When Mavis Riley's Auntie Edie went away for several days in April 1976, Mavis confessed to feeling very nervous having to live alone in their house. Emily Bishop came to the rescue, annoying husband Ernie as it was on the occasion of their fourth wedding anniversary. Uncharacteristically, he agreed to join Ray Langton and Alf Roberts at a stag night held at the Gatsby Club which, unfortunately, was raided part way through the proceedings by the police. The resulting publicity brought Ernie’s presence there to the attention of the Mission Circuit and its superintendent Ivor Mortlake made an appointment to visit 3 Coronation Street to discuss Ernie’s future as a lay preacher, feeling that Ernie’s behaviour was tantamount to a personal attack on all that the mission stood for.