Hilda Ogden

Hilda Ogden
Coronation Street character
Portrayed byJean Alexander
Duration1964–1987
First appearanceEpisode 371
8 July 1964
Last appearanceEpisode 2790
25 December 1987
ClassificationFormer; regular
Introduced byTim Aspinall
Book appearancesCoronation Street:
The Complete Saga

Coronation Street:
The War Years
Spin-off
appearances
ITV Telethon (1990)
The Women of Coronation Street (1998)
In-universe information
OccupationCleaner (1964–1987)
Housekeeper (1987–1998)
FatherArnold Crabtree
MotherFlorence Crabtree
BrothersArchie Crabtree
Norman Crabtree
HusbandStan Ogden (until 1984)
SonsTrevor Ogden
Tony Ogden
DaughtersIrma Barlow
Sylvia Ogden
GrandsonsDarren Barlow
Damien Ogden
GranddaughtersJayne Ogden
AuntsGertie
First cousinsIsabel
Agnes Swales
Florrie

Hilda Ogden (also Crabtree) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, one of the best-known of all the regular characters in the serial,[1] whose name became synonymous with a classic hard-working Northern working-class woman. She was played by Jean Alexander from 1964 to 1987.

For much of her period as a character in the Street, Hilda worked as cleaner of The Rovers Return Inn. A gossip and busybody, many of her storylines were used for comedic purposes, though the character was equally used for dramatic effect; a scene in which she wept over the spectacles of her recently deceased husband Stan (Bernard Youens) has been hailed as one of the most moving images in television history.

Alexander quit the role of Hilda in 1987 after 23 years but was persuaded to reprise the part in 1990 for a one-off appearance as part of an ITV Telethon. She has also been seen in a spin-off video in 1998, in which another long-running character, Betty Williams (Betty Driver), visited her at her new home. Both of these appearances are considered canon to the show.

Arguably the serial's most popular character of all time, Hilda was voted the greatest TV character in a Radio Times poll of over 5,000 people. The typical appearance of Hilda, wearing hair curlers and a head scarf, has inspired art and catwalk themes. Despite various producers expressing their desire to see the character return, Jean Alexander was openly critical about the direction Coronation Street had taken, vowing never to reprise the role of Hilda again.

Alexander had previously appeared in 1962 as Mrs. Webb, the landlady of Joan Akers (Anna Cropper), who abducted baby Christopher Hewitt (Victoria Baker).

  1. ^ "corrie.net". Archived from the original on 14 June 2017. Retrieved 16 July 2009.