Kym Marsh Interview: Michelle's new fella

Can you firstly sum up how Robert and Michelle get back together, as it seems like a bumpy road, given how he encourages her to have a date with Michael…
She starts getting a bit of interest from Michael, Michelle doesn’t see it but the viewers will see Robert getting a bit jealous, however he encourages her to go on the date. She’s not really looking for anything but she does quite like Michael so she thinks why not. She’s a bit confused by Robert who doesn’t seem very bothered. But the date doesn’t go as planned, she does agree to a second date but before she goes on the date she goes into the bistro and overhears a conversation between Robert and Daniel where Robert admits his jealousy over the whole thing and that he got everything wrong, his need to be with Michelle was always much stronger than his need for a baby and that he’s over that fixation now. It’s what Michelle wanted to hear, if he’s over that and he still loves her then she still loves him and she wants to try and make it work.

How does she go about getting him back?
She asks Daniel to help her and she gets Robert to the bistro having cancelled all the bookings and covered it in candles. Daniel says there’s something wrong in the kitchen and Robert rushes over and bursts in expecting to find something going on and there’s Michelle sat there with champagne and candles.

Does Michelle make the first move?     
Yes she opens herself up to him, she basically says I heard what you said to Daniel and do you want to give it another go and he does.

How does she feel about their reunion? Does she think this is it, she has got her happy ever after? 
Yes I think she does, Robert’s very keen for her to move straight back into the flat, so it very much is that they're happy and this is it for Michelle and Robert, happy ever after.

And do they manage to resolve the situation regarding the fact that he wants a baby and she doesn’t?
Michelle admits she overheard what he was talking about to Daniel and she believes he’s moved in from that.

Viewers have already seen Robert behave a bit suspiciously – eg he cancelled a lunch with Michelle a few weeks ago to go to the “wine supplier”, but then rocked up at a hotel. Following their reunion, does Michelle notice anything suspicious about his behaviour?
No not in the first instance, in her head there’s nothing suspicious going on. He’s going to help with the young offenders a lot and he’s out at a wine tasting but that’s all feasible to Michelle. Robert isn’t that guy in her head.

Michelle’s a very honest person isn’t she?
Michelle’s a very honest person, she’s not done many things in her life that are dishonest, unless it’s to protect her family, which is maybe why it’s not on her radar?   

We don’t yet know the reason behind Robert’s lies. But if Michelle were to find out that there was another woman in the picture, is that something that she could ever forgive? 
No absolutely not, she would never forgive Robert for that in a million years, she’s been there with Steve and she wouldn’t put up with it again, Robert would be a goner. 

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Glenda Young

Author of historical novels with Headline

Twitter: @Flaming_Nora

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

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Kym Marsh interview: Corrie car cash - but who dies?

How does Michelle feel about Ryan going out with Cormac?
She knows that Cormac has been inside jail for drug dealing and she knows who Cormac’s Dad (Ronan) is so she’s aware that he’s not the nicest person. She’s a bit dubious about whether to allow Ryan to have the night off work to go out with Cormac for Ronan’s club opening but allows it anyway because she doesn’t want to cause any trouble where Ronan is concerned. She has a little word with Ryan and trusts that he won’t go off the rails as we’ve seen him do in the past.

So, what does Michelle think when she returns home to find Cormac has died?
Cormac’s death is obviously a big shock to everybody. When she arrives home she is greeted with paramedics and Cormac being worked on by them and Ali. It’s awful what’s happened but more than anything she’s very concerned that Cormac has died in her flat and that Ryan and Ali were present. At this point she doesn’t know the full story about how it’s happened but she knows that Ronan is a bad man and she doesn’t want Ryan and Ali to get in trouble.

How does Michelle react when she finds out Ryan could have done more to save Cormac?
She goes into full protect mode, she doesn’t even think twice about the situation. She would do anything for her sons so she just wants to cover it up. Ali is furious because he’s been dragged into the lie, he doesn’t want to be a part of it but goes along with it because Michelle asks him to. He covers up for Ryan’s lack of response, in a weird way Ryan was trying to help Cormac as he’s just come out of jail and he didn’t want him to get into more trouble but it all backfired.

Does Michelle fear that despite her best efforts Ronan will find out the truth?
She’s very scared, especially when Ronan pays them a visit the following day wanting to see where his son spent his last moments. It’s made worse as Ronan is asking questions about who gave Cormac the drugs and Ryan just agrees with him about a name – the next day we see in the paper that the drug dealer’s been killed. After this everybody starts fearing the worst.

How scared is Michelle when Ronan threatens her family after finding out the truth?
She’s terrified. Sophie retracts her statement giving Ryan an alibi, then Ryan gets found with drugs on him and put in jail at which point Ronan finds out the truth. After Ryan is beaten up by a corrupt officer and wreaths are left on cars, Michelle realises she must do something. She confronts Ronan at Cormac’s wake and he threatens not only Ryan but her entire family.

Why does Michelle change her mind from asking the Police for protection to going on the run?
She tells Ryan and Ali they’re going to the police to get them in the car. She’s realise that there is something dodgy going on within the Police and that they’re not to be trusted. She’s terrified about their safety so when she gets in the car she has no intention of going to the police.

What are Michelle’s emotions like in the build-up to the crash?
She’s scared but she knows they’re heading out of Weatherfield. Once she sees Ronan following them in the mirror then it turns to complete terror and panic. There’s this huge car chase, he’s trying to run her off the road and it’s quite intense. She’s in Mum mode and she’s trying to protect the people that she loves.

What was it like filming the crash?
It was great, they were long days so we were all very tired by the end of it. We had a great director too, Tim O’Mara, he’s an actor’s director he really cares about the performance we give and that’s important for us. He gives a lot of feedback which encourages us to do better. There was a lot of emotion during filming but it was good fun. I got to do some stunt driving, we never normally get to do things like that.

Why do you think Michelle is soft and protective of Ryan but harder and less forgiving of Ali?
I don’t think it’s an intentional thing and I’m not sure she is – I think Ali perceives it as that. More than anything she has so much more respect for Ali as he’s more grounded, more together. He’s done well for himself. Ryan is a bit more of a clown and joker, he doesn’t have those tools to be able to survive – whereas Ali is a survivor. She sees that Ali is a strong person, a lot stronger than Ryan. Ryan isn’t as resilient and sensible as Ali and does a lot of stupid things. She doesn’t have more love for one than the other, she loves them both.

What will everything that’s happened do to Ryan and Ali’s relationship?
It’s going to be a rough ride, there’s going to be more upset between the boys because they don’t get along anyway and this is going to make it worse. Michelle will be stuck in the middle of them both.

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Kym Marsh interview: Michelle and Robert's baby news

Tell us how Michelle and Robert’s relationship is. Where are they up to in their decision to have a baby?
Michelle has agreed to the possibility of trying because she has realised that after what happened with Ruari, she was basing everything on fear. She realised that probably wasn't fair on either of them because it was cutting off a chance for her to have what she wanted when she was pregnant with Ruairi and it was cutting off the chance to give Robert what he wants which is ultimately to have his own family. 

Has feelings of guilt over how much Robert wants a family played a part in her decision?
Michelle feels quite bad that she would be cutting that chance out of Robert’s life but when she does think she might be pregnant she doesn’t really know how she feels about it. She feels edgy about telling him and she isn’t thrilled about it because she’s got those little niggles in her head even prior to the events that happen next. 

What’s Michelle’s reaction when she finds out she is not pregnant?
She is relieved. When the ball is kicked in to her stomach, she panics immediately. At the hospital, she is really anxious and very frightened that she is going to lose another baby. When she finds out that there is no baby at all, she breaks down and Carla mistakes Michelle for being upset because she is not pregnant. But Michelle is relieved that she is not pregnant because she has been dubious anyway and then the terror of maybe losing another baby makes her realise that she just can’t live with that even being a possibility. 

Is this the turning point that makes her change her mind from wanting to try for a baby to not wanting a baby at all?
Had she been pregnant and everything had been okay, she would have gone through with her pregnancy but she would have been so terrified about losing another child it would have been constantly on her mind so that’s why, in her head, the fact that she is not pregnant has given her a get out of jail free card. She now she knows she doesn’t ever want to go back to that place, she has made up her mind, she has the choice to say no.

How does she think this will affect hers and Robert’s relationship?
She has wanted to be with Robert and they have been through a lot together. We have seen the pair of them fight about not having children and Michelle coming round to the idea because she does really love Robert and wants him to be happy and she wants to be with him but when she makes the decision that she doesn’t want to have kids, in her head, she is thinking that this is the end of the road for them. 

How much does she really believe it is the end of their relationship?
Completely because she thinks, why should she have what she wants when he can’t have what he wants. They are at such different places in their lives that she doesn’t want him to resent her. It’s either he backs down or they break up and she would rather they break up than take away his opportunity of having children of his own. 

How does Robert react to the news that Michelle is not pregnant?
He wants to keep trying but she says no, she doesn’t want to, she can’t. Obviously he is very upset about that.

Why does he begin to place the blame on Carla?
Robert is confused as to why Michelle is being so matter of fact about the end of their relationship but she has to be because she has made the decision. Ryan sees Michelle and Carla in the pub having a heart to heart and he doesn’t mean to stir trouble but he tells Robert. Straight away Robert believes that Carla is at the crux of all of this and that it must be her masterplan. He starts to believe that Carla is the reason why Michelle has decided what she has decided. 

Do you think Robert is brave to take Carla on?
Yes and Carla is very confused by it because in actual fact what she has said to Michelle is that she should make the decision by herself and that Michelle shouldn’t listen to anyone else. Carla has only offered Michelle some really good advice. But Robert is looking for someone to blame. Yes, he is brave to take on the Connors - full stop! 

What do you think it would take to break Carla and Michelle’s bond?
Obviously things might happen in people's lives but I can’t think of anything that would jeopardise their relationship. They have been through a lot of ups and downs in life and even when they’ve had arguments they’ve still had each other’s back. That’s generally the rule, where the Connors stand and they are notoriously loyal when it comes to family. Michelle can shout and call Carla names but you can’t do that!

What advice would you give Michelle?
I would tell her not to be so quick to leave her relationship under those circumstances. There are other options like they could have adopted a child or they could have done a surrogacy. She is scared of losing a child, she is not scared of having one so there could have been more ways forward if they wanted to try and compromise. 

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Samia Longchambon Interview: Maria attacks Michelle

How does Maria feel when Ali admits he loves her? Is she head over heels?

Maria is really happy. She’s a little bit surprised because she wasn’t expecting Ali to confess his love for her, although she’s been getting more into their relationship she doesn’t expect him to be the one to say it. She definitely feels the same way when he tells her he loves her.

Things suddenly take a turn for the worse when Ali falls asleep whilst cooking and endangers Liam. Does she forgive him?

That day goes from one extreme to another - first they’re telling each other that they love each other and the next Ali’s getting dumped. It’s awful because he entrusts Liam in Ali’s care whilst she’s at work and Liam is Maria’s life. When he jeopardises that trust by falling asleep, and the fire alarms start sounding, it’s Gary who runs to the rescue. She finds herself in a situation where she can’t stay with him.

Ali ends the relationship and tells Michelle he isn’t ready to bring up Liam. Does Maria have any suspicions as to what it could actually be?

She’s completely oblivious at this point that he’s taking drugs and is severely disappointed in him. Later that episode, Ali realises that he’s done wrong and feels bad for lying to her. Rather than telling the truth he just ends the relationship. None of it makes any sense to her given he’d just confessed his love for her.

Maria gets tipsy and rows with Michelle over her parenting skills. How does Michelle take to this? 

Maria and Michelle rarely fall out, so this is a shocker. Maria is so hurt when Ali starts blaming their breakup on their age difference and on Liam, so she just lashes out because of how upset she is and Michelle bears the brunt of that because she’s the closest person to her at that time.

Could this be the start of a rocky relationship between Maria and Michelle?

I think it’ll be fine between them eventually. Michelle is Liam’s auntie so the rift definitely won’t last.

Something new is on the horizon for Maria when she flirts with Gary whilst doing some gardening on Victoria Street. Do you think this could work out for her?

I think it has trouble written all over it because Gary is a bad lad. Maria doesn’t know that though and thinks that they have a lot in common, both being single parents of boys of a similar age. They start with a nice friendship and there’s a natural progression into a relationship, but Maria definitely doesn’t know what she’s getting herself into.

Does Maria notice Ali’s jealousy?

Not at first, no. She’s still so upset at what happened and obviously she still likes him, but Gary’s comes along and takes her mind off that.

Do you think Maria will ever be lucky in love?

I don’t think so - ever! She’s always looking for that one true love, and sadly I think that person was Liam. She’ll always struggle to find someone to fill his boots, and she’s never felt the same way about anybody since. I can’t picture her settled at all.
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Glenda Young

Author of historical novels with Headline

Twitter: @Flaming_Nora

Facebook: GlendaYoungAuthor

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Coronation Street Blog Interview: Kym Marsh

Michelle Connor has had a tough year, and there’s no sign of it letting up. Extra helpings of misery are on the menu at the Bistro of late where she and Robert have suffered a targeted hate campaign which threatens not just the business, but their safety into the bargain. The evil doings are not confined to Weatherfield’s fine dining establishment either as Michelle has even found herself drugged, kidnapped and put in the boot of a car. Up to now, they’ve been attributing all this mayhem to ne’er do well Rich, but Robert is starting to doubt that he’s responsible. If it’s not Rich, then who is the true culprit? And, who is the real target?

I travelled to Manchester to catch up with Kym Marsh who plays Michelle to hear all about it. If you don’t want to read any spoilers, then look away now.

All this drama takes place at the same time as Michelle’s ex-boyfriend Will (Leon Ockenden) returns to the street, and it appears that this may be more than a coincidence. Last time we saw Will, he seemed harmless enough, trying his luck with Michelle and failing, as she decided at the eleventh hour that her heart lay with Steve. This time round, Will is wearing glasses, and this does not bode well.

Kym recalls that Michelle and Will have a lot of history, and notes he's currently very supportive in her hour of need. That, and the fact that Rich has been in the picture, means Michelle doesn’t suspect his involvement for a second. However, we're told that finding a number of pictures of herself at his home sees her make a terrifying discovery; Will is her stalker. “When she finds out, she’s in his house, alone with him!” Kym explains, “So she’s found all these photographs and she’s like “Oh My God! What am I going to do now?” So as you can imagine, she’s quite scared.”

One of the most traumatic aspects of the story so far has to have been Michelle waking up in the boot of a car; for viewers at least, as Kym seems to have taken it in her stride. “Do you know, the boot of the car stuff was actually OK” she says. “I thought it was going to be much worse than it was and actually I put myself in a situation that I didn’t need to put myself in.” Explaining how all they needed was a shot of the boot being opened, Kym insisted that they shut her into it and run the two scenes prior to it so she could know what it felt like. “In all, when we were doing the scenes, I was in there on and off for about half an hour” she reveals. I'm not sure I could do it!

Michelle, Saskia (Will's then fiancée) and Will, in happier times

So does Kym have any idea what Will’s end game might be? “It’s very odd because Will is convinced that’s he just completely in love with her and there’s nothing wrong with what he’s doing” she explains, adding “He’s become obsessed with her.” With Robert in prison on foot of Will’s machinations, Kym reveals, “he’s managed to get Robert out of the picture and she’s exposed, she’s on her own. She has no-one, who does she turn to now? So I think that was his idea in the first place.”

Asked if Michelle’s life is in danger, Kym tells us “Potentially, who knows? What is she going to do next? She’s now trapped in his house – is she going to let him know that she knows and risk that, or is she going to try to get out of there or is she going to pretend she doesn’t know anything? It’s what she does next really.”

We’re assured that the climax of the storyline will be incredible. Kym describes it as “edge of your seat" adding, "it’s very dramatic, it’s nail biting.”

Michelle and Steve, in happier times

Speaking about the intense year Michelle, and consequently Kym, has had, she says, “I’ve had the best twelve months here, it’s just been fantastic, I’ve been given some amazing opportunities.” While nothing can be revealed aside from that it involves Robert and Michelle, we’re told that more lies ahead for her. “There’s a lot of drama” is all Kym will say. “It’s nice because I’ve been here, I’m in my 11th year and I’ve done a lot of comedy having been playing opposite Simon – you can’t really not do comedy playing opposite Simon – and it’s been great. But, it’s always nice to have fresh opportunities and this is something that for me is great because it's really letting me stretch my acting muscles a little bit and giving me a lot of challenges”. Kym adds, “she has had a tough year and it would be nice for Michelle to have some happiness but for Kym, I say 'Keep the drama! Keep it coming!'"

When it comes to acting, Kym believes there is always something new to learn. “I like to watch my work back and see what I’ve done so that I can go ‘hmm, well maybe next time I could do this or whatever’” she reveals, adding “and you learn from other actors as well, and it’s great when other actors come into the show like Leon to play opposite different people because you will always find that they will bring something else out in you as well so it’s great really.”

Carla and Michelle, in happier times

We know that Alison King is set to tread the cobbles again as the inimitable Carla Connor, and Kym is really looking forward to her return. “I cannot wait! I am so excited about that” she says. “I love Alison King, me and her have been very close. She joined just shortly after me and came in to play my sister-in-law and our characters were as thick as thieves for 10 years.” Asked if the return of Carla will make Michelle's life any happier as a result of having her there for protection, Kym says, “I honestly do not know, but whatever happens it’ll be great to have her back, she’s an invaluable member of cast and part of our family so it’ll be nice to have her home.”

I have enjoyed Michelle and Carla together, so I’m certainly looking forward to that. For now, we'll have to wait and see what unfolds for Michelle as she grapples with the frightening revelation that someone she trusted and thought she knew is the one she should fear the most.

By Emma Hynes

www.emmahynes.net
Twitter: @ELHynes
Facebook: @EmmaHynesWrites
Instagram: emmalouhynes

In other Corrie news, you can also read my interviews with Shayne Ward,  Cath Tyldesley and Sally Ann Matthews, view the Coronation Street Promo Video for the double wedding, and read about the announcement of a sixth weekly episode of Corrie from 20 September.

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