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

Monday 11 March 2013

Regurgitation Street


Do you ever feel like you've been somewhere before? I had a strange dream last night that Coronation Street had run out of storylines so the powers that be simply took all the old scripts out of the archives, added a few references to the credit crunch and One Direction, spruced it up with some product placement and trotted it out to the poor viewers. 

What a horrible nightmare. Sadly, though it seems to be coming true. Ah yes, a fire at the Rovers Return! What a great way to celebrate the arrival of Spring. Gail and Sally can sit on the cobbles and toast their marshmallows while St Ella hides under a pile of manmade fibres with that bloke who used to be the totty in Taggart.

I can just see young Philip Collinson sitting in his office, stroking his white cat, sipping his Aqua Libra (ooops, more product placement) and wondering just how he can sign off his triumphant reign at the top of ITV's flagship soap. Perhaps he was watching Celebrity Big Brother at the time and caught a glimpse of Julie Goodyear, poor thing.

 "Get it! Got it! Good!" he cried, and dug out his 1980s Coronation box set. Two and a half minutes later and the episode was written and ready.

One question remained though and that troubled him. Who could star in this Towering Inferno? It would have to be someone who hasn't had enough screen time of late. Suddenly he knew who it had to be. St Ella of the Back Room! But of course. Coronation Street fans' favourite. Young Philip knew it had to be St Ella - it would firm up her rightful position in the Best Actress category at the 2013 British Soap Awards. It was all coming together nicely...

...Oh, how I wish this was far from the truth and just a bit of a laugh, but sadly I'm not so sure. It really does pain me to say it but I'm really disappointed at the prospect of another Rovers fire. If you haven't seen the first one back in 1986, do track it down. It was well written, expertly handled and felt completely real, and a tad scary. It showed a community pulling together. I'll always remember those first few quiet moments as we saw images of a sleepy back street Weatherfield - it was haunting, hard-hitting and it worked. So why the need to rehash it in 2013? 

I'm also annoyed that this is the way we will say goodbye to a lovely character and indeed, a lovely actress in Shobna Gulati. Sunita coming back was probably a mistake - they have mucked about with her character and given her nowhere else to go. I just wish her leaving didn't involve a cheap ratings ploy with her being burnt to a crisp. 

I know television ratings are of paramount importance these days and stunts like this are apparently necessary in making sure Corrie maintains it's share. However as far as I can see  it is all a bit cheap, blatant and unnecessary.

How's that for a legacy, Mr Collinson?




You can follow us on Twitter @CoroStreetBlog and Facebook: CoronationStreetBlog

And you can follow me on Twitter @Edgeof31

Creative Commons Licence
All original work on the Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

12 comments:

Glenda Young said...

Bloomin' brilliant and SO very true.

Carry On Blogging! said...


I just found myself getting SO annoyed I had to get it out my system before I had my tea! ;)

Anonymous said...

One of the tradgedies of the fire is that Stella dosen't end up as toast. Best actress award? give me strength, who makes these nominations?

Anonymous said...

Philip Collinson...his triumphant reign

Isn't that an Oxy-moron or something similar?

Anonymous said...

I've been saying this for ages..they just rehash old scripts..plop in different characters and it's a go. No brainer. No need to look for talented scriptwriters..any 5th grader will do. We have another fire in the pub ... I guess that's original. What's with the Katy/Ryan/Chesney triangle. If this was intended to bring in younger viewers it flopped.

Beth said...

Could never have put it so well. Flippin Brilliant

Chatty Kathy said...

Anonymous 2: it's sarcasm. :)

Frosty the Snowman said...

We all know Stella is to be rescued by Karl who then becomes the local hero, they all wait around Stella's hospital bed in Weathy General - wonder if it was the same bed she lay when she had her brain trauma after being knocked over by Carla? She will have another miraculous recovery from death's door. Then she and the deranged stalker will get back together and live unhappily ever after with him reading his newspaper on his backside in the back and pulling scams again - I can hardly wait!!

Anonymous said...

The only thing I will give Phil Collinson is that he's made Corrie fans passionate and vocal. Sadly, for all the wrong reasons.

I can't agree more that one of the big issues here seems to be the writing or lack there of. Sure, we cheer to see a new producer walk through the door but what about hiring a new staff of quality writers? Goodness knows there's got to be some about in this economy!

Carry On Blogging! said...


I'll do it!

Janice said...

This type of post is the only reason I still keep watching Corrie. Very entertaining.

Carry On Blogging! said...


Thank you Janice, very kind of you to say that :)

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

You might also like...

Coronation Street Books for Fans

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