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

Wednesday 31 August 2011

Watch this video: Coronation Street 1990s DVD launch

Network DVD have just launched brand new, never before seen on DVD, episodes of Coronation Street from the 1990s.  You can watch the trailer clip below. There are four DVD box sets going on sale, 1960s, 70s, 80s, 90s and before Christmas they'll release the 2000s box set too! Woohoo!

Highlights from the 1990s box set include Ken Barlow's overdose, Terry sells baby Tommy, Gail and Martin's wedding, arrival of the evil cow Tanya Pooley, Samir's murder, Deirdre in prison, Don Brennan's suicide, Hayley and Roy's first wedding, Toyah Battersby's kidnap and the fate of Arthur the Corrie gnome. Oh yes.

You can buy the DVD box sets from next Monday, 5 September.

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Construction work begins on Coronation Street's new set

Media City UK's official Flickr has recently added a bunch of pics showing construction work starting on Coronation Street's brand new set. There's nothing much to see just yet, but it's exciting news hearing that the construction has finally started.

I can't help but wonder if there will be a visible difference on screen (aside from the suddenly larger scale of the street).

Corrie pin-up of the week, circa 1975

With news in this week of Helen Flanagan, who plays Coronation Street's Rosie Webster, doing a runner from the set when asked to pose in her undies, we give you this 1975 picture of actress Kathy Jones, who played Tricia Hopkins in Corrie.
Kathy tells us at the Coronation Street Blog: "Gail and Tricia wanted to become models, they had read an advertisment in the local rag asking for young girls to come forwrd to see if they were suitable. The gullible girls went along to the interview, and paid their money for photographs to be taken for a sales brochure. We had to walk up and down doing 'funny' walks to make us look awkward. Of course it was a con and they model agency boss (Tony Anholt) ran off with all the money. 

I remember I had to have full body make up applied, I was too pale for the bikini shots, Helen Worth had just returned from holiday so she was nicely tanned already. They applied the make up on the late filming night, Thursday (we used to film up to 8pm on a Thursday), then they said all studio time had gone so we would film that scene on Friday morning. Shower! So up early for another full body make up session on Friday. Funny thing was, I also remember the studio was quite full on those two days. hmm!
It was great fun though."

Follow Kathy Jones on twitter and view her website.

Fiz and John do Calgary

There's an interview with Jennie McAlpine and Graeme Hawley in the Canadian Calgary Herald today. Jennie and Graeme where there a couple of months ago for the Banff World Media Festival. Corrie was up for an award for a Best Soap Opera but lost to a Spanish soap. They were interviewed for  the newspaper.

For Canadian Fans, currently 10 months behind the UK shows, there is a minor spoiler about Stape's future but for those of you reading here regularly, you'll already know. Graeme talks about John Stape and describes him as a good man, really. He describes John as mulit-faceted and "he was the bad guy but he kind of wasn't the bad guy,". He also says that in spite of the sensational storylines that are not going away, Corrie still manages to "maintain what is essentially the (core) of the show: this slice of kitchen-sink life."

Don't forget, Canadian Fans, CBC is going to start showing 1 hour of Corrie every week night starting Monday, September 5 and airing a Sunday repeat from 7:30 a.m. onward. It's a lot to keep up on but these first two weeks of September lead up to the Tram Crash on September 15.

Jack Webster joins Coronation Street

There's a Coronation Street spoiler snippet in today's Daily Star that says baby Jack Dobbs is going to have his name changed.

The paper says that Kevin will change Jack’s surname to Webster. 

I wonder if this all ties in to the rumour about Sally and Kevin getting back together and Sally warms to baby Jack after all?

Tuesday 30 August 2011

Do you like Kylie - Yay Or Nay?


Last week we asked you do you like the Marc/Marcia story line, and, unsurprisingly enough, the readers voted Nay, with blog editor Flaming Nora putting it aptly: "Sadly, a big fat NAY. This just hasn't worked" and I have to agree.
This week, we ask you Do You Like Kylie? We can all agree she is a nasty piece of work, but that's what makes a good character, right?
When she first appeared on our screens last year, I have to admit I wasn't fond of her. She just seemed like a younger clone of Becky (pre 2008). Between that, trying to bed Steve and exchanging her son for 20K, I didn't like her at all.But then, enter Kylie 2.0.

I don't know what happened when she came back from Aiya Napa, but my opinion about her completely changed. I love her now. Her constant bickering with Gail, her scenes in the salon, and her outing of Marc have all been highlights of this year. I just love her now - my favourite character in Corrie as well as Mary.
So obviously it's a big YAY from me, what about you?

Video: Coronation Street at Manchester Pride

The lovely people at the Black Dog Ballroom, along with Velvet, sponsored the Coronation Street float that led the Manchester Pride parade through the city centre. And they've sent us their video from the parade to share with Corrie fans.

This is Black Dog Ballroom's video of the event with interviews with Mike North (Gary Windass), Samia Smith (Maria Connor), Will Thorp (Chris Gray), Brooke Vincent (Sophie Webster), Antony Cotton (Sean Tully) and Debbie Rush (Anna Windass)

Ant and Dec's Red Or Black on Coronation Street

Ant and Dec’s new ITV1 show Red or Black? took over Coronation Street as part a nationwide tour, says itv.com
The boys enlisted Michelle Keegan (Tina) and Samia Smith (Maria) to take part in a madcap challenge called Fit To Burst. The girls went head-to-head bursting giant balloons which were positioned in the middle of Coronation Street.

ITV1’s Red or Black?, which starts on Saturday 3 Sept at 7pm, is a live TV event which gives people across the UK the chance to become millionaires. Over the course of a week, seven people will face a life-defining moment as they are offered the chance to walk away with one million pounds.

To win, all they need is luck on their side and to successfully choose the correct outcome, Red or Black?  Guess wrong and they walk away with nothing. You can play along online at www.itv.com/redorblack

Coronation Street Weekly Update, August 29 2011

Greetings and welcome to the Coronation Street Weekly Update. Find out more about the Coronation Street Weekly Updates, why they've been written for th'internet since 1995 and how to receive them by email each week - visit  http://www.corrieweeklyupdates.btinternet.co.uk

There’s been some wonderful scenes in Corrie this week, it really is cracking on with some fantastic dialogue and strong acting performances from cast old and new. 

The strongest story for me this week was Kylie spotting Audrey out with Marc in full Marcia mode and filming them both on her phone. Kylie then tried to blackmail Audrey into giving her the job back at the salon but it all backfired on poor Audrey when Marc decided to come out of his designer closet to Audrey’s closest mates in the Rovers Return. Audrey was mortified. Gail was speechless. Sally went all Daily Mail and Marc knew he’d made a very big mistake when Audrey dumped him later, telling him his cross dressing was all a bit much.  Gail then kicked Kylie out for upsetting Audrey and when David returned from his hairdressing course, it all kicked off in the Platts just like it does on Jeremy Kyle.  “I’ve just made a fool of myself again,” cries Audrey to Gail.  Well it’s not the first time, and it won't be the last.

Meanwhile, Fiz is in a tizz in priz when the girls call her a grass, break into her new room at the mother and baby unit and threaten little Hope. Tyrone visits Fiz and she tells him about the drugs coming into the prison so Tyrone follows the dealer out onto the streets, determined he won’t let his friend Fiz be bullied inside.

Dr Carter tries out his bedside manner on Tina as the two of them swap tips on looking lovely, how to have shiny hair and brilliant white teeth. Tommy is officially not best pleased.

Katy and Chesney have their baby scan at the hospital and Owen goes along, because he hates not to be sticking his oar in somewhere. He does however ask the hospital if there’s a chance that Katy’s baby could be born with the same condition that Izzy has, something that Katy had considered but Owen forces her to think about seriously.

Speaking of Owen, he’s giving Anna the glady eye now that Eddie’s gone abroad and she agrees to a date in the pub. But FAYe has other ideas, she wants Anna all to herself and so she nicks Owen’s phone and sends Anna a text to tell her he wants nowt to do with her any more. Gary puts the pieces together, Anna finds out what FAYe has gone and done and she sends her to bed with no tea.

Right, I’m off , see you next week. 

This week's writers were Julie Jones, Jonathan Harvey and John Kerr. Find out more about the Coronation Street writing team at:
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Glenda Young

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

Paula Lane interview

There's a good two part interview on Digital Spy with one of my favourite Corrie actors, Paula Lane who plays Kylie. She talks a bit about Kylie's upcoming storyline where she and David move forward to get Max back.

Paula says she couldn't understand at first how Kylie could be so cold towards Max but has since realized that kids like Kylie that were in and out of care a lot, never had love shown to them so never learned how to show it themselves. Now that Kylie has a husband and support network, she just might have the confidence to raise Max.

We've seen this with Becky, too, as she's learned to have more confidence in herself through the support of the Croppers and then Steve. Becky still has that self destructive side and Kylie will probably not lose her edge either.


The main interview is here with a link at the bottom to the second part.

Pictures: Coronation Street at Manchester Pride

The Manchester Evening News has a video and pictures of the Coronation Street float in the Manchester Pride parade. 

Have a look at them here.

Sneak Preview of next week's Corrie, September 4 - 9

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 Sunday 4th to Friday 9th September 2011

Note major schedule changes this week
Carla slams car into Stella, will she live or die? Norris disappears, Tracy returns, Becky starts work at Underworld, Chris and Cheryl kiss, Tyrone goes on a date, Dylan returns to Violet.
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

Helen Flanagan flees Corrie set in tears

According to The Sunday Mirror this weekend, a Corrie source said that Helen Flanagan, who plays Coronation Street's Rosie Webster fled from the Corrie set in tears.  Helen was being filmed for a scene which involved her posing for a model agent.

The insider told the paper: 'The scene was filmed from behind to give the impression she might be topless. There were quite a few people on set and it all got a bit much for her. Something upset Helen and she ran out in tears shouting that she couldn’t do the scene.'


Coronation Street filming disrupted by fighting

Coronation Street filming was disrupted on location when a fight broke out.  Samia Smith (Maria) and Alison King (Carla) saw a group of builders pull up at a nearby semi-detached house and dig up the driveway in a dispute over an unpaid bill. Following the incident five police cars quickly arrived at the premises in Monton, Salford.

A Corrie source said: "The Corrie girls had to stop and just sat on the pavement with their scripts, watching the action unfold.I don't think they were too pleased to be honest. It was a while before they could start filming again."

The police calmed the situation and advised both sides to settle the matter in a civil court. A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: "This was a civil dispute between the home owner and the builders and not a police matter."

Winners announced in Coronation Street Blog's Corrie book competition

Congratulations go to five lucky Coronation Street Blog readers who have each won a copy of the William Roache book 'Soul on the Street'. 

In the latest competition here on the Coronation Street Blog, we asked the following question. Lots of people wrote in with the right answer and these lucky five people were drawn at random to win a copy of the book: Graham Williams (Salford), Martin Seekings (Canada), Cindy Campbell (Canada), Karen Smith and Jaime Impey (Canada).

We asked:
Q: In 2010 what internationally renowned award did actor William Roache receive for his role as Ken Barlow on Corrie?
A: The Guinness World Record for longest-serving actor in a TV soap.

Thank you to everyone who entered the competition.

Keep checking the Coronation Street Blog because between now and Christmas we have some absolutely wonderful prizes to be won in very special and exclusive competitions!

Monday 29 August 2011

The Marcia and Audrey storyline - are Corrie pulling it back from the brink?


I know Marcia's taken a terrible slagging about wigs, teeth, dress sense, you name it, but I have to admit I'm quite gripped by the Mark/Audrey storyline at the moment. I'd go so far as to say I think it's turning into a Coronation Street classic! It's definitely one I'm not going to forget in a hurry.
Audrey's long been one of my all-time favourite Coronation Street characters, and I think it's good that at 70 years old they have given her a potentially interesting romantic storyline instead of a dull pipe and slippers equivalent. When Marcia first reared her head I have to say I groaned and switched the telly off, thinking this was yet another trashy, ridiculous, headline-grabbing attempt by the producers. Which indeed it clearly is. I really thought that a Corrie stalwart like Sue Nicholls deserved better. And the terrible wig and awful clothes really didn't help - Mark is comfortably off, and supposedly a man of taste - it doesn't make sense that Marcia looks quite so much like she's stepped out of a charity shop fancy dress night.
But I've come round to her a bit. I really liked the way Audrey stood up to Kylie's vicious bullying the other night, and I thought it was great when Marcia appeared in the Rovers for her I am what I am moment. Like it or lump it as my cross-dressing gran used to say.
Interested to see what the next few episodes will bring. Hopefully a better wig...

Sunday 28 August 2011

Fat Brenda's Cream Horn


I’ve been counseling that Marc all flamin’ weekend after Audrey gave him the brush off for turning up in The Rovers dressed as Marcia. I’ve been trying to help him, honest I have, but I can’t flamin’ understand what the flamin’ hell he’s flamin’ on about!
“Shbrenda, shy shlove Shaudrey shand shy shusht shwanted shoo shprove shoo sher shat Shmarshia shwash shuthing shoo shbe shshamed shof,” he said.
“If yer that upset Marc love then why are you smiling so much?” I asked.
“Shy shan’t shelp sh'it,” he shaid (flamin’ hell, I’m at it now), “sh'it’s shust shmy shmouth, sh'it shalwaysh shlooksh shlike shish”.
“Well lovey,” I told him, “I would never ridicule anyone for not being able to talk proper cos it’s a really cheap way of getting laughs and I’m not that kind of lass, so if you don’t mind I’d like you to shod off now while I get some flamin’ work done!”
Chesney and Katy have been for their scan and I can confirm everything is ok. Owen went with ‘em cos he was concerned about the pregnancy due to a potential genetic condition that can cause complications during the foetal development but Katy has vowed to love it no matter what. And besides, they said it’s impossible to tell if it’s gonna be a ginger anyway!
Owen has now bought Anna’s AND EDDIE’S house so he can now go round and stamp Anna’s rent book whenever he likes. He’s so nice that Owen and he’s not to be confused with that other Owen that din’t pay tax and intimidated folk and broke into Eileen’s house and got Jim McDonald done over. It’s a TOTALLY DIFFERENT OWEN, OK?! As me friend Bernice would say, “deal with it girlfriend!”
I'll tell you summat else, is it me or is Anna turning into a flamin' agony aunt? We've already got Rita the flame-haired Yoda wandering round the cobbles dishing out advice and now we've got Anna doing the flamin' same! "Being an adult dun't mean shutting everyone else out..." Flamin' hell, it's like Claire Raynor reborn!
Becky has again proved her critics wrong – including them at social services – by behaving really rationally and not being at all obsessive about other folk’s children. Poor Hayley has had to wear that 'I feel so sorry for you Becky' expression all week - it must really hurt, having to pull that face all day. “Oh love, I know, I know you’d be a brilliant mother, like you were when you were out getting leathered and looting and fighting folk. Oh love, I know yer a good person really. Oh love I know you had a ciggie at the meeting to decide whether yer eligible to adopt after telling everyone you’d given up. Oh love I know you robbed from yer friends at the factory and framed Kelly Crabtree whose boyfriend (Lloyd) you then tried to sleep with. Oh love, I know, I know, yer lovely really…”
Sylvia held Norris hostage in the loo and Mary who obviously forgot her own kidnap attempt on Norris wouldn’t shut up about it! Sylvia might have locked our Norris in’t bog but at least she din’t do it in the middle of flamin’ nowhere!
Fiz has decided to take her life into her hands by grassing up the drug supplier in’t nick! Is she flamin’ mad? She can hide a body and steal money from a dead woman but wave some white flamin’ powder under her nose and all of a sudden she’s like Wonder Woman - fighting crime! That poor baby, if anyone harms her I’ll go in there meself and give someone a thick ear – I’m not that fussed about Fiz though, to be honest, she’s been like a wet weekend in Blackpool for the past couple of years!
That Tina puts it about dun’t she? She’s had David, kissed Nick, been out with Jason, Graeme and now that lovely Doctor Carter who, incidentally, still hasn’t investigated me nethers. I must’ve dropped me tights half a dozen times in that surgery and he still hasn’t had a poke around! He keeps trying to refer me to a specialist and I tell him, “it dun’t need a specialist lovey, it just needs some special attention!” He’s banned me from going in now!
Right, I‘m going. Always remember loveys, life is like a drowning man: desperate, flailing and doomed, so light up a Dunhill and enjoy yer day! x

Tweeter here if you like.

Corrie weekly awards: August 22 - 26

 Sherrif of Weatherfield Nick award: Gold Star: Fiz is out to right all wrongs in the jailhouse.

Love is Blind award: Gold Star: Does Julie really think Brian is a George Clooney type? Must really be love! Eileen's expression pretty much reflected mine!


Got your number, ladeh award: Gold Star: Kylie accused Gail of being jealous, spiteful and knowing no woman will be good enough for her son. She's right. Then Audrey sacked her. Frankly, Audrey was asking for a bit of Kylie's revenge

Hypocrite award: Gold Star: I thought Roy refused to let Sylvia work in the cafe after the Norris thing but she was there again days later. Where's Anna?

Fashion award: Mary did look nice dressed up even if it was just the Cafe.

Let's play doctor award: Flirty Star: Watching Mary slink all over the doctor was just nauseating.


Baring your problems in public: Audrey, hugely embarassed in the pub by Marc, sits with Gail on a public bench instead of inside Gail's house privately and taking a cab home instead of Marc's car which he'd obviously arrived in.





Lines of the week:
Audrey "People's fears come from ignorance"
Emily about Norris "What if he's formed an alliance?" (i.e. he got lucky? Nah!)
Sylvia "What on earth would Al Qaida want with Mr. Magoo?"
Marcus "You need to be pro-active" Julie "I'm a woman, Marcus, not a yogurt"
Governor to Fiz "Please tell me. I won't let you down" (Do I smell a Phrase of Doom?)
Mary to Emily "Leave your Christianity home and locate your inner cow!"
Kylie "I'm supposed to stay in then, like a nun?" Gail "I can think of professions you're better qualified for..."
Sally about Marc "He always dresses so smartly" (Not always, that wig doesn't get any better with time does it?)
Anna to Ches and Katy "Being grown up doesn't mean you have to shut everyone else out" (which you learn as you grow up, usually the hard way)
Kylie "Tranny on the rampage part 2" (Cow!)
Mary "I can't imagine Norris dressed as a woman. He's far too rugged and masculine" (I'm speechless, just like the rest of them.)

Saturday 27 August 2011

Another Christmas baby for Corrie?

Last nights episode of Corrie confirmed what many of us expected, that Chesney and Katy's new baby will probably be born around Christmas time. A yuletide birth seems to be a regular occurrence on the cobbles. Rosie Webster, David Platt, the Mallet twins, Nick Tilsly, Ben Watts and Hope Stape have all been born during the festive season in recent years. Jason Grimshaw also had his "child" Holly dropped on his doorstep on Christmas Day.

A new face on the street at Christmas is normally a light hearted occasion which is appropriate for the time of year. Who can forget Norris hilariously trying to deliver Emma and Curly's new son, and Sally giving birth to Rosie in the back of a cab?

Providing the new Battersby-Brown baby is born healthy, a new arrival to the Corrie universe will be a nice happy occasion and will be a welcome contrast to the drama and anguish that will no doubt be happening elsewhere as Becky McDonald leaves the street.

Let us know if we've missed any Noel newborns in the comments!

Here's to You, Mrs Roberts

It's a story as old as time itself.  Boy meets girl.  Girl introduces boy to another girl.  Second girl catches boy in a frock.  First girl flounces off in a huff.  Boy falls for second girl.  Girl falls for boy.  Boy borrows girl's make-up.  Girl criticises boy's choice of underwear.  Girl is blackmailed by conniving granddaughter in law.  Boy wanders into pub wearing a Per Una skirt and is surprised when Sally Webster spits out her Cinzano.  Girl admits she can't bear to live with a man wearing a nylon wig.  The end.

Let's face it: we've all been there.

It's another chapter in the book marked Audrey Roberts: My Hilarious Love Life.  Poor Audrey.  She's had a hard life.  A teenage mother (twice), she's had to put up with her husband dying, her best friend dying, and being related to both Gail and David.  Throughout it all she's kept her head held high - well, her hair held high, anyway, thanks to a rampant addiction to hairspray.

She first appeared in 1979 at Gail's engagement party (her first one), showing herself to be something of a good-time girl.  You can imagine how well this went down with Ivy Tilsley, a woman who thought Queen Victoria was a bit of a tart, and she added Audrey to the already lengthy list of reasons why Gail was wrong for Her Brian.

Audrey then departed the series, because Sue Nicholls had to go and appear in another piece of quality British television: Rentaghost.  For viewers of a certain age Audrey will always be Miss Popov, the sneezing Dutch woman whose powers of teleportation lead to all sorts of hilarious consequences, often involving a pantomime horse.

Rentaghost was finally axed when BBC research discovered that kids found Timothy Claypole disturbing, not funny, and so Sue was free to return to the cobbles.  She almost immediately focussed her attentions on ensnaring Alf Roberts, because if there's one thing every woman needs, it's a wealthy grocer with a heart condition.  Alf fell for her joie de vivre and sparkling wit, while all the time Audrey was wondering how much she could get for his mayoral chains at Cash4Gold.

As time went on, Audrey fell more and more in love with Alfie, and when he finally popped off to the Cash and Carry in the sky she was bereft.  By this time she'd acquired a hairdressing salon of her own, where she could spend her days leafing through the appointment book with a cup of coffee in her hand.  Her best friend by now was Alma, another smoky eyed Sixties survivor with a penchant for big hair.  The two of them could regularly be found knocking back the G&Ts while they complained about their stupidly rich husbands and their nice homes.

Because, of course, Audrey was a cut above the rest of the Street's residents, and she lived out in Oakhill, Weatherfield's posher than posh suburb.  Her past as a teenage scrubber has been forgotten; now she has a semi-detached house with a garden, and don't you forget it.  It does mean that when she has a public humiliation (which is all too regularly) the barflies in the Rovers tend to rub their hands together with glee, but that's the price you pay for having a conservatory and conifers.

Through all of this Audrey watched as Gail wandered through a procession of disastrous relationships and brought up three of the most irritating children in Christendom.  It did mean that the two women - who had so little in common during Gail's childhood, when she was the Saffron Monsoon to Audrey's Edina - could now jointly commiserate about how all men are bastards, and their relationship improved.  On top of which, her long lost son Stephen suddenly crawled out the woodwork, and they had a tearful reunion.  Stephen continues to reappear in the soap whenever a character needs to be sent abroad; he is the CEO of a mysterious conglomerate which seems to span the globe.  Rumours that he is in fact a criminal super villain are, as yet, unproven.

With Alfie safely stowed away underground, Audrey entered the new millennium with her eye out for a new husband.  It's become a rite of passage for any moderately successful middle aged man to have a pop at Audrey; she's a sort of welcoming committee for the male menopausal.  Fred Elliott, butcher extraordinaire, fell most heavily under her spell, but she refused to marry him because she could never be happy with a man who smelt of offal.  Despite this, he continued to hold a torch, slipping her an extra couple of kidneys whenever Ashley's back was turned, and Audrey tacitly encouraged the devotion.

During all this Gail was married to a serial killer called Richard Hillman; Audrey was the only one who saw through his smooth lines and realised he was a wrong 'un.  Richard embarked on an elaborate plot to convince everyone that Audrey was senile, though why he didn't just crack her on the back of the head with a length of piping like all his other victims is beyond me.  Perhaps he realised it would take a SCUD missile to get through all those layers of hair.  Eventually Audrey was proved right and Richard was revealed to be a sociopath.  You'd think this experience would have stayed with her, but when Maria made similar accusations about Tony Gordon, Audrey told her to stop being a silly girl and keep quiet.  Mind you, it was Maria.

Heartache intervened when her best friend, Alma, succumbed to cancer; she was with her right to the end, and promised to rename the salon Alma's in her memory.  This was then quietly shelved when she realised that "Alma" is an even less glamorous name than "Audrey".  The salon's continued liquidity is in the meantime a mystery to everyone else; it somehow supports three stylists even though the only business they ever get is Emily coming in to have a trim.  Perhaps Audrey is managing to keep it afloat single handedly with her Elnett purchases.

Fred had rebuilt his love life, and was just about to marry Bev Unwin when Audrey dropped the bombshell; she wished it was her at the end of the aisle instead.  Fred was confused and dismayed, and promptly fell down dead in her hallway, solving the problem for everyone.  She moved on instead to Bill Webster, having a mucky affair with him while his wife was in Germany; he ended up moving in, but there's only so many ways you can have a conversation about plywood before you get bored, and she dumped him on a weekend in France.

For a while, Audrey was alone, her only job in the soap to roll her eyes in dismay whenever David smashed something up.  Her hopes of rekindling an old romance were dashed when Ted Paige turned up and revealed that after their night of passion, he decided to be gay: an understandable reaction when you consider that his one heterosexual experience resulted in Gail.  She eventually decided she'd had enough of this and hired Nigel Havers to be her boyfriend, a course of action why many a middle-aged lady has dreamt about over her Lean Cuisine.  Nigel tried to be good, but he just wasn't a one-woman man, and after a snog with Dierdre Barlow he fled to Greece with Audrey's savings.  No wonder she started to consider Mark to be a catch.  Ok, he spent his weekends miming to Judy Live at Carnegie Hall in a floor-length ball gown, but at least he had his own bank account.

So now Audrey is alone once again, though I doubt it will be for long.  Give it a couple of weeks and she'll be all over Dennis Tanner like a particularly rampant case of Japanese Knotweed.  It's a choice between him and Norris, and let's face it, she's not that desperate.  At least, not yet.

Friday 26 August 2011

Marc / Marcia's Coronation Street caricature

Jo Blakely is the talented artist who creates these wonderful Coronation Street caricatures.

She's just done another one, of Marc/Marcia and it's so good it deserved to be blogged.

Have a look at more of Jo's work here.


Character Study: Gail Potter Tilsley Platt Hillman McIntyre

With Gail and Kylie at war with each other, I thought it might be time to explore Gail's past. How did she come to be an interfering mother-in-law? Was it a personality change or a logical progression over the years? I think that, yes, she grew from an independent and stubborn soul to an Ivy Tilsley clone and it was pretty much inevitable. Read my character study here and find out about the life of Gail (pick a last name).

Spot the Corrie prop - August 26th 2011

I  thought we might catch you all out with last week's prop puzzle but you were up to the task and several of you spotted that the kitchen sink scene was in the Cropper's flat. Well done to Coronation Street Corner who was the first to spot it.

And so on to this week's poser. whereabouts on the Coronation Street set would you find this picture?

Thursday 25 August 2011

Kate Ford signs new Corrie contract


Actress Kate Ford has just signed a new contract, keeping Tracy Barlow on the cobbles well into 2013.

ITV broke the news this morning, saying: “We’re thrilled Kate is staying with the show. Tracy is a great character and gives us scope for some exciting storylines over the next year.”

We blogged earlier this month about Tracy’s return to the show – along with the surprise of being pregnant with twins to Steve McDonald. She’ll be back onscreen on Friday 9th September.

Rosie Webster to seduce Sally's fella

There's a Coronation Street spoiler in today's Daily Star that says Rosie Webster will do her best to seduce Sally's boyfriend, Jeff.  And there's me wondering where Jeff had got to!  (My sister-in-law went to school with Steven Houghton who plays Jeff and says he's a really nice bloke).

Anyway, the paper says that Sally will walk in on scantily-clad daughter Rosie cosying up to sheepish Jeff, who has his trousers round his ankles. And Rosie does this after she finds out about Sally and Kevin spending the night together.

Video: The Two Ronnies do Coronation Street

Coronation Street Blog reader Lee Malcolmson has brought this wonderful YouTube to my attention. It's the Two Ronnies doing a George Formby version of Coronation Street. Well worth a little look.

Steve McDonald gurn of the week, August 25 2011

It's Thursday and that means only one thing... time for the Steve McDonald gurn of the week. Thanks go Coronation Street 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.

Wednesday 24 August 2011

Corrie schedule change for week of September 4 - 9

Watch out for changes to the Coronation Street schedule for the week of Sunday 4th to Friday 9th September as follows. This is due to the new ITV show Red or Black with Ant & Dec being launched.

Corrie will be on as follows:

Sunday 4 September at 8pm
Monday 5 September at 9pm
Wednesday 7 September at 9pm
Thursday 8 September at 9pm
Friday 9 September at 7.30pm and 9pm

More Coronation Street fan art

Flaming Nora invited fans to share their Coronation Street art after posting a lovely painting by fan Christine.  This is my painting, in oils, of Number 9 Coronation Street.

These days, the yellow and blue are quite a bit more faded and chipped on the real set, of course, and this was painted before Vera named it the Old Rectory.

My fiance is an artist and a talented musician. He draws me a cariacature birthday card every year. This one was from 2006. He also has written me a song for Christmas each year and last year's, in honour of the Corrie Crazy documentary that we were in, is called Corrie Crazy. You can year it via a little jukebox on my own personal website here.

Sue Cleaver's fine, says Corrie cast mate

Sue Cleaver is fine, confirms her Coronation Street cast member Antony Cotton (Sean Tully) on twitter today. Earlier today here on the blog we reported that Sue had been taken to hospital yesterday after collapsing on the cobbles.

Via Twitter this morning, Antony Cotton tweeted: "Just so you know - Sue Cleaver is fine now. She is stood next to me on The Street and she is as sparkling and fabulous as ever."

Glad to hear it!

Do you live with a Coronation Street look-a-like?

Coronation Street Blog reader Alyson Truelove has sent in this photo of her husband. She says that he's constantly  approached in the street, at work, even on holiday and asked if he is Owen out of Coronation Street, actor Ian Puleston-Davies.

What do you think?

If you live with a Corrie look-a-like, send your pictures in and we'll blog the best.

Coronation Street fan art

Coronation Street fan Christine Warren runs the wonderful Corrie fun pages. And she's also created this Corrie art work of Tyrone's dog Monica and Maxine's cat, Bella.   Entitled' Coronation Street Co-Stars', the artwork is painted on board in acrylic.

If you've got Corrie art you'd like to share, do please send it in.
Anyone remember what happened to Monica and Maxine's pussy?

Let's see more of Corrie's Karl Munro

Anybody else want to see more of Karl Munro on Coronation Street?
One of the main reasons I watch Corrie these days is to see if there's any decent male totty, suitable for the more mature woman of course.
Peter Barlow's long been my favourite, swiftly followed by Bill Webster, but coming rapidly up on the inside is Karl (played by the excellent John Michie).

Not only is he fit, I think he's sadly underused at the moment. He was great as roving-eyed cop Robbie in Taggart, and he definitely has the potential to be just as good in Corrie as a louche, womanising cab-driver with an attractively dark edge.

My only quibble is his accent. As I'm Scottish I've no idea how accurate it is, but I do know that there are plenty of Scots living in the North of England and I don't see why he wasn't allowed to use his own.

Never mind. Let's hope he gets a really juicy storyline soon that allows him to use his talent to the full.

Alison King on Carla's rape storyline

Alison King, who plays Coronation Street's Carla Connor, has been talking to TV Times about Carla's upcoming nasty rape storyline with Frank Foster. And she says the storyline has left her "physically and mentally exhausted".

Alison says: "I feel a sense of responsibility to get it right. We all do. Half of it is instinct and the other half is talking to people and doing your research. Things look very bleak for Carla in the aftermath and it's been one of the most mentally challenging storylines I've ever done. I'm absolutely drained. I've had tears in my eyes for weeks and feel physically and mentally exhausted. It's always hard with a big storyline - I was pregnant when we did the Tony Gordon showdown."

Corrie actress does nude photo shoot

Catherine Tydlesley, who plays Coronation Street's Eva Price, has done a nude photo shoot for Now Magazine. Why? Who knows, but you can find out more here.

Sally and Kevin Webster reunited again

There's a Coronation Street spoiler in today's Sun that says Kevin and Sally Webster are to reunite within weeks - when they share a steamy night of passion.

And the shock reconciliation could see the pair bring up Kevin's lovechild Jack as their own. The Sun says that we'll see the couple rekindle their romance next month as Sally comforts Kevin when his dad has a heart attack.

A source said: "Kevin can't wait to tell everyone - including his dad - that they're back together again. He loves Sally and had ended the affair well before she found out. Fans will be thrilled for them too, as last year many felt the affair storyline was unrealistic."

Sue Cleaver collapses on Corrie set

Sue Cleaver, who plays Eileen Grimshaw on Coronation Street, was rushed to hospital from the Corrie set yesterday, says The Sun. The actress suffered an attack relating to her diabetes and medics, who were alerted, sent her to hospital for further checks.

An set insider said: "Sue was looking pretty off at around 9am just as we were getting things ready for filming. Then all of a sudden she just seemed to collapse and everyone was panicking. The on-site medics were called and they were very quick to get to her. She informed them that she was having some kind of attack brought on by her diabetes and they agreed that that's what it looked like. An ambulance was called and she was taken to hospital just to be on the safe side."

Hope you're feeling better soon, Sue, with best wishes from us all here at the Coronation Street Blog.

Tuesday 23 August 2011

More Corrie art online

Inspired by the iconic photograph of Ena Sharples, Coronation Street Blog reader Paul Lanagan has created this wonderful homage set in Houghton-le-Spring up here in the North East.

It's so bad it's fab and was screaming out to be blogged!  If you've created any iconic Corrie scenes, do please email them in for blogging.

Have a look at more of Paul's Corrie art at his website here.

Inside Soap Awards 2011 - have you voted for Corrie yet?

Voting closes in the Inside Soap Awards 2011 on Monday 29th August, so if you haven't voted for Coronation Street, cast your vote here now.

Iconic photo of Ena Sharples

This photo of Ena Sharples looking over the early 60s industrial landscape of Manchester/Salford (Weatherfield) is iconic. It was noted in a tweet earlier today via writer Mark Gatiss ("Retweeted" several times over) that it's one of the greatest photographs of an English actor. There was a link to this article on the BBC site about Northern Drama as the television show, Waterloo Road is about to move even further north to a Scottish location next year.

This photo is hanging in the ITV Granada studio offices in Manchester and also appeared on the back or inside cover of one of the older books written about Corrie (someone will have to let me know which one as it's escaped my memory at the moment).

Over on the photo site, Flickr, I'd seen the photo posted and there were people wondering where the picture was taken. There seems to be a consensus that the building below the smokestack was the old Hyde Brewery and the apartment block in the Moss Side area of Manchester. You can follow the discussion here.

I might almost agree with the person that suggested it was two different photos put together because of the exposure on Ms. Carson being so clear. It could very well have been two photos taken with exposure on her and then on the background and fudged in the darkroom or it could have had the exposure alone adjusted in the darkroom. No Photoshop in 1961!

It truly is a classic photo. Click on the photo for a larger version and any other information you can add about the location would be appreciated.

Norris in the Loo

Most of the time, I can suspend disbelief. I know that you have to do that for television fiction, they do take liberties. But I just can't imagine that Norris would have been locked in the lavvy all weekend.

Doesn't Roy open the cafe on weekends? Saturdays at least? It always seems to be open. And wouldn't they hear Norris hollering from down below them or hear the lavvy flush over the weekend?

Even if the cafe is closed, Roy and Hayley still use the staircase right next to the lavvy to go up and down and out of the flat through the cafe all the time. As far as I know, there is no other external door to the flat other than through the business premises. Surely Norris would hear someone coming and make noise.

I might believe an overnight in the loo, but not a whole weekend. Sorry. Can't buy this one.

WIN! Five copies of William Roache's book 'Soul on the Street'

We have five, yes, five copies of William Roache's book Soul on the Street to be won in a very special competition here on the Coronation Street Blog.  As you know, William plays Ken Barlow on Coronation Street.

To be in with a chance to win one of these paperbook books, all you have to do is answer the following question correctly, email your answer to me and the five lucky winners will be drawn at random from the correct entries received.  Good luck!  This competition is open to overseas Coronation Street fans too as we can afford to post these paperbacks abroad. 

Deadline for entries is Tuesday 30th August, 2011 at 6pm.

Q: In 2010 what internationally renowned award did actor William Roache receive for his role as Ken Barlow on Corrie?
Note: Entries from moneysavingsexpert, Loquax or other competitions website are not eligible to be entered into any of our competitions.

Soul on the Street is published by Hay House

Coronation Street Weekly Update, August 22 2011

Greetings and welcome to the Coronation Street Weekly Update, written as I celebrate my birthday today. After writing the update and posting it to th’internet, I’m off out for birthday cake with my family,  then a long walk on the beach with my lovely man followed by a meal out tonight.  Corrie weekly update readers who have been with me for some years and have done the maths, will know I’ve reached 21, again. And so, without any further ado, here we go with this week's Coronation Street update.

Find out more about the Coronation Street Weekly Updates and why they've been written for th'internet since 1995 at http://www.corrieweeklyupdates.btinternet.co.uk

There’s all sorts going on at Roy’s Rolls this week when Sylvia decides to take charge, and charge she does. She charges for use of the ketchup, the salt, the pepper and the loo. The customers are up in arms, complaining hither and thither but it’s water off a duck’s back to Sylvia, she’s intent on pushing up the profits and woe betide anyone who gets in her way. And that person is Norris, who nicks the key to the loo, demanding his right to a free pee. Well, Sylvia spots him and locks him in there overnight. Oh dear, what can the matter be? Norris Cole is locked in the lavatory. He was there from Friday to Monday and nobody knew he was there. Except Sylvia did, you see. Mary’s fretting about Norris’ whereabouts, convinced he’s been kidnapped by Al Qaeda and  just when she’s wondering which one of the Suchet brothers will play him in the film of his life, Sylvia unlocks the door to the lavvy and Norris is free. Well, I tell you, Mary is Not Best Pleased and calls a council of war with Emily and Dennis to demand that Norris is given compensation for his night in the netty. It’s agreed that Norris, Mary, Emily and Dennis will be given a slap-up banquet at Roy’s and that Sylvia will play waitress, as an apology for her behaviour.  And while Sylvia serves up the food, she does not and will not say that she’s sorry.  She does give a wry smile to Dennis though, she’s got her eye on him.

In prison, Fiz grasses up the drug dealer and gets herself beaten up for being a grass.  I don’t understand this. Fiz wouldn’t grass up her husband who was going round murdering people but suddenly, she’s banged up with a bunch of no-hopers and she’s grassing them up left, right and centre. Mind you, she does get a place in the mother and baby unit in exchange for the information on the drugs runner she’s given to the Guv’nor (played by Norma from Shameless).

Julie and Brian finally get together after Eileen and Dennis set them up to meet once again. “You need to be proactive,” Marcus says to Julie after she moans about being single. “I’m a woman, Marcus, not a yoghurt!” she replies, in some wonderful dialogue from writer Carmel Morgan.  Julie’s over the moon to be back with Brian and he (and these are his words, not mine) tell Julie he can’t wait to get his sausage fingers around her nimble waist. 

Elsewhere this week, Audrey asks Marc to move in with her and he says yes. Of course he says yes, he’s onto a good thing with the goddess that is the fragrant Mrs Roberts but it seems to me that she’s getting the short end of the stick once again.   

Meanwhile, Gail goes all guns blazing after Kylie as David’s away and Kylie’s flirting with some fella in the pub.  When Kylie refuses to come home and leave the bloke in the pub, Gail locks her errant daughter in law out of the house.  

And finally this week, Frank does his best to get Carla and Leanne back on talking terms instead of trying to rip each other to shreds on the Street.  It kind of works, but when Carla and Leanne give each other a girly hug, Carla gives Peter a look behind Leanne’s back, yes, that kind of look. Ooh, it’s all going to go so horribly wrong, I can just feel it.

Right, I’m off to celebrate my birthday, see you next week. 

This week's writers were Chris Fewtrell, Simon Crowther and Carmel Morgan. Find out more about the  Coronation Street writing team at:
Glenda Young
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Blogging away merrily at
http://flamingnora.blogspot.com

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

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