René Dubois was a lorry driver from Charleville who came over to Weatherfield on an exchange with the twin town in November 1973. By the time of his arrival in Coronation Street, René had already raised a few eyebrows; Stan Ogden, who was putting René up at No.13 while Hilda was away, had assumed "René" was a woman, and was pushing the boat out to impress his houseguest. Fully aware that René was a man, Len Fairclough teased Stan by informing him that René was "built like a brickie's chicken house", however Emily Bishop was horrified when Stan told her he was having a woman, fearing it would make the Sunday papers.