes carrying both the telethon and Barclays Bank logos . Scott welcomed Doris back who took her place behind the bar and asked her if she was pleased to return . Refusing to be unfazed or sentimental , Ms Speed gave a very guarded " yes . . . " but stated that she wasn ' t going to get too emotional about the matter . Scott discussed the fire in the pub ( See Episode 2631 ( 18th June 1986 ) ) which she admitted had saddened her but she praised the new decor of the pub - although she lamented the loss of the old pumps which she said were good for developing the bust ! She refused the answer the question as to whether she thought Julie Goodyear as Bet Gilroy was running a good establishment and when asked what part she had liked best about being landlady , admitted it was being able to go home afterwards , something Julie Goodyear agreed with . John Davies of Barclays Bank was then introduced who welcomed Doris back as " the best - loved landlady of the best - loved pub in the best - loved street in Britain " and asked her to accept from him a cheque for the telethon in the sum of £100 , 000 . She received the cheque and told Mr Davies that he had paid for the most expensive drink ever . Scott handed the programme back to Aspel and the five minute segment was over . Six days later , in the " Daily Mirror " of Saturday 4th June the TV critic praised the segment and Doris Speed however she made discourteous remarks about Mike Scott ' s speech impediment . Of Speed she said " If only she could pop back regularly and wipe the smirk off Alec Gilroy ’ s face . Don ’ t tell me she ’ s too old - she looked , and sounded , great . " All in all , the colossal sum of £21 million was raised , but this would be narrowly beaten two years later in the 1990 ITV Telethon which saw the return of Jean Alexander in a properly - scripted and shot mini - episode of the programme when Hilda Ogden made a short visit to see her old friends on the Street . The entire evening segment gained 13 . 4 million viewers , putting it at 4th place in the charts .