Coronation Street Blog: May 2016

Tuesday, 31 May 2016

COMPETITION! Win The Little Book of Carla Connor

There are five, yes, five, paperback copies of The Little Book of Carla Connor, up for grabs in a competition to be won inside this week's Inside Soap magazine.

The competition is in the magazine which has gone on sale today. It's in the shops at £1.75 and is worth every single penny.

NEW!
The Little Book of Carla Connor
A Decade in the Life of a Soap Queen
An unofficial Coronation Street companion book

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Spoilers for next week's Coronation Street, June 6 - 8 2016

Without any piffle, here's the storylines for the week ahead on Coronation Street, all wrapped up nicely in 50 words or less.

Week of Monday 6 June to Wednesday 8 June
Note: No Corrie on Friday 10 June

Steve is rocked by a bombshell when Will returns to see Michelle, Todd reports Tony to the police for Callum’s murder, Todd comforts Billy over Lee, Tim makes home brew beer, Robert offers Nick a job in Bistro.

The full weekly preview, with pictures is right here on Corrie.net

Missed last week's Corrie?
Catch up with the Coronation Street Weekly Updates

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The Little Book of Carla Connor - now available!

The Little Book of Carla Connor is NOW available for download as an ebook here.

The paperback version will be available within the next two weeks.

Carla Connor is one of the most iconic, contemporary female characters in Coronation Street. Her story spans one of the most thrilling decades in soap. It includes Carla being held hostage in a siege, surviving fires, bus crashes, alcoholism, gambling addiction and suicide attempts.

Written by a fan, this new book presents Carla Connor’s ten years in Coronation Street as one continuous account. You can relive all the thrilling drama in Carla’s life – along with the best hair and cheekbones in a TV soap.

If you love Coronation Street, you will love The Little Book of Carla Connor. Available now.

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Monday, 30 May 2016

Coronation Street episode review, Monday 30 May

Hello and welcome to another manic Monday on the street.

We start off in Sun Hill, I mean Weatherfield nick, as Gemma turns up to denounce David. She must be pretty convinced that David dunnit to go to the police, given her chequered record with them. Mind you, everyone's convinced David did it, even his own mum, who couldn't have murdered anyone: according to Beth, Gail only bored (three of) her husbands to death. Callum's mum is particularly convinced, turning up to give David a well aimed and well deserved slap. David tries to implicate first drug dealer Denton, then Mr Grimshaw, although at least he has the grace to dither and drink some water before naming and blaming Jason.

Despite the Weatherfield's police force well known propensity for imprisoning the wrong person, David is convinced that Jay-boy won't be sent down because of lack of evidence. What, then, is David's game plan? To distract the police whilst he thinks up a better suspect? (Tony?) Jason might be two spanners short of a full toolkit, but he knows that David is trying to fit him up and David whispering in corners with Sarah isn't going to help any.

The Platts have moved into Carla's flat, not that they have had much time to "degirlify" it, what with spending most of the two eps in the cop shop. They spend the rest of it debriefing in the pub, leaving the kids that they're so anxious to protect with Audrey, then Gail, then Bethany. Johnny, meanwhile, is anxious to get in touch with Carla so that he can run the payroll. Her password isn't merlot or m3rl0t£ or even Carla4Nicky4eva, but #blessed, which is something I've never ever heard either Carla or Michelle say. But the most important thing we learned tonight was that Audrey will never shout into a clown's mouth. Too right.

Meanwhile, Chesney has returned from Portugal and Sinead turns down £150 for two hours modelling work to hang out with him in a truly frightful neon-pink ruched blouse (Sinead; Chesney is in double denim). Chesney, however, is concerned about Gemma, who is very upset about Callum, talking about her erstwhile friend's thoughtful side, specifically the time he stole a guinea pig ("Ginger Ninja") from a client for her. Chesney accompanies her to Prima Doner, leaving Sinead to get drunk in the pub before throwing a pity party for two (invitees: Sinead and Aiden) at the factory. Like Chesney, Aiden is supportive of his employee's whiny woes, but unlike Gemma, Sinead misreads his sympathy and moves in for an unwanted snog. Given that Chesney's idea of an apology is a (free) kebab from his workplace, you can hardly blame the girl.

Someone who hasn't misread the situation is Cathy. If it were me, I'd have faked amnesia to get out of the failed proposal, but Cathy has more chops and at the Red Rec, Roy accepts her offer of marriage, telling her that Hayley told him that he must go paddling again. "It was a metaphor, of course." Let's hope that they will paddle on together.

Apologies in advance that I won't be around to do a review next Monday: I'll be sunning myself in Spain. See you in a fortnight.

Rachel - twitter @Rachel_London

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Spare a thought for Gail - who has a perfect right to wail

In forthcoming episodes of Coronation Street, we should all spare a thought for Gail Rodwell. Though she may not be under suspicion herself for the murder of Callum, it seems certain she will have to undergo questioning. In short, within the space of a few days, her life has fallen apart.

Though she bemoaned her precious eldest child Nick's move to Devon, with his new wife Carla, where they had a room all ready and waiting for Gail, she must much rather that Carla and Nick had gone ahead with their move and their marriage smoothly and without a hitch. (Pun intended). Though Carla and Nick did technically get married, the revelations from Tracy about Carla giving the money to Tracy to give to Robert to buy the Bistro and Tracy's silence, it was far too much for Nick to forgive.

Gail stepped forward as Carla sat and awaited Nick's decision, and, rather callously, reminded Carla that she was not a mother and therefore could not understand Gail's heartbreak. To accentuate her point, she gave Carla a stinging slap across her face, to the gasps of her family and guests. Gail was justifiably angry with her potential daughter-in-law, though she was not justified in hitting Carla or anyone else for that matter.

Carla was more than reasonable and instantly forgiving to her potential mother-in-law. The real sadness of this is that Gail and Carla were starting to develop both a mutual respect and even possibly in time, a friendship. None of that will be and what's more, the reappearance of Nick's brain injury is another anxiety for Gail.

Then there are the arrests of David, Sarah and Kylie and the ensuing distress for Max, who is old enough to understand what is going on. Lily, whose young life will be disrupted and baby Harry, who will sense the tension and be upset by it, are also going to suffer. Bethany, who has not had the happiest of times since returning to the cobbles, will also be profoundly affected.

Gail will be anxious about David, Sarah and Kylie but perhaps particularly so for Sarah, who is suffering from post partum psychosis, as well as all this added stress. In addition, Gail has lost her grannexe and has to come to terms with the fact that Callum was decomposing underneath where she slept, in the annexe of which she was so proud.

This heart-wrenching situation in which Gail now finds herself will be her biggest test of personal strength and resilience yet, perhaps even more so than the whole Richard Hillman debacle and his attempt to murder her and her family.

Audrey of course will be a support and if, just maybe, Michael returns from his ice cream selling in Brighton, he too could be a source of solace and strength. One thing is for sure, Gail will need all the support and friendship she can muster.

Ruth Owen, twitter @Ruth1722

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Preview of tonight's double Corrie - Monday 30 May

Monday 30th May
DAVID POINTS THE FINGER Gail, David, Kylie, Max and Lily move into Carla’s vacated flat temporarily. Sarah’s jittery about the police investigation but David urges her to stick to their story. Gemma calls at the police station and informs DS Kerr she knows who killed Callum. Marion blames David for Callum’s demise and slaps his face. Gail confides in a shocked Sarah who she suspects is the killer. The police arrive and begin making arrests. As Kerr questions David about events prior to Callum’s disappearance, David coolly admits he’s glad Callum’s dead but didn’t kill him. Gail, Kylie and Sarah realise that the police consider David the prime suspect. But an under pressure David has the name of another of Callum’s enemies for them. Who does he name?
SINEAD GETS THE WRONG END OF THE STICK Sinead turns down Aidan’s offer of a last-minute modelling job, having promised to spend the day with Chesney who’s just back from Portugal. Spotting Gemma in floods of tears over Callum, Chesney offers to lend her a hand at the kebab shop, postponing his day out with disappointed Sinead who’s miffed to find Chesney giggling with Gemma in the kebab shop, having successfully lifted her spirits.

Monday 30th May
THE PLATTS AND GRIMSHAWS GO HEAD TO HEAD David fills in DS Kerr on Jason’s work on the garage conversion and his feud with Callum. The police arrive on the street and approach Jason. Kylie and Sarah are taken aback to realise that David put the police onto Jason. At the station, Jason’s unnerved when DS Kerr points out that he had a strong motive for murder and the opportunity to dispose of the body. On the street, Jason furiously accuses David of trying to implicate him to cover his own tracks. Gail and Eileen weigh in to defend their sons.
SINEAD MISREADS THE SIGNALS In the Rovers, Sinead knocks back wine and vents her frustration over Chesney. Aidan, working alone in the Underworld office after hours, is startled when drunken Sinead barges in, all dolled up ready for the modelling job he offered earlier. When Aidan explains she’s too late, Sinead bursts into tears. Aidan comforts tearful Sinead. Touched, she leans in for a kiss but Aidan quickly pulls back. Horrified, Sinead flees in tears and Chesney finds her passed out drunk on the sofa at No.5.
ELSEWHERE When Norris rudely asks him to examine some loose roof slates at No.3, Phelan turns down the measly job, to Jason’s disapproval. Phelan backtracks and offers his and Jason’s services to Norris. Norris points out that he needs someone who will do a good job leaving Phelan seething.

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Sunday, 29 May 2016

Corrie weekly update - Carla Connor leaves her car crash of a life

Corrie weekly updates from 1995
All the wit and warmth of Weatherfield, none of the waffle
Available from amazon.co.uk or amazon.com

This week on Coronation Street has been one of the show’s “big weeks”. It’s been on every night, squeezed in between the finals of an ITV, er, ‘talent’ show. Every year it’s the same – crazy stunts, crazy stories and plot lines all over the place. This year was no different. But did I enjoy it? Every single minute! And so without any further ado, here we go with this week’s Coronation Street update – condensed as best as I possibly can into a readable chunk.

It’s Carla and Nick’s wedding and Tracy sabotages Carla’s flower order by sending the bridal bouquets to Crewe. Johnny finds out what’s she done and locks Tracy in the storeroom at Underworld to stop her doing any more damage to his daughter’s big day. But Tracy sets the fire alarm off and is rescued by Aidan. She arrives at the Bistro just in time to ruin Carla and Nick’s wedding and any chance of future happiness for them both. Carla’s already had a wobble in front of the registrar in the Bistro and she tells Nick she’s slept with Robert. It’s hard for Nick to take but he gets his head around it with help from David in the backyard at the Bistro. David reminds his brother that he slept with Kylie but David got over it, in time. And so Nick heads back into the Bistro to marry Carla and that’s when Tracy arrives with what she thinks is a bombshell.

“Sorry to rain on your grenade,” says Nick when he tells her he already knows that Carla slept with Robert. But Tracy has more ammunition and reveals to everyone that Carla gave her the money so that Robert to buy the Bistro. Nick wobbles but doesn’t fall and carries on and marries Carla, despite knowing this. However, when he stands to give his speech at the top table, he demands to know from Carla when she slept with Robert. He now knows that when Carla proposed to him she was doing so out of her guilt over her fling with the chef. Carla denies all and so, in a heartbreaking scene, Nick thrusts a white napkin at his new wife, he needs to see her face when she lies so that he can compare it with what she looks like when she’s telling the truth. “Tell me it’s red,” he implores her. “Tell me!” She can’t say anything, and Nick knows she’s lying about Robert and the proposal. I cried a little cry at this point.

Nick walks out of the wedding leaving Carla in tears. She gets into her car to drive away and when she revs up the engine, Tracy Barlow is caught in her headlights so she drives the car straight at her, intending to knock her down flat. At the last minute, Carla swerves the car but hits Cathy instead who’s taken to hospital with concussion. But Carla’s actions have much worse consequences when Tyrone’s tow truck swerves to avoid Carla’s car, and he drives the truck into Gail’s annexe. The weight of the truck is too heavy for the floor and it sinks… into the manhole where Callum is buried. His corpse is exposed and the cops swarm all over the Street.

Elsewhere this week, Cathy asked Roy to marry her but in all the wedding action of looking after Carla this week, he hasn’t yet given her an answer. Carla goes to hospital to visit Cathy and Roy, to try to apologise to them both, but Roy’s anger and hurt is palpable and he tells her to go. As Carla says her goodbyes on the cobbles to the Connors, Roy arrives just in the nick of time in the Weatherfield Wayfarer. “You need to learn to love yourself as much as we all love you,” Roy tells her before she is driven away in her dad’s car, in tears. I felt this was a very disappointing end to one of Corrie’s most powerful women of the last 10 years.

My personal highlights from this fabulous ‘big week’ are as follows:

Gail slapping Carla hard across the face at the wedding reception when she finds out she’s been unfaithful to her Nicky-boy.
Jenny Bradley dancing around the factory to “Trapped” while Tracy Barlow is locked inside the storeroom at Underworld.
Audrey at the wedding reception: “I don’t see how things can get any worse for this family.” (before Callum’s body is found).
Amy Barlow channeling both Blanche and Deirdre in decrying her mother’s actions at the wedding. A wonderful, powerful scene.

And that’s just about that for this week.

Remember, you can sign up to get these Corrie weekly updates by email at http://www.corrie.net/updates/weekly/subscribe.htm

This week’s writers were Mark Burt (Sunday); Julie Jones (Monday); Debbie Oates (Tuesday); Joe Turner (Wednesday); Jan McVerry (Thursday). Find out all about the Coronation Street writing team at http://coronationstreetupdates.blogspot.com/2008/11/exclusive-all-current-corrie-writers.html

Glenda Young
--
Blogging away merrily at http://flamingnora.blogspot.com
Website: glendayoungbooks.com

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British Soap Awards: Corrie's awards in full

The British Soap Awards 2016 were held last night in that London at the Hackney Empire.

Look away now if you don't want to know which awards Coronation Street won because they are detailed below - with pictures!

Still not ready to look away?

Have a look at the red carpet pics of the Corrie cast in their best bib and tucker here.

The British Soap Awards will be screened tonight - Sunday 29 May - on ITV at 8pm.

Here are the awards that Coronation Street won last night.

Sally Dynevor and Joe Duttine won Best On-Screen Partnership for Tim and Sally.

Connor McIntyre won Villain Of The Year award for Pat Phelan.

Patti Clare won Best Comedy Performance for her role as Mary Taylor and Malcolm Hebden (Norris Cole) collected the award on her behalf.

There was a new award this year at the British Soap Awards. It's The Tony Warren Award (Off-Screen) and was awarded to Coronation Street's former Casting Director James Bain, who passed away recently. The award was presented by Charlie Lawson (Jim McDonald).

If you'd like to see all of the winners from the awards bash, they're listed at various places online and we've chosen to link to the easy to read list at Radio Times.

Interestingly Corrie won none of the shortlisted categories in which fans voted. These were Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Soap. Also, Corrie won nothing for their nominated #CorrieLive and Callum's death episodes and storylines. The winners above were all chosen by the Soaps Awards panel.

However, when you see which soap did win Best Soap at the awards last night, it does bode well for the future of our favourite show. Come on, Kate Oates, take us to glory next year!

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Corrie Weekly Awards May 22 - 26

Wedding gift win/fail: Cathy's Adam and Eve painting! Shocking. But she had the faces looking quite accurate!

Lump in the throat moment. Roy telling Carla he's proud of her and Hayley would be, too. Carla calls Johnny Dad for the first time as she leaves Weatherfield.

Musical ambiance "How will I know (if he really loves me)" while Carla is confessing to Nick.

David and Goliath award: David warned Robert that he would have flattened him. If he hadn't had his hands full.

Phrase of Doom: Audrey "I don't see how things could possibly get any worse for this family". (You're new here, right?)

Bricking it award: Sarah, Kylie and David after Callum's body resurfaced.

Contrived award: The only niggle I have is: Why did Tyrone take the breakdown truck to go buy Fiz a dress when he owns a perfectly servicable car? (Yes, I know why but it was a contrived set up)

Not a blushing bride: Carla was the glummest bride I've ever seen.

Lines of the week:
Tracy "That colour is not a good look" Amy "Well, twisted and bitter is not a good look either"
Tracy "Good luck today, Carla" Carla "Luck doesn't come into it" (you're going to wish it had)
Johnny "I think I know who did this" Michelle "No... she wouldn't!" (It's not the first wedding she screwed up, if you'll recall)
Tracy "Busy Tracy is much better than Bored Tracy"
Gail "My little Nicky. Getting married. Moving away." (then telling him he's her first born with a special place in her heart) David "All right mum, you'll ruin his mascara"
Cathy "I'd marry Roy in a heartbeat"
Tracy "I've only got one kidney!" Johnny "One kidney. No heart"
Sean "A really nice love poem, by, I don't know, Someone or Other" Jenny "Aw, he's dead good, him"
Gail about Carla "I never trusted her" (didn't take long to change her tune)
Nick "Whatever it is just say it. It can't be that bad, can it?" (yes, yes it can)
Gail "She ought to be over here explaining. Not sat there like Cruella deVille with a migraine"
Nick "Making a mistake isn't illegal" and "sorry to rain on your grenade but the only person you're showing up is yourself" (hurrah!)
David after Gail slapped Carla "Way to go, Tiger Mum"
Cathy "A wedding's just one day, but a marriage isn't always what you think it is"
Tracy "She tried to kill me!" Jenny "It's a shame she missed!"
Michelle "No one gets it but you. No one gets me but you" (but it's not about you)
Amy "Oh I'll get my violin, shall I?" (Ha!)
Robert "I made a mistake. But she stuck the knife in. And twisted it"
Roy "Perhaps I'm tired of the insanity"
Carla "I love you, Dad" (first time she's called him that!)

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First-look pics: Will returns to Coronation Street

Here are some preview pictures from the episode of Coronation Street to be screened on Monday 6 June 2016.

As Steve and Michelle share a tender kiss in the back room of the Rovers, they’re interrupted by the arrival of Will and Saskia.

Clearly fired up, Saskia has an accusation to make.

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Saturday, 28 May 2016

British Soap Awards: Corrie red carpet pics

Alison King (Carla Tilsley)

Tonight, The British Soap Awards take place at the Hackney Empire in London.

We will be announcing the results here on the Blog tomorrow morning... so you can choose to ignore the results tomorrow if you wish! I'm giving advance warning of this as I know lots of fans don't like to know the results of these awards shows before it's screened on telly. The show will be on ITV on Sunday 29 May at 8pm.

And here are the red carpet pictures of some of the Corrie cast tonight. All pictures copyright Getty Images.