What a carry on! When Ena Sharples met 'That French woman'

Francoise Pascal as Francoise Dubois in Coronation Street

Our blogger Graeme runs a fantastic blog all about the Carry On Films.

This week he has an interview with Francoise Pascal, who also briefly appeared in Coronation Street.  I urge you to read the full interview here.

Francoise recalls her time on Coronation Street in late 1971, and she's pictured above. She played the part of Francoise Dubois (what a great name!)

Francoise Pascal as Francoise Dubois in Coronation Street

Francois tells Graeme at Carry on Blogging: "I was asked by my agent if I would like to do a television role. Work is work and I have never turned down the chance to work. It turned out to be Coronation Street. The day that I arrived for rehearsals, I was to be photographed by a group of photographers, well it wasn't a group it was a hoarde of photographers.  I was whisked onto that famous cobbled street, photos were taken and I thought it was great!

"But then, Miss Violet Carson (Ena Sharples) decided to dislike me and called me 'That bloody French Woman', which of course I found very funny and she got even more mad because I was laughing instead of getting mad or upset.

I made great friends with the girl who played Lucille Hewitt (Jennifer Moss). I adored her but not many people liked her because she had been into drugs and it was a well known fact in the press.  Nevertheless I really liked her and we became firm friends for a long while after I finished Corrie.

I was only there for a week. I started the trend of famous outsiders appearing Corrie. Of course Joanna Lumley followed me and she got to stay longer than I would have liked. They don't like outsiders, soaps, the actors have their own niche and they gather together in defence of their place in the soap. Fair enough, I understood that even as young as I was.

The men were lovely to me - I really liked Bill Roache, he was a darling to get to know.  All in all I had a very good time except for Violet Carson, and I still laugh by the way when I think of her face looking at me saying those words. 'That Bloody French Woman'! Hahahaha!"

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