'Coronation Street' writer defends Salford references

Coronation Street writer Jonathan Harvey has defended the references to Salford during Friday night's episode.

Fans took to Twitter to express their surprise after the area was name-checked twice during yesterday's 8.30pm edition of the long-running ITV soap.

Many pointed out that they had always assumed Weatherfield was based on Salford, rather than being an actual part of the real Salford.

"Twice in tonight's #Corrie they've called it Salford not Weatherfield. Have they moved the whole street overnight?" asked one user, while another posted: "Why is everyone on Corrie suddenly mentioning that they live in Salford?? I thought Weatherfield was meant to *be* Salford??"

During Roy's (David Neilson) argument with Milton (Robert Vaughn) about his business plans, the Street regular said: "This is not Manhattan, you know. It's a Salford backstreet. I suggest, before you start getting carried away with yourself, you get a pretty big reality check."

Later in the episode, as Jason (Ryan Thomas) discussed the possibility of reuniting with Rosie (Helen Flanagan) in the future, he commented: "I doubt it, you're going places. I'm just an ordinary Salford lad who works on a builder's yard, who goes to his local boozer. That's it."

Responding to the queries, Harvey wrote: "it has always been set in Salford, Weatherfield is a ficitonal borough of Salford, has been since ep 1"

After a fan tweeted: "imagine if the BBC moved Enders from Walford to Poplar. Corrie's been in Weatherfield for 50 yrs FFS!" the writer replied: "Weatherfield has always been a district or suburb of Salford and not Manchester. I was being loyal to the original episodes."

Harvey concluded: "For those of you convinced by references to Salford tonight in Corrie. Weatherfield is and always has been a district of Salford, not manc"

Filming on Coronation Street is to relocate to the new MediaCityUK complex at Salford Quays in the future, after the move was approved by Trafford Council last year.

Flanagan's Rosie Webster bid farewell to the Street during Friday night's episode.