Video Games in Corrie

Finally! They stopped recycling the Space Invaders sound effects at Corrie Towers and started using actual games. In tonight's Corrie, Becky was seen playing Uncharted 2 for the PS3.

It might sound daft, but as a gamer, it's good to see that video games have stopped being seen as arcade games, especially in soaps, and that they've stopped using phrases like "Kill them!", which I don't think anyone actually says when playing games. A few weeks back, I noticed David playing a game, but couldn't quite work out what it was, take a peek and see if you can name it.

Steve McDonald gurn of the week, March 31 2011

It's Thursday and that means only one thing... time for the Steve McDonald gurn of the week. Thanks go Corrie fan Martin S. 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.

Sneak Preview of next week's Corrie, April 4 - 8

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 April 4 to Friday April 8

Corrie’s double wedding equals double trouble – Norris threatens to spoil everything and Gail bribes Kylie to do a runner. Jim’s plan to buy the Rovers fails, Fay(e) moves in with the Windasses, and Fiz’s cash is nicked.

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

Corrie's Parent Wars

Let the competitive mothering commence! Monday’s episodes saw the opening salvos in what could turn out to be quite the feud between sometime mates Leanne and Cheryl over the fates and fortunes of their respective offspring. The new ‘super-head’ at Bessie Street reckons Simon is a disruptive influence in class, whereas Russ has been labelled gifted and is set to receive special coaching. Whatever the rights or wrongs of those assessments, for now at least, Cheryl is cock-a-hoop, Leanne’s nose is well and truly out of joint, and their friendship has taken on a frosty feel. So will this escalate into all-out war, or simply fizzle out like a damp squib? I daresay we’ll find out soon enough.

This is the kind of low-key, background storyline where everyone’s mileage is going to vary. Some viewers will love it. Others will hate it. More still will be completely indifferent. Me, I reckon there’s a fair amount of potential in the concept, although it’s very early days yet to see where the show intends to take it and a lot will depend on the tone and execution. It is, at the very least, the kind of mundane, everyday storyline that should always outnumber the high-octane dramas soaps are so fond of. After all, trams don’t derail every day, but parents bickering over the exploits of their little darlings? That’s something most folk can relate to, and it’s not as if Cheryl and Leanne don’t have form in this area – they’ve fallen out over the boys before, and there has always been a slight edge to their friendship, so this latest development is definitely in character for them both.

We don’t really know Cheryl that well yet, even after almost a year on the show, so maybe this will be our chance to get to know her a bit better, since it looks as if she is going to be sticking around as a regular character. We have already seen hints that she has more than a touch of the Sally Webster about her: a woman with ambitions and aspirations she has rarely had the opportunity to indulge. This storyline definitely looks set to tap into that aspect of her personality, her desire to better herself, as well as her fierce devotion to her son. Depending on how things go, it might also cast some light on her fairly whirlwind relationship with Lloyd, which seems to have developed mostly in the background of other peoples’ stories. After all, they are looking to buy a house together, which is a pretty huge commitment to be rushing into, yet I can’t see Cheryl allowing Lloyd to interfere too much where Russ is concerned, so watching them negotiate those boundaries should, in theory, be interesting…especially if Chris starts sticking his oar in as well.

As for the Junior Barlows, a low-key storyline like this is definitely what the doctor ordered after all their recent dramas. For Leanne, as a stepmother whose place in Simon’s life has so recently been threatened, it makes sense that she would overcompensate for her insecurities by throwing her full weight behind him in this way. Plus, since Peter is usually the volatile one with Leanne having to rein him in, it is good to have a bit of role reversal now and then to remind us that Leanne can fly off the handle, too, at times, and that Peter is also capable of being the voice of reason.

If nothing else, I am looking forward to the inevitable scenes of Peter and Lloyd rolling their eyes at one another in resigned exasperation while Leanne and Cheryl argue the toss!

Eddie Windass Goodbye Song

Here's the Eddie Windass goodbye song again - but this time with a video, which demonstrates just what a tremendous comedy asset Steve Huison was to Coronation Street. He will be very sadly missed. Great stuff from Tommy Reckless. My blog is here

Here's what's wrong with Graeme and Xin

Monday night's episodes showcased more cringingly awkward scenes with Graeme and Xin trying to get their stories straight under the sharp and calculating glare of Inspector Norris Clouseau. Again, I shuddered watching the actors lurch through the scenes and I wondered if they're supposed to be playing it so badly or if the actors just can't deal with the awfulness of the plot? Here's what I think. What's your opinion, dear readers?

Coronation Street Weekly Update - March 29

Welcome to this week’s update (ed. Written by Karen Jankel). Rather like the update office, there here have been more arrivals and departures on Coronation Street recently than King’s Cross Station at the start of a bank holiday weekend. However you’ll be pleased to know that in the case of the update office at least, normal service will be resumed shortly and Glenda will soon be back in the hot seat.

To find out more about the Coronation Street Weekly Updates you can visit
http://www.corrieweeklyupdates.btinternet.co.uk and if you like your updates with pretty pictures please go to http://coronationstreetupdates.blogspot.com/

The week began with Liz waking up on Eileen’s sofa following Becky’s spectacular meltdown the evening before. Even Liz can’t cope with that level of vitriol and decided that the time has come to move out. From Eileen’s she moved on to a nearby hotel; the sort where travelling salesmen try picking up lonely looking women in the bar. Liz, though, was having none of it and seemed greatly relieved when Jim turned up out of the blue to rescue her from her fate.

 Over at the factory, having managed to shoot her mouth off just once too often, Janice collected her marching orders, along with her P45 and a whip-round from her mates which was just enough to get her completely bladdered. How fortunate that Trevor the bin man should arrive back on the scene, ready to help her drink herself into oblivion. Julie – rather foolhardily if you ask me – allowed them to continue their evening at her flat where, we learn later, Trevor had a revelation while he was throwing up into Julie’s bog for the third time (his words, not mine). Fortunately, we were spared the filming of that bit. I then left the sofa for long enough to let the cat out of the back door and when I returned discovered that in that time Trevor had kissed Janice, been fired from his job as a bin man, bought himself and set of wheels and made the life-changing decision to leave Weatherfield behind (again) and head off towards Spain and the open road. He asked Janice to join him and, after a brief row with Leanne who tried talking her out of her decision to leave, Janice packed her bags, kissed and made up with Leanne, leapt into the car beside Trevor and sped out of Coronation Street via a large puddle, spectacularly spraying the assembled company who had lined up on the pavement to wave goodbye.

While Janice was leaving the street, John Stape was returning from hospital having, in theory, recovered from his recent nervous breakdown. He looked in danger of having a relapse with Julie’s over-exuberant greeting on the street but nothing was going to deter him from the chance to cuddle his new baby daughter for the first time. It wasn’t quite enough, though, to distract him from noticing the large array of expensive-looking baby equipment which was filling the front room.

Back at the Rovers, Steve’s attitude towards Becky appeared to soften remarkably quickly considering the events of the previous couple of days, so much so that the two of them took Max off for a day at the safari park, leaving the way clear for Jim to put a plan into action. He invited an old flame of Liz’s from Newton and Ridley to come and inspect the books in the hope that he’d be in a position to buy out Steve and reinstate Liz as the manager. One look at the accounts was enough to convince Richard Wilmore that it wasn’t a good investment but he did give them a free piece of advice: with Liz’s name over the door of the pub, they were breaking the law unless she was actually resident on the premises. So, it’s back to square one with Steve, Becky and Liz all living under the same roof and the two women ready to kill each other at the first available opportunity. Jim though, it seems, has designs on both the pub and his ex-wife; how fortunate, then, that he’s been left enough money by an old aunt to allow him to buy back the pub. Not that Steve knows at this point, or indeed that his parents have enjoyed an amorous snog in the backyard ...

Things were on a more harmonious footing over the road where Sally had finally decided it was time to allow Geoff to stay over. This didn’t exactly go down well with Kevin when he found out, although his mood lightened considerably following an impulse purchase of a lottery scratch card at the Kabin. By rights, the card in question should have been bought by Steve but he allowed Kevin to go in front of him in the queue, so one can only imagine how he felt when Kevin rubbed off the panels to reveal he had won a staggering £200,000. Actually, we didn’t need to imagine how Steve was feeling at all as he made it abundantly clear but Kevin was having none of it and decided to celebrate his big win by buying drinks all round in the Rovers.

Later that same afternoon, Kevin and Sally met at the solicitors’ ready to sign the divorce papers. Kevin made one last attempt to get Sally to change her mind but as she hovered, pen in hand, ready to sign on the dotted line, Tyrone burst into the room, eager to wreak some revenge and tell Sally about Kevin’s big win. This, of course, shed a whole new light on the situation and sent the lawyers from both sides scurrying to seek a second opinion and to work out exactly who was now entitled to a share of the newly-acquired fortune.

The debate continued back at the Rovers once news of the situation started to spread and it was clear from the look on Kevin’s face that he believed he now had a bargaining tool which could make Sally have second thoughts about ending their marriage. Mind you, if I had a bargaining tool like that, I think I might have cashed it in, or whatever you do with scratch cards when you find you have a winning line. Never having had the pleasure myself, I’m not an expert on the subject, but I don’t think I would just leave it tucked inside my wallet as Kevin appears to have done.

Talking of tucking things away, Roy had something inside his apron pocket which he kept glancing at when he thought nobody was looking. At first he refused to share it with Hayley but eventually he confessed that he’d received a letter from his mother and he was too scared to open it. Finally, he allowed Hayley to do it for him and she revealed that Roy’s mother, from whom he has been estranged for many years, had written to tell him that his step-father has died.

Having made a remarkably quick recovery after her fall from the church roof, Sophie started work back at the corner shop but had clearly lost what little cheerfulness she once had somewhere along the way. She couldn’t even bring herself to apologise when she inadvertently short-changed a new customer and instead treated him to the sharp end of her tongue. The lad turned out to be Jack’s grandson Tommy and so if he thought Sophie was unfriendly it’s as nothing compared with the welcome he got from Kevin when he called round at the garage in search of Tyrone. Fortunately for Tommy, not everyone in the street was quite as unfriendly including Sian who was more than happy to allow him to try out some reflexology on her hands when he met her in the cafe. Inevitably it was at this precise moment that Sophie walked in.

Having spent many months backpacking around the world, Tommy knew nothing about his grandfather’s passing and so it was left to Tyrone to break the sad news before inviting him to stay in his spare room for a few days.

And that is more or less it, save for a few hints about the drama to come with the forthcoming double wedding between David and Kylie and Graeme and Xin and the rather surprising news that the new headmaster at the Junior school considers that Simon is a hardened troublemaker whilst Cheryl’s little darling is a child prodigy; one senses this could lead to a certain amount of friction between Leanne and her friend in the weeks to come.

The writers this week were John Kerr, Mark Wadlow, Joe Turner, David Lane
and Chris Fewtrell.

Meet Katy Cavanagh on Saturday April 2nd

Katy Cavanagh, who plays Coronation Street's Julie Carp, will be opening the new Poundland shop in Dover on Saturday 2nd April. Katy will be officially opening the new Poundland store at 10am and will be there until 1pm to sign autographs, have pictures taken and give 50 x £1 vouchers away to lucky customers.

For more information visit http://www.poundland.com/, the Poundland blog http://www.poundlandblog.co.uk/ and Twitter http://twitter.com/PoundlandParrot

Pics: Sean, Marcus and little Dylan in London

There's some lovely pictures of Coronation Street filming in London which took place yesterday. The Daily Mail online have the pics here.

As reported by our blogger Chewy earlier here, Corrie was on location in London for the Easter special with Marcus, Sean and little Dylan and also on location in Blackpool.

Antony Cotton, who plays Sean, said on twitter yesterday that the child who plays Dylan on Corrie is one of a set of twins and both are playing the Corrie young 'un. I'm really looking forward to seeing these episodes, much more than I'm looking forward to the Barlow Blackpool ones.

Maud Grimes and Phyllis Pearce - remembered with affection

The great thing about watching Coronation Street over the longer term is the affection you develop for some of the characters. A few can walk off the cobbles and be instantly forgotten, but others just stick in your mind as if you know them personally.

I was browsing Youtube yesterday and found an old clip of Elizabeth Bradley, playing a scrote's mum in The Sweeney. Instant flashback to Maud Grimes giving someone (probably Reg Holdsworth) a good ear-bashing in the Rovers. Elizabeth Bradley played Maud from 1993 - 1999.

Another favourite battle-axe was Phyllis 'ooh Percy!' Pearce, played by Jill Summers from 1982 until 1997. How many people did a Phyllis impersonation? I know I did anyway! Sadly both actresses have passed on. Elizabeth Bradley died in 2000, and Jill Summers died in 1997. Both greatly missed.
My own blog is here

Craig Gazey on ITV's This Morning

Craig Gazey, who plays Coronation Street's Graeme Proctor was on ITV's This Morning, er, this morning.

You can watch the video here if you're in the UK.  All I can say to overseas fans who can't view this video, is sorry, but here's a quick recap of the important points he covers:

Craig talks about Graeme's upcoming sham Corrie wedding to Xin on Friday 8th April. There's a clip of a future episode showing Tina coming out of Tommy Duckworth's front door first thing in the morning and Graeme's as jealous as can be.  He has a laugh about actor Chris Fountain (Tommy)'s fake tan and he calls him Chris Fountan.

Craig says that when he first joined Corrie he wrote himself a note to remind himself not to stay longer on the Street than two years. He's a versatile actor and wants new challenges, he says. He thanks the people at Corrie, says it's been amazing with wonderful people to work with. He acknowledges the public response to Graeme as a wonderful character and he rubbishes the piece in The Sun yesterday that says he doesn't want to come back - he'd love to return and we'd love to see him back too.

For the future, he wants to work in theatre again and do a stage play as he misses theatre work a lot. He wants to do something completely different to Graeme and show some depth with a drama. He's also running the London Marathon and you can sponsor him here.

Winner announced in our Fred Elliott meat hamper competition

Congratulations go to Coronation Street Blog reader Steve Cattell who has been drawn at random in our Fred Elliott meat hamper competition.

In the competition here, we asked the following two questions.

1. In Coronation Street, what was Fred Elliott's middle name?
A: Handel

2. On the Aurora Food Marketing website, which meat from the Fred Elliott range do they recommend using if you're thinking of making a hotpot?
A: Lean diced beef

Steve was one of a huge amount of entrants who answered both questions correctly and his email was picked at random to win the Fred Elliott range of meat products from Aurora Food Marketing.  Find out more about the Fred Elliott meat range here.

Fat Brenda's Cream Horn

One question: What the flamin' hell did Janice slip into Trev's drink? I've seen some strange things in me time but Trev and Janice? Beauty and the flamin' Beast more like! I'm a bit annoyed at Janice actually loveys cos she told me if she ever left Weatherfield she 'd give me her fleece with the horses on! It's proper classy is that!

Jim (how about yee) McDonald has returned to the cobbles with his lovely mop of grey hair to try and find a resolution between Steve, Becky and Liz like an Irish Kofi Annan. I'll be honest loveys, I don't think anybody could resolve that situation so they couldn't!

Cheryl's been lording it up over everyone again. This time it's cos her Russ is supposed to be some sort of genius who needs extra lessons to unlock his potential! When I was at school I was always described as 'special' and had to have extra lessons with all the other 'special children'. I didn't tell Cheryl that though, she'd have only been jealous! I remember the teacher saying, 'Brenda, yer a bit special you are. Why don't you spend this lesson sat on yer own in the corridor colouring in a picture of a Roman.' Happiest days of yer life apparently loveys!

Kevin has become suddenly more attractive since winning two hundred grand! Me friend Bernice was right over there telling him she needed a servicing, he didn't take the bait loveys, he just got his log-book out and told her he didn't need to look under the bonnet to see she was a write off! Poor Bernice! I tried to entice him meself by sexily smoking a Dunhill outside his garage but he moved me along muttering summat about health and safety!

Lock up yer daughters (or he will), hide yer hammers and hold onto yer angina spray cos John's back on the cobbles!! Let's hope the first thing he does is stop Fiz speaking in that funny voice she's had since Hope was born. She's starting to remind me of Gail with her fella denial and whispering!

I saw Chesney stealing some furniture out of a skip for his and Katie's flat bless him. If I owned a dog like Schmeichel I wouldn't bother with furniture I'd just sit on him, sleep on him and eat off him! He's flamin' big enough! He's a furry walking multi-purpose transforming furniture wonder! The only thing I wouldn't use him for is a shower loveys... that would be wrong...

Have you ever wondered what a walking orange looks like loveys? I have and I have to say I didn't expect it to be Tommy Duckworth! He's back and he's wearing more fake tan than Tina, David and Katie Price put together. Just seeing him for one minute damaged me retinas and rendered me blind! Tyrone only asked him to stay so he could cut down on the electricity bill by basking in the eerie glow of Tommy's Fake Bake Beyond Bronze Self Tan Spray (£20.42 at Superdrug loveys - it's like liquid Wotsits!)

Tommy has only been here a day and he's upset Kevin and been accused of homophobia by Sophie! She's homophobia mad that one! She accused me once just cos I'd drawn a fake moustache on a picture of Sandi Toksvig in one of me magazines! Touchy or what?!

See you later loveys!

Tweeter me if you want!

LAST CHANCE TO ENTER - WIN Hamper of Corrie food

With thanks to the lovely people at Aurora Food Marketing, we have a very special, exclusive competition for Coronation Street Blog readers. 

We have a hamper of the new Fred Elliott range of meat products to be won by one lucky Corrie fan, drawn at random after sending in the correct answer to this competition.  The hamper will arrive at your address directly in a chilled polystyrene travel box and will include 12, I say 12, Fred Elliott meat products in the hamper.

To be in with a chance to win this amazing Corrie prize, all you have to do is email me with the correct answers to these two questions:

1. In Coronation Street, what was Fred Elliott's middle name?
2. On the Aurora Food Marketing website, which meat from the Fred Elliott range do they recommend using if you're thinking of making a hotpot?

Deadline is Tuesday 29 March at 11am. Only UK entrants please.

On location vacations: London & Blackpool

Corrie's gone a little crazy with the on-location filming today, with film crews sighted at Blackpool's North Pier and also another crew in London! See the pics at AAP ONE [Blackpool] and Rex Features [Dahn Sarf aka London aka EastEnders land]

Filming in London was for the Easter special, which reintroduces Violet, Jamie, Marcus, Dylan and Todd. Filming in Blackpool was for an upcoming storyline, featuring a Barlow kid going missing.

Bessie Street's new headmaster, Mr. Packham

Apparently, Bessie Street Primary School has a new head, who goes by the name of Mr. Packham. Cast your minds back to last year, when a High School Headteacher named Brian Packham turned up in the Stapewick saga, looking for Colin Fishwick, before John and Fiz managed to shoo him of.

Could he be the new headmaster of Bessie Street? Sounds like it!

Where have you seen Tommy Duckworth before?

Actor Chris Fountain made his debut as the new Tommy Duckworth tonight on Coronation Street. But where have you seen him before?  Hollyoaks, mainly, where he played Justin Burton.  Chris' IMDB profile says he's also been on the box in Five Days, Casualty, Hollyoaks Later, The Royal and Where the Heart Is.

See also: Where have you seen...?
Mrs Hargreaves who died in Audrey's salon,  Sally Webster's fella Jeff, Joy Fishwick's investigator, Charlotte's Parents, Ken Barlow's grandson James, Ken Barlow's son Lawrence, Dr Matt Carter, Saucy Charlotte, Izzy's dad Owen Armstrong,The Corrie coppers, Colin Fishwick, Trevor the binman, Connie Rathbone, Uncle Umed,Julie Carp's mum, Luke Strong, Sophie Webster's boyfriend, Eileen Grimshaw's dad, Norris' girlfriend, Graeme Proctor,Molly's Aunty Pam, Maria's mum and dad, Gail's dad, Scary Brian, Tina's dad, Tony Gordon's henchman, Little Simon Barlow

Corrie actor shares memorabilia with Coronation Street blog

Actor Dave Dutton is the man who's had eight, count 'em, eight seperate roles on Coronation Street. You can find out who they are on his website here.  Dave's very kindly given us permission to blog a ticket to a personal appearance of Corrie actors from back in June 1961 when Dave was just a lad. He went along to meet the Corrie cast and some of them even signed the back of his ticket too. What a lovely bit of Corrie memorabilia, eh?

Katherine Kelly live online chat on tonight

Tonight on the official Corrie website at ITV.com, at 9pm GMT, right after the 8:30pm episode of Coronation Street, Katherine Kelly will be participating in a live chat on the website.

You can check it out here.

I'm not sure if that's going to be something non-UK residents can see (anyone know?) but I'm going to try it when I get home from work. You can post comments and questions but they may or may not get a chance to have Katherine answer it, depending on time.

Take a peek at Nick's new bistro bar

Just saw this pic on the ITV official Corrie website, it's of Nick's new Bistro/Bar/Whatever you call it.

It looks swanky, but not as nice and classy as the Joinery did, but that was to be expected as Nick was behind it, not Leanne.

Interestingly, this is only half of the building. At the other side there is a giant window, who knows what is behind it?  I guess we will have to wait and see!

Rula Lenska launches Specsavers Sound Barrier Star Awards

Rula Lenska, who plays Coronation Street's Claudia, has spoken out about her battle with hearing loss as she opened a nationwide search for hard of hearing high achievers. In launching the Sound Barrier Star Awards, the Coronation Street actress has admitted for the first time she suffers from higher frequency hearing loss and wears hearing aids in both her ears.

Mrs Lenska is talking about her hearing problems for the first time as she launches the 2011 Specsavers Sound Barrier Star Awards, which recognise achievement or courage in people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Run by Specsavers hearing centres in support of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, the awards were fronted in 2010 by fellow Coronation Street star William Roache MBE. One in seven people in the UK have hearing problems.

Anyone can nominate themselves, a friend or family member to enter the Sound Barrier Star Awards by visiting one of over 400 Specsavers hearing centres nationwide and picking up a nomination form, or downloading a form online at www.specsavers.co.uk/hearing. Entrants will be asked to explain why they deserve to win.

Potted history of Corrie's Tommy Duckworth

Tommy Duckworth returns to Coronation Street tonight, Monday 28th March. There's a video preview of the episode here. 

Let's take a look back at Tommy Duckworth and remind ourselves who he is and where he belongs in the scheme of things on the Street.  With thanks to corrie.net

Tommy Duckworth first appeared: 9 September 1992
Tommy Duckworth was born by caesarean whilst his father Terry was in Strangeways Prison for GBH. After spending a little time in Nº 9, Tommy and his mother Lisa moved back to her parents house in Blackpool. Lisa and Tommy came back to the Street in January 1993 to live with her lover, Des Barnes. Sadly, Lisa was knocked down by a car, and died on 12 February 1993.

Tommy's grandparents - Jack and Vera Duckworth - struggled to look after him. Vera gave up her job, but she looked forward to the end of the year when Terry would be released, and they could all rebuild their lives as one family. Unfortunately, Terry had other ideas, and on Christmas Eve 1993 he returned from the Hortons (Lisa's parents) in Blackpool without Tommy - he had SOLD his son to his in-laws !

Jack and Vera  then saw Tommy regularly - they all went on holiday to a caravan in North Wales in May 1995 - but still missed him desperately. In June 1996, Terry appeared back in the Street with Tommy. The Hortons had failed to pay the £2,000 a year they had agreed to pay Terry for Tommy. Eventually the Hortons got him back by paying £10,000, and getting Terry to sign a document giving them total custody of Tommy until he is 18.

Actor Chris Fountain is the third actor to play Tommy Duckworth in Coronation Street.  The other actors have been
Darryl Edwards (9 September 1992 - 1997)  and Joseph Aston (2 July - 30 August 2000).  Interestingly, Joseph Aston is the brother of Sam Aston who currently plays Chesney in Corrie. Their sister Emily has also been on Coronation Street too as Becky Palmer.

From Coronation Street to Brinkburn Street

There's a couple of interesting Coronation Street connections to the new BBC drama, 32 Brinkburn Street.  It stars Eva Pope, who played evil cow Tanya Pooley, ex-Rovers Return barmaid. And it also stars Rebecca Callard, daughter of Beverley Callard who plays Corrie's Liz McDonald.

Corrie caricature of the week, Monday 28th March

It's Monday, so to cheer up the start of the week here's our Coronation Street caricature of the week.  All these caricatures are created by talented artist Pickled Jo.

Follow Pickled Jo at her blog, on twitter, and join her facebook group.

Pics: Kylie's wedding dress

Well, it was never going to be white and frilly, was it? Here's Kylie Turner's wedding outfit for her wedding to David Platt which we'll see on Coronation Street next Friday night, April 8th.  There's a full picture gallery at the official ITV Corrie website here.

John Stape to be killed off?

John Stape is set to commit suicide, says a Coronation Street spoiler in today's Daily Star.

The paper says that it all becomes too much for John and the pressure increases when a disaster at Underworld sparks fresh building work.  Fearing Colin’s body will be exposed, John decides to end his nightmare once and for all.

It's the only way I feel. All killers need their Corrie comeuppance!

Winners and Losers: Fri Mar 25, 2011 Corrie Episode Review

7:30pm

Written by Mark Wadlow, directed by Duncan Foster

Janice and Trev are having a breakfast in the cafe and talking about the night before.  Trev complains about being a bin man again – the early starts and gross stuff being spilled on you.  Janice reminds him that he needs that job.  He leaves for work saying he’ll call her later.  Janice tells Julie when she comes into the cafe that her and Trev ended up in a full blown snog until he passed out on the sofa.  Janice meets up with Leanne on the street and tells her about Trev.  Janice is worried that Trev doesn’t fancy her – never have, never will.  Later, Trev told off his line manager and got sacked.  He tells Janice this in the Rovers and Janice is shocked.  Trev tells Janice that last night was life-changing for him.  I wish a take-away and some cans could make me feel that way.  Trev tells her he’s got a car that he’ll be travelling to Spain in.  Say, what?  Janice tells Trev she’s upset that he’s going away again. She confesses that she really likes him and always has.  She doesn’t want him to go, so Trev asks her to come with him.

It’s unseasonable cold over at the Rovers.  It’s heating up though, since Jim barges in asking Steve what he’s doing.  Steve thinks it’s Liz who’s sending Jim around.  Jim says that he’s there on his own volition, and wants to put things straight.  They’re told from Jim that Liz is in a hotel in town, not in Spain.  Steve thinks Jim has had a wasted journey.  He also thinks his father is up to something.  In Roy’s, Jim tells Liz how he went to see Steve and Becky.  Jim thinks that Becky has Steve under her thumb.  Well, gee, Jim tell us something we don’t know.  Liz tries to think of ways to buy the Rovers.  Jim suggests she go to the bank manager, and he’ll come with her, but she’ll go on her own.  Liz comes back unsuccessfully from the bank. 

Over at Sally’s it’s the morning after what looks like was a good night with Jeff.  Sally is surprised to see him downstairs making a brew since she thought he’d have legged it having somewhere better to be, but he says he cancelled his calls.  Jeff’s happy that Sally makes him breakfast since he’s used to catching things on the go.  There’s a knock at the door and fearing it’s Kevin, Jeff hides upstairs.  It is Kevin, and he wants in but he’s not allowed.  Later, Kev tells Steve and  Tyrone about his divorce meeting today.  Kevin complains to Steve about Sally who is kicking him out of what he thinks is his home.   

Steve tells Kev later that he’ll be heading to divorce court on his own soon enough.  Kev thought he and Becky were rock solid.  Show’s how much he knows.  Kev scratches a card and realizes he’s won two hundred thousand quid!  Maybe Becky overhears this so she has someone new to steal from again.  Steve tries to claim that the winning ticket is his since he let him go in line before him.  Kevin buys the bar a round.  Tyrone hears this and can’t believe Kevin’s luck I’m sure.  Tyrone overhears Kevin gloat about how he and Sally are separated and this money is “his.”  Kev shows up for the divorce meeting after celebrating with a few drinks.  Sally is disgusted that he shows up drunk.  Both Kevin and Sally sign off on their divorce papers.  Kev tells Sally they could tear all those forms up and walk out of there.  He asks her if she’s absolutely sure she wants their marriage to end.  Sally says the trust is gone and she’s sure and signs the papers.  Just as she starts to sign, Tyrone busts in an tells Sally not to sign, since Kev has won a load of money today on a scratch card.  Ha-ha. 

Fiz is preparing home for John’s return and giving Chesney a lecture about mental health.  Chesney reminds her that John is lucky to have someone as understanding as her.  He’s right, especially since John is a murdering liar, outside of his mental health issues.  She leaves Ches to babysit Hope when she goes to get John.  John’s back and looks exactly the same, only with a better hair cut.  John is delighted to see his baby and notices how many things the baby has.  Fiz says they’ve got generous friends and neighbours.  Will she tell John about Joy Fishwick’s money?  John tells them he has profound issues of self-esteem.

Jim bumps into Owen, a.k.a. “Bob the Builder” (does that joke ever get old?) in Roy’s.  A letter comes in the post for Roy, and he reads it and immediately throws it in the bin.  Anna is upset that her review meeting for adopting Faye has been moved again.  Roy reminds her that the cogs of social services move very slow.  Gary is still using Chesney’s van to “move things” or whatever.  The Armstrong girls are still in love with their ginger men. 

8:30pm

Written by Joe Turner, directed by Duncan Foster

Kevin is angered and the solicitors says this is an unusual situation.  They were married when he got that ticket, so Kevin thinks she’s getting nowt.  The solicitors think they should get clarification of the legal situation, and they only need a minute.  The solicitors can’t come up with an answer, so they say they need another arbitration meeting in a week or so. Kev figures they just want to charge more money now and insists Sally signs them, but she’s not signing anything.  Sally and Kevin wash their dirty laundry in the lawyer’s office but it does no good.  Sally says as long as Kev’s sitting on two grand, the divorce is off.  Later in the pub, Sally buys Tyrone a joke thanking him since she’d never have known if it weren’t for him.  Everyone tells Sally she’s entitled to half of Kevin’s money and she’ll get every penny of it.  Meanwhile, Kevin and his mates say that the money’s his, and Owen even suggests putting it in his baby’s name since who would take money from a baby?  Besides Kylie Turner?  Kev tries again to get Sally back saying they could share the money together, but Sally says there’s no amount of money in the world that would buy him another chance.

Janice actually thought twice about leaving with Trev!  Thankfully she came to her sense soon enough and said “yes.”  Janice tells Leanne about Trev’s proposition.  Leanne thinks you can’t go off with a bloke you’re not sure about.  Oh, she’s never done anything stupid or anything.  Janice says they’re getting the ferry tonight.  Janice wants one good reason why she should stay around there, and Leanne says her.  Jan reminds her she’s got Peter and Simon, unless she’s thinking of having another affair.  Leanne says she’ll always need her, but Jan’s miserable.  Leanne figures she’s been drinking and Janice gets upset and shouts “goodbye” and leaves.  Janice is packing up the car with Trev and wonders if this is a good idea.  Trev asks if she’s changed her mind, but she tells him no.  Janice meanders over her bags, but Trev snogs her before she has a chance to stutter anymore.  Jan sees Leanne run over as they prepare to drive the car away and orders Trev to start the car.  Trev gets out so that she can say goodbye.  Leanne hands her some Euros left from her trip and tearfully asks for a postcard.  Leanne figures she won’t like it and she’ll be back.  Trev says this vacation will last longer than a week, and we all know he’s right.  Jan thinks that everyone coming out of the Rovers is there to wave her off, so they drive through a puddle soaking everyone as Janice drives off out the window shouting “losers!” 

Roy is hiding something from Hayley and she interrogates him.  He says it’s nothing to worry about, but Hayley hopes it’s a lovely big secret surprise for her cause she has no idea why he’d lie to her otherwise.  Roy tells Hayley that he’s sorry he lied to her.  He hands her a letter that arrived from his mother that morning.  He doesn’t want to open it.  Roy says he tried to throw it away, but he couldn’t.  Hayley wants to know why he’s so frightened.  Roy’s afraid that she’s ill or dead.  Hayley opens it for Roy.  The letter says that Roy’s stepfather is dead, and she’s sorry.  Roy tells Hayley he last saw his stepdad over thirty years ago, and he won’t go to the funeral since it’d feel hypocritical.  Roy says he’ll send a card since that seems appropriate. 

Izzy asks her dad for two thousand pounds, but he wants to know what for and she can’t tell him.  She says it’s important, and she needs him to trust her.  She says she’s not pregnant, not gambling and isn’t on drugs.  Therefore, Owen thinks it’s not important.  She insists it is, and Owen wants to know what it’s for.  She tells him she wants to lend it to Gary so he can buy a van.  Owen tells her no way, but she says he’s doing really well trying to make a living.  Owen says that he’s not giving to her since she signed a lease for Katy.  Gary is upset that Izzy went behind his back asking money from her dad for him.  He doesn’t like being kept out of the loop. 

Good news for the Windasses, they’ve been to the adoption meeting and Faye has told them that she wants to live with the Windasses.  Faye will now be placed with them permanently. 

Julie goes to update John and Fiz about the gossip of Kev’s winnings in the pub.  She tries to encourage them to come ‘round, but the Stapes aren’t sure.  John figures it might be good to go over there for a quick one.  Julie says that she’s going to go to the pub before them to tell everyone they’re coming so that no one stares!

HIGHLIGHTS

- Sally to Kev: “Our marriage is over.  I’m a free agent, and you can go to hell.”  You tell ‘em Sal!

- Jim and Liz ordering Ulster Fry’s!!!  Roy’s always makes me hungry. 

- I love Julie’s pink ruffled collar coat! 

- Is it just me, or was Liz wearing a very tasteful outfit?  She should pretend every day is a meeting with the bank manager.  Even if he is 18 and wearing a crimply shirt. ;-)

- Tyrone busting in to bust Kevin for keeping  mum about his lottery windfall before Sally signs the divorce papers.  He’s a hero!

- Solicitor to Tyrone: “Who is this?” Tyrone: “Tyrone Dobbs, ex-best mate and cheated on husband.”  Is that on his calling card too? 

- Jan to Trev: “You’re asking me to leave everything [nothing] to go travel around the world [he said Spain] with you?”

- Julie wanting Sean to let her know if she’s going nuts, or suffering from Alzheimer's.  I think the two of them are funny together. 

- Julie telling John that she’ll go to the pub before him and tell everyone they’re coming so that “no one stares.” LOL

- The men and the women divided in the pub with the opinion as to who is entitled to the winnings: Sally or Kev.  Plus, how Rosie comes in and is swayed to join either team, and without much hesitation walks past Jason to join the ladies.  She’s not as dumb as we think perhaps. 

LOWLIGHTS

- Kevin going on about Sally having a bloke over the night before the sign their divorce papers.  Hmm, the fact that they’re divorcing because he had an affair that he spawned a child from kind of nullifies any hurt feelings he has. 

- Kevin wins the lottery?!  SO unfair. 

- John: “I’ve made some terrible mistakes in life.”  Yeah, no kidding. 

- As if Janice actually has to THINK about whether or not she’ll go with Trev!

- Kev hiding the money from Sally!  Yeah, that’s right, I’m on the ladies side. 

- Why would Rosie wave Janice goodbye anyway?  Serves her right for getting wet.

- Why does Janice hate everyone when she leaves?!

New Corrie contract for Helen Flanagan

Coronation Street actress Helen Flanagan has apparantly signed a new 12-month contract, says The People today.

The tabloid article says that Corrie bosses last week signed Helen, who plays Rosie Webster, on a new £70,000-a-year deal and have started planning storylines for when she returns. 

It is also rumoured that Helen will star in a new online spin-off series all about Rosie Webster.

Coronation Street weekly awards for March 21 - 25

Team Sally Vs Team Kevin - Brilliant stuff.

White knight award? Gold Star: Trevor's back and magically fancies Janice, whisking her away. Good luck luv.
Silver Star: Jim's back (Yay!) He still fancies Liz and would love to wisk her away.

Stirring the pot award: Gold Star: I know that Liz has enough reason to hate Becky but there was no point poking her with a sharp stick either. Leading to...

Blame shifting award: Gold Star: Liz makes out that it's not her fault that Becky went mad at her. She provoked it on purpose.

Fashion "Damn!" award: Julie's red coat.

Insincere award: Gold Star: Not much of an apology from Maria, I agree.

Blast from the Past award: Paper star: Roy has a letter from his mother and he's not happy about it.

You win some award: Kevin won the lottery, and lost half of it to Sally. And he's got a Blackmail Award: You get half the money if you stay married to me.

You lose some award: The tickets Kevin bought would have been Steve's.

Dog Rough award: And you thought Becky looked bad drunk. Here's Liz the morning after!

Lines of the week:
Becky (of course) to Liz: "You think you're the Queen of the Rovers? You're not, you're a tart with a bus pass!"
Liz: "I blame myself, really" (I do too, you shouldn't have been gone for months and months)
Maria: "I had to swallow that much pride I nearly threw up!"
Tracy: "I might not be a saint but I don't stagger around drunk picking fights with people" Steve: "No you just off them when they get on yer nerves!" (and spineless Steve actually apologized to her for it.)
Tracy: "It was a joke, Gail. You remember them? You should do, you've given birth to enough of them!"
Liz to Jim: "What happened between us in Spain....." (What??????)
Trev: "Being a binman has lost some of it's allure." (There's an allure?)
Sally: "This divorce is off!" (Well, Kevin, you *did* want to stay married but blackmail isn't really the way.)

Corrie double win in All About Soap Bubble Awards

Coronation Street have won two awards in the All About Soap Bubble Awards.  The awards go to Corrie for "Best Stunt" for its 50th anniversary tram crash and to Michelle Keegan for "Best Celeb Style". 

Full list of winners at Soap Secrets.

Mystery tramp turns up on Coronation Street

Dennis Tanner's return to Coronation Street will be as a down-at-heels tramp, says The Sunday Mirror.  Tanner, played by Philip Lowrie, 74, will return as a homeless drunk who sleeps rough on the doorstep of ­arch-enemy Ken Barlow. Viewers will see him ­begging Rita Sullivan and Audrey Roberts for ­somewhere to live as he tries to get back on his feet.

Dennis will be first seen on the Street in May and actor Philip Lowrire, who plays him, has signed up to be in Corrie for six months.