Coronation Street airs tribute to late director Kay Patrick

Coronation Street has paid tribute to longtime director Kay Patrick, who died earlier this month at age 84, with a memorial card at the end of its June 30 episode. The on-screen tribute featured a photograph of Patrick and the words “In memory of Kay Patrick 1941-2026.”

Patrick’s death was announced on June 24, and her funeral was held on Monday, June 29. A notice requested attendees dress comfortably, reflecting her wishes. No cause of death has been disclosed.

She joined the long-running ITV soap opera in 1994 and worked there for 21 years, directing more than 250 episodes. Her work included the highly acclaimed 2014 storyline in which the beloved character Hayley Cropper, played by Julie Hesmondhalgh, ended her own life after a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. The episodes, watched by more than 10 million viewers, were widely praised for their sensitive handling of the subject matter.

Hesmondhalgh previously praised Patrick’s direction of those final scenes. In a past interview, the actress said, “The almost holy atmosphere she created in the studio during those last scenes. She instinctively knew that it was a one-take moment, and so just blocked it and shot it with such...