Corrie cast members sign new contracts

Here's some cast contract news, which comes from The Sun.  As there's no official Coronation Street source for this tabloid snippet, as always take with a pinch of extra salt with your Curry Sauce.

The Sun reports this week that Kate Ford and Bev Callard (Tracy and Liz) have been given 'generous new contracts' to stay on the Street.  After Corrie favourites Alison King (Carla Connor and Craig Charles (Lloyd Mullaney), revealing their exit plans, The Sun says Corrie bosses are keen not to lose any more characters.

Mr Curry Sauce tells the paper: “With so many cast members quitting recently, the bosses have been panicking that others may follow in their footsteps. They can’t afford to lose any more favourites, so they have wasted no time handing out these new contracts, some of which are very generous."

Other characters reportedly staying on the street include Alan Halsall (Tyrone Dobbs), Jimmi Harkishin (Dev Alahan) and Antony Cotton (Sean Tully).

Debbie Rush (Anna Windass) and Mikey North (Gary Windass) have reportedly been given new contracts. 

Newbies Tisha Merry (Steph Britton), Oliver Farnworth (Andy Carver) and Daniel Brocklebank (Billy Mayhew) will be on the soap for another year.  Daniel's contract has already been confirmed - read here.

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

More cast members have their Corrie contracts renewed

The tabloids are reporting that some of the Coronation Street cast have signed new contracts which to keep them on the cobbles for at least another year.

The four cast members reported in the tabloids are Brooke Vincent (Sophie Webster), Kym Marsh (Michelle Connor - soon to be McDonald), Catherine Tyldesley (Eva Price) and Jennie McAlpine (Fiz Stape).

We already know that Les Dennis has confirmed his contract has been renewed for another 12 months.

And we know that the actors who play Carla, Lloyd, Kal, Maddie, Andrea and Julie are leaving. Maria will be taking a break when the actress who plays her goes on maternity leave.

Returning are the actors who play Kylie, Peter Barlow, Brian Packham, Robert Preston

And joining the show are The Bill actor Andrew Paul, comedy actor Paddy McGuiness and Girls Aloud's Sarah Harding.

 

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

Which Corrie characters are 'safe'?

Earlier in the week we were assured that Deirdre's future on the show is safe. Some comments in reaction to this began to question if some characters/actors are regarded as being safe, and maybe don't have to renew their contracts every two years like we hear happens to Kym Lomas or Michelle Collins.

It has been said that both William Roache and Eileen Derbyshire have 'iron' contracts, and that they cannot be axed. Since when has this been in force, who knows? If it has been! Bill Podmore once said that Ken Barlow has survived more assassination attempts than J. R. Ewing. Does Barbara Knox have an iron contract and did Betty Driver and Bill Tarmey and Liz Dawn?

Poor Peter Baldwin, who played Derek Wilton, thought that his future on the show was secure when he signed a contract in late 1996. But bang, in early 1997, he was told that Derek was being written out! So, signing a contract doesn't always mean an actor's future's safe!

And did Jean Alexander go before she was pushed? She was unhappy about her lack of storylines and decided to leave. Would producers dare axe the show's most popular character?

A few years back producers also discussed axing Blanche but changed their minds. Even a character as popular as Blanche was not safe from the axe. Helen Worth was considered to face the axe in 2001 but was saved when she became involved in the Hillman storyline. And she had been in the soap for 27 years! So sometimes a character's longevity doesn't always mean their future's safe.

So who do you think should be regarded as 'safe' characters? Characters you wouldn't dream of getting rid of them. Do you think producers should make public reassurances of the future of certain characters like the veterans of the show and acknowledge their appreciation of them?

My list of who should never be axed are: Emily, Rita, Deirdre, Gail, Audrey, Steve, Roy, Sally and Norris.

You can follow us on Twitter @CoroStreetBlog and Facebook: CoronationStreetBlog


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