Storylines
The year after Fred's first wife Sybil died, Fred became romantically involved with Kathleen Gutteridge (Elizabeth Rider), a young worker in the Elliotts' old shop. Kathleen became pregnant, but rejected Fred's proposal of marriage, feeling too young to be tied down. Kathleen agreed to give her newborn son to Fred's childless sister, Beryl Peacock (Anny Tobin) and her husband Sam. They brought up Ashley as their own son, never telling him of his true parentage. In 1999, Fred let slip to Audrey Roberts (Sue Nicholls) that Ashley is actually his son, and this led to Beryl admitting the truth to Ashley.
In 1997, Fred married Maureen Holdsworth (Sherrie Hewson). Maureen quickly realised it was a mistake. They subsequently separated and later divorced. Fred then fell in love and married barmaid Eve Sykes (Melanie Kilburn). He also bought the Rovers Return pub for her to work in. However, it transpired that Eve had never divorced her previous husband Ray, causing Fred to separate and divorce once again.
In 2006, after a brief courtship, Bev Unwin (Susie Blake) accepted a proposal from Fred. The couple were to marry in October 2006. Intending to retire to the country, Fred sold the Rovers to Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson). While waiting to marry Bev on his wedding day, Fred left the church to talk to Audrey, since she had recently admitted her feeling for him, despite declining his proposal. After a discussion in which he asserted his love and commitment to marrying Bev, he set out to return to the church but collapsed, dying instantly of a heart attack in the hallway of Audrey's house.
Fred always had a good friendship with Liz McDonald who ran the pub in his last years in the Street, and who he knew from old anyway. He had a tendency to call his fellow residents by their full names, such as Beverley for Bev, Elizabeth for Liz, and Devendra for Dev Alahan.
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