Liz Dawn thinks the British TV industry owes a debt of gratitude to the late Tony Warren for bringing working-class people to our screens.
Liz Dawn
The 'Coronation Street' actress, who played the iconic Vera Duckworth for 34 years, credits the soap's writer - who passed away on Tuesday (02.03.16) - for including "ordinary" people in the longest-running soap and paving the way for other soaps to follow.
She told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "We all owe him a great debt for putting ordinary working class people on TV. It sounds so normal now, but in 1960 it was almost unheard of, ground-breaking even.
"Without the Street there would have been no 'Steptoe and Son', 'Emmerdale', 'EastEnders'. He led the way."
Meanwhile, co-star Julie Goodyear, who plays Bet Lynch, also hailed Tony's influence on the British TV industry.
She told The Sun newspaper: "The immense pleasure that 'Coronation Street' has given to all its viewers since 1960 really is amazing. It lives on and on.
"I felt so proud of him and all he achieved - and the work this gave to so many others on both sides of the camera in so many countries."
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