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

Wednesday 28 February 2018

Coronation Street record breaker in Audrey's salon


Did you spot the gentleman above when he appeared on Monday night's Coronation Street? He walked into Audrey's salon and Bethany gave him some of her cheek. Needless to say, he walked out again.

The salon customer was played by actor Anthony Schaeffer and his role on Monday night marked his record-breaking 14th credited role in the programme. 

His first was back in 1980 as the doctor who declared Renee Roberts dead.Since then he's also gone on to play fourteen roles as follows:

  1. Dr Edwards who tried to treat the mortally injured Renee Roberts in July 1980
  2. PC Leach who breathalysed Jack Duckworth in October 1984
  3. Insurance agent Mr Fletcher in October 1986
  4. Councillor Peter Blackstone in September 1990
  5. Solicitor Dennis Gaskell in November of the same year
  6. Rep Henry Barnes in April 1992
  7. Car salesman John Marsh in June 1993
  8. Another car salesman called Malcolm Teeson in August 1995
  9. A Court Clerk at the trial of Jez Quigley in August 2000
  10. A Police Sergeant in January 2001
  11. A Desk Sergeant in August 2001
  12. Solicitor James Brentnall in February 2003
  13. Teacher Mr Dyer in May 2004.
  14. A Male Client in Audrey's who was insulted by Bethany Platt in February 2018.

His other roles include parts in The Mallens, The Sandbaggers, Strangers, G.B.H., Crown Court, First Among Equals, The New Statesman, The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes, Prime Suspect, In Suspicious Circumstances, Emmerdale and Heartbeat.

In the late 1980s he conducted phone-in shows on Manchester's Piccadilly Radio.  

With thanks to Corriepedia for this wonderful news.

Anthony Schaeffer's fourteen roles in Corrie beats even Dave Dutton's ten roles. You can find out more about Dave Dutton's Corrie roles here.

Read more Corrie news, interviews, gossip and spoilers  

Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook 




Please read our advice for leaving comments on the Coronation Street Blog
All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

Coronation Street's Gas Blast from the Past


With thanks to the wonderful Classic Coronation Street on Facebook I've found this fab old British Gas video featuring none other than Jean Alexander in her Coronation Street role of Hilda Ogden.

The video says that "Hilda gives helpful advice on coping with bills, avoiding hypothermia, beatign the burglars and maintaining gas safety."

I've never seen this before. What a great little find!

Read more Corrie news, interviews, gossip and spoilers  

Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook 




Please read our advice for leaving comments on the Coronation Street Blog
All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

Godfather of Pop Art's Homage to Coronation Street


Sir Peter Thomas Blake, CBE, RDI, RA (born 25 June 1932) is an English pop artist, best known for co-creating the sleeve design for the Beatles' album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. 

And I've just found out that he also created this wonderful Coronation Street collage!  It's on show at the moment in the CCA Gallery. You can view the real thing at CCA Galleries. More details here.

One of the best known British pop artists, Blake is considered to be a prominent figure in the pop art movement. Central to his paintings are his interest in images from popular culture which have infused his collages. In 2002 he was knighted at Buckingham Palace for his services to art. Find out more about him here.

Read more Corrie news, interviews, gossip and spoilers  

Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook 




Please read our advice for leaving comments on the Coronation Street Blog
All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

Preview of tonight's Coronation Street - Weds 28 Feb


WEDNESDAY 28TH FEBRUARY 
BETHANY HAS A FLASH FROM THE PAST Bethany tells Gail and Sarah she has resigned from the salon and is going back to lapdancing. Back at the club the new manager makes her wear a skimpy bikini but she refuses. Things get out of hand when a stag do get rowdy and hands on. Seeing the groom she has a flashback to Nathan and lashes out with a bottle. The police are called and Bethany is arrested.
KATE IS FORCED INTO A DECISION Phelan tells Alya and Kate they need to find a new tenant for Luke’s room. Zeedan overhears and suggests to Sophie that she should offer to move in. Kate is not happy but can’t say anything when Alya says it is a great idea.
BILLY PUSHES SUMMER AWAY A groggy Billy and Lee wake up in Billy’s flat. Whilst they are out Summer returns and is shocked at the state of the flat but hides as they return before confronting Billy about what he is doing.
ELSEWHERE Craig is tense as he realises his watch has stopped, his OCD kicks in and he cannot leave the salon flat until the time reaches an even number. Maria talks to Beth about his behaviour but Beth says he is just safety conscious. Dr Gaddas tells Liz that Moira has won her tribunal and will be returning to the surgery.

WEDNESDAY 28TH FEBRUARY 
BETHANY IS STRUGGLING TO COPE Bethany is quizzed by the police and she confides in Sarah that she is worried she had some sort of psychotic episode thinking the groom was Nathan, Sarah says she may benefit from going back to counselling. Craig sees Bethany leaving and blames himself for what happened. At home Beth can see he is anxious but is baffled by his reaction when he says he is moving out.
SOPHIE IS DISAPPOINTED BY KATE’S CHANGE OF HEART Zeedan is pleased about Sophie moving in with Kate and Aya and wastes no time telling Rana as he knows it will upset her. Kate tells Sophie she has had a change of heart and it is too soon for her to be moving in. Can Kate and Rana stay away from each other?
SUMMER CONFIDES IN PHELAN An upset Summer arrives at number 11 and tells Phelan what is happening at the flat. Phelan promises he will help her sort it out.
ELSEWHERE Eileen finds Liz hiding from Moira in the Rovers’ toilets and the two women make amends, prompting Liz to suggests throwing a ‘getting to know Pat party.”


Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook 




Please read our advice for leaving comments on the Coronation Street Blog
All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

Tuesday 27 February 2018

If this is Heaven, Corrie... then what is Hell?


Coronation Street's heroin scene in last night's show has prompted 82 complaints to broadcast watchdog Ofcom. 

After taking the heroin, Lee said to Billy in the post-watershed scene: “This must be what heaven feels like.”

A spokeswoman for Ofcom said: “We are assessing these complaints under our broadcasting rules, before deciding whether or not to investigate.”

An ITV spokeswoman said: “Coronation Street has a strong tradition of tackling serious contemporary issues in a responsible way. In upcoming episodes we will be showing the very negative side of drug taking as Billy’s life starts to fall apart.”

This fan said, well, nothing. I was lost for words at the end of Coronation Street last night. Just as I was with the Pat Phelan dark episodes. And not in a good way, either.

Were these episodes....

Dramatic? Yes
Harrowing? Yes
Issue led? Yes
Great acting? Yes
Gritty? Yes
Coronation Street? No

Read more Corrie news, interviews, gossip and spoilers  

Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook 




Please read our advice for leaving comments on the Coronation Street Blog
All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

Dolly-Rose Campbell interview: Gemma and Tyrone's kiss


Where has Tyrone and Gemma’s friendship started? 

Their friendship has been building around the time of Chesney’s wedding as they rally together to be there for Chesney. Now Gemma has been there for Tyrone because he is having some difficult times at home and she’s just being a good mate.


Tell us about what happens when he opens up to Gemma about Ruby.

When he opens up about Ruby and his fears for how she might be like Kirsty, Gemma is sympathetic towards him but also she doesn’t believe that that’s the case. She doesn’t believe that just because her mum had problems that she’s going to have problems so she reassures him.

What happens when Hope and Ruby run off? 

Whilst Gemma and Tyrone are chatting in the street and are distracted, Hope and Ruby run off into the factory. They are playing with a saw and so Tyrone and Gemma know they need to break down the door to get them out.

What’s Gemma thinking in that moment? 

She’s just thinking about how she can get the kids out as fast as she can and make sure that they’re safe. Gemma smashes the door down and saves the day.

What does Tyrone do?

He’s grateful to her for helping him to get the kids out because in the moment he’s just so panicked and he doesn’t know what to do.

Tell us what happens when Gemma calls in to No. 5?

Gemma calls in and finds that there’s just Tyrone and Ruby there because Hope and Fiz have gone to stay with Chesney. Tyrone is really lost so Gemma tells him to go and get some beers and that she’d try her best to cheer him up.

Gemma’s not had a good time relationship-wise either,  has she? 

No she’s had quite the palava with Henry. She’s very disappointed with the way things turned out with Henry and the way that Chesney defended her has made her see Chesney in a new light but these feelings are not reciprocated.  Her feelings are pretty hurt at the minute.

What is Gemma’s first thoughts when Tyrone leans in for the kiss? 

It is out of the blue! Gemma wasn’t expecting this from Tyrone so she is surprised by it. But she’s at a low point.

In your opinion, do you think that Gemma and Tyrone suit? 

No. Gemma is flattered that somebody like Tyrone might be interested in her because the kind of guys that have been interested in her in the past have either not stayed around or they’re like Henry and they haven’t been interested for the right reasons.

What’s it like working with Alan Halsall? 

It’s great fun, he’s very funny. He’s really good with the children as well when they’re in the scene.

Read more Corrie news, interviews, gossip and spoilers  

Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook 




Please read our advice for leaving comments on the Coronation Street Blog
All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

Interview with Connor McIntyre: Phelan's dead bodies revealed


How does Phelan feel about going back to the Mill?

Phelan is desperate now. He gets there knowing that he has to move really quick, he has to get this thing done. He is thinking he needs to get the bodies out of there and in to the concrete footings. But the Mill is very symbolic for him for a couple of reasons and this is his one chance to do away with any evidence that these murders link to him. It’s real desperate measures for him, it’s fire-fighting. It’s all starting to fold in.

You’ve said before that Phelan is a narcissist, is he panicked by this?

Phelan is panicked in the sense that he has to do it quickly, he is motivated. If they find those two bodies and identify them then everything is going to start coming back to him. So, panicked? Certainly but again, he thinks eventually everything will work for him. He thinks he has a perfect plan; get them out of the water and get them in to the concrete. No one is going to find them in there, right?

What is his reaction when he sees one of the bodies emerging from the water?

Phelan sees the top of something in the water and, to anybody else that could just be a bit of debris but to him, he knows what it is and he knows he has got to move quick. He has got away from Eileen and thinks he can get this job done and be back in time for the party - he has got a timetable of everything.

Tell us what happens when he tries to get the bodies out of the water.

Phelan gets the bodies out of the water, drags them across planks and across staging to get them in to this footings so it’s a proper night’s work. It’s a real job to get it done but at that point he thinks that the job is done.

How is this Phelan such a jump from the one who kept Andy in the cellar because he couldn’t face to kill him?

We have crossed the rubicon. He thinks that this is a really clear way to sort this. I heard a description of Donald Trump, one of his ex aides said, ‘Donald is the guy who doesn’t care if it is raining outside because he is inside.’ And that’s a pretty good description of our Pat, isn’t it?

What happens when Eileen starts to call Phelan?

Can you believe it?! He has just text her to say he is on his way then puts his phone down for a second but then she phones at that moment and it starts vibrating on the plank. Just as he gets there to it, it drops in. He climbs in because it is not that full by then, not realising that once he is in he actually can’t get out.

Does Phelan believe this is the end?

Yes. To see him in that moment he thinks, wow this could be it. He is incredulous. In the same poetic ways that the bodies are going, he is going to be entombed in the concrete as well?

What were those scenes like to film?

Fantastic. We had absolutely the worst weather, only this time we had rain machines as well as the cold and we even had lightening! So to say it is Shakespearean is not an exaggeration, this is real jeopardy for him.

How was the atmosphere this time in comparison to when you filmed at the Mill last time?

It was remarkably different. It was colder and I don’t just mean that that affects us, the tone out there is colder because Phelan is very clear what he has to do. When he was at the Mill previously, it was a chain of events leading to a double murder. This time this is an actual plan to get to this point. A lot more chilling - literally.

What is the reaction you get from viewers and what do you hope the reaction will be to this storyline this week?

It’s very interesting because I get a lot of positives. On the contrary, they say they hate Phelan but they just don’t want him to go yet. They are really enjoying it and that is a credit to the writers, the storyliners and everybody else.

What makes Phelan such a good baddie?

The writers and the storyliners have done such a great job of walking this very fine line, he’s a dangerous narcissist and psychopath. If you can make a character like that and still have sympathy from large proportions of the viewing public who believe that inside there there is a good man fighting to get out because there are moments of real decency. He’s got a moral compass at some points and his love for Eileen is true but that only exists in it’s own special place because we can see what he is when somebody gets in his way or when he perceives somebody trying to derail his plans.


Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook 




Please read our advice for leaving comments on the Coronation Street Blog
All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

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!