Corrie Blog Interviews Alison King : Carla’s factory fall-out?

Two Corrie press days in one month - I’m like a kid at Christmas! Later this week, I will be treating you to the lowdown on what's to come on Coronation Street this festive season and New Year 2024, but before then, I'd like to take you back three weeks to our press day interview with my favourite factory boss (sorry Mike), Mrs Carla Barlow. A very (very) early Christmas present from this blog gave me a chance to see one of my all-time favourite Corrie characters in the flesh, and I found out all about Carla’s state of mind following Stephen Reid’s underworld sabotage. Ideally, I would have written this a few weeks ago, but I think I've only just recovered from seeing her in the flesh. I was the same after I met Jodie Prenger (in Weatherfield Precinct car park) last December!  

Anyway, and as promised, here is our chat with the factory boss. With Underworld nearly taken down (again) can Carla bounce back once more? 

Hi Ali, 

How blindsided was Carla when she found out about Stephen, it must have hit her hard. 

I don't think it hit her that hard. Out of everybody, she was the one that was immediately onto him. As soon as he appeared in the office, she couldn't stand the sight of him, could she? She’s been onto him from the off!

Stephen has played with Carla’s mental health these last few months. How has she been feeling through all of this? 

It’s hideous isn't it - it's been the worst nightmare ever, and to think that she was going to go down that rabbit hole again. She never wants to - Carla has tried looking after herself as best she can, and she keeps dangerous people like him at arm's length. However, because of Sarah, she has not been able to. It was so pre-meditated by him and awful for her. She felt like she was going backwards!

Did she have any idea how dangerous Stephen was? 

No, I don't think she had any idea of how dangerous he was. It's just about the money and business and the fact that he wanted that by any means. I don't think she thought he was violent or anything. 

What sort of Carla will we see emerge from all of this? Will she be tougher, or more damaged than she’s ever been before? 

All of the above! As usual, an influx of all of those things, possibly. I mean, she’s got answers, which is a good thing, but the damage to the factory- that's where you've got to wonder whether things will be solved or not. With Carla, you always get the street against her, or her against the street, and it's normally surrounding the factory, money and people's livelihood. I would imagine that they will be affected by this, and until she can get some money together again. They own 50% of the factory as well, so you think they would be looking out for their money too. 

Have you enjoyed being a part of this storyline? So much drama focused on Underworld!

We love Underworld! - It’s been a nice slow burner and Todd (Stephen Reid) has been such a joy to work with. I like wrapping it all up and how things have come together. It's been a joy, and always a joy to do a big storyline. 

Thanks, Ali! 

Keep ‘em peeled for my interview with Iain Macleod (Corrie producer) later this week as we find out what’s coming up for Carla and Peter this Christmas. 

I am @rybazoxo your (very lucky) Corrie Blog blogger and Cobbles Connoisseur

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Coronation Street Episode Review, Wednesday 7th June, 8 pm

Welcome to another Wednesday Weatherfield round-up and to catch up on the latest goings on, on Coronation Street. I've had a few weeks off as doing press day events usually means I’m weeks in front with storylines and spoilers, but I've now caught up. That said, I've another event in the pipeline so we shall see how this month pans out!

Tonight starts at Sarah and Adam’s Redbank pad, with Adam getting deluged with solicitor work, so he's unable to make the football match with Harry. The late licence is granted but he’s still busy with work, much to his wife’s irritation. Sarah despatches the match tickets to Shona so she finds herself free for the evening. Damon overhears the cafe conversation and heads over to her flat armed with a bottle of vino and a cache of sweet nothings to whisper in her ear. 

The clandestine meet is soon interrupted when Gail brings Harry home from school! Sarah's lied about her whereabouts and her mum is quick to spot that something is going off. With Gail out of the way, it’s Harry who sees Sarah actually kissing Damon. 

Harry then decides to draw a picture of the event to show his granny! Gail confronts Sarah with the evidence and she admits the truth, and about the fact that she wanted to ruin the late licensing chances. Later, Sarah tells Damon they've been caught and that things must stop, whilst she lies to Harry to shut him up. 

 

Meanwhile, the Baileys haven’t really had much comedy, have they? Ed debuted by knocking a hole through Ken’s living room wall, for the renovations, but we've had little funnies from them since, until now? Fresh from meeting their ex-very posh neighbours at Debbie’s hotel cuisine night, Ed and Aggie are embarrassed about swapping Alderley Edge for Weatherfield and living in squalor at N0.3 (that makeover hasn't done much for them, I guess). Ed tells Dee-dee that they won't stop texting to arrange a posh dinner party, so Agie harangues Tim and Sally into letting them use No.4 for a soiree, instead. A house-swap? I can only guess this will lead to shenanigans, especially since the guest stars playing Patrick and Yvette are both comedy gold. 

Elsewhere, Ryan’s suddenly crystal clear with the fact that he’s been catfished and Daisy insists on playing dumb. Carla is hellbent on getting to the bottom of who’s been playing with his emotions. Ryan unloads all of this on Daisy and she blames Justin and Karen.  

Back from the STC, Max must wear an electronic tag as part of his licensing conditions. Starting rehabilitation, Max writes a letter for Alya and manages to get it delivered to Speed Daal. Alya's stressed at the solicitors, blowing up in front of Sarah and admits her misery from the Weatherfield race riots and Max’s hand in the violence. Adam offers her some gentle advice. Alya receives the letter and is furious at Max’s indifference, catching him in the street to throw the letter back in his face. Gary splits up the ruckus but lends a sympathetic ear to Max's plight. Gary then tells Alya he’s smoothed things over and Max will now leave her alone. Gav calls Max to arrange a catch-up with his girlfriend, and he arrives home late to the police paying another visit. He’s been spotted visiting Speed Daal! Shona promises to keep a closer hold on him. 

In other news, Todd’s still single, David and Glenda got a great scene together, and the charity shop does a great sideline in Dad jokes! 

What did you think of tonight’s offering?  I am @rybazoxo if you want to tweet and let me know!

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Coronation Street Episode Review, Wednesday 15th March, 8 pm

Tonight starts at the Barlow flat with Carla clearly worried about the van crash, and Peter pushing for her to see Doctor Gaddas. I’m glad we got a scene tonight with Corrie’s greatest Doctor, and she prescribes Carla some diazepam. With the factory gearing up for an American client visit, Carla obviously needs to be on top of her game. Meanwhile, Sarah is still pushing ahead at Underworld and trying out a few Americanisms on Adam ahead of the meeting. I’ve no idea what a ‘Monday morning quarterback’ is so that was a gag completely lost on me. I once told a real-life Canadian I thought he was American so you can imagine my confusion here. Anyway, Adam is enthusiastic about his wife’s ideas but is clearly blind-sided by a lack of business at the solicitors. The big USA meeting is due at underworld at 1 pm and Stephen tells Carla that they need to be at the ‘top of their game’ and Carla certainly is. She shows Stephen up in front of their clients (was that fella in ‘Hollyoaks’?) and verbally harangues him, reminding him of the Dick Haversham fiasco. 

By 2 pm the meeting is over and the deal is seemingly in the bag so the underworld gang have a party, but with Stephen drugging Carla with LSD again, she’s in less of a party mood - it’s less of a psychedelic trip and looking a lot more like another psychotic episode. Carla’s clearly distraught and quickly breaks up the party. 

In my opinion, I genuinely think this could be Corrie’s greatest drug-based storyline. For me, it’s (unintentionally, I guess) hilarious, and as I’m a huge Carla and Peter fan, it keeps those two on screen so I'm happy with that- the wobbly psychedelic direction - not so much. Guiding the stumbling Carla back to her flat, Stephen is spotted by Rufus. Peter thinks the diazepam has affected his wife, even thanking her business partner for his help. Later, Rufus tells Stephen he knows exactly what he’s up to and wants in on the Underworld subterfuge.

Meanwhile, Daisy’s still down in the dumps but pushes ahead with the reorganising of the wedding anyway. Craig tells her that Justin has been charged with assault but released on bail. Feeling shocked, Ryan offers her a shoulder to cry on, lending a non-judgemental ear and his thoughts on Justin. A reminder of his fondness for Alya ends a platonic chat between the two. 

Less platonic and more marital strife, Kirk and Beth take a trip down memory lane tonight, when Fiz reminds Kirky of his Eminem impression, in which he serenaded his red-haired ex out on the street (google it, it's classic) Bizarrely, Beth seems jealous by this but I guess it's more from guilt following her night out with ex-boyfriend, Marco. It was a good reminder though, that her 80s-themed wedding with Kirk was in fact an illegal one. A few nods to Corrie of old tonight, and this one was the most enjoyable. I'm unsure where her usual BFF Tracy Barlow is hiding, but Glenda is making such a good confidante to Beth and I'm interested to see if this is a new friendship being cemented on the cobbles. 

Elsewhere, Faye is in no party mood (what a surprise!) following Miley’s visit, and she’s fallen out with Tim. Boyfriend Craig tries to give her guidance, but just like his Mum’s relationship - the chemistry here is zilch. Faye eventually visits her father and makes peace, making plans to see her daughter. If my Corrie memory serves me correctly, didn't Craig help Faye deliver her baby girl? Meanwhile, Leanne’s annoyed at a school jumper order for Sam and uses it as an excuse to have another go at Nick 

My highlights tonight were The Beatles getting a mention (again) The Human League getting some more airtime (I'm a Sheffield lad), Carla’s drug acting, plenty of Glenda, and great to see Steve Mcdonald back in the cab office. 

I've still no idea what ‘Monday morning quarterback’ means. I am @rybazoxo if you wanna tweet to let me know!

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Coronation Street Episode Review Friday 17 February 2023

Tonight I thought we would play a little game of What Would You Do?  For example if you were Carla and spent yesterday feeling unwell, seeing things and today you feel muddleheaded and unable to read a delivery list and then saw a stack of tyres moving, do you think you would ignore Abi's advice not to drive but instead jump into the company van and set off down the road?  And then there are flashing lights taking over?  What would you do?  I would stop and go home for a lie down.  But this is an entertaining drama so Carla turns the corner and then fails to make the next corner and instead goes straight ahead into Peter's new motorbike knocking Paul off - and the bike was not even moving.  Carla works out that there is "something wrong" and by the end of the episode she has decided to take a step back from running the factory - which Stephen (having been generously dosing Carla's drinks with LSD for the last couple of days) is entirely happy to do.

Next up is the case of Paul.  Apart from being knocked sideways by Carla his day has been a bit up and down as he was told earlier that in the light of Todd being so destructive with Mike (at least that is what Billy has been told) the hot archdeacon has declared his continuing feelings for Paul.  Paul feels they are better at being mates but after his sudden encounter with the ground he accepts an invitation from the hot archdeacon for a brew and it is not long before even more is on offer.  What Would You Do?  Quite right, pull back, remember that you smacked Mike, not Todd, and that the hot archdeacon is only cultivating these feelings under a complete misapprehension and make a run for it before any clothes are removed.  Paul has more morals than a hot archdeacon.

Now we move onto Dee Dee and Adam.  We know that the latter is lacking a moral (or any other compass) so it is no surprise that when they have a new client, Jayden, accused of a stabbing coming in, for which they are acting for the defence, they make sure Alya is not around by giving her her birthday day off (happy 30th Alya).  Now I know that solicitors need to earn income but is it really sensitive to be representing a knife wielder in this day and age, especially one causing GBH?  What Would You Do?  I cannot believe that Alya will not find out about Jayden and his case some time in the next six months.

More seriously What Would You Do with Zeedan?  He has obviously been contracted for the wrong number of episodes and you need to deal with it.  Alya summons Marrium from London and tells the two of them to make a go of it notwithstanding his inaction over the death of Hashim.  Alya goes to great lengths to assure them that she feels almost normal.  It seems that the lust which took over in London is still rampant and is stronger than her familial feelings for her poor departed crooked, nasty piece of work, father.  So they are gone in a flash. 

Amy is none too keen on her new lodger and works on Mary to repair the friendship between the two of them.  Relations are restored as Brian truly believes that Mary delivered an outstanding performance but it does not work out as Amy hopes as Brian is conscious that Number 11 (Eileen's) is already full and bursting and no more can be shoe-horned in!  So he remains at the builder's flat and has invited Mary to tea!  Aaron goes to check on Summer and Amy is not amused.

At t'other end of the t'Street we might all ask what we should do with the Platt family.  Max is being sentenced today and has a new solicitor who will be seeking to try and minimise any sentence - the judge listens to the prosecution barrister who seeks the maximum penalty and to the defence arguing for a lighter penalty as Max pled guilty and admitted the error of his ways.  On the whole I believe that the judge was very conscious of the latter points and a 10 month sentence of which Max will only serve half seems quite mild.  David is very concerned that Max does not want visitors.  However it also seems that Max's travails are not over as other residents of the institution start calling him a terrorist - and they do not see many of them inside as they usually blow themselves up.  They are merely credited as "Lad 1" and "Lad 2".  

I don't quite understand how Peter knew that the van was going to run into his bike - it could not be going so fast that it could not turn right - he must have an amazing sixth sense!  Apparently Abi will respray it tomorrow but we were not told if the bike was damaged.  I hope Zeedan and Marrium ate before departing for London - the food was getting cold on the table.  Paul seems to have been discharged very rapidly by the hospital given the usual A&E wait times - he was out before he would have been seen around here; I hope they have checked everything properly!  How much money will Stephen siphon off before Carla spots the fraud?

All this and much much more should be along next week.

Written by Ellen Taylor and Susan Oudot.  Directed by Stephen Rose.

Kosmo

@Kosmo100

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