Tracy Barlow: played by Kate Ford

Personal details: Attractive, cunning and an all round nasty piece of work, Tracy is the nightmare daughter of Deidre Barlow and the late Ray Langton. Despite being a mother to baby Amy, Tracy is never happier than when plotting and scheming to get her wicked way.

Great personality? If you like manipulative, selfish femme fatales, then yes – Tracy’s probably the best The Street has ever seen. She misled everyone about Amy's father and ruining Steve and Karen's marriage, but more dramatically Tracey recently finally meted out horrible justice on philandering boyfriend Charlie Stubbs by killing him with a blow to the head.

Typical line: "Yer dunno what yer talking about.

Hilda Ogden: played by Jean Alexander

Personal details:
A national institution and once voted “greatest soap star of all timeâ€?, Hilda was the cleaning lady in curlers and pinny with the loose tongue and the nerve-shredding singing voice. Unlucky in life and burdened with a useless husband in Stan, the gossiping busybody had a heart of gold and was loved by all.

Great personality?
More of an acquired taste, seeing as she had a nose in everyone’s business. Even so, Hilda was a grafter who eventually got her reward when Doctor Lowther asked her to move to Derby and be his housekeeper. When she left the The Street on Christmas Day in 1987, 27 million tearful viewers watched as Hilda trilled “Wish Me Luck As You Wave Me Goodbyeâ€? in that awful voice!

Typical line:“STANLEEEEYYY! Is that you?â€?

Ken Barlow: played by William Roache

Personal details: The only surviving cast member from the very first episode, steady old Ken has been an unlikely lothario over the years with 21 screen lovers in 46 years on The Street. Currently married to Deidre (for the second time) and trying to remain calm in the face of the trail of destruction left behind by adopted devil daughter Tracy.

Great personality? Perhaps unfairly dubbed boring, Ken is ultimately an intelligent man, frustrated by the cards life has dealt him – although the hair, clothes and strong morals haven’t helped. His finest hour came during the highest-rated episode ever in 1983 when Ken got Deidre back and ended her affair with arch enemy Mike Baldwin. The story was so big, the news was flashed up on the scoreboard at Old Trafford while Man Utd were playing Arsenal.

Typical line: "Just stay out of our lives, Baldwin!"

25 January 2007