Rita Sullivan

Having turned many a head in her day, Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox) now dispenses mints and words of wisdom from behind the counter at The Kabin.

Marriages Len Fairclough (deceased), Alan Bradley (deceased), Ted Sullivan (deceased)

1964 Makes a one-off appearance as Rita Littlewood, exotic dancer and friend of Dennis Tanner's.

1972 Dates Ken Barlow, teacher of her lover's son. Arrives on Coronation Street when lover Harry Bates throws her out. Dates builder Len Fairclough. Gets a job singing at Capricorn Club.

1973 Len buys The Kabin and puts Rita in charge. Mavis Riley becomes her assistant.

1977 Marries Len after a long and rocky courtship.

1981 Rita and Len foster John Spencer.

1982 Fosters Sharon Gaskell.

1983 Len's killed in a car accident in December.

1986 Fosters Jenny Bradley and dates her father, Alan.

1988 Sees good friend Mavis marry Derek Wilton.

1989 Conned out of money by lover Alan Bradley. He tries to kill her. She has a breakdown and flees to Blackpool, where she works as a singer. Alan finds her but is hit by a tram and dies.

1991 Disappointed when Jenny leaves with a married man.

1992 Marries Ted Sullivan. He dies months later from a brain tumour.

1993 Jenny Bradley returns and tries to con Rita. She gives the girl £1000 and tells her to leave.

1994 Grows fond of Sally and Kevin Webster. Realises they're struggling financially. Gives Sally a job, gives them a cash gift and takes them on holiday. Opens a bank account for Sophie Webster when she's born in November.

1995 Rovers Return landlady Bet Gilroy asks her to invest in the pub but Rita refuses.

1997 Plans new life in Lake District with Mavis. She stays, though, while Mavis leaves.

1998 Takes on Leanne Battersby. Collapses with carbon monoxide poisoning. Alec Gilroy proposes. She accepts then changes her mind.

1999 Sharon Gaskell reappears and lonely Rita offers her The Kabin to keep her in Weatherfield. Buys The Kabin back when Sharon sells it to move away.

2000 Has a romance with bookseller Anthony Stephens, whose wife is terminally ill.

2001 Anthony's wife dies and he asks Rita to move to New Zealand with him but she refuses.

2004 Spends a night in prison after cuffing Chesney Brown for stealing sweets.

2005 Suggests to Norris Cole that he buys a share in The Kabin.

2006 Flat's burgled and nervous Rita lives with Emily for a time. Has brief romance with funeral director Archie Shuttleworth. Goes on holiday to Hungary with Norris.

2007 Reunited with old friend Doreen Fenwick, who stays with Rita for a while. Rejects Norris's marriage proposal.

2008 Meets Eileen Grimshaw's father Colin.

2009 Gets engaged to Colin, then discovers he abused Eileen's friend when they were schoolgirls.

2010 Sells the Kabin to Norris and embarks on a long cruise, returns later in the year and finishes up back working in the store.

Played by Barbara Knox

Barbara was born Barbara Brothwood on 30 September 1933 in Oldham, Lancashire. Her first appearance in Coronation Street as Rita was just one episode in 1964, and she wasn’t to return to the role for eight years.

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