Ian Reddington, the actor who played Vernon Tomlin on Coronation Street and Richard "Tricky Dicky" Cole on EastEnders, has highlighted a major difference between the two iconic British soaps: their filming locations and the resulting public engagement.
City Centre Filming vs. Studio Lot
Reddington, 68, noted that Coronation Street was filmed at Granada Studios on Quay Street in Manchester city centre until its move to MediaCityUK in Salford. In contrast, EastEnders has always been shot at BBC Elstree Centre in Borehamwood, about 20 miles from London. He said the city-centre location was the "great thing" about Corrie, allowing him to interact with locals daily.
"I used to catch a bus every morning into the studios. That's just how mad I am. If I can't engage with people then there's no point," Reddington told the Conversation Street podcast. He added that he stayed with a "lovely old woman down Oxford Road" during his time in Manchester.
Northern vs. Southern Audiences
Reddington also observed a cultural difference between northern and southern audiences. "Northern people are different. They will stop and tell you if they like you, they will stop and tell you if they don't like you - they can't keep their nose out of anything!" he said. This directness, he felt, helped him gauge the show's popularity and fed his performance.
He explained: "It became apparent that it was working, it was popular, and then I just fed off that. One of the great things about the job is that you could feed off the public." He contrasted this with film work, where the connection is delayed by years, and noted that theatre offers some interaction but not the ongoing feedback of a soap.
Career Highlights
Reddington played Tricky Dicky on EastEnders from 1992 to 1994, then joined Coronation Street as Vernon Tomlin, the drummer and second husband of Liz McDonald (Beverley Callard), from 2005 to 2008. He has also appeared in Doctor Who, Casualty, and various theatre productions.
