Coronation Street Blog: Corrie Comicals week ending 8 January 2021

On Monday Jonathan Harvey and Duncan Foster combined to deliver everyone's typical experience of the last 10 months - "you are muted"; reply mouths "no I'm not"; entire panto audience shout out "he's behind you" - or something to that effect as a mere planning committee meeting was streamed over the internet. Which meant that the Street dwellers left behind could make observations like the one above from Abi - appearing in front of a committee and succeeding however does depend on the chair not being bent and accepting bribes and free meals or free nights in central Manchester hotel!

Alongside which if Carla is absent trying to sort out Peter, Nick home schooling his new offsprung and Sarah is far more interested in getting a smug Scots git (sorry) out of his kit then by default you get Sally to run the place (and congratulations to Mrs Dynevor for the appearance in the New Years Honour List). David did a bunk when he thought there might be free food at Sophie Dahl!

The fun continued in part 2 on Monday when Evelyn breezed into the café and observed that the place was really buzzing - even Roy had worked out she was being sarcastic.

I feared that Steve getting fit would be played for jokes - and when Abi found some underwear lying around in the front room of Number 1 she had to be told by Tracy what it was. Tracy was waiting for Steve to put it in the washing machine - Abi threw it across the room landing in the display around the candle (bottom left above)!

Power walking with Sally and Gail is more like a gentle stroll these days as the former tries to explain the attraction of Hale Barns with a farmer's market, chi-chi restaurants and three art galleries compared with a bit of fruit and veg at Dev's and the Bistro. I almost suspect one of the Mark's on writing duties of being a Hale Barns resident! Sally apparently did a night class in Impressionists - so Gail asks if she means Bobby Davro (more likely to have been Mike Yarwood given her age).

Having been away for so long a double dose of Evelyn tonight. She has dumped Arthur who departed in double quick time (do you know anyone else who can emigrate in 24 hours having just had a funeral service for a wife without a backward glance) for ~~Ambridge~~ Canada where he will no doubt be ~~bedding Jill Archer~~ sent back to the UK for not being covid free. Indeed are there any flights to anywhere in Canada at the moment and who is looking after Arthur's dog? Has the pooch been abandoned, after all a dog is for life not just for lockdowns.

Jenny ~~Bradley~~ Connor has been doing some colouring as a displacement activity and notices that she has used only red and black which leads to her observation above. She is of course trying to blank her mind with concern for Johnny and his imminent trial.

Nina has been predicting the future - without even looking in a teacup or a crystal ball. Apparently Simon's date will go well and that he is also about to tip her for her precision forecasting. Crossing the witch's palm with silver usually ensures that the prophecy comes true but in this case the fates intervene and Kelly gets stood up.

For those worried about Johnny spending 8 months inside - in the UK any prisoners with a sentence of less than 2 years are automatically released at the halfway point on licence, so after 4 months. It is also possible that were Johnny to accept Home Detention Curfew he could be released up to 135 days before the halfway point - which is 4 and a half months. I am surprised that Imran has not been in early contact with the authorities to pursue these possibilities. Johnny will have to serve some time but as we are all in Home Detention Curfew (aka lockdown) these days in England at present it is possible he could be home before eating any porridge! If TPTB do not have Johnny back in the Rovers within a week it shows a distinct lack of legal knowledge - I bet the judge knew.

Aggie has not quite got used to the rules of a soaps has she? We all know that once there is a declaration that there are to be no more lies - in this case she is demanding it from Grace if Michael is to co-parent the baby - then within hours or maybe a little longer there will be lies and secrets and games. I don't give the relationship long personally.

And finally the sad news this week was that Adele Rose - 457 episodes to her credit - and as has already been mentioned on the blog died last month - but before the titles ran tonight ITV also paid their respects.

Also tonight the death of film and tv director Michael Apted was announced. He learnt his craft with Granada TV and worked on Coronation Street before moving onto much else including a Bond film.

My thanks to both for their contributions and sympathies to their families.

Written by: Jonathan Harvey & Damon Alexis-Rochefort (Monday); Mark Wadlow & Mark Burt (Wednesday); Ellen Taylor (Friday)

Directed by: Duncan Foster (Monday); Vicky Thomas (Wednesday & Friday)

Kosmo

@Kosmo100