The barnets of those on the cobbles - Part 2

Having already blogged about the state of the barnets of those on the cobbles, it is now incumbent upon me, particularly after last night, to add a little more.

A few people commented on whose hair they liked in my previous post - Sally’s hair was praised as was Fiz’s hair and also Tyrone’s ex – the beautiful, but violent Kirsty.

Recently, I noticed that Carla’s hair is no longer black. It is, in fact, quite blond, at least the top layers are. When did that happen? I remember seeing Peter and Carla together and thinking how their hair complemented each other – dark and dangerous.

It was none other than Jenny Bradley to whom I awarded the top hair-do, in my first piece.  But now, after seeing Jenny, covering her crowning glory with a glossy black bobbed wig, I have to say that I think it rather suited her. However, that is not really the point. The point is that she has gone so far in her efforts to disguise herself, all for the purpose of taking off with little Jack Webster, her ‘son.’ Her city of choice is Hull and she, Jenny, is now calling herself Melanie, as we discovered from her phone call to order a taxi last night.

But really, does she honestly believe that Kevin and Sophie will not turn over every stone in their search for Jack.  She cannot believe she get away with it, can she? Maddie will surely dash out to alert Kevin and Sophie that there is Jenny, in his house, with a bag ready packed for Jack, and that Jenny is wearing a black wig. At least, Maddie will dash out if she is allowed to do so. And what will happen to the wig?

The last word goes to Liz, who at the wedding looked very glamorous with her up-do. Anyway, last night Liz let her hair down, both literally and metaphorically.

I even feel a third hair post coming on, but I’ll wait and let things settle before I do.

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Natalie Gumede in Doctor Who

The guest cast for this year's Doctor Who Christmas special has been announced. Most of the publicity is touting actors Nick Frost and Michael Troughton (son of an earlier Doctor, Patrick Troughton).

But look who else is in the cast list? Ex-Coronation Street star, Natalie Gumede who played troubled Kirsty Soames! Natalie did a bang up job on Corrie and I expect she will shine in Doctor Who.

Natalie herself tweeted "WELL excited to be part of THIS "@mediaguardian: Doctor Who Christmas special gets a Frosty feel http://gu.com/p/4xyzb ”"

There's no word yet on the storyline or what Natalie's part will entail. We wait with bated breath! The episode will air on Christmas Day.

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Does Kirsty return to Corrie to kill Tina?

Out and about in town yesterday I noticed covers of soap magazines heralding the return of Kirsty Soames to Coronation Street.

We know that Tyrone receives news of Kirsty's release from prison next week.  And there have been tabloid spoilers suggesting that Tyrone then receives text messages signed off with the letter K.  Could it be Kirsty, or is someone playing a trick of Tyrone?

Anyway, all this talk of Kirsty, whether she returns to Corrie or not - although it appears not as actress Natalie Gumede makes clear - made me wonder if Kirsty could be in the frame for the murder of Tina McIntyre this summer.  She's certainly got the motive after her hate campaign towards her before she got locked up.  Just a thought...

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The faces of Corrie in 2012

If you remember, last year I had a series of posts looking at the top 12 faces of each Corrie decade - the 1960s, the 1970s, the 1980s, the 1990s and the 2000s. For the next few weeks or so, I’ll be looking at the top 12 faces of each year between 1960 and 2013.

With thanks to Corriepedia for the information.

In 2012, 256 episodes were broadcast.

1. Stella Price (176 episodes)

2. Tyrone Dobbs (155 episodes)

3. Tina McIntyre (149 episodes)

4. Tommy Duckworth (144 episodes)

5. Eileen Grimshaw (132 episodes)

6. Steve McDonald (129 episodes)

7. Karl Munro (129 episodes)

8. Kirsty Soames (129 episodes)

9. Nick Tilsley (129 episodes)

10. Gail McIntyre (126 episodes)

11. Michelle Connor (125 episodes)

12. Beth Tinker (122 episodes)

Average age: 37

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Crazy Kirsty returns to Corrie ... sort of

There's a Coronation Street spoiler in today's Star which says crazy Kirsty Soames starts stalking Tyrone after she's released from prison. 

But it's not all it seems, as The Star reveals that we don't see Kirsty on screen, we just find out that Tyrone starts receiving text messages from Kirsty after he finds out that she's out of jail.

Tyrone calls in Owen to beef up the security on their house after he's bombarded with text messages signed off with the letter K. He is convinced they are coming from Kirsty.

He tells Fiz: “She’s texting again. She said: ‘Thinking of you.’”

Mr Curry Sauce tells The Star: “It’s true Kirsty has been released.  But is she the one sending the texts, or is it someone else who’s a little closer to home?

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Mighty Afro-Dite

Coronation Street is a world of diversity, a world where black live alongside white, gay with straight, Norris with normal humanoids.  It's a world where people love and accept people who look and act in all sorts of peculiar ways - I'll just point at Mary and back away slowly.

Why, then, is only one afro ever allowed on the Street at a time?

The afro is the mightiest of all hairstyles.  It is proud, defiant; it is quite literally headstrong.  Think of the greatest wearers of the afro.  Diana Ross.  Pam Grier.  Lionel Richie.  Michael Jackson.  These people are legends.  It's the Official Hairstyle of Blaxploitation and Motown, an expression of political might and social awareness.  It's damn fine, you dig?

The first person in Corrie to properly wield an afro with pride was Kelly Crabtree.  (Curly's girlfriend Shirley had a semi-fro, but it was the eighties: everyone had big hair then).  Kelly was short of skirt and big of hair, huge, voluminous locks bursting out of the top of her head.  It acted as an early warning system - beware the mighty mouth approaching.  One glimpse of those stacked curls over the back of a Rovers booth and you knew a noisy time was going to follow.

Kelly left, and was replaced with that girl who was a stripper and who bunked up with Lloyd.  She was completely forgettable.  I can't remember her name even as I sit here.  All I can remember is she had a fierce ball of incredible black hair that radiated from her head like a darkened sun.  It was far and away the most interesting thing about her, and I was sorry to see it leave.

Fortunately, Coronation Street's one and only afro comb was passed on to Kirsty.  This was the first hint that an afro could be a useful mood indicator.  If Kirsty was wearing her hair out, letting it bounce round her head in a free and easy fashion, she was cool and relaxed.  If the hair was pulled back however, pinched into a tiny bun, it was a signal that madness was soon to follow.  Tyrone might have saved himself a lot of bother if he'd just hidden her kirby grips: it was probably the stress of keeping that awesome weave under control that drove Kirsty mad in the first place.  Of course, Natalie Gumede then went on to wield her afro to devastating effect on Strictly.  I was beside myself the week that she fell ill and therefore couldn't perform to Proud Mary, perhaps one of the finest hair shaking songs ever written.  And yes, she was robbed by Abbey Clancey.

Now Jenna's here to uphold the afro tradition, though in the grand tradition of ladies who like ladies, her hair is a little shorter and more sensible than her predecessors.  Unfortunately her job in Roy's Rolls means that her mop of black pride is sadly kept under wraps for health and safety grounds; it's none the less always a pleasure when she turns up in the Rovers with it happily bouncing around her ears.  All these women have been strong, gutsy, fierce - well, all of them except that girl who went off with her ex-husband in the end (Sharon?  Susan?  It'll come to me).  I think Jenna should break out the afro more often, and perhaps influence other members of the Street to follow her example.  Just imagine if Gail emerged from the salon with hair a foot high and a foot wide; I'm sure you'd agree, that would be a joy to behold.

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Natalie Gumede to star in BBC drama

She was Corrie's crazy Kirsty, is currently wowing the judges on Strictly Come Dancing and now Natalie Gumede will appear in a new series of BBC daytime drama, Moving On.

Natalie will star in one of the five stand alone episodes in the fifth series of the acclaimed drama written by Jimmy McGovern, who has penned hit dramas including Cracker and Brookside.

Other actors set to appear in the series are Anita Dobson (EastEnders), Anthony Flanagan (The Village), Jo Joyner (EastEnders), Sharon Horgan (Pulling) and Craig Kelly (Luke Strong in Coronation Street).

Watch Natalie and her professional dancing partner Artem Chigvintsev at the BBC Stictly Come Dancing YouTube channel doing the Rumba, the Cha Cha Cha, the Waltz, the Quickstep, 

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Corrie's Kirsty heads for Strictly Come Dancing

So Natalie Gumede, Coronation Street's Crazy Kirsty, will be waltzing into the ballroom for Strictly Come Dancing 2013. 

I'm really pleased to see Natalie back on our screens again and I'm sure she'll be terrific. It will be quite a change for Natalie to be so frivolous and glamorous after all those months being aggressive and down right horrid to our lovely Tyrone!

Digital Spy has a short interview with Natalie and a picture of her looking quite different from Kirsty Soames!

I'm sure all us Corrie fans will be tuning in over the Autumn to cheer Natalie on.


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Natalie Gumede - from Corrie's crazy Kirsty to comedy

Former Coronation Street actress Natalie Gumede, who played crazy Kirsty Soames, is back on TV in Sally The Life Coach created by upcoming screenwriter and director Daniel Johnson.

The web-series is a funny documentary-style show which follows Sally through the difficult terrain of life-coaching. 

Like Kirsty in 'Coronation Street', Sally is indeed crazy, but in a much different way. "Natalie is one of the funniest people I know, and her comedic instincts are incredible," says Daniel Johnson. "I think people will really be surprised by what she brings to the role; she's such a versatile actress; she can do anything."

Find out more here.

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Pic: Tonight on Corrie - Kirsty hits Julie

Tonight on Coronation Street is when it all starts to unravel for Kirsty when she loses her temper with the lovely Julie, and hits her.

So, could this be the picture on which Tyrone's trial turns?  What will Julie do after Kirsty attacks her tonight - when she's already witnessed Kirsty's mania first hand earlier this week?

If Julie goes to the cops and changes her statement from defence to prosecution (or however these things work) will that be enough to get Kirsty locked up and Tyrone off the hook?  Ooh, I do hope so.


Read tonight's full episode preview here.

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The end is near: Kirsty hits Julie

Next week, Kirsty reaches the breaking point and she lashes out at Julie, who's been so good to her.  The Sun tells us that her mask first slips when she throws a cup across the room at Sally and Julie and later she lashes out and slaps Julie.

"Natalie Gumede, who plays Kirsty, said: "For me, these scenes are more important than the court case. This is the climax, almost more than seeing Tyrone in court. "

Kirsty knows she's out of control and she doesn't want Ruby to have the life she had, afraid of a parent while the other one is powerless to help. She's taken all of her anger and fear out on Tyrone, whose trial starts next week as well.

  The Radio Times also has some comments from actor Natalie Gumede on Kirsty's reaction to herself. "Kirsty is genuinely frightened of herself and doesn’t know what she’s capable of," She says that though the trial is what Kirsty wants, she feels very alone and under pressure. She loves her daughter but Natalie believes Kirsty has trouble relating to parenthood due to her own violent past. Ruby, of course, is picking up on Kirsty's distress and as a result, is more fractious which, in turn, agitates Kirsty even more.

Julie is starting to realize there's something wrong when she finds out that Kirsty was not with her mother on the night of the fire when Julie was asked to keep Ruby overnight. She later discovers that Eileen has also been asked to keep Ruby overnight and questions Kirsty closely and gets her head bitten off for her trouble.

During the trial, Kirsty thinks she managed to be convincing with her testimony though had a few wobbles. After Julie leaves Ruby with Sally, Kirsty loses control completely with Julie and hits her. Julie runs and Kirsty realizes that it's all over. Her secrets will soon be out and she disappears with the baby soon after losing her temper with the little one, scaring herself. Has Kirsty gone for help? We'll soon know.

Natalie has found playing Kirsty has been:
"Challenging, surprising, daunting, terrifying, exhilarating, devastating: a whole mishmash of emotions! There’s always something about her that fills you with dread or surprise. Every step of the way there’s been something that has made me wonder how I was going to play it and make it real. It has been difficult at times to play. Personally, I like to plant the seed early on, but part of the challenge is the not knowing what is going to come next for your character."

I'm really going to miss her. She's one outstanding actor!

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Kirsty shows her true colours

In this week's All About Soap, Natalie Gumede is interviewed and she hints that Kirsty is going to let her reserve slip. While the trial unfolds, Kirsty is going to crack under the pressure and lash out, first at Julie who will realize she's been fooled all along by Kirsty's lies.

Kirsty's mask will slip and her true colours will be out there for all to see and there will be a lot of crow eaten by Tyrone's former friends. We don't know if Tyrone will be convicted or not, but I'd say it's a pretty safe bet that he won't be, considering we already know that Natalie is leaving the show. If he is, he won't be there long before charges are dropped, I'd say.


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Coronation Street's Sunita and Kirsty film final scenes

This lovely photo of Shobna Gulati and Natalie Gumede, who play Sunita Alahan and Kirsty Soames in Coronation Street, was posted to twitter today by the official Coronation Street website at @itvcorrie.

Shobna and Natalie, as Sunita and Kirsty ,have now filmed their final scenes and left the cobbles - for good?  Who knows?  Well, if tabloid rumours are true, Sunita will snuff it in the Rovers Return fire which takes place next month.

But as for crazy Kirsty, well, I'd love to see her back.  Just when Tyrone and Fiz and the kids are settling down to watch telly on a cosy, cold winter's night, their Christmas lights flickering above the fireplace, a glass of sherry in their hands, there'll be a sound at the back door, a shadowy figure, and it'll be Kirsty coming back to cause more trouble. Yes, I'd love to see her back. 

Natalie Gumede has been one of the best actresses Corrie's ever had - in this fan's opinion. And Kirsty Soames will be remembered for being one of the nastiest villains ever - and so brilliant to watch.

It's going to be interesting to see where the careers of both actresses will take them next.  As soon as we hear news of either of them, we'll be blogging it, of course.


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Natalie Gumede films Kirsty's final scenes on Corrie

Natalie Gumede, who plays crazy Kirsty Soames on Coronation Street, is filming her final scenes on the soap next week.

Natalie's just posted these couple of tweets on twitter from @nataliegumede

After my final #Corrie filming day next week, I will look back with love, and look forward to new adventures xxx

Your support has touched me greatly, and working with the #Corrie team has been an honour and a pleasure!

Thank you @alanhalsall for your generosity as a person and as an actor! And all of my castmates, crewmates and all who look after us so well

I know Kirsty has to leave because all Corrie villains get their comeuppance, but I'll miss her. And I'll miss Natalie because of her fantastic acting skills and wish her well in whatever she does in the future. I feel she'll go far as an actress, further, I hope than Casualty and Holby City; much further indeed.

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How will Kirsty get her comeuppance?

Now we know that there will be a court hearing that will probably be the finale in the Tyrone and Kirsty saga. But we don't know the outcome yet. Oh sure, there's the tired old "we've filmed two endings" business but that's only for the benefit of the papparazzi and the publicity. They won't have filmed more than possibly one or two very short clips because they certainly wouldn't waste time and effort writing weeks' worth of aftermath and filming it.

Looking at the photos on the Daily Mail site, we see Alison, Kirsty's mother. I think that's the clue to Kirsty's downfall. Read a bit more about how I think it could come down over here.


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Paparazzi pics of Tyrone and Kirsty's court case

There's paparazzi pics at The Mail online showing Kirsty and Tyrone's court case being filmed. 

The Mail says that Coronation Street have filmed two endings to Tyrone's court case - one with Kirsty getting banged up for bashing Ty, and the other with Tyrone being set up and sent down.  

Of course, even if Corrie have filmed two endings,  there can only be one shown, but what it is, is anyone's guess.  

Mind you, I'd lay good money on Kirsty getting her comeuppance - she has to, right?  All Corrie villains get what's coming to them in the end, don't they? 

Have a look at all the pics here.

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Natalie Gumede - from Corrie's crazy Kirsty to comedy?

Natalie Gumede, who plays crazy Kirsty Soames on Coronation Street, was interviewed this week in OK magazine and joked about what she'd like to do when she leaves the cobbles.

Because leave she surely must as all Corrie villains get their comeuppance, even if they're let out of jail early after being sent down for 15 years for manslaughter. Yes, I'm talking about you, Tracy Barlow.

Anyway, in OK magazine, Natalie says this about playing Kirsty: "The place I have to go to emotionally is ugly. It’s great to be challenged as an actor, but it’s daunting because unless you’ve been in a situation like Tyrone and Kirsty or you know someone who has, it’s so hard to comprehend.

“I’ve been so blessed to be given the chance to play such a challenging character and work with such great actors.

“It’s so different to anything I’ve done before, but I think I’d like to do a comedy next!”

Whatever Natalie does next after leaving Coronation Street, we wish her all the very best and know she's going to shine in whatever she does.

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Goodbye, Kirsty Soames

Inside Soap magazine reports this week that the end is nigh for Weatherfield's most terrifying bride. Kirsty Soames (never Dobbs - hurrah) is set to depart in an 'explosive' storyline. Here we go again. Therefore we should be safe in expecting one of the following:

Kirsty decides to leave Weatherfield with Roo-beh and makes a dash for Manchester Piccadilly station. Tyrone follows in hot pursuit but slips on a ham barm on platform eleven . . .

In a fit of rage, Kirsty decides to burn the factory down. Sadly the flames also lick at Hayley's red anorak and she succumbs. Horrified, Kirsty takes herself up to t'Faktry roof and launches herself, before your very eyes ladies and gentlemen, from a cannon and lands on the Red Rec . . .

Kirsty decides to go out in a blaze of glory by crashing a vehicle into part of the set that requires a make-over. Sadly, the only thing to hand is a steamroller and so, stately as a galleon, she trundles to her death, mowing down Hayley on the way before slowly coming to rest in the plastic flowers outside Dev's shop . . .

Kirsty has another psychotic episode and becomes convinced that all of the other residents are actors, apart from Sean. They are all aghast when, during a deranged moment in the Rovers, she tells them that the viaduct doesn't lead anywhere and that Rosamund Street is just a picture. Kirsty is last seen climbing on to that tiny bus that only travels thirty yards and then stops . . .

Kirsty and Hayley join a travelling convent . . .

A nation waits.



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Tyrone & Kirsty's Wedding - Alternate Ending

We often hear about Coronation Street filming different outcomes to storylines to try to put viewers off the scent. Well it appears that this time they really did film another ending to the wedding. Alan Halsall, who plays Tyrone Dobbs, was kind enough to share it with the twittersphere and here it is:


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Did you guess the outcome of Tyrone and Kirsty's wedding?

Did you guess that the wedding wouldn't go ahead? Did you?  I didn't, it fooled me completely.  I thought they'd wed - well, this is one Coronation Street wedding that we all wanted to happen, wasn't it, if just for Tyrone's half-baked plan to get baby Ruby and divorce crazy Kirsty.

But now it's all gone a bit Pete Tong for Tyrone but will it work out well in the end?  Now that Kirsty knows the truth about Tyrone and Fiz, will she throw a wobbler and leave?  What'll happen next? Are there too many questions in this blog post? What do you think?

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