Eric

[Perdita]

Coronation Street bosses have signed up veteran actor Timothy West to play a new love interest for Gloria Price.

The 78-year-old will be seen on the cobbles early next year in the role of Eric, a carpet salesman who has been dating Gloria.



© PA Images / Brian O'Sullivan/EMPICS Entertainment

Gloria has been absent from Weatherfield in recent weeks but she returns in 2013 with Eric in tow, according to the Daily Star.

West has a large number of stage, film and television credits to his name, including historical drama series Edward the Seventh and comedy-drama Brass.

The actor is married to Fawlty Towers star Prunella Scales.

Coronation Street viewers saw Gloria leave the Rovers Return in disgrace last month after she was caught out for fixing a 'Pub of the Year' competition. She will no doubt be hoping to make amends with daughter Stella (Michelle Collins) upon her return in the New Year.


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[TaintedLove]

Sounds brilliant. I do like Gloria, and with Timothy West on board, there could be some great scenes.
I absolutely loved 'Brass', Timothy played Bradley Hardacre to perfection. So Timothy can do both drama and comedy very well indeed.

[TaintedLove]

Sounds brilliant. I do like Gloria, and with Timothy West on board, there could be some great scenes.
I absolutely loved 'Brass', Timothy played Bradley Hardacre to perfection. So Timothy can do both drama and comedy very well indeed.

[Perdita]

Coronation Street's Eva Price (Catherine Tyldesley) will reportedly be left reeling when her grandmother Gloria's new lover tries to seduce her.

Eric (Timothy West) will try and woo Eva after she become upset and confides in him about her love life, according to the Daily Star.

Eric will be seen buying Eva an expensive bracelet and hinting that he wants to sleep with her in scenes which a show insider said would leave the Rovers Return barmaid "totally shocked".

The carpet salesman will apparently tell Eva: "Gloria's a stimulating woman, but I don't love her. I'm going to call off the wedding. I want to spend my final years with someone I have a connection with, somebody like you."

The source added: "It's one thing trying to steal her sister's fella, but she's not going to go after her gran's. Gloria will hit the roof when she finds out."

Eric will be introduced when Gloria returns to the cobbles, having fled when she was caught trying to fix a 'Pub of the Year' competition in the Rovers' favour.

The new storyline is due to air in March.

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[tammyy2j]

Sounds brilliant. I do like Gloria, and with Timothy West on board, there could be some great scenes.
I absolutely loved 'Brass', Timothy played Bradley Hardacre to perfection. So Timothy can do both drama and comedy very well indeed.

I hope Gloria's return stint this time is better than her debut stint maybe this fella Eric will help

[owenlee4me]

all down to the scriptwriters! Sheila is a very versatile actress and yes she deserves a better story, Timothy is also a versatile actor, so least the acting will be better, non of "Nick's" pathetic scowling and waiting for cues!!

[alan45]

...

[alan45]

WEATHERFIELD’S Eva Price is stunned when her gran’s lover tries to seduce her.

Corrie fans should expect the fur to fly when battleaxe Gloria Price makes a shock return to the cobbles with a new boyfriend called Eric.

But Eric – played by Timothy West, 78,– will turn out to be a real sleaze and tries his luck with younger model Eva.

In scenes to be screened in March, the elderly businessman makes a play for Eva, played by Catherine Tyldesley, 29. He thinks she’s giving him the come-on when she sobs on his shoulder about how rubbish her love life is.

She tells him: “Thanks for listening to me before. My gran is lucky to have you. Maybe I should just give up on men.”

But he tells her: “That would be a terrible loss to mankind. I wish I could think of something to cheer you up.”

The blonde bombshell is later stunned when Eric presents her with an expensive bracelet and drops a massive hint that he wants to sleep with her.

When she asks why he’s showering her with gifts when he’s engaged to her gran, he tells her: “Because I think you’re wonderful. It’s time someone told you what you’re worth.

“Gloria’s a stimulating woman, but I don’t love her.

“I’m going to call off the wedding. I want to spend my final years with someone I have a connection with, somebody like you.”

A show insider warned: “Eva’s totally shocked by his advances.

“It’s one thing trying to steal her sister’s fella but she’s not going to go after her gran’s.

“Gloria will to hit the roof when she finds out.”

[Perdita]

Veteran actor Timothy West has revealed more details of his upcoming Coronation Street storyline, which sees him arrive on the cobbles as Gloria Price's new fiancé.

The 78-year-old appears on the ITV soap from next week, taking on the role of elderly businessman Eric.

Eric is smitten with Gloria when he first arrives in Weatherfield, but he soon realises that she is only interested in his money.

Moving on quickly, Eric then turns his attentions to Gloria's granddaughter Eva, asking her to travel the world with him.

West told itv.com: "He meets Eva and the rest of the family, they have all made him very welcome, but he is drawn to Eva as he realises that she is unhappy and he thinks she is a lost soul like he has been in his life.

"He doesn't want to have a sexual relationship with her at all, he is far too old for one thing. But he does think that they might have some fun together seeing the world. She is funny and intelligent.

"He sees vulnerability in her that others don't, he doesn't really see the harder side of her. He is quite good at judging people and he sees something underneath it all. She is having a hard time with the family over the Leanne situation, and it helps that she is very beautiful."

Asked whether Eric is annoyed over Gloria's behaviour, he replied: "He has always seen that there is a definite selfish, slightly grabby, element to her, but it gets worse and he doesn't like that. He doesn't like the constant family rows she causes. He likes a quiet life, and he feels Eva offers a more appealing alternative."

West also explained that Eric is a guest role, confirming that the character won't be sticking around on the Street for long.

He said: "It did appeal to me that this was a story with a definite end to it, and I couldn't have stayed long term, but I have enjoyed it immensely."

Coronation Street airs Eric's first scenes on Monday, February 18 at 7.30pm on ITV.

[Perdita]

Coronation Street's Gloria Price will receive an unexpected shock courtesy of her lover Eric Babbage, according to reports.

Gloria (Sue Johnston) will be left shocked when Eric (Timothy West) suddenly dies, according to the Daily Star. However, further surprises are in store when Gloria discovers that the carpet salesman was secretly married - and that his widow Dorris can't wait to get her hands on Eric's money.


© ITV
Stella looks on at her mother, Gloria, and fiancée Eric


When Gloria confronts Dorris, saying that Eric never mentioned her, she replies that he thought she would "cop the lot" and take all his money if he filed for divorce.

"That man could squeeze a pound coin until the Queen's eyes bled. I hope he got his money's worth out of you," she reportedly tells Gloria.

Gloria later becomes even more upset upon revealing that she has booked a lavish funeral costing £4,000 for Eric.

"He can do a running jump if he thinks I'm going to give him a lavish send-off," she apparently says. "Dorris said she would give him a bog-standard send-off. He can settle with that."

West recently explained that Eric becomes drawn to Gloria's granddaughter Eva as he thinks they are both "lost souls".

Coronation Street airs Eric's first scenes on Monday, February 18 at 7.30pm on ITV.