Neville Buswell also quit the cast, after ten years playing Ray Langton. Deirdre and Tracy were originally meant to leave with Ray, as writers felt there were enough young women in the cast, but they changed their minds and decided to explore Deirdre's life as a single mother after Buswell pleaded for Anne Kirkbride's job. In November, Ray left the Street for Holland by himself, with Deirdre refusing to accompany him due to his affair with waitress Janice Stubbs. Once again, Coronation Street had no episode on Christmas Day even though it fell on a Monday.