Corrie Blog Interviews Ryan Russell : Michael Bailey Arrested For Underworld Fraud?

As Stephen’s reign ends, a few loose threads are still to be tied up by the police, and his quarter of a million quid (!) Underworld robbery is high on Weatherfield cop shops list! This week, Michael is caught in the factory with a bag of cash by DS Swain and the innocent junior manager, fresh from losing his job, is now in the frame for Stephen's robbery?! 

From Corrie Blog's recent visit to Coronation Street, my penultimate cast interview is with Ryan Russell to learn more about Michael's misjudgement of Stephen.  

Hello Ryan, 

Michael has been oblivious to all the goings on and saw Stephen as a bit of a mentor didn't he? 

Yes, he is oblivious. Micheal wants to doodle and do designs. He wants to be a success in Underworld, and the junior manager job gave him that. He looked up to Stephen, and just wanted to impress him and was inspired to be like him. 

When Stephen asked him for Underworld’s bank details, did Michael have any doubts?

No, I think he knew he shouldn't. I think Carla told him not to give anyone the access code. He thought he was doing good and trusted Stephen. It was an honest mistake. 

How will Michael feel when he looks back and realises his mistake? The misjudgement has appeared to rock him. 

He always beats himself up when something goes wrong. He will blame himself before anyone else, especially with the access code - he thinks he costs Underworld a lot. 

How does he feel when he loses his job? It means the world to him, doesn't it? 

Yeah, he felt like he was progressing in life with his designs, he got the promotion and is well-respected in Underworld. Losing that, he will be scared of being back to square one again. He also has the added pressure of being a single dad to Glory. It's going to be hard for him. 

Do you think Carla will forgive Michael, or will he suffer her wrath?

…the wrath of Carla!, yeh. (I think) if he doubles the losses and makes half a million, she might be happy, but until that day she will make him suffer!!

Coming out of this, do you think we will see a harder Michael, going forward? 

I think it will harden him, he has invested a lot in people before, and he's been burnt hard. Hopefully, I think he will fall back into his old ways again. He is resilient - he will bounce back!

Thanks, Ryan!

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Another surreal Corrie superfan moment ticked off my bucket list. Ryan Russell was sitting next to Alison King (Carla Connor) throughout this chat in front of the big 'Coronation Street Experience' cinema screen. Being a big Carla fan (the modern-day Elsie Tanner, in my eyes), my peepers must have been on stalks during this interview, and a chat with the gorgeous factory boss is where we will end this most special (of) press days. Keep your eyes peeled for that one, it drops later this week. 

Watch the story unfold on this week's Coronation Street on ITV and ITVX.   

I am @rybazoxo Let me know what you think on X #Corrie

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Coronation Street Episode Review; Wednesday 28th of July 7.30 & 8.30 pm

I'll admit it. Todd's twisting, duplicity, deceit, and devious mind games have had me rolling my eyeballs for a while. Less said about the Kipling kid, the better, you'd think I'd be glad to see that smirk wiped from his face? I like Billy a lot and he deserves much better than Todd, (and Paul to be honest), which I why I’m not overly excited about what’s to come. Will Billy get back with Paul and marry him, instead? Or,  will I be proved wrong? I hope it’s the latter and he ditches them both, marries God, takes a vow of celibacy, and becomes a proper Weatherfield community pious. I'm just saying! 

Tonight is the charity calendar launch! Aside from the cringe kiwi/knob jokes, I think this bizarre story has injected some much-needed humour into proceedings. From the off, things haven't gone smoothly, and what with Will switching laptops to air Todd’s confession ( there go the eye rolls again) Curtis must be close to having a heart attack already?  You can imagine him subtly eyeing up a plot at St Marys Church and giving George his coffin measurements! The community cohesion though - I do like that and it was Classic Corrie tonight when Todd was unveiled for his machiavellian campness. It’s just the Kipling Kid that grates on me slightly if I’m honest -it may be my age? Surely Summer will now see Todd for what he is? Props to Emma too! I loved her naivety and nervous presenting of proceedings. Also worth mentioning are Billy’s buffet options. No cutlery is required when you’ve got the G man on your side!

I think it’s unpopular in some circles, but this Alina, Ty, Fiz storyline has had me gripped for months now. Maybe because I’m a similar age to Tyrone. Unsure, but Ty’s continued flakey-ness is becoming very clear. Now that Todd the sociopath has been unmasked, I guess little Hope is next? She’s long since been unbalanced and of course, no kid wants to see their parents fraternizing with other people.  More Hope, I hope. Also, can we see a future Corrie spin-off with her and Glory Bailey as a crime-busting duo? ... You can guess the title! 

I also love Imran and Toyah as a couple. They are believable, both nuanced performers, and the perfect foster couple for wayward Kelly. The prison scenes tonight were a rare delight, and I mean that from a dramatic perspective. These three are a real treat and I wonder if Kelly’s abuse is somehow going to mitigate the attack, or, did she lead the attack on Seb? Unlike some of the teens, I think Kelly has longevity about her, as an actress, and character. More of this!

Some memorable lines tonight from the show, with writer Jonathan Harvey throwing in his unmistakable humour, one-liners, and clever character writing. 

Elsewhere on tonight’s episodes; James lodged his race complaint with Weatherfield police. 

@rybazoxo  

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Trevor Michael Georges interview: How will Ed cope after Ronnie's revelation?

Ed Bailey got the shock of a lifetime when his brother, Ronnie, revealed he could be Michael's biological father. Trevor Michael Georges told us how Ed feels about the heartbreaking situation, and what the repercussions could mean for the builder. 

Since Ronnie arrived, we've seen Ed have mixed emotions about spending so much time with his brother, and tensions ran high when Ed declined a night out to the casino, very much aware of his past addiction. "You've got to find a balance between that old desire and addiction, and the character that's realised the wealth of what he's replaced it with," said Trevor. "He's not feeling like he's losing out from not gambling, he's just aware how much he could've thrown away." 

However, Ed might find it's easier said than done to turn Ronnie down. "I don't think he's strong enough to beat Ronnie, because Ronnie's got all that energy and adrenaline. Ed's a bit battered, he's come through the wars, he's dealt with his own addiction, he's started to get back on his feet with the business, and just at this point, suddenly his son has issues with his sexuality, and the other son has issues with procreation in general, and his wife has been hiding secrets for thirty years. For a fellow who really thinks he's getting back on his feet, it's aggravating and it's upsetting to see he can't get a proper break. For all the good he's constantly trying to do, he still keeps getting knocked down and that's hard for Ed." 

Since Ronnie's revelation about Michael potentially being his, Ed has been left in turmoil. "I think Ed's logical enough to work out that just the timeline of what happens mean that nobody's actually guilty of anything, up to the point that the wife he's been living with for thirty years has kept quiet about it, and that's left him very, very confused," said Trevor. "They are such a wonderful couple, and their relationship is built on so much experience and mutual understanding. 

"He's got no secrets left, but that's what counterbalances it- he had the gambling secret for long enough and Ed's smart enough to know not to shoot himself in the foot being a complete hypocrite and understands that everyone around him has had to tolerate things as well. He's always going to temper his responses to anything that's thrown at him, even if it is something as extreme as a sense of betrayal because he knows he's no angel."

Ed will always see himself as Michael's father, but other people questioning this is what will hurt Ed the most. "He has to point things out to Michael that he thinks is obvious, which is: 'I'm the one whose always been here'. It's like a complete stranger coming up to your family with a bit of invented gossip, and everyone in your family being ready to believe it, despite the fact they see you everyday. Why should some complete stranger be able to come in, say something derogatory, and it suddenly be law? That's the bit that makes [Ed] feel uncomfortable and unsafe."

Ed and Aggie often balance each other out in their lives, but with Aggie not around at the moment for Ed to talk to about this situation properly, could Ed be set on a downward spiral? "It's interesting because if he did, you wouldn't blame hm, and that's where we are with Ed at the moment," Trevor told us. "He has got every justifiable reason to fall apart. He also has had twenty years of being a counterbalance to what is a pretty strident wife. When she decides to let rip, she really goes for it, and so that's what's created the peacemaker within him. He's the Yin to her Yang. He balances things out, and he knows that's his job because if both of them go off, then all hell is let loose, and no one will ever recover.

"It's his regular position, is to be the peacemaker in order to make sure everybody stays on the same even keel. They don't get pulled one way or another, they'l never go too far from centre and I think that's his compass, no matter what he's going through. What challenges come, I would like to think no matter how bad it gets and how close he gets, Ed's got that little bit of special strength." 

With Ed's family life being thrown in the air, viewers have also recently seen him take on Paul Foreman as an apprentice at the builder's yard, a relationship which Trevor thinks Ed could learn a lot from. He said: "I'm loving working with Peter [Ash], who's such a fabulous actor and they're two oddball characters who may well come together to become something quite special between them, just because they're an odd couple. 

"Paul's a great excuse for Ed to show how magnanimous he can be and how generous he can be and help him through things. There's a lot for Ed to learn from Paul and the couple of scenes at the very beginning of the relationship, I think Ed was a little over-confident that having known his son is gay for about five minutes, he now thinks he's an expert in all the issues of being gay, so it's great having Paul there who's going to definitely educate him a little more, because Ed's got a long way to go, he just doesn't know it." 

Sophie Williams 

I'm on Twitter @soph_writer

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Ryan Russell interview: Michael's life is about to be turned upside down

With the arrival of Michael and Grace's baby girl, Ronnie is about to drop a bombshell which could have massive repercussions for Michael. Ryan Russell told us about how Michael feels about becoming a parent, and how his relationship with his family could change forever. 

Since his arrival, Uncle Ronnie has been a charismatic presence, and most of the family are loving having him around. "He's definitely the fun uncle in all this," said Ryan. "Everyone, especially Michael, just looks up to him and admires his success. I feel like [Michael] wants to emulate his success, his career, in a similar way of being the businessman with the money and his entrepreneurial skills. Michael definitely has a lot of love and time for Uncle Ronnie." 

Preparing for their gender reveal party, Grace suddenly went into labour, much earlier than they were expecting. Speaking about Michael's feelings about becoming a father, Ryan said: "He was so close to having that family unit which was snatched away from him, and I think now, he's super excited, but he's also quite scared to lose it again." 

Michael and Grace soon learn that their daughter, Gloria, has been taken ill, which is a huge concern for the new parents. "Everything is quite scary for [Michael] at the moment and he definitely wants to protect and be that dad for his child."

Despite their complicated history, Michael knows that he has to keep Grace close in order to give Gloria the best start in life. "With Grace, he just knows he has to be there regardless of what's happened in the past," said Ryan. "They definitely need to work together to co-parent and bring this child up. I think that's what's important then is to be there for is child, especially now while she's not well." 

Aggie Bailey has been looking out for her son ever since Grace came back into their lives, determined not to have Michael's heart broken again. However, Michael has had to battle Aggie in order to create a more peaceful environment in the Bailey household. "It's not easy going against Aggie- she's very strong in that sense!" Ryan said. "I think he pleaded with her and Aggie loves her son, so eventually she's come round. We'll see if she can kind of put the past aside with Grace at the same time." 

On top of caring for his daughter, Michael is stunned to learn that Ronnie might be his biological father. Ryan said: "The last thing he was expecting was to hear this, I mean, all his focus was on Gloria and making sure she was OK, so it's a lot to take in." 

It's not only Ronnie who Michael is furious with, but Aggie also. "Then comes hurt and betrayal towards Aggie, especially because being thirty years, and none of this has come to light until now at the worst moment when his daughters in hospital. I think it's just a case of terrible timing once again. It's a lot for him to take in and I think he has to process it in the right way."

As Michael struggles to come to terms with this news, he asserts that Grace and Gloria are his family now. "That's probably how he feels at that moment in time, just because the feelings are so raw." Michael is also quick to point out to Aggie that she has no right to treat Grace the way she does while hiding such a huge secret of her own. 

Michael is now faced with a big decision- does he want to know the truth behind his biological father? Ryan said: "It's that ignorance is bliss, but I think for Michael, this is huge, just like it was huge when he had to find out if Gloria was actually his after the Tianna bombshell, so I think he definitely needs to search for the truth, especially at this time where he's become a father himself. He'll want to kind of know for certain who his father is."

The Bailey family have well and truly settled onto the cobbles since their 2019 arrival, and Ryan says he's "loving it". "For my character personally, he's had scenes with so many characters on the street and he's been that character that's been here, there and everywhere, so it's nice for me personally as an actor to work with so many different actors in the cast. 

"I definitely feel as a family, we've put our unique stamp on the street. I definitely feel like I'm settling in more and settling more into the character. It's strange times at the moment, but we're making it work and I'm loving it."

Ryan also told us that he's enjoying the variety of Michael's storylines. "I think the last couple big storylines I've been involved in kind of made Michael a more 3D-rounded character with different emotions which I could play as an actor. It's important that I can kind of challenge myself and play the serious, really emotional, heavy-hitting scenes, as well as doing the wacky stuff and the funny comedy as well. I think for me, it's more exciting when I can do both and dip in and out."

At the beginning of the year, Iain Macleod revealed plans to explore systemic racism. Speaking about this storyline, Ryan said: "Coronation Street are known for that and telling stories and making people talk in their living rooms, that's what we do here. 

"It's part of life and if we can show something as serious as that within such a platform of Coronation Street and do it well with nuance, truth and honesty, I think it's important. Hopefully, fingers crossed we can get those conversations going." 

Sophie Williams

I'm on Twitter @soph_writer

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Coronation Street Episode Review; Weds 30th of Sept 7.30 & 8.30 pm

Aside from last week's farcical factory scene with Toyah, we hadn’t seen much of Michael Bailey, or any of the family, in quite a while. I did question this in last week's review, and now I wish I hadn't. 

Following Monday night's episode, I was adamant that it would transpire that Michael wasn’t Grace’s Dad, but to turn it around that she isn't even her real Mother, either?? It is just COVID or is Everything a bit weird at the minute? Despite promising to James (where the has he reappeared from) to not do anything stupid, it was obvious that a swift kidnapping was to follow. 

I do wonder whether restrictions have prevented a more dramatic staging, in this storyline? Anyway, as kidnapping goes, Ed quickly finds Michael with baby Tianna at Victoria Gardens (across the road!) Why Ed had to turn up randomly again, I have no idea, as though that proposal wasn’t strange enough. What has been niggling me about this whole surreal saga though; where is Aggie? She never liked Grace and warned Michael against going anywhere near her. We know her absence has been explained as off-screen ‘looking after a relative’, yet I think she would have added a lot more gusto to this bizarre Bailey betrayal. I ended up feeling sorry for Micheal in the end, and for more reasons than I wish to write about.

Drama for drama's sake then or is Carla and Peter’s relationship really on rocky waters? 

It has never been plain sailing for these two, but I’m kind of hoping this is temporary rather than a permanent collapse in their coupling? It can’t help Peter living in The Rovers and Carla being back at the factory, so, it’s a seemingly strange direction they’re heading? Adam is rarely the voice of reason (divorce, cash raids, extramarital shagging) which I think tells us all we need to know about Peter’s mindset. Carla seems more interested in Sarah’s marriage too. I can’t quite fathom this storyline if I’m honest, and I’m a big Carla / Peter fan, personally. Are we covering old ground here? Also, whilst on the subject, wouldn’t Adam Barlow have bunked up with Laura Neelan? I would have thought that rather than some one-scene randomer!

Nina's unique persona & aesthetic is what I like about her, and the online feedback agrees, so to see her heading over to Underworld’s employment, has to be The best thing to happen in tonight’s Corrie. Is Nina is going to be the new Angie Freeman (check Corriepedia if you’re too young)? 

Can we also have more of Carla chastising the men of the cobbles please, too? Reminiscent of Elsie Tanner that was, and I absolutely loved it!  

Ray's criminal capers continue and seemingly roping in another Platt boy, he tells Nick he’s not interested in the factory shares but will donate £10K to little Oliver’s lifeline fund, so what is Ray up too? Has he forgotten about the sinkhole now, suddenly losing interest, perhaps or does he have his roving eye on Gail? She loves a bad boy, doesn’t she? Just a thought. Less flush than Ray, and taking a big hint from Nick, Steve’s plans to sell all of his businesses is picking up pace, but is Tracy really going to sell the florists to pay for her husband’s illicit, yet seriously ill love-child? We know she’s mellowed these last few years but I can’t see that happening, can you?

I also cant see Geoff letting Daniel get away lightly with that cash robbery either. 

Saying that though, all of the characters seem out of sorts at the minute, so who knows? 

Is it COVID or just a weird Weatherfield vibe at the minute? 

Answers on a socially-distanced postcard, or tweet me @rybazoxo your cobbles connoisseur 

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