Freda Burgess is the deaf niece of the late Ernest Bishop. In August 2005, Freda came to visit her aunt Emily, but got a frosty reception from Emily's lodger Norris Cole, who thought she had only come for money from Emily but was impressed with her ability to lip-read. Freda helped Emily when she fell down the stairs and sprained her ankle, but left Coronation Street when she had had enough of Norris and the way he was treating her. She started entering competitions with Norris, and they each won £1,000. They split the money equally and Freda left to put the £500 on a house for herself.