Creator of Waterloo Road and Coronation Street scriptwriter Ann McManus dies from a cardiac arrest at 67
Scottish scriptwriter Ann McManus, who has died at 67, has written for some of Britain’s most loved shows.
Waterloo Road creator and Coronation Street scriptwriter Ann McManus passed away earlier this month from a cardiac arrest at the age of 67. She was also behind shows such as Bad Girls, Waterloo Road, Footballer’s Wives and Free the Weatherfield One, as well as being the founder of Shed Productions.
Ann McManus was originally a school teacher but switched to the world of TV, her first role was a scriptwriter for soap Take the High Road before moving on to ITV’s Coronation Street. She also was the creator of BBC’s Waterloo Road and at the press launch for the show in 2008, she said: "I was delighted to be asked by the BBC to devise a drama about a comprehensive school. If there is one single issue that dominates the thinking not only of parents but of everyone who wants a decent and fair society, it's how we give our children the best start in life.”
Ann also revealed that "Without overstating the case, teachers are at the front line of humanity and what they do in the classroom affects all of our lives."
When it came to Ann McManus’s own experience as a pupil at Queen Margaret Academy in Ayr, Scotland, she said: "It's fair to say I was not the easiest pupil to teach. There was nothing I liked more than winding the teachers up and having a laugh at their expense. But I learned to really value those teachers who could control the class and was contemptuous of those who couldn't."
Ann also spoke about her time as a teacher and said: "Some of the pupils I taught were genuinely tough cases, but they all had their crosses to bear. Many were living in chaotic homes, where school was first and foremost a refuge. Given a chance, many of them really wanted to learn but they needed a strong teacher to create the conditions where they could. I can honestly say there was not a pupil I taught whom I didn't genuinely like."
Wendy Bowker paid tribute to Ann McManus on X and wrote: “Saddened to hear the passing of the icon that was Ann McManus. She gave the the opportunity to share my prison stories for #Badgirls. And listened with the amazing ear & skill to get the very best out of me.”
Matthew Gormley also paid tribute to Ann on X and wrote: “Thank you for all that wonderful television, especially for Waterloo Road, which has been a huge part of my life since I was 11.”