Oh Christmas Three! Corrie Producer Kate Brooks Talks Daisy, Bethany and Daniel

"It's so fun to watch. It just feels nice and 'soapy.'"

I recently travelled to Coronation Street studios in Manchester for a press conference with new producer Kate Brooks. It was packed with so much news, views and spoilers, that I'm sharing her
insights via a series of blogs.

Here, she talks about what Christmas 2024 will be like for Daisy, Bethany and Daniel.

Those who don't wish to be in the know should look away now.

Describing their relationship as “the love triangle that keeps on giving,” Kate says it will be carried through December and into the New Year.

We will essentially find Daniel in love with two women and torn as to what to do for the best, and we could even see a little mistake come back to bite him.

Kate tells us, “For me, the rivalry between Daisy and Bethany is fantastic. It's so fun to watch. It just feels nice and 'soapy,' which I think is what we want to do with that story.” 

Acknowledging there are other issue-led stories around it, she says the love triangle and dynamic is going to be “super interesting, and super exciting as we wonder what the heck Daniel is going to do.” With constant dilemmas to negotiate on his part, we're promised lots of relationship drama from it.

“You know what I love about it as well?” she adds, “There's no good or bad guys in it. It's just that these three people have found themselves in this situation, and they just want to find their own happiness. But, obviously sometimes when you find the happiness, it comes at a cost.”

This last remark I found to be very heartening when listening to Kate, as it gave an indication of her focus on and interest in personal relationships and stories, which has always been at the heart of the Street. This was evidenced too in other conversations with her which you can read all about here:

A Classic Christmas for Gail? Interview with Corrie Producer Kate Brooks

Christmas Eves: Carla and Lisa get Festive? Interview with Corrie Producer Kate Brooks

Nick, Leanne and Toyah Share Ex-mas? Interview with Corrie Producer Kate Brooks

By Emma Hynes

Read all about my recent trip to Coronation Street in A Rover Returns.

Read my recent Corrie interview with Calum Lill

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Rovers Return Reopens Tonight! : Have We Missed It?

It's a Christmas miracle wrapped up in Carla Connor's money but hey ho, at least we start the New Year with the Rovers Return reopening. I can't say I’m pleased about Daisy and Jenny money laundering (it's a soap, repercussions will come) but have we missed Weatherfield’s N0.1 watering hole?

Where would we be without Betty’s hotpots, pints of Newton & Ridley, and the numerous dramatics we've had in our favourite fictional pub? The Bistro probably does better food, and Speed Daal is a dry bar/takeaway alternative, but The Rovers Return Inn is a behemoth of Coronation Street, a literal cornerstone of the show's 63-year history.

Many fans will be happy to see it reopen, none more so than Corrie producer Iain Macleod, who was reluctant to keep it closed for so long. The blog spoke with the showrunner in October and he told us all about the pub reopening. Iain said ‘’It's almost a character in its own right, The Rovers closing, it almost felt like death: I think. The idea of seeing the pub boarded up was horrifying and like a dagger to the heart’’ Iain also told us: “ It (reopens) on New Year's Eve, but the circumstances of it becoming open again are at best naughty, or at worse criminal’’

How will the reopening come about? 

"The reopening of it will be based on this slightly shaky foundation of a criminal act. The viewers will be left wondering what will happen to the people involved in the misdeed committed for it to reopen. We didn't just want it to open up again and be like nothing had ever happened. We wanted it to open up with a buried bomb underneath it, which we will explode later in the year!"

Will the Rovers be renovated for the reopening? 

“It's not going to look radically different. I think certain sets, I'm not saying they shouldn't ever change, but I certainly feel like I don't want it to be modernised or turned into a chain pub or something. It's updated a touch, but I like the look and feel of it at the moment. It will reopen looking very similar, the circumstances of its ownership will be much more fraught’’ 

Thanks, Iain!

With the end of 2023 in sight, I'd like to thank our editor, Glenda, the Coronation Street press team, and lovely readers for keeping me busy with Corrie cast interviews, episode reviews, and opinion pieces. Happy New Year Everyone! 

@rybazoxo Corrie Blogger and Cobbles Connoisseur 

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Daisy’s Dumped! Corrie Blog:Charlotte Jordan Interview

At the end of last Friday’s episode, we saw Daisy’s devastation as Daniel ended their relationship and Ryan reconciled with Chrystal. What now for the Rovers barmaid? Corrie blog had a chat with Charlotte Jordan who told us all about Daisy’s dark Christmas and her Rovers (New Year) resolutions! 

How is Daisy taking the break-up? 

In Daisy's fashion, she masks her true feelings with a face full of makeup and witty remarks - she is heartbroken. Fresh out of the break-up with Daniel, I think she’s hoping for reconciliation. They’ve always had such a fiery relationship. She’s left hoping and praying once he’s had a bit of time to take the initial sting away, she can convince him to make another go of it.

After losing both Daniel and Ryan, where is Daisy’s head? 

She’s having to regroup and refocus. These men at one time or another have been her sole focus for the last two-three years on the street. They (Corrie writers) are using the break-up to bring the dark side of her character back out! She’s going to lean into her morally corrupt tendencies. She feels she has nothing left to lose, so for lack of a better statement: The Bitch is Back. 

Daisy breaks into the Platts! 

How does Daisy feel about Ryan moving to Glasgow? 

Daisy genuinely wants what’s best for Ryan. She feels so indebted to him, that she’s confused about her gratitude for romantic feelings towards him. I hope people haven’t forgotten that Daisy is also traumatised from the Justin saga and hasn’t processed much of it herself as she’s focused all her energy on Ryan’s recovery. On-screen, we haven’t touched on her own. Hopefully, people remember she isn’t the straight-up bad guy in this love triangle, it’s more complex and layered than that. 

Do you think Daisy will see Bethany as a threat - given her and Daniel’s history? 

Oh god, absolutely! - she’s beautiful, she’s been told how successful Bethany is living it up in London - Daisy is a naturally jealous, territorial person. Bethany had that connection with Daniel when he was at his most vulnerable which will instantly put Daisy on high alert and I have to say it’s a relationship I’m looking forward to playing around with. 

Bethany Platt Returns! - Friend or Foe For Daisy?

Daisy seems to like a challenge when it comes to relationships - firstly with Ryan and Alya then the challenge with Daniel initially - does Bethany being back give Daisy that challenge and push to win Daniel back? 

Mmm, I wouldn’t necessarily refer to Daniel as a prize to be won - he’s also made some pretty manipulative moves which I think scream “red flag”. I can’t decide whether they need to go their separate ways for good or whether this has proved they’re more similar than we thought, maybe they’re made for each other! If Daisy sees Daniel happy with someone else it will crush her, especially if he moves on fast. But it will also force her to take accountability for what she’s done to their relationship. I think because deep down, she knows how royally she mucked it up, after the initial red mist fades she may want him to be happy but, we can live in the hope that he does eventually find his way back to her!

What would you like to see from Daisy in the coming months?

I’d like her to focus on the Rovers and focus on becoming a successful, mini, secret landlady. I’d also like her to turn the relationship with Bethany on its head. They’ve got a fair amount in common. I think there’s room for a solid friendship to blossom and then selfishly, I’d get some scenes with more of the Platts. I’d like that. Start throwing Daisy into different social circles on the show. I’ve been asking them to make Daisy and Todd pals for yonks! Me, desperately trying to get Daisy some friends! 

What will Daisy's dark side reveal? Watch #Corrie this week on ITV & ITVX as the drama unfolds! 

@rybazoxo Corrie Connoisseur and Cobble's superfan! 

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Daniel Discovers Daisy's Affair! : Corrie Love Triangle Becomes A Foursome?

Way back in April, I attended one of my most memorable and emotional Corrie press days. Luckily enough to get a preview of the acid attack episodes, I gasped as Ryan dropped to the Rovers floor in agony, burning from the sulphuric acid. Daisy dragging him to the shower in her wedding dress may have been a symbolic harbinger of her relationship with Daniel, but we had no idea at that time. With the marriage never being mentioned again, the wedding ring disappeared - and Ryan and Daisy's emotional entanglement and subsequent affair began. Daniel has had some vague suspicions and nearly caught them in the act at the hotel recently. This week, the teacher finally catches Daisy out. Add Bethany Platt to the mix (Daniel’s ex) who's returning any time between now and 2024, and I wonder if this love triangle of the year is about to turn into a foursome? 

Daniel and Daisy argue over the kitchenette

Back in October, Corrie Blog caught up with Corrie producer Iain Macleod, who told us what's to come this Christmas and New Year as this love triangle explodes! 

Hi Iain, What can you tell us about Ryan, Daniel, Daisy and the return of Bethany? 

‘’I’ll start by saying that I love this love triangle - I veer from week to week from being ‘Team Daniel and Daisy’ to ‘Team Ryan and Daisy! Normally, in soaps like ours, when you have an affair, you end up having to make one person behave badly to orchestrate the cheating, but this has been so organic from the start. I entirely understand Daisy’s feelings for Daniel and the depth of those, but I also understand the (depth of) feelings she’s got for Ryan, having survived this terrible ordeal. I don't know who I am rooting for!’’

Daniel sees footage of Daisy & Ryan together?

Daisy’s feelings for Ryan can't go undiscovered forever. Is he due to find out anytime soon? 

''He does indeed start to cotton on, (to what's been going on between them) and the feelings they have for each other. (Daniel realises) the betrayals they’ve committed behind his back. There are intense sequences where Daniel starts to put the pieces together. We see a slight revisiting of some of Daniel's darkness (not quite to the extent of pushing anyone down the stairs) but, what we know about him'' Iain continued ''is that when pushed into an emotional corner, a switch goes. He’s capable of doing some fairly underhand, and classically dark things. We’ll see flashes of that as the story unfolds and some classic soapy manipulation on his part, to try and distance Ryan and Daisy, as quickly and as fair apart as possible. Ultimately, it all comes crashing down: there are some fantastic scenes concerning the end of that (Daniel and Daisy) relationship!''

Daisy contemplates wearing tartan

Where does that leave Daisy? 

‘’There are some big dilemmas for Daisy: if it's not Daniel, then does she choose Ryan purely because he is the default setting? Ryan is also quite vulnerable - he could get his heart trampled on. In the middle of all this, a volatile cocktail arrives with Bethany, who has all of this history with Daniel, and that sharpens Daisy’s focus in terms of how she feels about him''

Ryan and Daisy's Last Christmas?

What can we expect in the New Year, with Bethany adding to this Ryan, Daisy, and Daniel story? 

‘’ A brilliant classic soap story, I think. Without duplicating anything, we are attempting to go to something that has the same level of emotional heft as some of those classic affairs of yore: Mike and Deirdre stuff, like a love triangle of the ages. It's (the storyline) going to go deep into next year as buried feelings come back to the surface with a bang or two! Bethany is a different proposition this time around. (She has) the beginnings of a successful journalism career, and is now an equal foe for Daisy. Bethany is coming back for this Daniel story and is also involved in a huge storyline coming up this next year ''

Thanks, Iain! 

I think the acid-attack storyline (although utterly shocking) has given us a plethora of classic Corrie drama, and as this love triangle becomes a foursome, it looks like plenty more is still to come!

Watch Corrie this week on ITV & ITVX as Daniel begins to discover Daisy’s affair. 

I am @rybazoxo on X - Corrie blogger and Cobbles Connossieur #Corrie

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