 Wendy worked for the council and had an affair with Ken Barlow (William Roache), which led to his divorce from his wife, Deirdre (Anne Kirkbride).When Mervyn Watson joined "Coronation Street" as their new producer, he felt that the serial "needed gee-ing up slightly" and set about making changes.He implemented many fast-paced stories, including Wendy and Ken's affair.