First premiering on 9th December 1960, Coronation Street is widely known as the longest-running soap opera in the world. As the title suggests, it’s set on the fictional ‘Coronation Street’ in the town of ‘Weatherfield’ based on Salford, Greater Manchester. The show explores the lives and complexities of the residents on the street, with storylines tapping into important issues such as gang violence, domestic abuse and racism. It proves to be an exciting watch and draws attention to the importance of awareness regarding social problems, with story lines tapping into issues of racism, domestic abuse and gang violence.

Having previously been filmed in Granada Studios, Casterfield Manchester since its opening episode, construction began for a new set location in September 2011, and in November 2013, the show moved to its new home, in the ITV Trafford Wharf Studios backlot, MediaCityUK in Trafford, where it has been filming ever since. I was recently fortunate enough to visit the current set of this iconic British show, and having been born into a family of Coronation Street addicts, it was certainly an exciting experience.

The tour began with a 10 minute video of highlights, recapturing some of the most thrilling moments of the show, which certainly proved to be a blast from the past for some of the visitors who had been watching even since its early years in the 1960s. Visitors were then taken outisde to the exterior of the set, with our tour guide showing us around the cobbles, and providing plenty of behind the scene secrets and facts about the show. Did you know that whilst the current set is built to the full scale of a real street, the prior one was just ¾ size, and so when crossing the street, cast had to walk diagonally, in order to give the illusion of them walking on a full-sized street?

Of course, everyone took plenty of photos as we were able to pose in front of the most iconic parts of the set, including the Weatherfield Precinct and Roy’s Rolls café. There was even a professional photographer on set to take photos of visitors in front of the most famous part of the set, the Rover’s Return Pub. You could purchase these photos afterwards as the tour concluded, with visitors being able to visit the gift shop. There were various other products on offer for fans including aprons, mugs, books, sweets and hoodies (all officially branded of course!).

I spoke to life-long Coronation Street fan Jane Ashley who told me that ‘Having watched Coronation Street for over 40 years it was fantastic and poignant to stand on those cobbled streets and peer through the windows of the Rovers Return. I had a real sense of the history of the programme and the many characters of old, who had stood where I now stood. It was a brilliant day out for any “Corrie” fan’.

So, if you fancy a visit to the cobbles of Coronation Street, or indeed even the Emmerdale Village, head over to coronationstreettour.co.uk to book your tickets now for £28 pp (or £35 for entry before 3pm).