Coronation Street aired an emotional tribute to former director Kay Patrick at the end of the first episode shown tonight (Tuesday, June 30).
Viewers tuning in saw a heartfelt message appear as the credits rolled, honouring the much-loved director following her recent death after a long career on the ITV soap.
Coronation Street pays tribute to late director Kay Patrick
Coronation Street aired a special hour-long visit to Weatherfield this evening, split into two half-hour episodes after recent football scheduling changes on ITV caused disruption to the usual soap line-up.
The first episode ran from 8.15pm until 8.45pm, before the second followed immediately and continued until 9.15pm. During the opening instalment, Megan Walsh’s mum Janine arrived on the cobbles as the trial storyline gathered pace.
After realising Megan had groomed Will, Janine confronted him before he entered court. She urged him to withdraw his statement, insisting Megan had ‘loved him in her own warped way’ and claiming her actions had simply been a ‘lapse of judgement’ that shouldn’t see her sent to prison.
By the end of the episode, it appeared the plan had paid off, with Will shocking everyone in court by telling the jury he’d ‘made the whole thing up.’
As the first episode came to a close, Coronation Street then paused to honour Kay Patrick. A touching message remembering Kay Patrick 1941-2026 appeared on screen alongside a photo of her smiling outdoors.
Kay worked as a director on Coronation Street for more than two decades. She joined the soap in 1994 and remained there for 21 years.
During her career, she also directed episodes of Crossroads, Holby City and Brookside, while producing episodes of Emmerdale.
Coronation Street star Lisa George leads online tributes to Kay Patrick
Following the tribute on screen, former Coronation Street star Lisa George, who played Beth Tinker, shared her own memories of Kay on social media.
She wrote: “Awwww I loved Kay – worked with her quite a bit and just felt so safe in her hands. I thought she was amazing xxx.”
Another friend of the director’s shared: “So saddened to hear about Kay’s passing. It was an honour to know her. Such a kind, lovely lady and a cat lover to boot! Kay was so loved and respected by all who worked on Coronation Street. Rest in peace, Kay.”
A third person also added: “I’m so sorry to hear about Kay. It was a pleasure to know her. Xx.”
The touching on-screen tribute and heartfelt messages shared by those who knew Kay reflected the lasting impact she had during her many years behind the camera, with colleagues remembering her as a respected and much-loved part of the Coronation Street family.
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Coronation Street usually airs Monday-Friday at 8.30pm on ITV.
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