In the latest poll here on the Coronation Street blog, we asked fans to vote on little Simon Barlow's future. 221 fans voted and the majority agreed that Peter Barlow needs his son back living with him when he comes out of rehab. The votes were cast as follows:
It's no coincidence Award: Rusty star: The boat's name looks like Gail Farce. This storyline warranted it.
Lines of the Week:
Fancy a pub walk with a difference on Friday 5th March?
Written by John Kerr (7:30) and Mark Burt (8:30), directed by Durno Johnston 
Yes, it's him again. I know I need to get a life, but this has been bugging me for ages. Does anyone else remember seeing a Stanley Baxter special in 2008, called Now and Then? As I recall, the programme was a mix of the usual sickly interviews with celebs gushing on...and on...and on about how wonderful Stanley is (and personally I actually think he is), recent sketches, and sketches from his classic 70s shows. They showed a particular sketch from the 70s in which Stanley was doing his famous impersonation of "The Queen", doing her Christmas broadcast. I'm not certain if it was his first EVER version of this. It may well have been. However, what I'm really curious about is this. "Someone" comes in with a clapperboard and says "Cue Queen" and dashes off screen again. I am CERTAIN that this "someone" was none other than Brian Capron, in what must have been one of his earliest telly appearances. I've googled this till my fingers are sore, but can find nothing. Anyone else remember this? 
Anyone wondering where Gail's dad Ted is at the moment, when all the cops are hanging round chez Platt, and you'd think he'd be there to support his daughter? Well, actor Michael Byrne who plays Ted on Coronation Street is currently gearing up to play Romeo at The Bristol Old Vic.
There's not many brave enough to take on Corrie's Rita. Cilla Battersby-Brown tried it once and look what happened to her, sent to Africa for her trouble.
I know she’s not everyone’s cup of acting tea, but I always love Margi Clarke’s appearances on Corrie as Tyrone’s mother, Jackie Dobbs.
It says here that Leanne and Peter are going to get hitched. Leanne proposes to Peter in the Rovers saying: “I know I’m a nightmare and can be a stroppy cow at times, but Peter will you do me the immense honour of marrying me?” And the recovering alcoholic? He says 'yes'.
Okay so she's currently having a wee break from boozin' and a-smokin', but Becky McDonald's about to crank up her drinking arm again. I've often wondered how the dickens she manages to keep her wonderful complexion and marvellous figure, while apparently knocking back pints and pints...and pints...and, well, you've all seen her do it - of cider. In fact I've wondered why on earth she doesn't look a bit more raddled, like, well, Teresa. Or me, come to that.
Anyone else notice the similarity between Becky McDonald and Madeleine Dupont from Denmark's ladies curling team in the Olympics?!
Much fuss is being made that Mr Kipling's missus will finally be revealed in a new telly ad. You know Mr Kipling, he makes those exceedingly good cakes. Anyway, Mrs Kipling will be voiced by actress Joan Kempson, who Coronation Street fans will remember played Edna Miller, the cleaner at the Rovers Return. An exceedingly good actress.
Written by Stephen Russell, directed by Durno Johnston 
There's a good Coronation Street spoiler in The Star that says Carla Connor takes her date with Trevor the binman one step beyond. Yup, she's going to bed the binman.
Pictures are now online from Maggie Jones' memorial service, held at Salford Cathedral today. Click through to Digital Spy who have a few photos as well as the official Corrie site of course.
As previously reported, today was the memorial service in the Salford Cathedral for the late Maggie Jones. Many fans along with present and former cast members attended and many of the cast members spoke or read at the service. There's more detail at BBC news, but highlights include a mention of some of Maggie's character, Blanche's best known lines, read by William Roache who plays Blanche's son-in-law, Ken Barlow. He said: "In lesser hands some of these lines could seem cruel, vicious even. I think only Maggie could have turned them into pure comedy gold." He called Maggie's performances "jaw-dropping" and "legendary".
Becky miscarries and goes on a bender, Dev’s convinced he’s lost Sunita to Ciaran, the cops suspect Gail’s killed Joe for the life insurance, Teresa starts cleaning at Underworld, it’s Norris' 70th birthday and binman Trevor takes a shine to Carla.
Coronation Street actor Katherine Kelly (Becky McDonald) will be opening the brand new Poundland store in Scarborough (my favourite place in the world) this Saturday, 27th February.
It's Thursday and that means only one thing... time for the Steve McDonald gurn of the week. Thanks go to Coronation Street fan Martin S. for sending in these fab Stevie McGurns. If you've captured a good Corrie Steve gurn and want to share it via the blog, do email it in.
Michelle Keegan, who plays Coronation Street's Tina McIntyre, is encouraging young women to sign up for a career as a firefighter. Women make up just 3.6% of firefighters in the UK, and Michelle, whose uncle is a fireman, has joined forces with the Fire and Rescue Service to get more women into the job.
Written by Simon Crowther (7:30) & Jonathan Harvey (8:30), directed by Durno Johnston 
Unbelievable but true blog post time...
If you're thinking that you've seen Trevor Dean the Coronation Street binman on telly before, then you're not wrong. According to actor Steve Jackon's IMDB page he's been in all kinds of things you might have seen him in. He's been in Holby City, Heartbeat, Dalziel and Pascoe, Doctors and Pulling, to name but a few. And in 1999, as Steven Fury (not Jackson) he starred in Emmerdale as Ben Dingle.
Here I am again, back from me jollies. I’d like to say I was sunning myself around the Balearics but only because it’s a slight innuendo. I was really sunning myself somewhere else. But now I’m back and sending a million thanks to Karen Jankel and Richard Whitbread for writing the updates while I was away, and to John Dean, for fluffing the cushions. And so, without any further ado, here we go with this week’s Coronation Street update.
Big story of the week is Joe’s death in the Lakes. As Gail and David try to keep up their cover story of Joe remaining in Cumbria because he’s working there, their lies float to the surface when Joe’s body is found. Tina and Gail have to identify Joe’s body and there’s hysterics and tears, it was very moving indeed. Mind you, you’d think Gail would be used to this by now, she’s done it twice before. If only she was as good in identifying a decent man before they died, ah well. The loan shark doesn’t yet know Joe has died and pesters Tina for the cash, throwing a burning newspaper through her letterbox and setting fire to the flat. He’s a scary bloke, that fella.
Sunita’s aunts are causing agony for Dev as he battles with the old biddies. Mind you, they’re not half nosy, wanting to know about Dev and Sunita’s sleeping arrangements, why she isn’t pregnant and who this Matt bloke is who turns up out of nowhere. Pretending to play happy families does have a nice side, however, as Dev finds himself spending more time with Sunita and the twins and both of them seem to be getting along well. So well in fact that the aunties decide to stay for another week. Nice.
Eileen’s upset this week as Jesse wins big on the horses. But when he books a holiday for himself and his folks without taking Eileen, she nags him and tosses him out. “Take yer parrot and go!” About time too, if you ask me.
Home alone with just a bottle of Freshco red for company, bored, bawdy Audrey rings Lewis the escort. When he turns up, she’s in full battle dress and war paint, pretending that a do she was going to has been cancelled and she’s at a loose end. Lewis takes her to the Rovers where he hits upon a plan. He sends Audrey in there first, all done up like a dog’s dinner and she chats to Deirdre to Liz at the bar. Then Lewis comes in, pretends he doesn’t know Audrey and flirts across the bar with her. Deirdre and Liz, especially Liz, are hoping Lewis’ lingering looks are for them, but they’re not. He walks around the bar and chats up Audrey, making her giggle and making Deirdre and Liz as jealous as cats. Yes, cats can be jealous, my friend. However, Norris thinks he recognises Lewis and remembers him as being the ‘husband’ of Claudia at the Weatherfield Council Christmas Ball and assumes Audrey is having a fling with a married man. Audrey? Never! Ahem.
And in the factory there's no cleaner so Carla has to get scrubbing. Just as she's on her knees in an awful apron, in comes Janice's lodger, Trevor the binman. He assumes Carla's the cleaner, as you would, and tells her that Janice reckons the factory boss is a right old hag. Oh, how Carla laughed as she pretended it wasn't her. "I've just found two kittens," Trevor tells Carla. "Want one?" No thanks, she's just eaten.
And finally this week, Connie and Jack come to visit Tyrone. As Jack takes the lad out to the pub for a pint, Connie cleans and cooks and does what she can for Tyrone. So when the phone rings, she answers: “Hello, Tyrone’s house,” and it’s Tyrone’s mum on the line so Connie spills all about his split from the Mol. Well, Connie’s never met Jackie Dobbs before, how was she to know she should have kept her gob shut?. Within minutes, minutes I tell you, the doorbell rings and the pink-haired gob on a stick is at the door. It’s Jackie Dobbs emoting to her son, she’s clearly on the want. “I feel yer pain, lad.” We all do, Jackie, we all do.
While playing with your Corrie Nintendo game later this year, you'll also be able to enjoy Corrie-branded food. Holland's Pies is relaunching Betty's Hot Pots to be sold in supermarkets.
Already humiliated by Jesse deciding to take his parents on holiday rather than her, Eileen is in for further heartache from her relationship with the children's entertainer, when she discovers he is a love cheat, Inside Soap reports.
This week's Inside Soap reveals that war is about to break out in the factory when knicker stitcher Kelly Crabtree tries to sabotage Teresa Bryant's work when she is taken on as a cleaner. Teresa gets the job after winning a bet with Kelly that she can get a job by the end of the day and is quick to gloat about winning the wager and telling Kelly that they're going to be co-workers. The smile is soon knocked off her face though when Carla presents her with a mop and tells her to get scrubbing.
So, who do you think Trevor the binman should be with then - Carla or Janice? From this picture today in The Sun they say that Trevor and Carla will go on a date and she shuns trendy wine bars for a proper pub crawl. But what'll he think when he finds out she's the Underworld boss and not the 
There's sadness ahead for Becky and Steve on Coronation Street when Becky finds out she's miscarried. Katherine Kelly, who plays Becky, reveals that the story was "the hardest thing I've had to do on the show. I was just weeping when I read the script..."
There was a short piece in The Observer today that said Government Ministers will be in talks with Coronation Street to discuss ways the soap can use condoms more often in sex scenes. Campaginers from the Sex: Worth Talking About intiative are due to meet with Corrie bosses soon to discuss this at length.
One of the Sunday tabloids says that Coronation Street is planning to bring back Hilda Ogden this year. Hmm... I can't say I believe this as the article also says that Corrie plans a "blockbuster" live episode for its 50th anniversary and their quotes are only from "a mole".
Time to get the police involved: Flaming Star: Tina and Jason. Threats, harassment, It's about time someone called the cops even if they didn't tell them everything.
Lines of the Week:
Written by Mark Wadlow, directed by John Anderson Speaking of which, Slick Rick starts banging on Gail’s door. He doesn't get what he wants so he goes across the road. Tina answers the door and she gives him the card that “Joe” sent attached to her flowers and tells him it’s the only contact she’s had with her dad in over a week. Slick Rick isn’t amused and demands his money, but Jason tells him he’s getting nowt from them and to shove off. What’s Slick Rick to do now? What anyone would do – coat a newspaper in excellerant, shove it through Tina’s mailbox and throw in the match. I was just wondering when this situation was going to go from worse to terrible. Jason smells the fire and puts it out just in time to see Slick Rick smile and drive away from the street. Jason tells her he’s phoning the police. FINALLY! Someone is phoning the police. Who thought that Jason would be the genius in all of this?
Tina sends a text to Joe: “Your loan shark just tried to kill me, please call” thinking it’d get an immediate response. Of course, David picks up Joe’s binging phone in his kitchen and shows Gail the message. Even THEN Gail won’t call the police. A young woman’s life is less important that Joe going to prison in her mind? Wow, my opinion of Gail, which wasn’t very high to begin with, has just gone down to basement level.
Tina tells Gail how Jason’s phoned the police and has told them everything – to Gail’s horror. The police are on their way and want to interview Gail also. Tina can tell from Gail’s paper-thin face that something’s going on. David tells Gail she needs to tell Tina the truth. Gail confesses all to Tina, and says she only lied to protect Joe. I can’t imagine what Tina is thinking right now. The cops arrive and Gail tries to convince Tina they can’t tell anything. Tina’s not sure she believes a word of it. Gail tells Tina that if she tells the police, they’ll look for Joe, find him, and he’ll go to prison. Tina utters, “good.” I second that “good.” You know, if I didn’t know he was dead already.
Meanwhile, up at the lakes, a border collie named Lottie has found Joe’s body washed up in the reeds.
If I had a dime, for how many times the police showed up at Gail McIntyre’s place of residence. Do you know how many times the police have shown up at mine in my life? Zero, but then I’m not nearly as interesting as Gail McIntyre, or as stupid. Gail confesses to the police that she’s indeed been having trouble with a debt collector. Gail lies to the police about Joe’s whereabouts and tells the police that Slick Rick won’t take no for an answer. Tina confesses that the loan shark has visited her a few times, but this was the first time he really threatened them. The police tell them that they do know the loan shark, and they’ll be taking him in for questioning. Tina keeps mum on Joe’s crazy plan to the police, for Gail’s sake. After the police leave, Tina wants more answers. Tina wants to know where Joe is NOW. Tina worries that anything could happen to Joe, just wandering around the Lake District. Gail tells Tina that what keeps her going is the knowledge that Joe could walk through the door at any minute. Not bloody likely, as Lottie’s owner has called the police who are now arriving at the site of Joe’s body.
Tina tells Jason all what Gail has told her about Joe’s plan in the Rovers. Jason figures Joe’s not doing a very good job of pretending to be dead since four people know he’s alive, plus he’s sending texts and flowers. Tina figures that’s why Joe hasn’t rung – to keep up the charade. Jason figures Joe’s plan has gone belly-up and he won’t come home since he’s too embarassed. All the suddent Tina had a terrible thought and rushes to have a word with Gail. Tina wonders if Gail telling Joe that she wouldn’t go along with his plan was too much for him to bear and he really tried to kill himself. Gail assures Tina that he’d never do that. Tina tells Gail that if Joe’s not back by Monday, they phone the police and tell them everything and Gail agrees.
Eileen, Jesse and Sean stare at Jesse’s winnings just sitting on the table. Eileen figures it’s a scenery changing amount of money, Jesse a car changing amount, and Sean a wardrobe changing amount. Eileen figures they should take a two week holiday with the money. Jesse feels like it’s not even real. Oh really, have they never seen money before? Jesse doesn’t want to squander it all at once, but save it for something special. Eileen assumes that’s her, but it’s clear from Jesse’s face that it’s not.
Eileen’s very excited thinking that Jesse’s going to take her on lavish holiday, since she heard Jesse on the phone to a travel agent’s this morning. She gets home and Jesse hands her a little box with a watch inside. Eileen thinks it’s lovely and thanks him. Eileen sees an Egypt travel brochure on the table and gets her bubble burst when John tells her he’s taking his mum and dad. Eileen is clearly, clearly disappointed. Jesse thought he was being kind, but Eileen tells him to the wrong people. Jesse hopes she’s not asking him to choose between her and his parents. Eileen tells him that’s exactly what he’s asking, and he should take HER to see the pyramids and if not, they’ve got no future. She gives him an ultimatum: take me or don’t bother coming back. Harsh, but fair. Jesse, of course chooses his parents over her. She tells Jesse to take his parrrot and go, but Jesse says he can’t take John to Egypt. Eileen tells him through gritted teeth that John’s not stopping at hers. John leaves and says goodbye to Eileen, and Eileen doesn’t even look at him as he walks out the door with John in tow. Eileen admits to Sean that she’s relieved that Jesse’s gone. Sean thinks it’s all a big misunderstanding.
Gary’s home this weekend and Anna’s excited about it. Anna’s not happy to hear that her and John’s hours are going to be reduced since Roy’s Rolls isn’t immune to the credit crunch. Gary returns home to slack from John about some ‘bright young lads shouldn’t be risking their lives in war’ garb. Gary has brought a buddy home with him. Soon Gary’s friend spies Rosie Webster, and Gary tells him he and her go way back. Gary’s friend doesn’t even believe him. Gary’s mate tries his best on Rosie trying to sound like a real soldier. Rosie asks if he’s been to “Afgaviistan” or Iraq, and the mate lies to her that he has.
Over at 5 Grasmere, Audrey picks up the phone to a telemarketer, while watching TV alone at home on the couch. She pulls out a business card from her valet and calls you-know-who. In what seems like a second, Lewis is over at Audrey’s in his best turtleneck sweater. Audrey fibs that she had a previous engagement that was cancelled and she was all dressed up with nowhere to go. She then tells Lewis that she doesnt’ know what to do with him now that he’s there. Oh, I’m sure that’s not true. Lewis suggests they go to the Rover’s since it’s Audrey’s local haunt. Lewis has a plan for something special and tells Audrey to call her pals and makesure they’re all at the Rovers, it’s a surprise. Audrey walks into the Rovers all done up, alone. Suddenly, Lewis walks into the pub. Deirdre notices Lewis eyeing Audrey up in the bar. Oh, very, very fun. Lewis comes over and keeping up the ruse, pretends to recognize Audrey from her councillor days. Audrey’s friends look shocked to see this man just pouring himself over her.
HIGHLIGHTS
-Eileen, Jesse and Sean sat drooling over Jesse’s winnings. Have none of these people seen money before
- Jason being the one with the most sense to finally call the police in all of this Slick Rick nonsense!
-Steve telling Eileen that seeing her in a good mood is against the natural order. Don’t worry Steve it probably won’t last long.
- Eileen telling Steve she might need a fortnight off from work at very short notice, thinking she might be going on holiday, and Steve asking if she’s going to prison or something. I love the banter between these two.
- Audrey fibbing to
- Liz’s miffed face when she realizes Lewis wasn’t looking to chat her up, but Audrey.
LOWLIGHTS
- David as the voice of reason. How far gone is your scheme that David Platt becomes the voice of reason? Think about it!
- Tina realising that her father has left her to deal with his loan shark – one way or another.
- Gail finding out that Slick Rick tried to kill Tina and she still won’t go to the police! What is wrong with that woman?
- Poor Eileen having to tell Jesse that she doesn’t want a parrot lover, she wants an Eileen lover. Will there ever be an Eileen lover?
- Poor Tina telling Joe she loves him while the paramedics are zipping his body up in a bag
Looking forward to: Rita's return, she was supposed to come back soon, no?
NOT looking forward to: Tina's broken heart when the body of her father is revealed.
With thanks to Corrie fan Clare for emailing in to tell us the whereabouts of lovely Liam Connor. Or at least, the actor who played him, Rob James-Collier.
Now then, I quite like them but from recent comments left on the blog, it seems that not everyone's taken with Sunita's aunties. What's not to like? They're Corrie at its best. They're interfering old biddies, chirpy, nosy old parkers with nothing better to do than snoop around their niece's bedroom to disover a reason why Sunita hasn't produced any babies recently and doesn't have one in th'oven. Am I the only one taken by the Corrie aunts?
Digital Spy reports this week that Sir Ian McKellen would love to reprise his role as villainous Mel Hutchwright in Corrie.
