Tuesday, 6 April 2021

Alison King interview: Wedding plans for Carla and Peter


How has Carla been coping with Peter’s recovery?
I think she has been brilliant and she has really been trying to stick by him and do the right thing but she keeps lying and keeping things from him and tripping herself up. For all the promises she makes to start afresh she then does something else that could cause them problems. She is doing it for him a lot of the time to save him from getting involved in things that could set him back but I’m not sure it is the right thing to do.
Do you feel she has done the right thing keeping secret the information about Simon and Leanne being caught up with the drugs gang? 
I understand why she was doing it, she really feels that the stress of all that is just too much to him to take on. But it has got so much worse now and I don’t feel she should be keeping such a big thing from him. One of the reasons she doesn’t tell him is that the meeting is coming up about the transplant and she doesn’t want anything to delay that. In her head her reason for not telling him are totally justifiable. 
Did what Lucas say resonate with her at all, does she have any regrets about her and Peter?
It’s funny because a lot of women I know have said they would run off to Devon with Lucas at the drop of a hat, there is quite a queue! Now Lucas has the link with the factory he could stay around and continue to create havoc for Carla and maybe some other women on the street. As for Carla, it did resonate with her but unfortunately she is still in love with Peter so the easier option is not for her. 
Was she at all tempted to take the simple life with Lucas, was there any attraction there?
Of course she could have gone off but like she said to Lucas she wouldn't be running off with him, it was the idea of getting away that she was attracted to because it would be easier than what she is having to face in Weatherfield. But she didn't want to believe Peter was drinking again however much it looked like it and you saw that in the relief when she found out he wasn’t. By the end Lucas was starting to frustrate her with his insistence that he knew what was best for her.
How does she feel about the family’s suspicions of her?
I don’t think she really understands where that is coming from, she has done everything to show that she wants to stand by Peter when, let’s face it, no one could have blamed her for walking away. It gives Tracy the chance to let off steam at her. After what happened with Adam she would be unlikely to make that sort of mistake again. It comes from a situation where Carla is not at the factory when she said she would be and Lucas can’t be found.
Does she feel that they partly blame her for what has happened to Peter?
She feels responsible herself, so whether they think it or not she would be on the defensive because she feels ultimately responsible for him starting drinking again this time around. And she also feels that she caused him an enormous amount of stress but then he also does it to her, it is like roundabout they can’t get off. It is a lot for someone with her history of mental health issues to take on. Now she and Peter have decided to get on with it and work at it together. She just wants everyone else to fall in line really.
Is she worried that Peter is too unwell to go ahead with the wedding? 
Mindful of what they are saying and Peter’s health, she does give him the opportunity more than once to postpone the wedding, and tells him that she will always be there for him, married or not. But he makes it clear to her that it is what he wants, at the back of his mind he thinks he might die and never get the chance to marry her and he wants to do it for her.
How does she feel when Peter tells her that he wants a small wedding?
Great, that is perfect for her, it takes the pressure off and with everything they have had to cope with they don’t need more pressure.
What is the wedding dress like?
Nothing like last time, that huge wedding feels like a lifetime ago. It is very simple, it was bought online as it had to be something that Nina could have made. It not traditional, it is navy blue with white flowers, very seventies style
How important is it to Carla to get married?
It is important to her, she loves Peter and she just really wants to be settled, she wants the drama to be over. It is telling that they don’t even need to be living together and they are as close as ever. He wants it more than her for the reasons I said, she would wait but she knows why he wants to do it now.
He is really ill on the day, how scared is she when she is stood there and he looks so poorly? 
Daniel had wanted to get him to the hospital but she knew how much it meant to Peter to get married so they go ahead with getting him to the hotel for the ceremony but he is so poorly and as she starts to say her vows it is looking increasingly like he might not get what he wanted after all.
She is surrounded by men that are struggling, Peter, Johnny and Nick at the factory, what is it that makes Carla so strong and keeps her going?
Yes it is partly her upbringing, It is a survival thing for her, she doesn't know how to give up. She survived the psychosis she feels she could survive anything. She doesn’t know how to give up or actually to ask for help.
Do you like Carla the businesswoman being back in the factory?
Yes I do like that. It doesn't feel quite the same filming there because of covid but I am quite enjoying that because it is more about the conversations in the office and less about the work of the factory and people at sewing machines and deals being done. The beauty of Carla is she is versatile and I like everywhere that she works. I like it when she works in the cafe, I don't mind where she works. What I do like about the factory is the dynamic between her and Sarah. I enjoy working with Tina. Because of everything that happened over Adam and their fall out the fact that they work together is great, Carla swallowed as much as she could take from Sarah before she finally just said ‘I’m better at this than you, you all need me here need so just get on with it.” Carla has still got balls and I love that!
Glenda Young
Twitter: @Flaming_Nora
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3 comments:

  1. She is one of my all time favorite characters.
    Never give up is absolutely true to her character.
    Peter is sucking the life out of her, and I wish they'd written this story differently.
    My hope is that Peter gets his transplant (perhaps from Daniel?) and be on a road to recovery and hopefully give this couple a modicum of (I want to say happiness but this is soapland so I'll just say, peace!)

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    1. Agreed! Carla's one of my faves too but the writing for her (and the show as a whole) has been very poor lately. Why are her and Peter still sofa surfing? What happened to the fancy flat Carla used to own? Also Underworld hasn't been the same since its makeover and I think Carla would be better off out of there now (what purpose does she serve there? She's not the boss, just a stand in for Nick who is now back).
      I'd love to see Carla A) get her own place preferably somewhere upmarket like she used to. B) give her a different job where we can still see her as a businesswoman. C) Have some happiness! This liver failure story with Peter was described by the producer as the 'ultimate love story'... to me it's been anything but!

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  2. Sharon boothroyd8 April 2021 at 14:44

    I thought Carla had taken over Sinead's beard oil business - what happened to that?
    It hasn't been mentioned for a while, but maybe this is what Daniel's living off?
    I see Peter is back to his blanket and jigsaw. It's depressing, but it's realistic.
    How a bad boy womaniser who liked a drink is dealing with the consequences.

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