Whatever happened to... Dennis Tanner?

Welcome to the second in an occasional series where we invite you to wonder, speculate and (quite frankly) invent the story of Coronation Street characters once they have left Weatherfield for a new life. Last time, we pondered what the troublesome Trevor Odgen got up to next. Today, we turn our attention to original Street ne'er-do-well, the very wonderful Dennis Tanner. Dennis (played by Philip Lowrie) appeared in the very first episode, rowing with his mother, Elsie, about getting a job. He had been recently released from jail and Elsie was desperate to get him back on the straight and narrow. After a few early brushes with the law, the writers recognised Dennis's comic potential and began to depict his hapless attempts to get a foothold, one way or another, as an impressario in the world of showbusiness.

One of Dennis's first attempts came in 1962 when he set about putting on a variety show for the residents. After selling more tickets than there were seats, he had to cancel the show after his top-billing act failed to turn up. Making the announcement on stage, Dennis is pelted with all manner of missiles including a cream cake straight in the face!
Another opportunity presented itself a year later when Dennis decided to manage an up-and-coming Liverpudlian musician known as Walter Potts. At Dennis's suggestion, Walter changed his name to the chart-friendly, Brett Falcon and for a time, he lodged at No.11, eventually leaving Weatherfield for a new life when opportunity came knocking.
Dennis got himself into lots of scapes over the years. One of the most memorable occasions came when he unwittingly let the bailiffs in while Elsie was away. Elsie returned to find them loading all her stuff into their van.
Over the years, Dennis came and went from Weatherfield, but in 1968 after marrying Jenny Sutton, he left Weatherfield for a new life one final time. That was the last time viewers saw him.
Precisely what happened to Dennis after this point is a bit vague, but we do know that in 1973, Elsie was knocked down by a taxi as she went to London to visit him in prison. Dennis had been incarcerated for his part in a double-glazing scam targeting pensioners. What on earth could have caused Dennis to stoop so low? We'll never know.
So, it's over to you; there's been no news on Dennis for thirty-four years. What do you think Dennis did next, where is he now and is he still married to Jenny? Do feel free to speculate! [Sky Clearbrook]