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Coronation Street actor Johnny Briggs, who played Mike Baldwin on the long-running soap opera, died after a long illness, his family said.
In a statement, his family said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our father, Johnny Briggs.
“He passed away peacefully this morning after a long illness, with his family by his side. He was 85 years old. We politely ask for privacy at this time, so that we can quietly cry as a family and remember the wonderful times we spent with him. Thank you. “
The long-running feud between the characters Mike Baldwin and Ken Barlow was legendary
Famous for his role as Mike Baldwin on the ITV drama, his on-screen feud with the character Ken Barlow was a continuous storyline throughout his 30 years on the cobblestones.
His portrayal of the sometimes unscrupulous head of an underwear factory earned him both an MBE and a lifetime achievement award at the 2006 British Soap Awards.
The cockney singer Baldwin had started his life as a market stall owner, but once Briggs established the role, he quickly took possession of the street factory (now called Underworld) and became one of the most popular characters. famous soap operas.
Often at the heart of some of Corrie’s most important stories, a 1983 episode in which a love triangle between Briggs, Barlow and their partner Deirdre Barlow came to a head, was the highest-rated episode of the series. at that moment.
The Mike and Deirdre affair caused quite a stir on the street
So great was the influence of the show that the words “Ken and Deirdre reunited. Ken 1 – Mike 0” were posted on the scoreboard during a match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford at the time.
