Joan Bannister was the wife of lecherous lothario Wally Bannister. He started going out with Blanche Hunt when he met her at a tea dance. Blanche came back to Coronation Street with stories of the supposed widower's large detached house, complete with indoor swimming pool, but their relationship was interrupted when Blanche was called away to look after her sick sister. Wally's attentions then turned to her granddaughter Tracy Preston who thoroughly ignored the age difference between them in pursuit of her sugar daddy's riches. He also took Tracy to his house where she changed into a revealing swimming costume and made use of the pool. He persuaded her to stay the night, for "companionship", which she duly did. The next day, Deirdre rang her mobile to enquire of her daughter's whereabouts