Rita Tanner
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Template:Coronation Street character
Rita Sullivan (née Littlewood, previously Fairclough and Bates) is a fictional character on Coronation Street. She is played by Barbara Knox.
Storylines
Rita was introduced in 1964, although this was a one-off appearance. She returned in 1972 and has appeared consistently since then. She married Len Fairclough, but after six happy years she was widowed when Len was killed in a car crash. After his death, she discovered he had been having an affair.
The Kabin
Rita currently runs a newsagent's shop in the street, called "The Kabin", which she acquired during her marriage to Len. The shop was originally at 14 Rosamund Street, but re-located to Coronation Street when a new building development took place. She met her second husband, Ted Sullivan, there; he was a sales rep for a firm of sweet manufacturers. Shortly before their marriage,Ted confessed that he was dying of a brain tumour. Rita then abandoned plans to retire abroad, and decided to stay in the Street.
The scenes in the Kabin are usually a comedy double-act between Rita and her assistant (first Mavis Wilton, now Norris Cole).
Relationship with Alan Bradley
As well as her two marriages, Rita has had three serious relationships, one with the violent Alan Bradley. Alan mortgaged Rita's house using deceased Len Fairclough's name. He used the money to start a security business. When Rita discovered the fraud, Alan's reaction to her anger was to attempt to kill her by suffocating her with a pillow at their home, number 7 Coronation Street. She escaped and went to Blackpool, but Alan tracked her down and tried to drag her to his car to take her back to Weatherfield. Once Rita was in the car, Alan made his way round to the Driver's side, in which time Rita jumped out and ran accross the street. Alan gave chase only to be knocked down by a passing Tram. He was killed instantly.
Relationship with Alec Gilroy
Following her ordeal with evil Alan Bradley, she later she became involved with Alec Gilroy, an old friend who had been her manager in her career as a night club cabaret singer, before her first marriage; They lived in adjoining flats - the 2 above the Kabin. They decided not to move in together, but to have a door built between the two flats. This relationship ended when Alec moved away from Weatherfield. Finally, Rita met Anthony Stephens, a cultured man who wanted to marry her. His grown-up children interfered in the relationship, and Anthony went to live in New Zealand.
"Attacking" Chesney Battersby-Brown
Rita once clipped Chesney Brown around the ear for repeatedly stealing from her shop. Chesney's conniving mother Cilla attempted to take Rita to court in an attempt to get 'compensation', despite knowing that no harm had come to her son at Rita's hands. Rita was prosecuted and spent a short time in prison following her conviction. Money-grabbing Cilla was disappointed by the compensation money and tried to further con Rita, but this eventually failed. She continues to hate Cilla, but has a soft spot for Chesney, once taking him in for a night when he had nowhere else to go.
Moving in with Emily Bishop
In 2006 Rita faced the trauma of her flat being broken into. Orchid, who was in Coronation Street in 2004 when she conned Fred Elliott by pretending to be a Thai bride when actually she was just someone from Manchester and her real name was Stacey. In 2006 she reappeared on the street. She had conned another man called Stuart, he locked her up in his flat for days on end. One day she escaped and was beaten up by the so-called boyfriend. She moved into the street and started to live with Rita. One day they returned from town to find Rita's flat totally ruined, A couple of days later Rita was petrified when Stuart entered the Kabin demanding to see Stacey, he threatened to beat her up if she did not tell him where she was hiding. Once Stacey had got to the shop along with Fred there was trouble. Nathan who was working in Webster's Garage came over and pinned Stuart down on the floor. The police came and arrested him and Stacey. Rita decided to move into her friends house Emily Bishop and her other friend Norris Cole moved into Rita's. Rita comforted Emily when Ed, the man who killed her husband turned up on the Street.
In October 2006 Rita and Norris went on a holiday they had won to Hungary. Rita broke her toes whilst there and had to stay in hospital, while Norris returned. Ken Barlow helped out in The Kabin for a while whilst they were away, but he quit when Norris's nagging became too much for him. Rita returned in November 2006 to reveal that her foot was broken when Norris tripped her while trying to get to a bread bun first.
Doreen Fenwick
Rita has recently met up with old friend Doreen. She has invited her to move into her flat following Doreen's eviction, much to the chagrin of disapproving Norris. While she and Doreen initially got on, enjoying reminiscences of the old days, Doreen outstayed her welcome, claiming that the council were delaying completion of works to her flat. Rita, who had come to the end of her teather, 'phoned Weatherfield council pretending to be Doreen, and found out that the works were long since completed. After Rita confronted her, Doreen packed her bags and left Coronation Street, however she soon returned after being persuaded by the most unlikely of people - Norris.
On the 2 September 2007 Norris proposed to Rita, However Rita said no to Norris proposal, also telling him that she had expected it for some time but had always known what her answer would be - he also went onto propose to Doreen.
On the 7 April 2008, Rita revealed she wasn't a natural red head.