Fiz and Phill’s Wedding Day Chaos? Corrie Blog chats to Jennie McAlpine

A summer wedding is always something to look forward to, isn't it? In recent Covid years, we Corrie viewers have been starved of any big cast ensemble event, so it's with some excitement that I look forward to Phill & Fiz's big day. Fiz however, has some hesitations and hurdles to cross before then!! 

Beset with DIY disasters at their posh new house, Fiz's pre-wedding jitters go into overdrive as she faces up to more Phill-sized problems! Firstly, matriarchal Mimi returns to cause more trouble, and then Phill's beautifully posh ex-wife Camilla arrives on the scene! Could she be a catalyst that stops the big day from happening? That could also be said of Tyrone though, who is encouraged by Kevin to tell Fiz his true feelings. Meanwhile, Cerebus causes Evelyn and Mimi to clash. Will the ceremony even go ahead? As I write this, I'm reminded of Eva and Aidan's big day, so let's hope that's not an ominous thought! 

With all of that in mind, I was ecstatic to be invited to an ITV Corrie press day to chat with Jennie McAlpine, who plays Fiz, to learn more about it! 

Hi Jennie, great to speak to you again. How does Fiz feel as the wedding day approaches?  

Fiz is sure that this is the right thing for her and that this is what is right. If Tyrone hadn't cheated, things would have been different, but of course, Phill is a lot better for her and is the antithesis of Ty. Fiz has no more doubts now. 

Mimi makes a return for the wedding. She caused a bit of trouble the last time she was on the street. How are things between her and Fiz now? 

Well, she wasn't nice the last time she was on the street, was she? Phill finally stood up to her and sent her on her way. Fiz is dreading her arrival, and thinks it's will be the same as last time. If you remember, it was the planning of Phill’s birthday, which she took over, but the wedding's a million times bigger! She (Mimi) is out to cause chaos and sabotage the wedding. 

Does Fiz think that Mimi will put a stop to the wedding?

Yes, I think she does - Evelyn certainly does. It doesn't surprise Fiz that Mimi may try and scupper the wedding. It doesn't go well. 

Phill’s ex-wife Camilla also arrives! Does this unsettle Fiz? Does she worry that there could still be feelings between Phill and his ex? 

Yes. Deep down she’s still quite fragile since Tyrone did that to her. There is an element of disbelief with everything she’s had from Phill, and then his successful ex-wife turns up! She (Fiz) thinks that Phill is going to go back to Camilla and that Fiz will be left on her own. Fiz is low on self-esteem as it is. 

To add to the mix, the registrar is cancelled on the morning of the wedding! Does Fiz feel that her big day is doomed?

Yes, and I think Fiz says exactly that to Evelyn, whilst in the pub! That was one of my lines. I do. I think she thinks it is: that’s a part of how she thinks about herself. It’s as though she thinks she doesn’t deserve the big house and the posh wedding, and that she should have just stuck with the cheating Tyrone, in the first place.  

Whilst she’s feeling vulnerable, Tyrone tells her he still loves her and on the morning of the wedding itself! How does she react? Does this change anything for her? 

No, it doesn't. She just tells him what we've already said before. Had he not cheated on her with Alina, things may have been different. It's not a total shock that Tyrone wants them to get back together - the timing is lousy. However, she still wants to marry Phill and goes ahead with marrying Phill. She takes little notice and carries on with it regardless. Tyrone also gives Fiz a pair of Vera’s beautiful pearl earrings! It's a nice nod to corrie's past, and something else to add to Fiz’s emotional wedding morning.  

Thanks, Jenny - looking forward to watching the wedding! 

Coronation Street isn't giving anything away here so we will have to watch and find out if Fiz marries Phill at all? The lead-up to this has included a lot of comedy; Phill and Ty’s fights, staunch matriarchs in the form of Evelyn and Mimi, trouble from Hope, and a tug-of-war for Fiz’s affections. I predict a culmination of all of these factors for the Wedding day episode? 

I shan't be showering the confetti about, just yet! 

Phill and Fiz’s wedding (episode 10685) is due to broadcast on Friday 8th of July 2022 at 8 pm, so make sure you're watching 

I am @rybazoxo your Corrie superfan and cobbles connoisseur   

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Imran DIES In Dramatic Car Crash! Corrie Blog Interviews Charlie De Melo

So there you are - the secret is out! Back at the beginning of May I attended an ITV Coronation Street online press conference and interviewed quite a few of the cast - the big surprise was chatting with Charlie De Melo and learning of Imran’s death. The crash and funeral have been filmed, with nothing leaked to the press, so I hope you are as surprised as I was when I first heard the news!  

In this final Corrie blog interview for big soap week, we chat to Charlie De Melo to learn all about Imran’s death, his time on Coronation Street, and his dream exit plot. 

Hi Charlie, Imran’s death comes as a massive shock - it doesn't look like he’s injured at all! How does it feel to say goodbye to the character after four and a half years? 

It's uncanny and a strange feeling. The final week itself had a lot of effort put into it, a real Corrie team effort - the scale was huge! It felt like an impending burden for me, to get it right, and the fact that it seemed to go well, and for Georgia (Taylor, Toyah Battersby) to be happy with it, meant a lot. Toyah’s next phase follows directly from this, so it was important to get it right 

What prompted your decision to leave Coronation Street? 

It was a multitude of things. The first few years I did actually find difficult, to be honest, and when I had the option to renew my 2-year contract, I made the decision then that it was a chance to end my time in Manchester and move on to pastures new. A failed experiment maybe, to move and join a job like this, but then covid struck and it was the sensible choice to stay. Imran’s storylines then became rather joyous, working with Millie (Gibson, Kelly Neelan) and Georgia. I then rather enjoyed it but then realised that if I stayed, I could be there forever. With no personal responsibilities, I decided to take a risk. If not now, then when, and maybe never, so I took the plunge. I don't have kids, or a wife, or anything, so without sounding callous, I thought it was the best time to take that risk.

How did you feel when you found out that Imran would be killed off? 

On a zoom call with Georgia, just before Christmas of 2021, I was told and we were given a rundown of what was coming up. We wanted a sense of what was going on, and I started to feel quite precious about Imran, and I wanted to do this real justice. We had a chat with Iain (Macleod, Corrie exec producer) and he gave us a real in-depth overview of Imran's internal character and eventual decline. Once the news settled in, I kinda got paranoid about them writing me out, but they assured me that it wasn't an easy decision for them. and Imran's options were limited by this point in the story. It's a new beginning for Georgia Taylor, Sally Carman (Abi), and Micheal Le Vell (Kevin), I think. 

Imran has gone on quite the journey on Coronation Street. He was the hero of the hour during Yasmeen’s trial and Geoff’s court scenes. Did you ever imagine that he would go from hero to zero, so quickly? 

I doubt I would have pitched it as something I imagined happening, but, that the same impetus he had, in the defence of Yasmeen and Kelly, is the same thing that is driving him now. He is now on a different side to those heroic moments that he once had - it does make sense. It's just the way that the character is being presented that has changed. It shows a different side to Imran. 

How has the reaction been on social media and when you're out and about? 

Yes, there has been some vitriol to it, but thankfully it was something that I haven't needed to get used to. What I have noticed, and something that I am grateful for is the distinction between fans slating Imran, rather than having a pop at me. I'm not very thick-skinned, and it's been more on a character level, so I am grateful for that. 

What have been your highlights from working on the show? 

The stuff for the 60th anniversary is a real feather in my cap. I don't watch myself in anything, but I have seen that twice, and it came together really well. It was my first time being involved in something of that magnitude so a real honour. I enjoyed the daft stuff, like when Imran was sleeping with both Toyah and Leanne, and a wine-tasting at the bistro with Peter Gunn (Brian Packham) and making wine puns all the time - the man is so funny. It would be quicker to countdown the days that I didn't enjoy, it's the best place to work. My list of highlights is a long one! 

Have you taken any Imran keepsakes away with you? 

I've taken a few bits that aren't specific to Imran, I've got a rovers beer mat and a Roys Rolls placeholder. I'm also beneficiary of the costume department having to spread themselves around the building for covid compliance, hence them having no space. They told me I’d be doing them a real favour if I took away all of Imran’s clothes!! I'm also still wearing Imran’s wedding ring, which I haven’t taken off. It's costume jewellery but now it's mine.  

Do you have any career plans now for the future? 

I am ambitious in my way. I'm ambitious but also directionless. I'm not one of those people that needs to have a career path, as such, have any plans as such. It would be a shorter list of things I don't want to do. Not to be disparaging, but I wouldn't want to do another job in a soap. I wouldn't be working with the same people, such as Georgia, Sally, or Millie. It couldn't match or beat Corrie! 

A final question then. Imran never found out the truth about Rana’s death. Would that have been something that you would have liked to have worked on? 

Yes, I think so. I’ve said this to Georgia when I told her I was leaving, and I envisaged what Imran’s final scene would be. At some point, Imran finds out about Gary’s responsibility for the factory roof collapse and invites him to the roof, it's raining, Gary climbs up the ladder, they have a scuffle, and Imran falls to his death. It flies in the face of Gary’s redemption though so wouldn't have worked. 

Thanks go to Charlie, and we wish him all the best for the future. 

One of the many joys of attending Coronation Street online press days (as a superfan, I cannot tell you how lucky I feel) is backstage gossip. Another side of it is if a big storyline is revealed early!! You get to learn about it weeks in advance, hear the cast talk about it all exclusively, and then keep it a secret! 

I know spoilers are a polarising emotional seesaw for soap fans, but I love them, and as your superfan Corrie blogger, it has happened to me a few times now. Learning about Luke Britton’s murder, via a poster on the Rovers Return wall (during a private set tour) was the best, and being sworn to secrecy is all part of the parcel! We are embargoed by Corrie press, and as a Corrie blogger, it’s not only a privilege to be privy to it, but, well, I wouldn't want to spoil it, or get in trouble with Corrie hierarchy!! Can you imagine? I bet they'd send in Gary Windass to finish me off! Jokes aside, it's always a pleasure and this press day secret was a card kept close to my chest for nearly a month! 

Right from the start of his story arc, Imran was a character of questionable morals. Introduced as Rana's brother, he'd cheated on his wife Sabine and become embroiled in romancing both of the Battersby sisters before settling with Toyah. It was of little surprise that he fathered Abi's illicit child, and his downfall began. Corrie has a long-held history of killing off bad boys, Imran Habeeb follows a long line of them. It's also been a long storyline, following Seb's death, and maybe, just maybe, this is the start of a peaceful time for Abi? I guess Gary Windass can breathe a sigh of relief too? Rana's death remains covered up, so it seems that Gary may be the exception to the bad boy rule? I think about these things far too much, but I wouldn't be a good Corrie blogger if I didn't, eh?

@rybaoxo Corrie connoisseur and Coronation Street superfan 

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Fiz Finds Out Phill's Secret? Corrie Blog Chats to Jennie McAlpine

In last night's episode, Fiz was left reeling having discovered Phill is friends with Graham, the prosecution solicitor who presided over her criminal trial following John Snape’s murder spree. Fiz confided in Tyrone, telling him how she’s never told Phill about her crazy ex-husband, as she doesn't want to scare him away. It then transpired that Phill actually knows all about John Snape, and would never think badly of her.

However, we will soon find out that Phill is hiding secrets too!

On the 5th of May, we attended a Coronation Street Press Day, and the Corrie media gang promised us that there is still a lot more to come in this long-standing love triangle between Phill, Fiz, and Tyrone. John's daughter Hope wreaks havoc with a digger, Tyrone digs for the truth, and Fiz contemplates a marriage proposal! In our latest Corrie cast interview, we spoke to Jennie McAlpine, who plays Fiz Brown, to learn all about it!

Hi Jennie! All seems to be going well for Fiz and Phill until the spectre of John Snape comes back into Fiz’s orbit. How does Fiz feel when she meets Phill’s posh friends for dinner, only to discover that Graham was a prosecution solicitor on John Snape’s murder case? 

Well, she's dead nervous about this dinner, meeting Phill’s posh friends. She doesn't know what to wear, Sean tells her to put some more make-up on - so she’s in a right state, anyway. Then she gets this huge bolt-from-the-blue in the form of John Snape when he’s mentioned, and he becomes the whole content of conversation over dinner

Phill doesn't know anything about Fiz’s past, even though he’s supportive of her, and the girls, and seems to be an absolute gentleman. This week we find out that Phill is also hiding something, and Hope is the first to find out his secret. What does Hope do to Phill?

First of all, Hope gets hold of a giant digger and smashes it into Phill’s car. We all know that you don't mess with Fiz’s daughter! It’s quite tame for her really, and she could have been a whole lot worse, actually. Fiz is then really angry and distressed. For some reason, Hope finds out that Phill has a whole load of info about John Snape, and subsequently learns a whole load of things about her Dad, that she didn't want to know

How does Phill react to the attack on his car? He is mature about it and just concentrates on trying to smooth things over with Fiz. He has a whole lot more to worry about!!

How does Fiz feel when she finds out the truth about Phill. Will it change her perception of him? 

Yes, the shine is knocked off when reality hits home, but she still likes him and wants to cling to the idea of them. She doesn't want to be on her own, nor leave the posh home they share, having thought he was ‘the one’ for her. 

We all know that Tyrone is hoping to get back together with Fiz. Do you think she could go running back into his arms? 

Would Fiz go back to him? Yes, she would, but it would be the Tyrone that didn't run off with Alina, nor break her heart. It's just that she can't get over what he did, and tearing the family apart. 

Does she have genuine feelings for Phil? I think she does, but she's putting the family first, and the girls first ahead of her feelings. It's a new start away from Weatherfield and Phill can give her all the things that Tyrone can't. He has no baggage (that she knows of), no kids, and seems stable...

Phill and Fiz end up on shaky ground this week, and then Phill proposes marriage. Is this something that Fiz wants? 

I think this is the thing, Phill is romantic and kind to her, all of the things that Tyrone wasn't, he’s really sweet. There’s a line in the script where Phill lists all of the things that he loves about their relationship and it's the same things that Tyrone said he hated about their relationship before he left her for Alina. It reminds her of that original conversation but the outcome is completely different. I think she gets swept away by Phill’s romance 

Would you like to see Fiz marry Phill? 

Well, if you remember my last on-screen wedding, it was in a prison with only Chesney and prison guards as guests, so it may be nice to have a white wedding. However, Evelyn points out to Fiz that if she does get married, she can't wear white, and Fiz disagrees, so we shall see!

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What is Phill hiding? Does Hope take this vendetta further? and will Tyrone stand aside to let Fiz get married? This press day was part of a big set of storylines coming up, so keep your eye on the Coronation Street blog for upcoming spoilers, backstage gossip, and more cast interviews! 

I am @rybazoxo your Cobbles connoisseur and Corrie superfan. 

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