by manager Poppy Morales. In a storyline that aired in February 2010, Betty – at 90 years old – was named Manchester's Oldest Barmaid. In a plot twist, a 91-year-old rival comes forward, resulting in Betty fearing she killed her, when the rival consumes a two-month-old hotpot. Reception ITV described Betty as a "lynchpin" of the soap opera, stating that: "She's as much a part of Coronation Street as the cobble stones." Former executive producer Brian Park suggested in 1997 that characters such as Betty "are essential ingredients. They're like the big clock on the mantelpiece." The character was one of the longest-serving in British soap, coming third behind Ken Barlow and Emily Bishop in a 1998 survey assessing character episode appearances in Coronation Street's history. Driver was awarded a lifetime achievement award at The British Soap Awards in May 2010, to honour her role as Betty who had, at that time, featured in Coronation Street for 41 years. Due to illness, Driver was unable to collect the award in person, but she recorded a video message thanking everyone at ITV. Betty's hotpot During her time on Coronation Street, the character became famous for her signature dish at the Rovers Return Inn, Betty's hotpot. ITV have described the dish as "the stuff of legends", and in 1995, pie manufacturer Holland's Pies launched a real-life range of hotpots and pies based on the dish, called "Betty's Kitchen". The idea for the range originated with the firm's marketing director, Dilys Day, who explained: "I was brought up on hotpot and Coronation Street. So when I joined Holland's a year ago, it seemed right to put the two together with Betty's hotpot." Day added that: "We are all very excited about Betty's Kitchen products. Holland's is a strong northern brand, with mass market appeal and wholesome, honest values – the same can be said for The Street." Betty would often drop the letter 'h' when pronouncing the word hotpot to make the dish sound more Northern. In his book Marketing Communication, Richard J. Varey used the product range as an example of a company capitalising on a form of product placement or "stealth advertising", writing that "Viewers don't realize that they are, in effect, watching an advertisement". Betty Driver said of the range's launch: "Betty Turpin's hotpots have become something of an institution at the Rover's and she's very proud of her reputation