The flamin' Rovers Return

Judging by the photos that have appeared here on the Coronation Street Blog, it appears we have confirmation that our favourite fictitious public house, the Rovers Return, is set to go up in flames yet again. Yes, as long term viewers of the Street will know, this happened once before, way back in 1986. Recycling old stories for headlines, ratings and convenience? Yes, possibly.

Of course it is not the first time Coronation Street has done this. The much heralded 50th anniversary tram crash in 2010 was a 21st Century version of the 1967 train off the viaduct disaster. While the 60s version was on nowhere near as grand or as technical a scale as the modern day epic, it was still an amazing feat, taking place entirely in a studio. 

Personally, I'm rather against big dramatic disasters in Weatherfield. It becomes rather tedious when every couple of years another massive tragedy befalls the residents of this tiny back street. Let's just take a quick look at how many properties on the Street have caught fire in recent times:

Apart from the Rovers in '86, we've had a fire in Peter Barlow's flat; Becky trapped in a fire in the Streetcars flat; the Peacock's house torched by that mad stalker woman; No 13 set on fire following the tram crash; the Faktry set alight by madman Tony Gordon; No 13's kitchen set on fire by Ryan Connor; Martin Platt's flat above the Kebab shop was also victim to a fire; Mad Maya setting fire to every one of Dev's shops and a little further afield, Richard Hillman torching Audrey's house at Grasmere Drive. Phew, talk about a town of twisted fire starters!! And that's just off the top of my head!

Am I trying to say this kind of story has been exhausted and is therefore scraping the bottom of the barrel? Maybe!! However, it looks like we're stuck with it now. So how will it happen? Early rumours suggest Sunita will turn bunny boiler and take revenge on Karl and Stella by setting the Rovers alight. It has also been mooted that she will perish in the blaze. I would be very unhappy if this turns out to be true. How many complete character transformations are they going to give poor Shobna Gulati to act out? If Sunita has to leave, I'd rather she went as a good mother, a reformed character with her head held high. This nonsense tarnishes her character forever. Also - having been a victim of Mad Maya's pyrotechnics back in 2004, would Sunita really turn copycat? I find it very hard to believe!

So what other options are there? One of Deirdre's errant fags could set that nasty outside smoking shelter on fire, spreading to the pub itself? I confess I would love to see those horrid coloured lightbulbs out there pop - Was that Liz McDonald's idea of class and taste? Perhaps one of Gloria's tasteless polyester numbers could get too close to a naked flame and take the whole back room out before the adverts? Or maybe Sean Tully could be involved in a hideous hotpot-making disaster? (Would that be Betty taking revenge from above?)

No, all of these are far too preposterous. I hope the powers that be don't read this as they may take some of these ideas seriously. My suggestion is this: Have Tommy Duckworth fix a faulty fuse box in the Rovers cellar. Like grandfather, like grandson! As this latest Rovers fire appears to be a copycat storyline, why not go all the way? 


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