Prolific screen actor who found TV soap fame as the Coronation Street villain Alan Bradley
The actor Mark Eden, who has died aged 92, brought high drama to Coronation Street when he played Alan Bradley, who defrauded the singer-turned-newsagent Rita Fairclough, then terrorised her – before meeting his death under a Blackpool tram.
Eden joined the TV soap in 1986, when Alan visited his estranged daughter, Jenny, while she was being fostered by Rita, following his ex-wife’s death. Alan dated Rita, played by Barbara Knox, but two-timed her with the barmaid Gloria Todd. He was eventually dumped by Gloria and set up Weatherfield Security Systems – funded by stealing the deeds to Rita’s house and posing as her late husband Len to remortgage it – and tried to rape his receptionist, Dawn Prescott. When Rita found out, he tried to suffocate her, was interrupted by Jenny, then fled. Although sentenced to two years in prison, he was freed immediately after six months on remand.
