Vote for Coronation Street as Best Soap 2010

Voting has closed in the Inside Soap Awards 2010 for all categories except one - Best Soap 2010.

Deadline for voting is noon on the day of the awards - Monday 27 September.

Get on over to the website to vote for Coronation Street now.

Corrie fans vote for Fiz to chuck out the chump

In our latest poll here on the Coronation Street blog we asked fans what they thought the future had in store for Fiz. 301 votes were cast, with the majority of you wanting her to chuck out John.

The results came in as follows:

Chucks John out, 37%
Stays with John, 26%
Cilla returns as nutty nanna, 21%
Gets back with Kirk, 14%

Coronation Street Weekly Update, August 30 2010

This week the update’s caught the bouquet and is finishing off the cake from the Corrie wedding of the year. And so, without any further ado, here we go with this week's Coronation Street update.

To find out why the Corrie updates have been written for the internet since 1995, have a look here: http://www.corrieweeklyupdates.btinternet.co.uk/

The big story this week has been Roy and Hayley’s wedding. Mad Mary almost mucked it up when she tried to uncouple the couple on their happy day. But let’s retrace our steps a little and wiggle back to Hayley’s hen night in Roy’s Rolls. The hen party’s in full swing with the girls dressed up in sexy nurses outfits and Mary’s upset as she hasn’t been invited so she leaves the girls to their debauchery and heads home for a fish supper. The party moves on from the Rovers to the café where there’s a latin lothario waiting to whisk Hayley around the café floor with some sexy salsa moves. Even Roy donned a rakish moustache and had a smile on his face.

He was smiling even more on his wedding day when he got the chance to drive a steam train (Lancashire Fusilier No. 44871) to the wedding venue. As Roy and Chesney chuff it out up front in the engine room, the guests are enjoying themselves and having fun in the first class carriage. At the end of the train are Hayley and the bridesmaids, Becky and Fiz, unwaware that Mary’s uncoupled their carriage from the main train. And so, Hayley’s carriage sits on a train line in the middle of nowhere until they figure out what’s gone on and get out. At first they walk, then run, then find a pump wagon. Hayley hoiks her frock up as Becky and Fiz give it what-for and get the bride to the venue in time for her say “I do” to Roy and dance to the Manchester show choir. It was done beautifully, a proper Cropper do, and I have to admit I had a lump in my throat. And so, Roy and Hayley are now wed; legally, properly, lovely.

Elsewhere this week, Sophie and Sian’s gay secret is out when they go babysitting for Claire who has to rush off as her mum’s had an angina attack. When Claire returns, she spots the two girls snogging on her sofa but keeps quiet about it at first. But when little Aadi is rushed into hospital unconscious, Claire gets blamed for hitting the kid while he was in her care. What really happened was that little Simon Barlow threw Aadi off the sofa and Aadi bumped his head, but Simon’s keeping quiet on that bit so far. Anyway, Claire’s not best pleased, as you can imagine, to be accused of child abuse and blurts out to everyone that Sophie and Sian were kissing when they should have been looking after the kids. Sally’s in denial and won’t believe that Sophie’s a lesbian but Sophie reveals all to her dad later and tells him that Claire was speaking the truth. Cue Kevin’s furrowed brow and grunts of “what the ‘eck?”

After Becky and Steve were turned down by the adoption panel last week, Becky finds out where her sister’s living and goes to have a word. They two of them are beating each other up one minute and then next, sister Kylie’s moved into the Rovers and Robbie Williams is singing Angels on the jukebox when Becky puts on her sad face. Kylie’s got a little boy called Max who’s with foster parents as she’s deemed to be, by those who deem these things, an unfit mother. She causes grief in the pub by flirting with Ciaran which upsets Michelle. Michelle lashes out with her first but instead of hitting Kylie, she misses and belts Becky instead. Steve fires her but Liz re-hires her and Michelle and her cleaveage are soon back behind the bar.

Meanwhile, Eileen goes out on a date with Owen the builder and gets blind drunk. “Do you want to come in for a night cap?” she asks him at the end of the night. “And by night cap, I do mean sex!” He declines the coffee, even if it was offered with froth but helps her put in an offer on No. 9 as the landlord is threatening to throw her out and sell up, so Eileen decides to buy the place herself.

Over at Emily’s there’s mice in the hice and when Norris strips the skirting board to find out how the rodent’s got in, he finds an old letter that’s been there since 1961. It’s an unopened envelope addressed to Ken Barlow and Ken’s agog to find it’s from an old girlfriend, Susan Cunningham. He tracks down Susan’s sister who used to run a wool shop and discovers Susan’s got a son called Lawrence. What he doesn’t yet know is that Lawrence is Ken’s son too, it’ll all come out in the wash next week. And what does Deirdre think about this turn of events? It’s hard to tell as she’s doing her very best to ignore Ken after her Lewis lustfest t’other week. There was a wonderful scene when Ken came into the house looking for something to eat. With not a word being spoken between them, he sees Deirdre at the table, eating her meal and assumes that his dinner will be in the oven. It’s not. He opens the fridge to see if there’s anything in there for him. There isn’t. Neither is there anything in the cupboards for him to cook, no bread in the bread bin, no beans in the tins, no more love in that house. Silently, he stands and watches as Deirdre tips the remains of her meal straight into the bin – a cracking Corrie scene.

And finally this week, Fiz gets her baby scan and shares it with Natasha who nicks it and pretends that it’s hers and Nicks. Nick wants to start buying baby clothes and can’t understand why Natasha’s not keen. Meanwhile, she’s pinning him to the bed at every opportunity in the hope she’ll get pregnant and he’ll not notice that she’s not.

And that's just about that for this week.

Coronation Street writers this week were Damon Rochefort, Mark Burt, Peter Whalley, Julie Jones and Debbie Oates.

Glenda Young

Blogging away merrily at http://flamingnora.blogspot.com/

Coronation Street walking tours in Manchester - on sale now

If you're in Manchester later this year, you might be interested to know there's a couple of Coronation Street tours you can join.

The first is run by Mark Lllewllin through the Oldham Chronicle newspaper. It takes place on Wednesday October 27th. The tour will depart from the Oldham Chronicle offices (OL1 1EQ) at 10am and return at about 4.30pm. The tour takes in Richard Hillman's death spot, the Register office, parish church, Weathefield Quays, Red Rec, passing the studios and a number of other locations too - and Mark will be filling you in on how it's all put together, the history and so on. If you would like to know more or book - it costs £15 each - then call 0161 622 2130. You'll find it listed on their website http://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/ and click on 'readers holidays' at the top and then 'our famous day trips' to open the pdf. Please note that this day trip does not visit the studios nor include a visit to the sets.

And another tour is being run by Visit Manchester who are offering a 50 Years of Coronation Street tour on Saturday 11 December at 11:00 & 14:00. Pre-booking is essential - email sibby@tourguidemanchester.com Start: Town Hall steps, Albert Square. Celebrate the Golden Anniversary of Britain's longest-running soap, its characters, cast and locations. We can't walk on the Street, but can catch a glimpse of the famous cobbles.

Last chance to win - EXCLUSIVE COMPETITION - Name the Corrie Rug!

With thanks to the lovely people at the Plantation Rug Company we have a very special competition for Coronation Street blog fans to enter. The Plantation Rug Company are launching a brand new rug, pictured below, to coincide with Corrie's 50th anniversary. The rug's being launched in October but it doesn't yet have a name - and that's where you come in!

The Plantation Rug Company want a Coronation Street fan to name the new rug. The person who sends in the name that they think best captures the spirit and identity of this Coronation Street rug gets to win it. How cool is that? The rug comes in four colours - brown, blue, green... and pigeon!

To be in with a chance of wininng this fabulous prize, send your suggestion for the name of the rug - maximum of three words - to georgina@browndogcreative.co.uk with FLYING DUCKS in the subject header. The deadline for entries is 5pm on Tuesday 31st August 2010. Entries can only be accepted from UK addresses. Good luck!

If you'd like to sign up to receive details of the new Corrie rug when it goes on sale, have a look here. It will retail for £125.

Not Fair: Mon Aug 23, 2010 Corrie Episode Review

Written by Mark Wadlow (7:30) and Joe Turner (8:30), directed by Pip Short
It’s Becky and Steve’s big day in front of the adoption panel and she couldn’t be more nervous and has Steve put on his suit.  Becky is stressed out to the nines when waiting for their interview and decides to fall from grace in her attempt to quit smoking and takes a cigarette out of a poodle haired woman outside the building.  Steve and Becky  goes in for their interview, and much to Becky’s horror – the poodle hair woman she just got a ciggie off of outside – is one of the panellists.  How does this always seem to manage to happen to Becky?  In the interview, Becky lies about them being a “non-smoking” couple, despite Jade’s (poodle hair woman) insistence on the fact.  In the end, the McDonalds are not suitable for adoption.  Not because of the smoking, they later find out, but because of a bad reference given by Becky’s unknown half-sister, Kylie.  Becky is outraged and upset, understandably.  No doubt she’ll let Kylie lie after this. 
Liz is upset for them when she hears the news that they couldn’t get a kid.  Steve tells his mum that he’s always pictured himself with lots of kids and that it’s not fair.  I really do feel for these two.  At least they have the one child though, which is more than most.  Becky has to tell Amy later that she won’t be getting a new brother or sister like she thought.  Amy says that’s fine and that she doesn’t want Becky to be sad.  How sweet.  
Gail is upset that Nick is moving out and David can’t understand why he’s moving in with Natasha.  Nick says he wants to do right by Natasha, but David says he’s never done right by anyone.  Natasha is crumbling under the pressure of pretending to be pregnant already.  She has no clue what she’s in for.  Natasha is feeding off of Fiz’s pregnancy symptoms and mimicking them precisely.  This is almost as insane as John pretending NOT to be a teacher.  After a drink with Natasha and Nick and hearing that Natasha has taken over all of Fiz’s pregnancy symptoms.  Fiz found it strange that Natasha felt frisky, but John just says every man is different. 
Chesney finally got his business cards in the mail.  Chesney Battersby-Brown, Pet Supplies.  John thinks it’d be much cooler if it said “Chesney Battersby-Brown, MBA.”  Then no one would know what he’d be selling.  Chesney cares not for his GSCE results.  Owen presents his card to Owen and asks Owen for his daughter Katie’s number.  Owen remembers him from his party and tells him that his daughter is well out of his league and to bug off. 
Owen asks Eileen out on a date and Jason is fairly disgusted by it all – unlike Eileen.  Meanwhile, his daughter Katie stops by to scam him out of twenty quid so that she and Chesney can get chips – unbeknownst to him.  Does anyone really care what their fathers think anymore?  Chesney tells Katie over chips that he’s got a dog, but he’s a great dane.  Katie only likes small dogs, so she’s not interested.  Chesney impulsively invites Katie as his date for Roy and Hayley’s wedding.  She says she’ll think about it and that’s good enough for Chesney. 
Sophie and Sian continue to argue over the fact that they can’t see each other because they lied to go to a concert. Sian wants them to look at their GSCE marks together to decide their futures.  Sophie says she wants to, but her parents won’t let her. 
The Alahans are stepping out from their terrace house discussing plans for dinner at a Michelin five star restaurant when Aadi walks into the road after his ball and a car comes screeching around the corner.  Thankfully, Dev is quick (for once) and rescues the child saving him from harm. 

HIGHLIGHTS
- Steve is so hen-pecked by his wife and mother.  I know this is nothing new, but I think it’s great!
- Audrey: “Tell ya what David, you get pregnant and you can have as much time off as you like.” 
- Eileen enthused and Jason perturbed at Owen’s inviting her out on a date.
- I like the new “Katie” character so far.  Does she remind anyone else of Sophie?  Only, a little less moody? 
- Amy and Becky.  Don’t children just make things better sometimes? 
LOWLIGHTS
- Betty wondering if Becky is pregnant, that’s why she doesn’t feel well.
- John studying up on working at the bookies.  NERD.
- So, Becky buys a nice top for the adoption panel and tells Steve to put on a suit.  She’s upset because she gets sauce on it, so decides to wear a corset-top to the interview?  Because THAT is on par with Steve wearing a suit?  Haha.
- Natasha is giving ME morning sickness with her “we’ve made a commitment to each other” statements to Nick.  barf.  
- Just a thought, but if the McDonalds were so unfit to adopt a child, did child services ever consider the welfare of the child that is CURRENTLY living with them?  Am I thinking too far into this?
- Since when do they sing Rihanna songs in church choir? 
- Becky’s whole “I’m good, me, really, I make mistakes is all…” routine.  Is.really.getting.to.me.
- Poor little Aadi looked so sad when his daddy yelled at him! 

Fab Photos for the Fiftieth

The Corrie men look pretty hot in this photo, nicked from the Belfast Telegraph. They say that there's been a glam photo shoot in honour of the 50th anniversary and it looks like they've given us the young and and the lustful. There's another photo with some of the women dressed in fancy gowns over in the Sun, also looking pretty smokin' hot. I wonder if that's a preview of the 2011 Corrie calendar? I'll have one, please, if it is! We have, on the top, Graeme Hawley (John Stape) and Chris Gascoyne (Peter Barlow) and on the lower level we have Ben Price (Nick Tilsley), Simon Gregson (Steve McDonald) and Keith Duffy (Ciaran McCarthy) and I'm hard pressed to choose. I think probably it's down to either Keith or Chris but they all look pretty good, don't they?

And if you check out Digital Spy's post which  includes this photo, they've got a run down of the fall storylines involving these characters, storylines that will take you through to the anniversary in December. 

Cropper Wedding Album

So how was the wedding for you!? It was so perfectly Roy and Hayley, wasn't it? The joy on Roy's face when he saw the train and shovelled the coal to make it go! The worry when he realized his bride was missing! The love in both of their faces as they took their vows and made it legal! It wasn't without it's drama, of course, with the Websters and Peacocks at each other's throats. There's nothing like Sally Webster when she's got a vendetta on and it looks like Dev is just as bad! Neither of them has all the information, of course. We know Simon and Aadi were playing when Aadi got hurt and Simon is clearly feeling guilty, poor little thing.

But the wedding... ah, the wedding... If you want to see the screen captures and photos, go over here. There were far too many of them to take up bags of room here! Photos, of course, copyright ITV.

Secrets of Roy and Hayley's wedding cake

Roy and Hayley's wedding cake, if you're wondering, was made for Coronation Street by Suzanne Thorp at The Frostery who also made the cake for the Cropper's first wedding (pictured above on the right).

You can view some of the other wedding cakes which The Frostery have made specially for Corrie weddings at their website here.

Win Hayley Cropper's wedding dress

If you'd like to be in with a chance to win Hayley Cropper's wedding dress, as shown on Coronation Street tonight, then it's up as a special competition prize. Hayley's wedding dress is just one of many great prizes you could win at a special Corrie cabaret fundraiser organised by actress Julie Hesmondhalgh.

The Corrie cabaret night takes place on Friday September 10th in the big function room at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel, Blackburn Road, Clayton-le-Moors.

Full details are here

The Violet Carson rose

I was having a look for information about the late Violet Carson (Coronation Street's Ena Sharples) and I see that there is a rose named after her.

Does anyone remember when this happened? I'm thinking it must have been the 1960s or 70s.

Whenever it was, it's a lovely rose and a lovely way to remember someone.

If anyone's interested in rosa "Violet Carson", I found information here, here and here.

Mr and Mrs Cropper - legally, this time

Their road, or rather, rails to the church, well, Register office, will be a bit of a bumpy ride but there is no doubt about whether Roy and Hayley will make it to the altar and tie the knot tonight. For all intents and purposes, they've been married since their blessing ceremony in Roy's Rolls cafe in 1999 but I'm sure everyone is tickled pink that they have finally made it legal now that they can according to the law of the land. I'm really looking forward to the wedding shenanigans tonight not least because a friend of mine was lucky enough to have been an extra at the wedding so I'll be playing "Spot the Annie" tonight as well as enjoying the wedding episodes!

Coronation Street weekly awards for August 23 - 27

Hen Night of the yea:! Playing doctors and nurses and Samba night in the cafe and ROY -dear heavens! and oh my - can't Hayley dance!

Sabotage award: Gold Star: Becky and Steve didn't get picked for adoption due to her half sister's nasty negative reference. And Becky and Kylie get a family reunion award too. Bashing, throwing things, and finally making a bit of peace.

Are you new here? award: Gold Star: Nick saying to Natasha about moving in together "Are you sure I didn't push you into this?" (huh? who did all the chasing?)

Dumb Blonde award: Gold Star: Natasha shouldn't be using the exact same symptoms as Fiz. How can two of them both go off curry and Branston pickle?

Pants on Fire award: Gold Star: Kylie was telling porkies about her wonderful life.
Silver Star: Claire lied about leaving the kids with Sian and Sophie but Aadi could have got hurt no matter what.
Bronze Star: Sophie promised her mother no more lies. Umm...

Two can play at that game award: Gold Star: Deirdre giving Ken back some of his silent treatment and not making him anything to eat nor leaving him any supplies!

Who peed in your cornflakes? award: Gold Star: Mary really is in a snit over the wedding, isn't she?

Styling:
Ooh, Liz has her old curly look back! She and Janice must have gone to the same stylist. Did Audrey get a deal on perm rods?
Hayley in a cardi and the anorak...in August!
Roy's Samba look - brilliant!

Lines of the Week:
David: "Since when has Nick done the right thing by anyone?" (got it in one)
Owen to Jason: "You obviously didn't inherit your mother's dynamic personality and rapier-like wit"
Rosie: "There is a God." Sophie: "That's what I've been trying to tell you!"
Eileen: "I got absolutely ratted and I would have left me on the doorstep and all!"
Eileen to Norris about Graeme: "He's a butcher, Norris, not the flippin' Pied Piper."
Kylie to Michelle: "Your perfume... what's it called? Past it?" and about Ciaran: "Nice guns (biceps), shame about the eyesight."
Mary to the hens: "I shall bid you good evening and leave you to your debauchery." (Jealous, much?)

More Road to Coronation Street pics

There's a good piece in the Daily Mail today with great photos of the current cast of The Road to Coronation Street (formerly Coronation Street: A Star Is Born and formerly Florizel Street before that) along side the original characters and I must say, they certainly do have the look!

In the Mail, some of the well known history behind Coronation Street's journey to the screen is repeated along with the legend of why the original name changed from Florizel Street to Coronation Street but with a twist. Everyone has heard that the Granada tea lady thought "Florizel" sounded like the name of a disinfectant but according to the Mail, "according to Daran Little, one of the soap’s writers and the man who scripted The Road To Coro­nation Street, ‘Bill (Roache) couldn’t pronounce it in a pilot, so it was decided to change the name’" Did you know that Tony Warren named Florizel after the prince in the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale? I didn't!

The show will be airing on BBC next month from the sound of it, just about the same timeframe as both of Bill Roache's sons will be playing his long lost son and grandson. Younger son, James, played his father in the BBC film and was filming that at the same time he was filming his father's grandson at Granada. (Still with me?)

There's a video clip via this post to the BBC site. Judging from that, it sounds as if Jessie Wallace has done a pretty good job with Pat Phoenix's Northern accent. We're going to have a popcorn night here at the Blog Towers when it's on!

Thanks to commenter Nick, it's on Thursday 16 September, 9 - 10:15 p.m. BBC 4)

Corrie rocks Manchester Pride

Lots of fun in Manchester today! It's Pride weekend and the parade had a Coronation Street float in honour of the 50th anniversary! Sir Ian McKellen, formerly Mel Hutchright on Corrie, was the Grand Marshall.  The brightly coloured float was titled Queens of the Rovers and had various backstage crew and staff in drag as some of the most famous Weatherfield Women including Elsie Tanner, Bet Lynch, Hilda Ogden and (I think) Liz McDonald and Becky McDonald. I think there was an Ena Sharples as well but I didn't see her on the float. Yes, I know, I'm in Canada but there's a video clip on YouTube from the Manchester Evening News and it's also on their website here. Check out the other photos from the parade and lots of the Corrie float as well, under "View Gallery".

In the MEN video clip you can also see Debbie Rush, Jennie McAlpine, Shobna Gulati and Vicki Binns. There's another video clip by someone else that was in the crowd, that one is here and affords a look at the other side of the float where you can see Ian Puleston-Davies, Kym Marsh, Bev Callard and Antony Cotton.

Photo is copyright the MEN.

Wizards of Weatherfield

Today I went along to the "Wonderful Wizards of Weatherfield: 50 years of Coronation Street - A Masterclass" at the Edinburgh International Television Festival. It was a Q & A with Katherine Kelly, TV critic Gareth Maclean, executive producer Keiran Roberts, and a BBC trustee called David Liddement.

The photo shows the venue and my "other half" holding up the leaflets, by the way. It wasn't very well-attended, possibly because it was on at 11am on a weekday, but it was very entertaining and we also got a free Radio Times - result!

Main items of interest - Katherine Kelly looked wonderful and talked enthusiastically about the development of her role as Becky Macdonald. I was interested to learn that the writers and cast rarely meet, but that the actors have a large say in how their character develops - though not in the actual storylines. Katherine said that she made the decision for Becky to drink cider - apple juice and lemonade, apparently - and for her to be a smoker. She clearly loves being in Corrie and the producer seemed very keen on the character as well, saying that there is to be a big storyline with Becky, Steve and Tracy next year. I must say my heart sank at that point, as I'm not a fan of either Tracy or Becky (small doses only) - but let's move quickly on. We also got a sneak preview of next week's "wedding" episode, which looks hilarious. The looks on people's faces - Anna Windass's especially - are classic as the camera pans round when Claire drops the bombshell about Sophie and Sian snogging instead of minding the kids.

The tram crash was mentioned, of course - and apparently, it is a "homage" to the '67 one - but nothing new revealed. Five or six families' lives are to be "turned upside down" - but we knew that already.

For me, the highlight of the whole thing was a clip of an early episode of Corrie - it might have been the first one, I'm not sure - with Ena Sharples at full throttle in the corner shop. Long time fans will know immediately the scene I mean - it's the one where she talks about rolling away to "Crimmon", and says "you owe me an egg". Tony Warren's dialogue and Violet Carson's delivery are unbeatable, in my view.

Anyway - well worth ten quid (oh - less the free Radio Times!).

Spot the Corrie Prop - August 27th, 2010

Last week lots of you thought that the curious cruet was from the Barlow's but eventually a couple of people guessed that it resides at the Webster's. Well done and I'm sure Sally would be proud to think of her humble salt and pepper pots gracing the table at No. 1 Coronation Street.

A move away from the culinary theme this week. Whereabouts on the Corrie set might you find this box?

Fiz and the baby - what next?

This week's poll asks readers their views on the best way forward for Coronation Street's Fiz Stape and her forthcoming baby. I must say I'm struggling with this one.

Just look at the photo. Her husband is in the woods, burning a dead man's clothes, helped along by Charlotte, his strange and besotted accomplice. Okay, Fiz doesn't know all the gory details, but after the kidnapping, ID theft and all, she does have a fairly shrewd understanding of John's "nature". But she loves him anyway, and Charlotte's gone back to being "busy on Sundays" - so that's all right. Or is it? Would it be right for Fiz to put the past behind her, and would she be able to? I can definitely envisage John cracking again - he'll never last at the bookies - so she might be best to cut her losses and go it alone. On the other hand, she might well feel that her child needs its dad no matter what, and I think it could be really interesting if they stayed together, and Cilla came back as the mother-in-law from hell.

The one option I'd definitely rule out, personally speaking, is Fiz getting back with Kirk. I just can't see that working again. Too much water under the bridge.

Whaatever happens, Jenni McAlpine is great as Fiz, and we mustn't lose her.

By the way - is it me or did anyone else catch John's line the other night, asking Fiz if Nick and Natasha were "swingers"? I THINK he was joking, but you never know with Stape!

Patti Clare is loyal but not obsessed

There's a nice interview with Patti Clare in the Mirror. She talks about how much she really wanted to be in Corrie and pursued it with a persistence worthy of her future character, Mary Taylor! She sent letter after letter to the casting director, even suggesting scenarios! She proved that the squeaky wheel does get the grease, finally successful in her quest.

In the interview she does say that she is "doggedly loyal" but unlike Mary, not obsessed when it comes to relationships and she mentions that her mother, while thrilled Mary is on Corrie, is appalled at the clothes her daughter has to wear. Patti thinks her costumes are just right for Mary, however.

It looks like Mary is here to stay while, too, because Patti has a new six month contract though her dream would be to become a permanent fixture. Of course nothing on television is guaranteed (unless you're William Roache!) but here's hoping Patti will be around awhile and Mad Mary continues to throw her wonderful one-liners acrosst he cobbles!

We'll also see Mary in the upcoming A Knight's Tale dvd!

Steve McDonald gurn of the week, August 26 2010

It's Thursday and that means only one thing... time for the Steve McDonald gurn of the week. Thanks go to our Coronation Street blogger Sunny Jim for this week's fab Stevie McGurn. If you've captured a good Corrie Steve gurn and want to share it via the blog, do email it in. To see more gurnage from Stevie McGurn, have a look here, there's loads. Some good, some bad and some really very funny.

First pictures of Corrie's new baby Jack

This fab picture of Alan Halsall, who plays Tyrone Dobbs on Coronation Street, is in today's Daily Star.

That doll has got to be Molly and Tyrone's new baby which she'll give birth to any time soon.  Both doll and dad are doing just fine. As for mother Mollly, who knows?

Sneak Preview of next week's Corrie, Aug 30 - Sep 2

Without any piffle, here's the storyline for the week ahead on Coronation Street, all wrapped up nicely in 50 words or less.

Week of Monday 30 August to Thursday 2 September

Roy and Hayley’s wedding goes full steam ahead - and about chuffing time! Ken contacts his long-lost son, police probe Peacocks over Aadi’s accident, Kylie’s son appears, Sophie and Sian’s secret is out and Chesney dates Katy.

The full weekly preview, with loads of pictures, is right here on Corrie.net

Missed last week's Corrie?
Catch up with the Coronation Street weekly updates.

Poor Sap: Fri Aug 20, 2010 Corrie Episode Review

Written by Simon Crowther (7:30) and Jonathan Harvey (8:30), directed by David Kester

Nick is already rubbing Natasha’s baby-less tummy and asking her if she’d prefer a boy or a girl when she’s avoiding these questions.  How awkward.  Nick would like a girl since he doesn’t really like football and he quite likes shopping.  Must be those metrosexual tendencies that Natasha mentioned earlier.  Natasha said she’d like a boy so Nick figures they should hope for a hermaphrodite.  Natasha insists that Nick not tell anyone else about the baby yet – including Gail.  Nick isn’t happy that Nick has taken Natasha back so easily because she doesn’t know the real reason why. 

Natasha books an appointment with a hunky new doctor to talk about her, well, body.  She sees Fiz and John there booked in for their first scan and looks awkward telling everyone she’s got tennis elbow.  Natasha tells Doctor Carter that she had a termination and then asks how long it’ll take for her to get pregnant again.  She ends up spilling her whole story to the doctor and, well, the doctor thinks the same as all of us.  Nick goes into the medical centre and is told by Gail that Natasha is in the room and busts in.  Doctor Carter isn’t happy with Gail for compromising his patient’s privacy and reprimands her.  A reprimand she doesn’t take well.  On top of it all, Nick tells Gail that Natasha is pregnant and they’re having a baby.  Gail now understands why Natasha and he are back together.  Gail thinks that Natasha is trying to trap Nick.  Nick tells Gail that she can be a part of he and Natasha’s family or not. 

Fiz goes into the pub and tells everyone that she’s pregnant, so Julie decides to announce it to the entire pub.  Audrey makes a toast and Nick gets too excited and takes it upon himself to make it a double celebration.  He tells everyone that Natasha is also pregnant – with his baby.  Fiz thinks this is brilliant news and that they’ll be able to swap notes.  Everyone thinks it’s wonderful except for Becky – who’s broody, Gail – who’s moody, and Leanne who sobs in the back yard.  Natasha notices Leanne’s face and goes outside to see her.   She tells Leanne to stay away from her man assuming that Leanne is in love with Nick.  She couldn’t be more wrong, as Leanne points out.  Leanne tells her to go to hell. 

John and Fiz are back on as though NOTHING has happened within the last few months.  Strangely enough, I do not mind.  John is looking for a job and asks Roy for his old one back, but Roy’s given the shifts to Anna.  Peter overhears this and thinks he’s got a new employee in the bookies.  Fiz is in good spirits and figures if John wants to be a bookie, she’ll take it over what he USED to do – fraud.  She tells Roy that she’s pregnant and he gives her a congratulatory hug. 

John manages to completely geek out Peter with naming the courses at the bookies.  Can you say keener?  Leanne’s not happy that Peter’s fired Deirdre in favour of hiring a convicted kidnapper.  Peter says that he’s an alcoholic and she’s an ex call girl.  I suppose he’s right.  John leaves and Audrey stalks in to give Peter a piece of her mind about stealing two haircuts.  Peter gives her a load of attitude, and Audrey sets him straight.  Later, Peter goes over to see John and offer him the job after finally getting rid of Deirdre.  John is over the moon since he now has a job on which he can support his new child when it comes.  Peter says that a lot of people have given him a second chance and it’s time for him to pay it forward.  Oh, John has had plenty of second chances. 

There is further trouble between the Barlow’s marriage as Ken is quite unresolved over what happened between Deirdre and Lewis.  Deirdre is still holding a grudge against what happened with he and Martha on the barge.  Is there no love left at No.1 Coronation Street? 

Sian returns to the street again to visit Sophie and Sophie has to hide her again.  Sian has a genius idea and says that they can meet each other if they both sign up for the church choir.  Sophie’s not sure about using church as a cover, but no telling she will.  They see Natasha and Nick kissing across the street and think it’s unfair.  If they only knew…  Sophie tells Sal about joining the choir and looks guilty when Sally says she trusts her and is happy she’s joining the choir.  Meanwhile, Sophie and Sian are singing in pleasure together at the church choir.  Lovers unite.  I am so bored by their relationship storyline. 

Waiting for the bus, Sally watches Steve have a drag of Lloyd’s cigarette and later blabs about what he did in the Rovers to Becky who’s not happy to hear that Steve has cheated on their “non smoking” plan for their panel interview.  Steve and Becky row about it later and Liz reminds them they need to pull together if they’re going to have success at the panel. 

Hayley’s worried about what Mary’s going to think about her wanting to have Becky be her maid of honour.  She knows she’ll not like the idea.  Hayley finally tells Mary that she cannot have her as the wedding planner anymore. 

HIGHLIGHTS

- Lloyd: “If there’s one thing I hate it’s women throwing themselves at me.” 

- Roy and Ken talking about how they changed the bus routes.  Can you believe?  Ken has to get off at the undertakers and walk down to the library now.  How inconvenient.

- Roy’s congratulatory hug to Fiz on her pregnancy.

- Yes, I like the hunky new doctor.  I approve and I like that he gives Gail a spot of attitude.  He was in the right!  And, why don’t ALL doctors look like that? 

- Audrey coming into the bookies to give Peter a piece of her mind (golden), and Peter seeing her coming stating “Oh good lord, look at the face on her!”  Then, Audrey calling Ken a poor sap. 

LOWLIGHTS

- I cannot believe that Natasha is actually going to fake being pregnant.  Sheesh.  Faking a miscarriage is the only way she might get out of this one unscathed.  Although, Nick would surely leave then. 

- Becky seductively sniffing Lloyd’s nicotine off his body. 

- John nerding it up in the bookies.  I will just never get used to him, sorry. 

- I did feel a bit sad for Mary when she was demoted from being Hayley’s wedding planner. 

- Natasha was SO nasty to Leanne!!!

Pregnant Pause: Wed Aug 18, 2010 Corrie Episode Review

Written by Jayne Hollinson, directed by David Kester

Nick’s back home after running away to a mate’s place last night after hearing about Natasha’s pregnancy news.  Leanne’s back at home with Peter since they’ve somewhat made up.  Leanne goes to see Nick and says that she shouldn’t have made Natasha tell him the way she did.  Leanne’s shocked that Nick hasn’t seen Natasha.  Nick tells Leanne that he doesn’t love Natasha, but he loves her.  Leanne tells him that she’s moved on and she doesn’t care what he does, but that he can’t hurt Natasha like he hurt her.  He asks if she’d still be saying that if Natasha wasn’t pregnant and she says she would.  Shot down!  Leanne breaks down in tears as she leaves Underworld – tears from all the pain she felt years before from Nick.  While Nick just sits in his office feeling sorry for himself, as per usual. 

Meanwhile, Natasha is at an abortion clinic while Nick is looking for her to get back together.  After the abortion, Natasha makes her way back home and finds Nick waiting for her.  She asks him what he’s doing there and is in shock and appal when he announces that he wants to be with her and the baby.  Natasha has gotten the shock of her life and looks completely devastated.  What will she do now?  She agrees to take him back, of course.

Gail is upset since Audrey is planning on going to Greece anyway, all alone.  Oh, she’s not really going to do that!  What on earth would she do there?  Meanwhile, the salon is going crazy with David in management.  Rita asks when Audrey is coming back and is informed by David that Audrey is still going to go to Greece.  Rita leaves to go see Audrey.  Meanwhile, Peter comes in and gets a dry trim for he and Simon.  David gives him one, but Peter doesn’t pay him since he says he can take it off his tab from what Lewis stole.  Rita visits Audrey and tries to convince her to stay.  She says that what she had with Lewis was a love affair that most women don’t even get and she should feel happy about it.  She also tells Audrey about the mess that the salon is in without her and this is enough for Audrey to get her boots on. 

Audrey comes back just in time to find that  David has dyed someone’s hair bright red and that Liam’s cries are ruling the roost.  She quickly whips the place back into order and it’s like Lewis Archer never existed. 

Fiz has returned from holiday and wants a chat with Maria.  Turns out, on Fiz’s holiday she’s found out that she’s pregnant!  Maria is excited for her, and Fiz is quite happy also, even though she thought about leaving John.  John, meanwhile, tells Chesney that he’s going to leave her so she can live her life without him in peace but he needs to tell her a few things first.  John realizes that Fiz is back and when she tells him her news he’s elated and decides that her news was better that what he had to tell her.  John gets a recorded delivery of his resignation that he sent in, and he burned all of Colin’s documents.  That was convenient for two reasons. 

Fiz and John tell Chesney about their news and Chesney isn’t happy to hear that Fiz has taken him back just because she’s pregnant.  He says he gives up and that both of them are mad.  Chesney tries to tell Fiz that the two of them can raise her child and they don’t need John.  Fiz says that she wants her baby to have a proper family, just like they always wanted.  Fiz says she loves John and Chesney says she hasn’t met the right person. 

HIGHLIGHTS

- Simon saying he hates it when Leanne and Peter fall out.

- John: “I made at honest woman out of her, but she couldn’t make an honest man out of me.  Until now.”  Chesney: “You’re losing it.  You know that.” 

- Leanne telling Nick off for his assuming that she loves him, when she’s moved on.  Great acting from Jane Danson!

- Audrey hiding and crouching on the floor from Rita!  She’ll never grow up, that woman. 

LOWLIGHTS

- How can being pregnant completely change the fact that John is a duplicitous idiot?!  It’s nice to have a storyline that doesn’t involve “Stapewick” with the Stapes, however.

- Nick trying to profess his love to Leanne with Natasha pregnant!  The cad!  Poor Leanne!  Then, him taking Natasha back after he’s already refused her and she’s had an abortion.

- Peter trying to steal haircuts?  Seriously? 

- Will Colin Fishwick’s death just be buried forever?!