Coronation Street Blog: Carry on Corrie Cabbies?

Sunday, 4 October 2015

Carry on Corrie Cabbies?

All in all it seems to have been a pretty good few weeks for our favourite cobbles-based drama. The live show delivered in spades and hasn't it been a joy to see Tina O'Brien shine, alongside Paul Lane and Jack P Shepherd? Weighed up against this though we have the somewhat uncomfortable reality that the 'Calum' storyline rolls on, even if the main protagonist is now underfloor insulation in Gail's granny flat.

However, the trials and tribulations of the Platts are not my major worry at the moment. Oh no. Something else is nagging away at the back and indeed, front of my mind. Ladies and gentlemen, we are entering troubled times. The question I ask is: What is to become of Streetcars?

Let's look at the evidence. Lloyd has already departed on the wings of love with gurning Andrea. We will miss him and to a lesser extent, her. We also know that Les Dennis is taking a break from Corrie for a few weeks so there will no Michael available for that all important airport run. Add to that the recent announcement that Simon Gregson will also be on extended leave stretching into 2016. By my reckoning that leaves Streetcars with no drivers and the office manned by My Lady of the Perpetual Joys, Eileen, and a half empty biscuit barrel. This does not make for a successful business.

Realistically, there is no reason why the disappearance of every staff member should be an issue at all. Streetcars could quite easily be written out of the Weatherfield narrative until Les Dennis returns. Much will depend on whether Steve McDonald is actually being written out or if the powers-that-be do an 'Ena Sharples' and simply imply that he is around but never seen (remember those wonderful mid-70s scenes where Ena would be represented by a twitching net curtain or a door closing followed by someone bellowing 'Thanks Mrs Sharples'?)

Maybe Michelle could step into her husband's shoes but how she would be able to drive a car with her arms folded is anyone's guess. Ken used to be a cab driver so how about he dusts off that licence and takes to the road again? I'm sure there would be no issues in having a 76 year old hurtling down Deansgate at 12 mph. Cathy's at a loose end but you know that in charge of a car, she would be reversing into pensioners on every other corner.

We are used to characters being hurled into the Corrie Cupboard for weeks or months at a time. Now we may possibly get the chance to see an entire business jammed in there. Let's hope there's room for that biscuit barrel.

Or if all else fails, they could resurrect Alma . . .