Stuart dismisses reports of problems at the show, insisting that Corrie is 'doing fine'.
Corrie son Best Soap and Continuing Drama at the House of Fraser BAFTA Television Awards last night (May 10), taking the title for the second year running. However, the victory followed negative comments in the press surrounding the programme's ratings and upcoming cast exits.
Speaking at the BAFTA press conference, Blackburn commented: "The stories about Corrie not doing very well have to be put into perspective. Apart from, I think it was two weeks in December and the Live Week, we've been about a million ahead of EastEnders every week, every month, for the last two years - we're doing fine.
"The thing is, all viewing figures are down. I don't watch television now - not live, I just go home and Sky+ it or whatever - so that's why the figures are down, but we've probably got the same amount of viewers as before.
"So we always knew we were doing well - but I don't feel any pleasure in beating EastEnders, because I know how hard they work and there's some good people there. I'm just delighted we've won it twice on the trot."
Asked about the celebrity signings, Blackburn added: "Obviously getting names in is great, but Coronation Street has a long history of doing that - Peter Kay was in the show and that worked out. Paddy's (McGuiness) in for about five eps and… look at his CV - it's fantastic, and if anyone's seen [2009 BBC TV movie] Freefall, Sarah Harding did a really good job.
"But this [BAFTA win] is about the cast we've got now - the full-time cast - and these guys could grace any genre and any drama, and it's proven when some of them leave the show - people like Sarah Lancashire, these are good people."
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7 comments:
"Good people" yes but the storylines of late have not been believable, in my opinion. It's not the actors who are responsible for the decline, it's the writers who have been coming up with the ridiculous plots.
Anon. (from Canada)
Actually, it's not the writers. They just write for the storylines the producers have decided on. It's the Stuart Blackburns and others of his ilk who are the problem.
The first two comments describe the problem for me at the moment. I'm not sure who's in charge at Corrie. SB has said more than once that he waits to see what the writers come up with, eg Maddie. She's here for as long as I am, he said, unless the writers come up with something else. It feels sometimes that a load of stories are thrown up in the air and maybe one out of ten will work. Why's Todd still around? Somebody thought it was a good idea to bring him back, but they don't know what to do with him. SB should tell the writers to give him an exit story but evidently he hasn't. Consequently, the writers keep giving the character silly storylines. I don't know that Corrie is in crisis but it certainly feels like it's drifting.
I wonder how Blackburn thinks everything is 'fine'when it's the same families usally the Platts in dragged out storylines over and over again while othera are axed due to 'lack of storyline'.
It was a miracle that Corrie won Best Soap but I doubt it won't be repeated next year.
Carla said it best "fine - as in feeling inadequate, numb, empty - yup pretty much sums up Corrie St these days.
Anon in Atlanta
How about coming up with something new and not rehashing old plots in a new jacket. Something we viewers can identify with. Like a wedding that actually goes off as planned. Getting rid of characters like that over the top Bethany and tell her to take her mother with her. Include that dish rag Michael too.
And above all, put some humour back into the street.
I'm all for humour in the show....however, not when it consists of either silly, childish, unrealistic slapstick, or one-liners being used by every character in dialogue. No one talks like that. I, for one, am sick of the "attempt" at humour lately. It's not funny...sometimes it is embarrassing.
The Roy story is the only one worth watching lately.
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