There's been much in the papers lately about "Corrie in crisis" because of the number of cast members who are leaving. The tabloids are screaming that the cast are being over worked, underpaid, or that they don't like working through six episodes a week.
Well, whatever the papers may say, I guess none of us really knows what's going on behind the scenes. To this fan, with my decades of Corrie-watching under my belt, it comes as no surprise that cast are leaving. Contracts expire, new faces are brought in, old ones move on. The cast are actors, that's their profession, so it's no surprise that they want to try new things. And with a new producer at the helm, it's inevitable that he'll want to make his stamp on the soap.
In this week's Inside Soap magazine they've got a great quote direct from ITV Corrie which says this:
"Cast departures are either a result of storylines coming to their natural conclusions, or actors choosing to pursue new projects at the end of their contracts - that's simply the nature of soap. The Street is a very happy place to be with producer Iain MacLeod who is continuing the great work of his predecessors and taking the show from strength to strength. As for the schedules, Corrie has been producing six episodes a week since 2017. The idea that actors are unhappy and quitting as a result is absolute rubbish."
So there we have it. All part of the natural cycle of soap.
Still, can't help keeping my fingers crossed that two of my least-favourite actors and characters will be handing in their notice soon...
Glenda Young
Author: Belle of the Back Streets
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11 comments:
I think ITV Corrie speaks with forked tongue!
Corrie seems a very controlled place these days. Quite acceptable, I suppose, when you're running a major outfit. The publicity interviews in Q & A style are clearly not written by the actors, and I haven't seen expose features by departing actors. The threat of no-return wouldn't cut much ice with some actors so I wonder if they are paid to keep quiet. Which means we're unlikely to find out what's going on.
They're hardly going to admit that there is trouble behind the scenes. To feel that it was needed to print something in a magazine rather than just say nothing at all says a lot more than the paragraph they've published in inside soap tbh.
I don't believe the crisis is in the long working hours, but a lot of the actors quite honestly at the moment seem disinterested in their performances, bar a few. The tone of the show has changed dramatically into almost panto style and characters are changing on the whim of a story-line, whether it makes sense to the character or not.
Surely you choose to be an actor because you want to tell good stories and engage with the audience, regardless of the pay, hours etc.... and that's where I feel perhaps the unrest lies. A lot of very very decent actors on the show are being sidelined at the moment for other much poorer ones who are dishing out farcical comedy that is maybe a hit on social media but not so much with the viewers at large.
According to ratings sources, Corrie is down nearly 900k on their viewers compared to this time last year and were level with Emmerdale over the bank holiday, many even switched off after the first episode.
They aren't paid to keep quiet. It is the usual churn.
You can’t keep us hanging like that,Glenda... A couple of clues,at least!
I believe Gary is one.
I would hardly say they are overworked. Some of them just show up every few weeks, say a couple of lines and then disappear again.
I know a lot of the older cast are aghast at the standard of scripts and the lack of genuine comedy (not slapstick rubbish we viewers are fed). Many are just closing their eyes and thinking of the money.
MacLeod will drag the show to the gutter. Why does he think Mary shouting and Gemma is what viewers want to see??
@Abercrombie - If you think that Glenda wants to see the back of Gary, then you haven't been reading this blog!
Ha, ha!Oh yes, she loves him. Must be a blogger I'm thinking of...
Is it the rinse cycle ?
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