What is Mary Taylor's history with Brendan Finch on Coronation Street?

A recap of the pair's relationship ructions

Published: Friday, 10 May 2019 at 6:21 pm

Mary Taylor's past relationship with Brendan Finch will be back in the spotlight on Coronation Street after some unopened love letters resurface.

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Wednesday 8th May's double bill will see a suspicious Freda show Rita a pile of envelopes addressed to Mary that Norris had hidden at Number Three.

Kabin Queen Rita's curiosity then gets the better of her and she ends up reading the notes inside, only to find that they're from Brendan, who is clearly still in love with Mary. A further shock then comes when Rita discovers that the last letter contains an engagement ring.

Viewers will have to wait to find out how Mary herself reacts to the news, but just in case you need a reminder of her tumultuous past with Brendan, here's a quick reminder...

Who was Brendan Finch?

Brendan - played by actor and broadcaster Ted Robbins - was introduced to Corrie in October 2015, when he was seen delivering issues of the title he edited: supernatural-themed magazine The Inexplicable. After taking Norris to task about the way he'd spoken to his assistant on the phone, Brendan ended up catching the eye of Mary, who he discovered shared his love of the paranormal.

Mary Taylor (Pattie Clare), Norris Cole (Malcolm Hebden) and Brendan (Ted Robbins) (ITV)

Mary Taylor (Pattie Clare), Norris Cole (Malcolm Hebden) and Brendan (Ted Robbins) (ITV)

Did Brendan date Mary?

Long-time viewers will recall that Mary and Brendan were soon heading out ghost hunting, in the face of Norris's vocal scepticism about the supernatural. But eternal romantic Mary was dealt a blow when she found out that Brendan was actually married! In an attempt to win Mary round, Brendan told her that he was planning on getting a divorce...

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How did Mary and Brendan's relationship end?

Being a duplicitous cad, Brendan became increasingly unreliable over the course of the next few months. On one notable occasion, he failed to meet poor Mary at a restaurant on Christmas Day. By this stage, Rita knew of Mary and Brendan's clandestine trysts and tried to talk some sense into her friend.

Events came to a head in January 2016 when Brendan's wife Bridget turned up at the Rovers and slapped Mary across the face.

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When did Brendan leave Coronation Street?

Ted Robbins made his last appearance on 29 January 2016, when Brendan - having tried to make out that Mary was a lunatic fan - was shoved into a taxi by Bridget, which then sped away from the neighbourhood. Her new-found happiness now in shreds, Mary was left mortified. But, as it transpires, there was in fact another chapter to the tale...

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Visit our dedicated Coronation Street page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers.

Authors

David Brown is standing outside in front of some greenery. He wears a grey T-shirt and is looking at the camera

David BrownDeputy Previews Editor, Radio Times

David Brown is Deputy Previews Editor at Radio Times, with a particular interest in crime drama and fantasy TV. He has appeared as a contributor on BBC News, Sky News and Radio 4’s Front Row and has had work published in the Guardian, the Sunday Times and the i newspaper. He has also worked as a writer and editorial consultant on the National Television Awards, as well as several documentaries profiling the likes of Lenny Henry, Billy Connolly and Take That.

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