Colin Fanshawe was the brother of Babs, a client of the Golden Years Agency whom Ken Barlow accompanied for dinner at the Pleasure Garden restaurant in March 1998. However, halfway through the meal, Babs collapsed in the ladies' toilets due to a heart attack and never regained consciousness. Having gone to Weatherfield General that night, Ken met Colin under such awkward circumstances. When Colin started talking about funeral arrangements, Ken was forced to admit that he was merely a paid escort and not Babs's boyfriend. Colin accused him of preying on old, vulnerable women.