Double episode written by Peter Whalley and Lucy Gannon
Jack and Vera had had a nice trip to Blackpool to see their new home and measure for curtains. Jack gave Tyrone some money to put a bet on before they went. When they got home, Paul had left a present for them - a framed photo of them when they were young and carefree and afraid of nothing. Vera told Jack she'd never loved anyone except him, and he, in his gruff way and with a bit of prompting from Vee, said he'd never loved anyone except her, and he'd go and fetch her slippers. Then he went for a swift half at t'Rovers, like he'd done so often over the years.
But this time, when Jack got back Vera was dead. Apparently she'd passed away peacefully in her sleep, sitting in her chair. Jack held her hand, told her not to be afraid, gently sang to her, "If you were the only girl in the world."
Molly and Tyrone came home, to the back door because they were bringing drinks out of t'Rovers for Jack and Vera to celebrate Blackpool. They found Jack in the back yard, watching one of his pigeons. Vera had always pretended to hate the pigeons, Jack said, but he knew that she sometimes came out and talked to them. Tyrone and Molly realised something was wrong, and they went inside. They were both shocked to find Vera was dead. Tyrone went to get Paul - Jack wanted to "hold the world at bay for a few more minutes," and let the people who loved Vera most say goodbye to her. Later on, paramedics came, and said that it had probably been Vera's heart, and that she hadn't felt any pain. Neighbours came to see why an ambulance was at the door - Rita, Roy, Emily, Betty and Dev. Molly couldn't get the words out to tell them what had happened, so Jack did. He said it had been "such a smashing day," too. Rita told him she'd tell everybody the news, and leave him in peace. A church bell sounded, from somewhere, as Vera's body was taken away.
Other things did happen in the episode - Ryan was still missing and Michelle and Steve went to Nick's to try and find him. Carla booked a double room for "Mr and Mrs Connor" for a forthcoming business trip. The factory girls had their knicker party at Janice's. And David introduced Tina to his gran.
But it was Jack and Vera's episode. The end of an era.
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can't imagine what i'll be like in 8 months when i see these episodes for myself...i'm crying already now, just from imagining the scene as described by sue above.....
Well, I'm not ashamed to say but I watched these two episodes through my (clean!) handkerchief, I cried so much. I just knew it was going to be a beautiful send off, because no-one does romance like Jack to his beloved Vee. I cried like a baby, as if I'd lost one of my own family. Grandson Paul's hopeless acting sort of got in the way, but even that wasn't going to spoil a good weep for me. A perfect episode, apart from losing one of the most iconic soap characters of all time.
Oh It was Heartbreaking!
The actual death understated, as it often is, but the aftermath of Jack dealing with it was so sad. The Acting, as ever, impeccable, and probably very very real for them. Well the departure is real for me.
To You, Vera.
XX
Just read the following below:
"We will see the death of Vera Duckworth and though the reason behind it is understandable (Liz Dawn's health), it's an episode none of us really wants to see"
Thats EXACTLY the way to sum it up. Perfect. Brilliant understanding.
I`m really upset, I hate the idea we`ll never see her again.
Pefect ending for the perfect character. A landmark. Brilliant acted by all those that mattered.
Things will never be the same again.
A good exit, nothing tragic or undignified, no car crash or fall down the stairs, a perfect end for a Corrie institution.
On a side note, I noticed during the street scenes when the end credits were rolling that Wong's chippy had customers going in, I thought they were closed?
I didn't notice that Tara, will have to rewatch and see waht it was. The episode was just brilliant. I kept wishing there was no other scenes. All that Michelle wailing and Steve harumphing was just agonizing!
I was really upset with the writers, Vera's good bye was not written well for all the years she has been in the street. If she had to die then a more dramatic ending. A heart attack in the pub with all her friends around her and then rushing her to hospital and then her having another one in the hospital with Jack at her side. Vera just sitting in the chair was dull and spookey. The writers are trying too hard, the Liam and Carla are story is boring too. Come on you writers bring real life back in to this soap not cheap story lines look at the characters give them life
It was a dignified ending!
Heather, i feel many people, me included, would argue that Vera's exit was real life. I thought it was brilliantly done.
Exactly, Peter. Heather, I agree that there is some stuff in Corrie that is so over the top that it's just boring. Carla Connor bores the incontinent pants off me and the sooner she leaves us alone with Liam's chest, the better. The storyline is ridiculous and shows just how far the Street has to go to stretch to so many episodes a week.
However, we don't always need to see such drama. People do go to sleep and die in the way that Vera did and I think Corrie was all the better for not making her go out with a bang. Her death was so dignified for such a wonderful lady, it was that, and Bill Tarmey's painfully accurate portrayal of a man who is not yet ready to lose the love of his life, that will enter the annals of soap history as one of the best performances ever. People will be talking about this in years to come - and that's perfect TV for you.
I thought the death of Vera, and in particular Jack's reaction to it, was beautifully done. So moving to see the love he felt for her, which he had such difficulty expessing during her life, and the way he went for comfort to his pigeons.
Now, the words he used to the pigeon, were the ones he had always used to Vera, which I had heard as "swanduck" There are disagreements on a couple if websites about this, as others hear "swamp duck".
Whose hearing is defective?
When the credits rolled at the end I expected to find 'Liz Dawn' as the first name on a page of her own, instead she was on the fourth or fifth page. What a way to treat a 33 year veteran and street legend.
Meg, in answer to your question, it is actually "swamp duck". I can't remember now which of the Corrie publications I read it in, but it was something I was unsure about until I saw it in print some years ago in an official Corrie book/magazine.
Well, I haven't seen the episode yet, but from the recap above it sounds a bit too hokey and neatly tied up: Jack tells Vera he loves her an hour before she dies? What great timing! A man who would only say this to Vera a few times during their 50 years together! It would have been far more realistic and dramatic if he hadn't said it, and then regretted it afterwards.
What a terribly moving episode! I didn't see it on the Friday night as I was at work - but I did watch the omnibus on Saturday and I cried nearly non - stop when Vera slipped away and Jack sang to her. If Bill Tarmey doesn't win the Best Performance Award this year there's no justice. Bill acts everybodt else off the screen.
Sorry but I have to disagree with the majority here. I was astonished by Vera's demise. Bill's acting was the only thing that stood out to be exact as real life as it could be. However, Tyrone and Molly's acting was poor to say the least. It didn't look natural at all and didn't stand up to the intensity of such acting.
The story itself could have been better too, not dramatic though. It was good but could have been better. How she died was probably right for Vera, how people were told though, very bad. Fiz running round the pub casually asking "have you heard Vera's dead?"
Then Vera's old mates of 30+ years find out. What do they do? Lets go back to the pub for a drink says Rita to Betty...Not something I'd do if my friend of 30 years had just passed away.
How desperately moving were these two episodes? I didn't see them on the Friday because I was at work - but I did watch the omnibus on the Saturday - and I cried nearly non - stop. That scene where Jack sang to Vera had me in rivulets. If Bill Tarmey doesn't win a Best Perfomance award there's no justice. He excels everybody else off the screen. Well done, Bill.
The show featuring Vera's death just aired here in Canada. We had heard that it was coming but still nothing prepared us for her going so quickly. She was dressed in her best, nails done too....happy to be moving, retiring at last. Life can be so unfair, so short. We wish Liz Dawn good health & thanks for so many wonderful years. You have always been our favourite!!!
As another staunch Canadian Corrie fan for decades I added my share of salty tears to the Atlantic Ocean over the course of Vera's demise and Jack's subsequent homage to the love of his life. Another Corrie cornerstone for so many years has left. Now if the writers could add a bit of levity ,I think little Sophie is a closet comedienne and they should give her a chance to shine as how many street tarts does one show need?
Will miss Vera as I miss Hilda Ogden's antics and her "murial".