A Coronation Street legend was Norris Cole (Malcolm Hebden). A hilarious comedic figure who was always prepared with an opinion about his fellow neighbors was the gossipy, argumentative newsagent.
Rita Tanner (Barbara Knox), with whom he co-starred at the Kabin, and Emily Bishop (Eileen Derbyshire), his previous landlady, were among Norris’ other close acquaintances in Weatherfield. Norris also had a brief marriage to Mary Taylor (Patti Clare).
Eventually, Norris fell in love with Freda Burgess, Emily’s niece (Ali Briggs), and the two moved in together to a retirement community.
Norris was last saw on the Street in May 2020, when Rita, Audrey Roberts (Sue Nicholls), and Ken Barlow (William Roache) were there to commemorate VE Day. The character was killed off in 2021 because Malcolm Hebden had chosen to stop performing due to health concerns.
When Rita, Ken, and Mary learned that Norris had had a stroke, they hurried to the hospital. When they arrived, a sobbing Freda informed them that Norris had passed away just moments ago.
Viewers may recall that the Bailey family moved into Norris’ home after he left the Street, and it appears that post is still being sent there for Norris.
Future episodes will have Dee-Dee (Channique Sterling-Brown) displaying a letter from a credit card firm written to Norris Cole to Ed (Trevor Michael Georges).
Following the failure of his building enterprise, Ed is said to be experiencing financial difficulties. When the corpse of Leo Thompkins’ (Joe Frost) victim Stephen Reid’s (Todd Boyce) victim was discovered on the scene, the investor who had been set up withdrew, leaving Ed and Ronnie (Vinta Morgan) with a significant financial dilemma.
Following this, Ed’s gambling addiction returned as he battled the urge to attempt to gamble his way out of his problems.
He is in the cafe getting ready to have lunch with Dee-Dee and Joel, her new boyfriend, whom Ed has never met before. After his credit card is rejected, a helpful stranger offers to buy him a coffee.
When Dee-Dee introduces her father to Joel at the bistro, Ed is shocked to learn that the kind stranger from the cafe is actually Dee-Dee’s lover. To avoid more embarrassment, Joel pays for lunch and keeps quiet about Ed’s card being denied. Of course, Ed finds this to be a very challenging situation.
When Michael (Ryan Russell) informs Ed that he has lost his job due to the turmoil at the plant and that he will demand his investment in Ed and Ronnie’s company returned, the situation only becomes worse.
Ronnie suggests that he and Ed can give Michael £1,000 each, but Ed knows he hasn’t got that much cash.
In such a tight spot, will Ed resort to the bookies’ again – or will that credit card letter addressed to a dead man give Ed a way out of a tight spot?