Mortification Street

I came home late from work last night and sat down to watch Coronation Street before bed. What followed were some of the most mortifying scenes I've witnessed in Corrie's long history. Right up there with Tracy's "sexy" dance before offing nasty Charlie Stubbs, worse that Dev's naked form being displayed on the side of the posh flats and almost giving anything "Molvin" a run for its money.

The mortification levels were so high in our house thanks to the delightful hen party storyline which saw Weatherfield's finest personal trainer, Kal Nazir, overexcite some rather unpleasant females by serving their microwaved puds half naked. The sight of Kal, stripped to the waist and slathered across the midriff with chocolate mousse was not only a waste of pudding, but a waste of my time as a Corrie viewer. Quite why this got Leanne's pulse racing I'm not quite sure, but it did and they snogged and nobody ever saw that one coming. 

It was just so tedious. My complaint about last nights scenes comes in two parts I'm afraid, so buckle up.

First of all, and possibly most importantly for the reputation of the programme, this storyline was just incredibly contrived, hackneyed and disrespectful. How many times has the dreadful male stripper plot been used? The mild titillation afforded by half naked men in the 7.30pm time slot really isn't worth the effort. It really doesn't do the writers, actors or viewers any favours. It's not funny, it's not dramatic, it's not clever.

I blame the arrival of Brian Park back in the 1990s for this phenomenon. When he introduced Adam Rickitt to the viewing public back in 1997, Corrie would never be the same again. The female characters were soon to drool over his physique which was amply displayed, whether essential to the plot or not. Ever since, there has been a long line of muscular young men fulfilling that role. Yawn. Time for some new ideas I think.

My second complaint is not directly about Coronation Street itself. I've been dismayed but not altogether surprised by the reaction to Jimi Mistry's role in the aforementioned storyline. Never mind whether you like the character or respect the actor, it really is totally unpleasant to pass such scathing judgements on someone else's appearance. Some of the comments I've read on internet forums and comments pages have been really out of line and I only hope the actor himself hasn't seen them. Fair play to the man for making the most of a lousy script and a bad idea. He did his best. I'd like to see how some of the people posting such negative comments about his appearance would cope if they had to endure such treatment. 

So enough with the half naked waiters and the sticky toffee pudding. Judging by the content of last night's Corrie, they should've been serving up Manchester tart instead.


Download our App | Follow on Twitter @CoroStreetBlog | Like on Facebook



All original work on the Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

Pics: Kal strips off in The Bistro - and kisses Leanne

In next week's Coronation Street, it's stripper night at The Bistro. 

Leanne's booked a male stripper for a hen night in the Bistro but she's furious when he cancels on her. Under pressure, Kal agrees to step into the role and Leanne can't help but cast quick glances at his six-pack. When they're alone, Leanne helps undo his bow tie.


As Kal and Leanne fall for each other, they decide to tell Nick about their feelings for each other but Nick clearly thinks he and Leanne are getting back together Before Kal can say anything, Nick tells him he plans to get back with Leanne.

As Leanne psyches herself up, will Nick's bombshell stop her in her tracks? Leanne feels terrible when Nick tells her he can't live without her. He kisses her and leaves. He later confides in Kal that he hopes Leanne will take him back. Desperate to spare his feelings, will Leanne tell him how she feels about Kal or lead him to believe he has a chance?

Download our App | Follow on Twitter @CoroStreetBlog | Like on Facebook



All original work on the Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

What do we think of Corrie's Kal so far?

Kal Nazir has now been on our screens for a good few weeks so I thought I would ask the question - what do you think of him so far?

So far we've seen Kal bond with Dev and attempt to help Nick through his current difficulties. We've also seen him attract the attentions of Stella and Come to Deirdre, although I'm sure I'm not the only one who sees the beginnings of a spark with the newly separated Leanne. 

The Corrie writers have done a good job of involving Kal with the Corrie community and now a new gym is planned, that's bound to continue. Really though, can you see the likes of Kirk and Beth pounding the treadmills?

Some might say that Kal has been presented as an overly cheerful character, although we do know he is a widower with children so there is bound to be drama to be had there. We also know that the rest of the Nazirs will be introduced gradually this year and it will be interesting to see how Corrie handles their first Muslim family. 

I must confess I am slightly biased in my opinions where Kal is concerned as I've always had a soft spot for actor Jimi Mistry. 

However, I'm interested in your views. Do you like what you've seen so far? Are you looking forward to seeing the rest of his family onscreen? And who on the street do you think Kal should be partnered off with?

Download our App | Follow on Twitter @CoroStreetBlog | Like on Facebook



All original work on the Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

Pic: Coronation Street's Jimi Mistry weds Flavia Cacace

Many congratulations go to Coronation Street newcomer Jimi Mistry, who plays Kal, as he's just been married to his fiancee, the Strictly Come Dancing dancer Flavia Cacace.  Both Jimi and Flavia have posted the picture below to twitter today with the same message: "Had the most amazing day with family & friends @StPancrasRen ❤️xxx"

Flavia has also updated her name on her twitter account from Flavia Cacace to Flavia Cacace-Mistry.

Congratulations from all of us here at the Coronation Street Blog.

Follow Coronation Street Blog on Twitter @CoroStreetBlog and Facebook: CoronationStreetBlog


All original work on the Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

And so it begins

It's the beginning of the end for Julie and Brian. There's no way he can come back into her good graces after his most recent cowardly stunt. He says he didn't want to break her heart by admitting he was taking a job in Wales and by going along with her plan to foster. He says "IF" I was lying... eh? *IF*??? He's always been selfish and cowardly and Julie now knows it and he's broken her heart. The ultimate betrayal was him sabotaging their fostering chance behind her back. That really was the ultimate in underhandedness. He only admitted it when his back was against the wall in the face of her determination to appeal the decision.

We've already seen the beginnings of Peter and Tina. Whether that will continue after the honeymoon or not, whether we'll be in for a full on affair or a lot of angst, doe eyed looks across the bar and "come here, no, go away" over and over remains to be seen. After everything Carla has gone through to finally be happy, it's only inevitable that her world comes crashing down around her ears. She's uttered far too many Phrases of Doom in the past couple of weeks for it to be any other way.

It's the beginning of the end for Marcus and Maria too, if Todd's lascivious look at Marcus' backside is anything to go on. I applaud Corrie for breaking the mold and showing us the unlikely love affair between a gay man and a straight woman. It does happen, probably more often than we might thing but it's not all that common either. It is meant to show us that you really can be surprised by who you fall for. But in the end, Marcus still identifies as gay and it's bound to come between them sooner or later. I just wish it wasn't with the manipulative tosser that Todd has turned into. Todd may fancy Marcus but I wouldn't put it past this version of Todd to chase after Marcus just to stir the pot and break he and Maria up on purpose. With some people, it's more about the chase than about the catch and I think Todd is one of those people.

I'm going way out on a limb here and predicting another beginning, if not an end. With the arrival of the handsome Kal, everyone wants to know which woman he'll get involved with. There were rumours that Liz would get her claws into him but now that we've seen Kal, even just a little, I don't think he'd be lured by Liz in the least. I'm predicting another L-ady. I'm going to point the fickle finger of fate at Leanne Tilsley who is probably ripe for a bit of fun after the uphill battle she's having with damaged husband Nick. Kal will start working with Nick and be around more and I think Nick's tirades are wearing her down, little by little. I never really thought Nick and Leanne were suited this time around anyway. She might be the love of his life but I never felt that he was the love of hers. That honour went to Peter, in my feeling. I think she went to Nick on the rebound from Peter and while she loves Nick, it was more about stability and maybe to make up for hurting him in the past (the affair just before the tram crash when she had the affair with Nick but married Peter on his deathbed).

I can picture Leanne and Kal together and I think they would have a lot of chemistry. She's already proven she can be a good mother so his kids would be in good hands. He's a dad so he'd be good to Simon, too.



And the last beginning of the end is the final few weeks for our beloved Hayley Anne Cropper. So far, chemotherapy hasn't seemed to have had a lot of residual effect, not that we've seen but I do think that they're dressing her in clothes just a little too big, to imply she's losing weight. She's starting to look a bit more tired and pale around the edges. She's planning her funeral and it's all going to be terribly sad for all of us who have come to love her over all these years. Now that her son has popped up again, only to be just as horrible as it was the last time and the first time, she's at least got some sort of closure even if it's not really a peace made between them. More of a resignation.

And in this, the anniversary week of the tram crash three years ago, I do wish someone would have mentioned the fact. Three people died, one of them integral to the street for many years and who might still count quite a few neighbours as his friends. I still miss Ashley Peacock. It would have been nice for Nick, whose life Ashley saved, or Kirk, who worked with him, or some of the other regulars to make a mention of him.


Follow Coronation Street Blog on Twitter @CoroStreetBlog and Facebook: CoronationStreetBlog


All original work on the Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

Introducing Jimi Mistry as new Corrie character Kal

Introducing Jimi Mistry, who I had the privilege of interviewing recently at ITV.

Monday night's episode this week saw Dev trying to get into shape, but soon he will have more than a walking work station in the shape of Jimi Mistry, who many will recognise from the film East is East or the soap Eastenders, and is joining Coronation Street as Kal, short for Khalid. He will play the role of a personal trainer and his mission is to get Dev into shape.

Kal will also be instrumental in helping Nick Tilsley recover and become fully fit. Jimi spoke highly of Ben Price who plays the part of Nick and was fulsome in his praise of Ben for his warmth and the terrific welcome he showed.

Clearly, to be a personal trainer the actor has to look the part and indeed be the part. Jimi told us that he believes in the mantra, ‘Be the best you can be’ - and who can argue with that?  As a result,  Jimi is putting himself through his paces and he spoke in particular about a form of exercise called ‘cross fit’ which is the exercise Jimi’s character Kal will be recommending to his clients and urging them to try  as part of their training regime.

Coincidentally, Jimi was already involved in this kind of training before he got the call from Coronation Street, so from that point of view, the character of Kal is perfect for him.  Exercise and diet are very important to him too, and it shows.  Whatever regime he’s been following, it is certainly working as he looks very healthy on it.

Jimi was in Eastenders from 1998-9, and since then he’s been working in a number of different countries. After roaming around the globe, Jimi was keen to get back to Britain. He is 40 now and is getting married again soon to Flavia Cacace from Strictly Come Dancing. Jimi says Strictly changed his life. From a very young age he loved to dance, practising Michael Jackson’s moves in his  parents’ garage. Interestingly it was only after the show that Flavia and Jimi got together and he proposed on New Year’s Eve.

Jimi feels that Coronation Street’s reputation is second to none and who can disagree? He was keen to join Coronation Street, but was surprised and delighted to be invited to join so swiftly.

In his role as Kal, Jimi plans to make a real impact in Britain’s best loved show. He is keen to invest a lot into his character, which will, he readily admits, mean hard work.  He said that he had a process for learning lines but when he told the cast about his process, they said that that would change and he’d be learning his lines the night before.  Also it has taken some time to get used to the way in which the scheduling and the filming are organised, but he has now mastered it.

Asked which female character, if any, Kal might enjoy a relationship with, Jimi had no news. It is worth emphasising that he is single when he comes to the cobbles, so it surely must be the case that there will be a woman at some point, who will be rather taken with handsome Kal.

There is though, real sadness in Kal’s life. His wife has died and he has children, one of them a teenage son, who, true to form, being a teenager, is somewhat challenging.

Jimi himself has a twelve year old daughter, who lives in France with her mum, though he sees her regularly, so his experience of Street teenagers will be just in time for him.

A couple of amusing questions were put to Jimi, one being whether he would, if given the opportunity, change the theme tune to Coronation street. He said he would not change it fundamentally but he would add a little Billie Jean bass line - and who wouldn’t like a sample of that?

Another question was about whether there was anyone in particular he would like to shoot a scene with and he told us that Norris was probably at the top of his list.  Maybe if Kal opens a gym, which seems to be on the cards, we would be able to see Norris joining and breaking a sweat on the treadmill.  And how good would that be?

Asked if he was ready for the attention from both press and public, Jimi confirmed that he was.  Good job really, as it is a certainty that this very pleasant and charming man will be receiving lots of attention from both. He’ll be  a strong male character and The Street is in need one.

Do please excuse the pun, but it’s irresistible. It seems that there is a mystery (geddit) behind Kal’s arrival in Weatherfield.  On the surface he is undoubtedly charming and inspiring in his work, but there is a whole other side to Kal. Of course, Jimi cannot give away what this side is, but it certainly adds intrigue.

Follow Coronation Street Blog on Twitter @CoroStreetBlog and Facebook: CoronationStreetBlog

All original work on the Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License