Deidre Barlow's Death Rocks 'Coronation Street': Remember When... ‘Free The Weatherfield One' Fought For Anne Kirkbride's Character's Freedom (VIDEO)

Remember When... 'Free The Weatherfield One' Captivated The Nation
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It was the court case that rocked the country. One woman, wrongly imprisoned for fraud had the whole nation calling for justice - Deirdre Barlow.

Anne Kirkbride took centre stage in a number of unforgettable ‘Coronation Street’ scenes and storylines during her time on the soap, but none were more memorable than the campaign for her fictional character's justice in 1998.

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Deidre's plight was headline news

During her 43 years on the soap. Anne transformed Deirdre from a 17-year-old making a one-off appearance in Weatherfield, to one of TV’s most-loved characters.

The ‘Free The Weatherfield One’ plot is one of the most memorable soap storylines ever, and fans were outraged when Deidre was wrongly jailed for mortgage fraud and theft, while her lover Jon Lindsay, who was guilty, walked free.

A campaign soon began, and the public’s persistent calls for justice for the much-loved character even prompted a statement from Prime Minister, Tony Blair.

When Deidre was freed in 1999, and reunited with Ken Barlow at a Valentine’s Day disco, the nation breathed a sigh of relief.

Remember Anne’s iconic storyline with the video above…

Anne Kirkbride Through The Years
Anne Kirkbride(01 of15)
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File photo dated 13/06/83 of Coronation Street actress Anne Kirkbride, who played Deirdre Barlow, has died after a short illness, her husband David Beckett said tonight. (credit:PA/PA Wire)
Television - ITV Series - Coronation Street - Manchester(02 of15)
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Coronation Street stars during a Christmas Party sequence at the Rovers Return. Left to right, Julie Goodyear as Bet Lynch; Doris Speed as Annie Walker; Jack Howarth as Albert Tatlock; Betty Driver as Betty Turpin (behind); Barbara Knox as Rita Littlewood; Anne Kirkbride as Deidre Hunt (behind), as Jean Alexander as Hilda Ogden; unidentified; Stephen Hancock as Ernest Bishop; as Geoffrey Hughes as Eddie Yeats (at the back); Violet Carson as Ena Sharples; Eileen Derbyshire as Emily Bishop; Margo Bryant as Minnie Caldwell; unidentified; Thelma Barlow as Mavis Riley; Bernard Youens as Stan Ogden; Neville Buswell as Ray Langdon; unidentified. (credit:PA/PA Archive)
Television - Queen visit to Coronation Street - Granada Studios(03 of15)
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Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visit the newly built location of Granada Television's "Coronation Street" in Manchester. Some of the cast from left to right: Jack Howarth, William Roache, Anne Kirkbride, Eileen Derbyshire and Thelma Barlow (credit:PA/PA Archive)
Television - Granada TV - Coronation Street 25th Anniversary - Dorchester Hotel(04 of15)
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Members of the cast of ITV's soap opera Coronation Street, crowded around a cake replica of the street at the celebration to mark its 25th anniversary at the Dorchester Hotel. Front row, left to right, Julie Goodyear, Eileen Derbyshire, series creater Tony Warren, William Roache, Jean Alexander and Betty Driver. Back row, left to right, Nigel Pivaro, Johnny Briggs, Michael Le Vell, Bill Tarmey, Thelma Barlow, Anne Kirkbride, Bryan Mosley, Lynn Perry, Kevin Kennedy, Bill Waddington, Helen Worth and Liz Dawn. (credit:PA/PA Archive)
kirkbride anne 02-(05 of15)
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Anne Kirkbride, attends the Coronation Street, Christmas Party, held at the Lowry hotel in Manchester. (credit:Eamon Clarke /EMPICS Entertainment)
Anne Kirkbride death(06 of15)
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File photo dated 23/05/83 of Coronation Street actors William Roache (left), who played Ken Barlow and Johnny Briggs who played Mike Baldwin with Anne Kirkbride, who played Deirdre Barlow, as she has died after a short illness, her husband David Beckett said. (credit:PA/PA Wire)
Actors Anne Kirkbride And Bill Roache Come Face To Face With Ken And Deidre(07 of15)
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BLACKPOOL, ENGLAND - JULY 25: Coronation Street actress Anne Kilbride comes face to face with a wax work model of her street character Deirdre Barlow on July 25, 2011 in Blackpool, England. Two wax work figures of Coronation Street's Deirdre and Ken Barlow are the latest celebrity fascimiles to be unveiled at Madame Tussauds Blackpool (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) (credit:Christopher Furlong via Getty Images)
Actors Anne Kirkbride And Bill Roache Come Face To Face With Ken And Deidre(08 of15)
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BLACKPOOL, ENGLAND - JULY 25: Coronation Street actress Anne Kilbride comes face to face with a wax work model of her street character husband Ken Barlow on July 25, 2011 in Blackpool, England. Two wax work figures of Coronation Street's Deirdre and Ken Barlow are the latest celebrity fascimiles to be unveiled at Madame Tussauds Blackpool (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) (credit:Christopher Furlong via Getty Images)
Actors Anne Kirkbride And Bill Roache Come Face To Face With Ken And Deidre(09 of15)
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BLACKPOOL, ENGLAND - JULY 25: Coronation Street actress Anne Kilbride comes face to face with a wax work model of her street character Deirdre Barlow on July 25, 2011 in Blackpool, England. Two wax work figures of Coronation Street's Deirdre and Ken Barlow are the latest celebrity fascimiles to be unveiled at Madame Tussauds Blackpool (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) (credit:Christopher Furlong via Getty Images)
The Duchess Of Cornwall - Coronation Street Visit(10 of15)
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 04: Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall (2L) meets actors Anne Kirkbride, who plays the role of Deirdre Barlow (C) and Ryan Thomas, who plays the role of Jason Grimshaw (R) during a tour to the Rovers Return Pub on the set of British television soap opera 'Coronation Street' on February 4, 2010 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Andrew Yates-WPA Pool/Getty Images) (credit:WPA Pool via Getty Images)
Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall (2nd L)(11 of15)
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Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall (2nd L) meets actors Beverly Callard, who plays landlady Liz McDonald (L), Anne Kirkbride, who plays the role of Deirdre Barlow (2nd R) and Ryan Thomas, who plays the role of Jason Grimshaw (R) during a visit to the Rovers Return Pub on the set of British television soap opera 'Coronation Street', in Manchester, north-west England, on February 4, 2010. AFP PHOTO/ANDREW YATES/WPA POOL (Photo credit should read ANDREW YATES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:ANDREW YATES via Getty Images)
Central Station Paint Coronation Street-Part 1 - Manchester(12 of15)
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The Richard Goodall Gallery in Manchester's northern quarter had it's opening night party for the exhibition "Central Station Paint Coronation Street-Part 1". Coronation Street's Anne Kirkbride. (credit:Eamonn and James Clarke/Eamonn and James Clarke)
Coronation Street Filming - Manchester(13 of15)
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Anne Kirkbride seen on the set of Coronation Street, Cheshire (credit:Eamonn and James Clarke/Eamonn and James Clarke)
Anne Kirkbride(14 of15)
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File photo dated 29/01/14 of Coronation Street actress Anne Kirkbride, who played Deirdre Barlow, has died after a short illness, her husband David Beckett said tonight. (credit:Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
Coronation Street filming - Manchester(15 of15)
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Anne Kirkbride who plays Deirdre Barlow in Coronation Street is seen filming the funeral scene of Blanche Hunt who was played by Maggie Jones who recently passed away in real life, Manchester (credit:Eamonn and James Clarke/Eamonn and James Clarke)