What’s Yours? – The preferred tipple of your favourite TV characters

Many TV shows are lubricated by alcohol, and the big American soaps would dry up and stop without it.

The Rovers Return, The Queen Victoria and the like, are the setting for so much important action, useful places for characters to meet and a boon to writers.

Dot Cotton is looking for her evil son, Nick, so she tries the Queen Vic. Rita must come across Alan Bradley chatting up another woman so she pops in to the Rovers for a vodka and a confrontation. Newton & Ridleys Vs Churchills . . . what’s yours?

Dallas, Dynasty, The Colby’s, Falcon Crest and Knots Landing always featured a great deal of drinking. It’s easy to see why.

Boring plot lines have to be made in complicated chunks of tête-à-tête dialogue. A pretty waitress pouring JR’s Bourbon and branch water gives you something to look at while the turgid stuff about the cartel is dispensed.

A character’s taste in drinks is crucial to his or her place in the society of the TV show. In British programs, all ‘real men’ drink beer. Young characters drink mostly Lager. Middle-class men drink Whisky, women who’ve ‘been around’ drink Vodka . . .

What’s the tipple of choice of some of the most famous TV characters? It’s your round . . .

Coronation Street

Ena Sharples : Milk Stout
Minnie Caldwell : Milk Stout
Martha Longhurst : Milk Stout
Hilda Ogden : Light Ale (bottled), Port & Lemon, Planters Punch
Annie Walker : Special Sherry, Cherry Brandy (at Christmas)
Mavis Riley : Fruit Juice
Emily Bishop : Fruit Juice
Elsie Tanner : Gin, Lager & Lime
Vera Duckworth : Lager (bottled)
Ivy Tilsley : Lager (bottled)
Alec Gilroy : Irish Whisky
Mike Baldwin : Scotch Whisky, Champagne
Rita Fairclough : Vodka & Tonic
Albert Tatlock : Rum
Alf Roberts : Beer
Stan Ogden : Beer
Jack Duckworth : Beer
Deidre Barlow : Lager, Gin
Tracey Barlow : Coke
Ken Barlow : Newton & Ridley’s Mild (half)

EastEnders

Dot Cotton : Orange Juice, Tea
Angie Watts : Gin
Pauline Fowler : Light Ale
Ethel Skinner : Guinness
Lou Beale : Milk Stout, Brandy, Guinness
Pete Beale : Beer (Churchill’s)
Arthur Fowler : Beer (Churchill’s)
Charlie Cotton : Beer (Churchill’s)
Wicksy : Lager
Ian Beale : Lager
Lofty : Lager
Pat : Gin
Den Watts : Beer, Scotch, Champagne, Wine
Michelle : Soft Drink, Vodka, Gin
Sharon : Soft Drink, Vodka
Mags : Spring Water, Gin & Tonic
Wilmott-Brown : Beer, spirits
Dr Legg : Half of bitter
Ali : Beer, Whisky
Sue : Gin, Soft drinks
Dr Singh : Half of bitter

Dallas

Miss Ellie : Brandy, Whisky, Wine
Clayton : Beer, Whisky before dinner
JR : Bourbon and branch
Cliff Barnes : Bourbon, Whisky, Wine, Beer
Ray Krebbs : Beer
Bobby : Beer, Whisky before dinner
Sue-Ellen : Vodka (lots of it)

Dynasty

Alexis : Champagne, Cocktails
Blake Carrington : Brandy, Whisky, Wine
Krystle : Wine, Whisky, Brandy
Steven Carrington : Beer
Jeff Colby : Whisky, Wine, Beer, Champagne, Cocktails
Falcon Colby : Wine, Champagne, Cocktails
Adam Carrington : Beer, Wine, anything to get drunk on
Sammy-Jo : Wine
Dominique Deveraux : Champagne
Dex Dexter : Beer, Wine with a meal