Mike butchers Fred at cards

Coronation Street's Fred Elliot is set to lose more than the shirt off his back when he locks horns with Mike Baldwin in a card game.

10:57 15 November 2004

Coronation Street's Fred Elliot is set to lose more than the shirt off his back when he locks horns with Mike Baldwin in a card game.

Fred decides to start a card school at the Rovers and soon fellow poker players Tommy Harris and Danny Baldwin join the game.

But it is Underworld owner Mike, played by Johnny Briggs, who comes out on top.

After Tommy loses his son's computer money, he vows to win it back - but it is Fred (John Savident) who takes on Mike in the next game.

After several hands of poker, Mike puts his stake in Underworld against Fred's butcher's shop - and wins.

"Viewers will be wondering whether this is the end of an era," a Corrie source told the Daily Star newspaper.

"Mike's cock-a-hoop when he wins and Fred is horrified as his old adversary starts making plans to alter the shop," the soap insider added.

"Fred is simply thunderstruck at his own folly. His son Ashley has no idea he's lost his inheritance and Fred has no idea how he is going to break the news."