List of Coronation Street characters introduced in 2002

The following is a list of characters that first appeared in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street in 2002, by order of first appearance.

Hazel Wilding

Hazel Wilding first appears on 23 January 2002 when cab driver Vikram Desai (Chris Bisson) picks up her from an upmarket suburb. Immediately, Hazel flirts heavily with Vikram and she then requests his services more frequently. It is not long before Hazel seduces Vikram at a hotel wearing lingerie and bearing a bottle of champagne. In February 2002, Vikram is shocked to discover that Hazel is married and feels that things between them have become too complicated. He then keeps a distance from her by sending other drivers when she requests his cab.

It is not long before Vikram resumes his secret affair with Hazel as she gives him a gold bracelet for his birthday and he dumps girlfriend Bobbi Lewis for Hazel. When Les Battersby (Bruce Jones) comes to collect Hazel one day, he is very suggestive and she slaps him. She demands to know what Vikram has told his staff at the office about her. Vikram is livid with Les and confides in his cousin Dev Alahan (Jimmi Harkishin) that he has fallen in love with Hazel. When Hazel's husband John discovers the affair, he threatens Vikram to stay away from his wife. Hazel later makes it clear to Vikram that she will not leave John for him, and after several threats from John, Hazel tells Vikram that she was in on his plan all along.

Archie Shuttleworth

Archie Shuttleworth, played by actor Roy Hudd, is a local undertaker.

Blanche Hunt (Maggie Jones) introduces her boyfriend, undertaker Archie Shuttleworth, to her family and friends. Archie thinks Blanche is a laugh; she fakes weakness to win sympathy from Archie, and is cheered up by Archie's visit. Blanche has a date with Archie despite Blanche's daughter Deirdre Rachid (Anne Kirkbride) and her partner Ken Barlow (William Roache) arriving home to find them dancing in the front room. Archie invites Blanche to go to Blackpool for the weekend with him. Blanche says she will think about it; Deirdre is horrified. Jack Duckworth (Bill Tarmey) offers his services to Archie as a pallbearer; Archie says he will bear it in mind if they are ever desperate. Archie and Blanche leave for Blackpool in Archie's hearse. Blanche and Archie arrive back from Blackpool, where they have had a good time ballroom dancing. Deirdre is shocked to learn that they stayed in Archie's caravan, which is open plan. Blanche tells Norris Cole (Malcolm Hebden) and Betty Williams (Betty Driver) that she is going to one of Archie's funerals, and persuades Betty to join them. Archie tries to flatter Norris's work employee Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox) into also becoming a professional mourner, but she refuses. After letting Blanche down by cancelling their plans for a day out, Archie promises to take her out for a slap-up meal the following evening.

Archie tries to apologise for standing Blanche up, but she is having none of it. Archie turns up at the Barlows' house to serenade Blanche, attracting many The Rovers Return Inn customers who are touched by his gesture. Blanche forgives Archie. Archie arrives early at the Barlows' house, making Deirdre think that he stayed the night. Blanche is pleased when she hears this. Archie chats up Audrey Roberts (Sue Nicholls) at the bar, making Blanche jealous but Archie wants Audrey to make dead people look their best but she refuses. After Archie flatters Audrey about her hairdressing skills, she caves in and agrees to see to Archie's clients' hair. Audrey does her first dead person's hair on Edwina Levy, Archie's former hairdresser, and finds it very rewarding. Archie compliments Audrey on her hairdressing skills in The Rovers, unaware that Ken's son Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) is watching. He winds Blanche up about Archie's "other woman" and when Blanche sees Audrey getting into Archie's car, she accuses Archie of two-timing her. Archie says he was just giving Audrey a lift. Archie tells Audrey he does not like lying but Audrey is adamant she does not want her customers to know that she is now "beautician to the dead". When Blanche sees them together, she accuses Archie of being dishonest and throws a glass of water over him so he tells her that Audrey is working for him. He asks Blanche not to tell anyone as Audrey is worried that it would be bad for business. Blanche forgives him.

Blanche overhears Maxine Peacock (Tracy Shaw) and Maria Sutherland (Samia Ghadie) in The Rovers gossiping about Audrey and Archie disappearing together. She explains that Audrey works for Archie and asks them not to say anything as it is a secret. Norris overhears. Audrey is furious when she realises everybody knows that she is working for Archie, telling Archie that she thought she could trust him. Archie is very upset with Blanche and tells her their relationship is over. Blanche is devastated. Blanche tells Deirdre that Archie has finished with her and sobs her heart out. Audrey realises that her working for Archie has not affected her business. Deirdre tells Archie how upset Blanche is but he will not change his mind. As Blanche rushes to take a phone call she thinks is from Archie she trips, falls down the stairs and bangs her head. Audrey smugly tells Rita that Archie finished with Blanche as a result of her blabbing Audrey's hairdressing secret all over The Rovers. Archie visits Blanche to get his dance records back. He sees her lifeless body through the letterbox and shoulder charges the door down. Norris calls an ambulance. She is alive but barely conscious. Archie visits Blanche in hospital. Blanche assumes their relationship is back on but Archie looks worried. When Blanche comes home, Archie visits and explains to Blanche that her accident has not changed anything. Blanche is very upset and cries after he has gone. Blanche sees her letter printed in the problem page of the Gazette, unaware that Ken has written the reply telling her to move on and forget Archie.

Richard Hillman's (Brian Capron) day goes from bad to worse when Archie gives him the bill for the wedding cars. Audrey tells Archie and Rita about the laundry in the kitchen. They tell her it is just absent-mindedness. Richard expresses his upset about the finding of his ex-wife Patricia Hillman's (Annabelle Apsion) body to his current wife Gail Hillman (Helen Worth). The police say the death was not suspicious. He feels responsible and asks Archie to hurry through a cremation. Charlotte Morris insists on going to the mortuary to see her best friend's body for the last time. Archie thinks that Charlotte should view the body. Audrey thinks that she is going mad and is badly shaken, confiding in Archie and Richard. Archie tries to reassure Audrey that she is not losing her marbles. Archie is concerned about Audrey and makes her promise to see a doctor.

Audrey discovers that her dress is missing and panics about her "memory loss", confiding in Archie. She later tells him and Rita that she has booked a doctor's appointment. Audrey and Archie visit the Moxton Street drycleaners and pick up the dress. She asks the assistant if she recognises her but the assistant thinks she is mad. Steve brings Audrey's glasses into The Rovers after she left them in his taxi and gives them to Archie. He tries to call Audrey but the call does not connect. Archie is worried and persuades Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) to drive him to Audrey's house, which he does. Archie and Steve are horrified to see Audrey's house on fire. Archie calls an ambulance and the fire brigade while Steve rescues Audrey. The paramedics take Audrey and Steve to hospital and Archie goes to No.8 to tell Gail and Richard. Gail panics and she and Richard go to the hospital. Richard looks satisfied that Audrey is in intensive care. Richard tells Archie that the fire has proved that Audrey is becoming a danger to herself. Lucy brings flowers to the Street for Audrey. Archie sees her and invites her for a drink in The Rovers. Richard tells Rita and Archie that Audrey is not well and cannot have visitors, but she sneaks out of the house. David sees her, and tells Gail and Richard.

Audrey reaches Archie's house, followed by Richard. She begs Archie to let her stay, and he tells Richard that it is best if she stays the night. Once safely indoors, she tells Archie that she has realised that Richard is after her money. Audrey tells Archie that Richard has been trying to kill her all along, but when Archie lets Richard in to his house, Audrey starts screaming, so he makes Richard leave. Audrey wants to call the police, but Archie insists she calm down first, so Audrey realises that Archie does not believe her. Audrey tries to prove that she is sane by showing Archie how she passed the doctor's memory tests. However, this backfires. When Gail phones Archie, she asks if she can visit, but Archie suggests she stay away for now. Richard tells Gail about his experiences with his mother's Alzheimer's disease, but Audrey realises that she was with Archie when her dress was taken to the cleaners. Audrey lists to Archie all the things which make her suspicious of Richard. Archie also finds that he has reasons to suspect Richard too, Richard having told him there were no batteries in the fire alarm before the fire inspection results were known. Audrey and Archie think that Richard may have killed his ex-wife Patricia. Audrey thinks that Gail is in danger, and wants to go to the police. Archie tells her to go to see Gail before contacting the police. Gail and Richard go to collect Audrey. She becomes hysterical again when she sees Richard, and Archie tells them to leave. Archie tells Audrey that first thing the next morning they should go to the police and tell them all about Richard. Audrey and Archie go to the police to report Richard. Gail and Richard go to Archie's house to confront Archie and Audrey about the allegations. In a heated argument, Audrey accuses Gail of plotting to kill her too when she discovers that she has given Richard a complete alibi for the night of the fire. The police tell Audrey and Archie that they will not be taking matters any further. Archie is angry with Audrey for trying to take the children. He thinks she has made things worse for herself. Archie persuades Audrey that she needs a break. He tells her that his sister Stella has a guest house in the Lake District. Audrey agrees to go there.

Richard gets angry when Archie refuses to tell him where Audrey is staying. The Hillmans go Christmas shopping. Audrey formulates a plan to let herself into their house while they are at a pantomime and look for clues in Richard's briefcase. She tells Archie her plan, but he is unhappy about it. Audrey and Archie let themselves into No. 8 and start going through Richard's papers and computer. Audrey discovers that he has got Gail to remortgage the house and that he has a lot of money tied up in Emily Bishop's (Eileen Derbyshire) house. Bethany spills a drink in the car and the family return home so that Sarah and Gail can change their clothes. They catch Audrey and Archie red-handed. Audrey pleads with Gail to see Richard for what he is, a murderer and a crook, but Gail throws her mother out, saying she is mad. Emily bumps into Audrey and Archie, who have nowhere to go for dinner and kindly invites them to her house. Emily, Norris, Rita, Audrey and Archie have Christmas dinner together. Audrey tells Archie, Norris and Rita that Richard practically admitted trying to kill her. Audrey, Archie and Norris try to convince Emily that her life is in danger from Richard. Audrey tells Archie that she is going to play Richard at his own game in order to win back her family. Audrey overhears Richard talking to Gail about the bank manager panicking and their cash flow glitch. Richard offers to drive her back to Archie's house and she has to accept.