Talking Turkey…
A pet turkey called Theresa, that lived until she was 12 years old, always looked forward to Christmas, recalls owner Kevin Horkin
With the festive season on the horizon, Clitheroe businessman Kevin Horkin has fond memories of a pet turkey he had back in the 1990s when it featured on a festive episode of Coronation Street.
At the time he ran a pet agency supplying animals to film and TV for more than 22 years.
Over that time, he supplied all the animals that appeared on Coronation Street, including Theresa the turkey: “Theresa lived until she was 12 – she must have been the only turkey in the UK to see 12 Christmases! She lived with me and we had a companion for her called Bernard, after Bernard Matthews.”
Theresa the turkey appeared on the Christmas episode of Coronation Street in 1997 when the then Battersby family moved onto the street.
Les Battersby brought the live turkey home, intending it to be on the Christmas dinner menu but Theresa escaped and was saved by eco-warrior Toyah. However, Les accidentally ran the turkey over when it wandered in front of his car, so Theresa made it onto the Battersby’s Christmas table after all.
“Coronation Street had more than 16 million viewers at the time and was the most watched soap in Britain,” recalls Kevin.
“The storyline was that Les Battersby brought a live turkey home. The turkey then got loose and one of the residents on the street – I think it was Les, ran it over so it ended up on the table anyway!”
Having trained Theresa the turkey to walk on a lead down Coronation Street, before she appeared in the scene, Kevin adds: “The cast fell in love with Theresa! She was the only turkey who always looked forward to Christmas. I thought the world of her – so much so that it turned me vegetarian!”
A year later Theresa did actually escape from the farm where Kevin lived and there was widespread press coverage. A walker eventually spotted her sheltering in a barn.
Under his Pet Role – Star Pet Agency, Kevin supplied every animal for the street – including the cat that appeared on the rooftops as the Coronation Street theme tune played. He also supplied animals for Emmerdale, Eastenders, Touch of Frost and he appeared regularly as a pet consultant on the Richard and Judy morning show for seven years, supplying a donkey and sheep for the show’s annual festive nativity.
Within the film industry he also supplied a piglet for Babe 2 The Movie and animals that featured in 101 Dalmations.
