Cosy crimes and gritty sagas by Corrie Blog editor Glenda, published by Headline. Click pic below!

Wednesday 31 December 2008

Another fab Coronation Street blog

For those who best remember Coronation Street from the 1960s through to the 1980s, I heartily recommend a fantastic Coronation Street blog called Back on the Street.

I've mentioned this blog in the past but feel it worth another mention because it's highly creative and original. And that's always a good thing.

Coronation Street Weekly Update, December 31 2008

Greetings and welcome to the last weekly update of 2008, written on the very last day of the year. I’ve had a break from writing the update over Christmas because a) I’ve got a life (no, really, I have) and b) even if I had the time and inclination to spend hours at the coalface of the computer, well, there was cake to eat and sherry to drink. I hope everyone had a truly wonderful Christmas and I wish every single reader all the very best for the year ahead. And so, without any further ado, here we go with this week’s Coronation Street update.


The update this week covers Christmas on the cobbles over the last couple of weeks and while I don’t want to, I think I’m going to have to start by saying that Christmas in Weatherfield has been a bit crap. Soap Christmasses should be full of drunken feckless men in Santa suits, drunken factory girls in deely-boppers dancing around their sewing machines waving their knickers in the air while snogging the factory boss. There should be tears in the back room of the Rovers while the regulars party hard on t’other side of the bar. But no, this year on Corrie, there wasn’t any of that. What we did have was disappointing; Peter Barlow pushed into a Christmas tree, Tony Gordon strangling Jed Stone with Carla’s nighty and a bit of argy-bargy at the Platt’s - but in their house, argy-bargy is for life, not just for Christmas.

Yes, Peter Barlow has been drinking too much and slurring his words. He ruined Simon’s nativity play by turning up drunk to shupport hish shon and then had to apologishe to Ken and Deirdre while sipping on orange juice in the Rovers to prove that he’s now sober and can look after the fabtastic little Simon, who’s the best young actor to hit the cobbles in a long time.

At the Underworld Christmas party, usually a time of drunken antics and great dialogue, this year was rather subdued. Jed Stone got wise to Tony Gordon and Tony ended up strangling him with Carla’s negligee. He bundled the body into a basket at the factory as the girls partied on but when Tony went back the next day to dispose of Jed’s body, Jed was still alive. It’s not clear what Tony’s gone and done with Jed now as he offered him a flat in Wigan. Perhaps death was preferable, who knows? Emily knows summat’s up when she finds Jed’s hat which Tony had left behind at the house - and Jed Stone never goes anywhere without his hat. Or indeed his cat, which Norris had found in a basket. Hats, cats, dead bodies and nighties. Soap Christmasses should come with more spice. Fortunately, Maria provided a moment of madness when she daubed MU DERER on the Underworld walls, determined to out Tony Gordon as the killer of Liam. It was left to Becky to paint in the missing R, aah.

At Gail’s house, there were fisticuffs between David and Gary Windass who Rosie’s got the hots for but he’s after Tina who’s going out with David. Confused? No, me neither. It was too simple a storyline. No diary revealations this year over the sprouts, just an hormonal punch-up at Gail’s. Even Rosie Webster and David Platt’s 18th birthdays went by without much going on.

Best storyline by far has been Liz McDonald and her exercise class, the Brazilian Crunch, at which she wheezes. This shouldn’t be confused with the Credit Crunch, which squeezes. Lloyd’s roped in to be DJ at the Brazilian Crunch class and it’s not long before he and Liz lock lips and then scamper upstairs together in the Rovers for a bit of, well, I don’t know. You work it out. I can't wait to see the Steve McDonald gurn of the week when he finds out about his mum and his best mate.

The lovely Rita had a decent Christmas, spent with Eileen’s dad, Colin. Eileen wasn’t best pleased as she was expecting her dad there for his turkey and pud but he plumped for Rita’s offer of Christmas stuffing instead.

Over in Roy’s Rolls, Hayley and Roy fed the homeless of the parish with a determined grin and plenty of gravy while Becky and Steve played silly beggars.

Up in the flat in the sky, Dev strummed along to Guitar Hero (I recommend this highly) with a tie around his forehead to get that Jimmi Hendrix thing going on while offering Tara the flat above the shop for her to move into.

And finally, leading up to an explosive New Year on the street, Aunty Pam stores used chip fat in Jack’s back yard. She plans to convert it into bio-diesel with the help of young Darryl but it’ll all end in tears when Aunty Pam gets blown up! Now that’s the sort of action we want to see on Corrie at Christmas.

And that’s just about that for Christmas on Coronation Street. Have a wonderful New Year and I’ll be back as usual with the regular weekly updates from early next week once again.

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

Thursday 18 December 2008

Coronation Street Christmas podcast

There's a special Coronation Street podcast going live on Friday 19 December over at The Soap Show.

The podcast is called Word on the Street and includes a round-up of events during 2008 on the cobbles, a look at the Corrie Christmas spoilers and a peek ahead at stories for 2009. Hope you enjoy listening to it! Merry Christmas, everyone.

A year of Coronation Street blogging

Got some time on your hands now you're winding down to Christmas at your PC? Why not have a look at Coronation Street during 2008 in blog posts. (Canadian viewers you're approx. 9 months behind the UK as far as storyline goes).

Click on the months below to reveal what was blogged, about who, their wherefores and and whatnots. There are weekly updates, monthly round-ups, Corrie writer profiles and the most quirky and original Coronation Street blog posts anywhere on t'inturnet.




Steve McDonald gurn of the week - December 18

With thanks to Coronation Street fan Martin S for sending in another great Steve McDonald gurn of the week. And I swear it's not been Photoshopped! Have a look at other fab Stevie McGurns of the week by clicking here.

Wednesday 17 December 2008

Corrie's Out of Africa DVD - 10 copies to win!

The Manchester Evening News has 10, yes 10, copies to give away of the Coronation Street: Out Of Africa DVD. To enter the competition, click here. Deadline for entries is January 5, 2009.

Click here to enter to win the DVD of Ghost Hunting with Coronation Street

Coronation Street's butty bus axed

There's sad news for the cast of Coronation Street as their mobile canteen (aka the butty bus) has been axed to save cash. An ITV insider told Sky: “The whole cast are up in arms — they’re absolutely furious. Having the van meant they could eat between takes and warm up with a cup of tea. They have always considered the butty waggon was part of their employment package.”

What? You mean they don't eat Betty's Hot Pot?

Did you miss Corrie this week? Click here to catch up.

Coronation Street's top shockers of 2008

We've already had a month-by-month round up of events on the cobbles and now it's time for this blog's top shockers from Corrie this year. This is a personal list so do please leave a comment letting other fans know what your top moments were from the cobbles.



3. Rosie Webster's cleavage. I have to hide in fear behind a cushion every time it wobbles onto the screen.

4. Vera Duckworth dying. Old cynic that I am, I didn't expect to shed a tear, but I did.

5. Best new character of the year: Tina McIntyre. Never mind helping out in the Kabin, I reckon it's just a matter of time until she's running the Rovers Return.

Corrie girls star in The Vagina Monologues

Sally Lindsay, who played Shelley Unwin and Tina Gambe, who played Coronation Street factory machinist Sonia Marshall will be starring in The Vagina Monologues at Carlisle’s Sands Centre on Friday 27 February. To book tickets and find out more, have a look here.

And don't forget to watch Sally Lindsay on telly on Christmas Day.

Tuesday 16 December 2008

Rosie Webster and Tina McIntyre's Corrie catfight

There's a long interview with Helen Flanagan (Rosie Webster) and Michelle Keegan (Tina McIntyre) with some festive pics over at OK Magazine. The two actors talk about Rosie and Tina's upcoming catfight on the cobbles.

See also: Rosie Webster's sexy pics

Has Rob James-Collier shaved off his beard?

When he left Coronation Street's Liam Connor behind him, actor Rob James-Connor started growing a beard. And now it appears to have gone.

Pictures of Rob warming up to take part in CAFOD Liverpool's annual fun run on December 27 show him clean shaven. Rob said he was really looking forward to the fun run, "...especially as I’ve been keeping fit this year so for the first time ever I’m going to time myself. It’s always good fun and I wouldn’t miss it, I just hope it isn’t raining – running on soggy grass won’t help my time!”

His thoughts on beards weren't recorded.

Antony Cotton and Suranne Jones on TV

Antony Cotton, who plays Coronation Street's Sean Tully, and Suranne Jones, who played Karen McDonald, join forces in a Coronation Street team on Who Wants to be A Millionnaire? Christmas Special.

The programme will be shown on Tuesday 23 December at 8pm on ITV1.

Also, a quick mention that Carry on Cleo will be shown on New Years Eve on ITV1, starring the lovely Amanda Barrie, who played Corrie's Alma Baldwin.

Find out which other past and present Corrie actors will be on telly together over Christmas too. Click here for more.

Coronation Street stars in telly ding-dong

New Corrie fella John Thomson teams up with ex-Corrie actress Debra Stephenson, who played Frankie Baldwin, on Alan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong.

It'll be shown on Tuesday 23 December at 10pm on Channel 4.

Click here to find out which other past and present Coronation Street actors are teaming up together on TV at Christmas.

New Coronation Street cast members

News in from the official Corrie site today is that two teenagers are joining the Coronation Street cast. Actors Lucien Laviscount and Sacha Parkinson will play Sophie Webster's new mates Ben and Sian.

Wonder if these new additions have got anything to do with the Sophie Webster pregnancy rumour?

Coronation Street Weekly Update, December 15

Greetings and welcome to the last weekly update of 2008. I’ll not be here next week because there’s summat going on. Big fat fella, beard, tinsel, keeping the gin from Aunty Maude, all that sort of stuff. But I will be back between Chrimbo and the New Year with a festive round up of events on the cobbles so there’s something to look forward to after the disappointment you’ll receive when you don’t get the presents you hoped for. Anyway, without any further ado, here we go with this week’s Coronation Street update.

Over in the Rovers, Steve’s Bad Boyfriend Operation steps up another gear. Last week he was unshaven and unkempt and this week he’s playing miserly Scrooge.

John Thomson joins the Corrie cast this week as General Custard, the children’s entertainer, who Steve’s booked to entertain Amy and the kids at a party in the pub. General Custard, who’s really called Jesse (as in “James”, not as in “a right big”) is distraught as he’s just split up from his wife, who played the other half of his cowboy act, Hia-Lowa. As Steve comforts and cuddles Jesse, who’s still wearing his cowboy outfit, at the bar as he bawls about his missus, Eileen comes in to see what’s going on. “What’s this?” she asks, in the best line of the week. “A street theatre production of Brokeback Mountain?” Anyway, it’s all a ploy for Jesse and Eileen to get together as she takes on the challenge to become the new Hia-Lowa. Wearing a long black wig Eileen looked just like a long lost member of the Cherokee Connor clan. All this Hia-Lowa business was quite funny. “They’ll all be saying it in the pub downstairs, later,” says Jesse to Steve. Never mind the pub. When Carla Gordon came on screen later to greet Tony with a cheery “Hiya! to her new husband, I can’t have been the only Corrie fan to shout back at the telly. “Lowa!”. I can’t, can I?

Maria’s a woman possessed with finding the truth and witters on to anyone who’ll listen. I know, she did it last week too, but this week she did it in a nasty dressing gown. Carla and Tony return from honeymoon and Tony calls round to see Maria after he listens to her rants on his mobile phone accusing him of murdering Liam. He doesn’t deny it and offers her a million quid to keep schtum but as everyone now thinks Maria is nuts no-one believes her when she tells them the truth. She then reports the murder to the police while Tony sits in his car fingering a leather belt with strangulous (I know that’s not a real word, I just made it up) thoughts of murdering Maria. The thing is with Tony Gordon, he’s not that frightening, he just looks a bit daft.

Elsewhere this week, Tyrone suffers a minging birthday when Molly wants nothing to do with him after she found out he’d been lying to her about going to the gym when he was on the scam with Pam. Tyrone can’t keep his mind on the job at work and gets marriage counselling from marriage expert Kevin Webster who drags him to the pub for a pint.

Another new arrival this week was Eileen’s dad, Colin Postlethwaite. With Elvis’ Hound Dog as his mobile phone ringtone and an eye for the ladies, Rita in particular, Colin could be good fun. It’s clear he likes a drink or two, does Colin, and after Eileen’s fed up waiting for him to come home for dinner, she takes dinner to him in the pub, dumps it on the bar counter and covers it in salt. It’s been a good long few years since that happened in Corrie, it seems just like the sort of thing that Hilda did to Stan.

Over at Roy’s Rolls, Hayley and Roy are planning to open up on Christmas Day to feed the homeless of Weatherfield. Hayley reckons it’ll be the best thing to happen to her at Christmas apart from getting a kiss from Roy under the mistletoe. I swear Roy blushed when he heard this.

At Emily’s, Norris and Mary grow closer while Jed Stone worries about Sunny Jim, his missing cat.

And finally this week, it was great to see Steve and Eileen carrying on that great Coronation Street taxi-cab tradition of making paperchains in the Streetcars office.

And that’s just about that for this week. I hope every single reader has a wonderful Christmas. I’ll be back before the New Year with a bumper edition update covering all of the Christmas events on Coronation Street. Cheers, everyone!

Coronation Street writers this week were Simon Crowther, Chris Fewtrell, Julie Jones and David Lane.

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

Sunday 14 December 2008

Coronation Street Christmas Party pics

The cast of Coronation Street held their Christmas party on Friday night last week in Mancheser's casino 235. There are plenty of paparazzi pictures over here.

And speaking of Christmas, check out the Corrie Chrimbo spoilers.

Saturday 13 December 2008

Carla Gordon threatens Rosie Webster


With thanks to Tony Stewart's We Love Soaps in today's Mirror magazine, here's one of the best lines I've heard in Coronation Street in ages. I don't know yet who the writer is as it's one of the episodes coming up on Friday this week, but by 'eck, it's a good 'un.

"I'm going to make your life a complete misery," Carla warns Rosie. "Cross me again and I'll make you into a handbag."

Next week's Corrie in 50 words or less - Dec 15 to 19

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

Week of Monday 15 December to Friday 19 December

Tony offers Maria £1m to stay silent, Eileen gets a man, Peter turns nasty at nativity, Gail’s aghast at Windass Christmas lights, new barmaid Poppy starts work at Rovers Return, Norris gets narked over Mary and Jed, Rosie decides to reveal all and Jack’s back from Blackpool.

The full weekly preview, with pictures, is right here on Corrie.net
Missed last week's Corrie? Catch up here with a fun round-up

Where have you seen Eileen Grimshaw's dad before?

With a phone ringtone of Elvis' Hound Dog and an eye for the ladies, Eileen's dad turned up in Coronation Street last night. Actor Edward de Souza is playing Colin Postlethwaite and looks set to be a bit of fun for the soap OAPs. He's been acting since 1961 and has appeared in a whole host of TV and films, you can check out his full listing at the IMDB. You can watch a clip of him in the film The Golden Compass right here.

Andrew Sachs confirms stint on Coronation Street

Note to news websites who've cut and pasted this post as their own - could you please do the decent thing and give this blog a link?

There are many reasons why I love the Christmas Radio Times - great telly schedules, a fab crossword and holiday adverts for summer next year. Little did I know I'd also get a Coronation Street exclusive out of it too.

In an interview with Andrew Sachs, who's been rumoured to turn up on the cobbles as Norris Cole's brother, the ex-Fawlty Towers star says this:

"They're asking me to do Coronation Street next year. I'm a little concerned because I'm a pensioner, as the newspapers keep telling me, and it takes me longer to learn the lines. I'm going to take up the challenge anyway."

Great news so far but even better is that Andrew admits he and his wife are huge Corrie fans too. He said: "I have to watch Coronation Street. It was a condition of my marriage. My wife was such a fan that I've been watching it since 1962."

Want to see a Corrie look-a-like of Andrew Sach's grand-daughter, Georgina Baillie? Click here.

Thursday 11 December 2008

Coronation Street Blog celebrates 1st birthday

It was December 11, 2007 when the Coronation Street blog first got up and running, which means that today it celebrates one year online.

THANK YOU to everyone who reads the blog, leaves comments, sends in suggestions, links to it from their own sites and sends emails in to me. THANK YOU, every single reader and fan of this blog.

The Coronation Street blog is proud to support Leukaemia Research.

Hilda Ogden switches on Christmas lights

Jean Alexander, who played Coronation Street's Hilda Ogden, did the honours at North Yorkshire's smallest village and switched on the Christmas lights - all ten of 'em - at Burn, near Selby.

Despite the small scale of the event, Jean said: "I know it's not Oxford Street or Blackpool, but it's thanks to a fantastic effort on behalf of the village that Burn has got any Christmas lights at all. I have family in Burn so I have been a regular visitor and I love the place.I applaud the work, time and effort that has gone into brightening up this main road for Christmas."

Source: Yorkshire Evening Post

Bruce Jones sleeping rough

Since leaving Coronation Street as Les Battersby, disgraced Corrie actor Bruce Jones is going to be sleeping rough. He's taking part in a BBC telly programme to go undercover to find out what life is like for Britain's homeless. Bruce will take part in the show, called Famous, Rich and Homeless alongside Hardeep Singh Kholi, Annabel Croft and The Marquis of Blandford. The five celebrities will spend 10 days on the street with guidance from top fella John Bird, founder of The Big Issue. The show will air next year.

Steve McDonald gurn of the week, Christmas special

It's a very special Christmas Steve McDonald gurn this week. For previous gurns from Coronation Street's Stevie Mc, have a look here.

Wednesday 10 December 2008

Carla Connor's sister to turn up in Corrie

There's wome wonderful gossip over at Sky TV who say that Carla Connor's sister might turn up in Coronation Street when Alison King, who plays Carla, returns from maternity leave next year.

It's rumoured that actress Natalie Anderson (pictured) will play Carla’s sister.

See also: Who will play Carla Connor's brother?

Coronation Street online success story

It's official. Coronation Street is ITV's most-watched programme online. You can read all the ITV corporate blah at The Guardian website (and most other sites around th'internet today).

However, maybe I'm in the minority here but I have never watched a whole episode of my favourite soap online and have no plans to do so either. Watching Corrie means sitting with a cuppa and a biscuit, feet up on the sofa, relaxed and enjoying every minute, every dialogue line, not squinting at a tiny screen on the computer.

Corrie actors get on their Christmas bikes


Coronation Street actors Jennie McAlpine (Fiz Brown) and Ryan Thomas (Jason Grimshaw) got on their snomobikes to help power up the Christmas decorations in Manchester this week. You can read more about it right here.

Win Ghost Hunting with Corrie DVD

Pick Me Up Magazine has a special competition for Coronation Street fans. They're offering a prize of the Ghost Hunting with Corrie DVD so if you'd like to enter, click here.

Deadline for entries is January 9, 2009. Good luck.

Tony Gordon kills Jed Stone with Carla's frillies

Evil Tony Gordon is going to kill off Jed Stone by strangling him with Carla's nighty. It says here that after Tony strangles Jed, he later gives the nighty back to Carla and apologises that it's a bit creased! By 'eck, she's married a rum one there.

See also: Is Tony Gordon Mad-Eye Moody?

Corrie wedding's bagpipe man

"What's the definition of a gentleman?" asked Sean Tully at last week's Coronation Street wedding of Carla Connor and Tony Gordon. "It's someone who can play the bagpipes, but doesn't."

I have to agree, it's not the music of choice in our house but for those who like the sound of the pipes and the sight of a man in a kilt, there's an interview here with bagpipe player Alan Gagan, who performed at the Corrie wedding.

Alan, who's a photocopier engineer, said: “It was fantastic. I normally play at people’s weddings but this is the first showbiz wedding I have ever done. I was quite surprised when I received the call from Granada and it took two days to film and it was quite strange seeing myself on the screen. My family were very proud."

Tuesday 9 December 2008

Coronation Street Weekly Update, December 8

Hello folks and welcome to another weekly update. This week the update’s been making a list and next week it’ll check it twice. It’s time to open door number two on the weekly update advent calendar and let’s see who we’ve got. Ooh, lovely and yum, it’s Tom Selleck. And so, without any further ado, here we go with this week’s Coronation Street update.

This week the Windasses moved into Coronation Street. They’re the Battersby’s all over again, so much so that I’m calling them the Windasserby’s. They’re thick, ignorant, violent and noisy and move in next door to the Platts. What’ll it be like living next door to a family of violent thugs with criminal records? The Windasses will soon find out.

The big event of the week was Carla Connor’s wedding, taking up two episodes of its own, both written wonderfully by Damon Rochefort with some cracking dialogue. Sally sipping pink wine: “Ooh, Rosé!” Rosie, without missing a beat: “What mum?” Anyway, there were “I do’s” with Tony in a kilt and a man on the bagpipes. I was going to tell you my bagpipe joke but Sean Tully got in first when he told it to the assembled throng at the wedding reception. Never mind I’ll tell it anyway. What’s the definition of a gentleman? Someone who can play the bagpipes, but doesn’t.

As the wine flows and Sally gets drunk, Kevin turns Neanderthal after a few beers and everyone gives Tony Gordon the evil eye. As if he needs it, too. The Websters’ are in such a state that Carla lets rip at Sally and tells her to behave herself. Sally, and never forget she’s a Seddon and from the wrong side of the tracks, gets revenge at the wedding and shows Maria the video of Carla snogging Liam. Maria spends the rest of the week questioning anything that moves whether they knew anything about Liam and Carla having an affair. She’s beside herself with grief and it makes for really dull viewing. Next!

Steve steps up Operation Bad Boyfriend so that Michelle will hate him and he can run off with Becky. He slopes around the flat in baggy y-fronts, scratching himself, unwashed, unshaved but Michelle hasn’t noticed anything’s wrong. Meanwhile Becky starts to get jealous and wants Steve all to herself as Liz heads off to her Brazilian Crunch class. Ouch.

Molly suspects Tyrone’s up to no good with Amber’s mate Minnie who does indeed drive a Mini. She hasn’t yet been spotted wearing a mini but I’m sure it can’t be long; mini’s never are. Tyrone is indeed deceiving Molly but in a good way, if such a thing exists. He’s scamming with Aunty Pam to sell cheap perfume but Molly thinks he’s chatting up girls and lying about going to the gym and of course she’s spot on. She might be short but she’s good, is Mol.

At Weatherfield General, Janice starts her community service with Emily Bishop supervising her every move. She thinks she’s in for a soft ride when she finds out Emily’s the one looking after her but Emily soon shows her backbone of steel. Years of living with Norris has toughened her up and she sets Janice to work mopping the floor of the canteen and sorting out the bric-a-brac and knick-a-knacks. And it’s not long before Janice turns the head of a fella in the George Formby ward.

And that’s just about that for this week. It’s been a short update despite the fact there were six episode this week. Most of the time was spent watching mooching Maria. Let’s hope things brighten up before Christmas or I may have to sulk.

Coronation Street writers this week were Debbie Oates, Lucy Gannon, Carmel Morgan, Mark Wadlow and Damon Rochefort

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

GRITTY SAGAS BY CORRIE BLOG EDITOR GLENDA YOUNG, PUBLISHED BY HEADLINE. CLICK PIC BELOW!

You might also like...

Coronation Street Books for Fans

GRITTY SAGAS BY CORRIE BLOG EDITOR GLENDA YOUNG, PUBLISHED BY HEADLINE. CLICK PIC BELOW!