Damon Alexis-Rochefort on writing 15 years of Corrie

There's a wonderful interview in Wales Online with Coronation Street writer Damon Alexis-Rochefort.

Damon has been writing for Corrie for 15 years and in the interview he talks about growing up in Wales. 

"Eavesdropping on other people and listening out on turns of phrase and Corrie is made on that really. [Creator] Tony Warren used to say he wrote the first episode of Coronation Street after sitting under the table and listen to his aunties talking.

"Originally it was Elsie, Ena and Annie Walker and they represented three different kinds of women - the snob in the pub, the landlady, Elsie who was no better than she should be - the tart with the heart - and Ena the old battleaxe.

"And that’s why I love Corrie, it’s got those strong women and certainly my mother was a strong woman. I used to love listening to gossip."

Damon also says that he loved writing for Blanche Hunt.

"... she was one of my favourite characters, she could say all the things that no-one could say. And when Maggie Jones died I was very, very honoured to write the episode of her funeral. And then I was even more honoured when Bill Roache asked me to write the eulogy for her actual funeral, and I met a lot of her old friends from the theatre. Things like that are a great honour. Being to able to write a eulogy for one of your favourite actresses and then have it read out by Bill Roache at Salford Cathedral is pretty amazing."

You can read the full interview here.

• Find out all about the Coronation Street writing team at Coronation Street Blog: Exclusive: All Current Corrie writers online

Fancy writing a guest blog post for us? All details here!  

  

Read more Corrie news, interviews, gossip and spoilers  

Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook

   

---

---

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

Coronation Street Episode Review; Weds 19th of Dec 8.30pm

Brian's boozy barf blunder causes embarrassment at the school, post nativity play. As Cathy rages at Phil and confronts him with the bullying accusations, can Brian keep his job?.

Also feeling shamed, Jenny discusses her marriage woes with Gemma, and her paranoia is at an all-time high.  Kate stopping at the pub is least of her worries, and of course, Johnny is preoccupied with his demanding daughter. Rana confirms her split with Kate to best friend Alya.

Giving Sally her legal bill, Sophie is cagey with her Mum and admits that Tim is spiralling into a dark depression, whilst any case for her appeal is looking unlikely.

Talking his troubles over with Steve, Tim continues to drown his sorrows and his reluctance to sell his share in streetcars causes Sally and Sophie more pain.

Also at The Rovers, Kevin defends Brian's behaviour after seeing Jacks performance and his sons flourishing character. Kev heads over to the school to pick up his son, whilst Brian pleads with Phil, in the hope of keeping his job.

As Phil rages at Brian, Jack has sneaked into the classroom and films  Phil bullying his favourite teacher, before posting the footage online. Phil is swiftly suspended by the school and when he storms into The Rovers to confront Brian, the pub regulars rally round in his defence. Phil retreats after an ear bashing from David, Evelyn, and Shona.

Meanwhile, in the Rovers' back room, Jenny is drinking the pub profits and takes her own hurt out on a confessional Kate. Getting absolutely annihilated (for the second night running), Jenny denounces cheating in relationships, drunkenly bumps into a door, and starts hatching another plan on her laptop. Is Jenny Bradley of old, making a sinister return?. Lets hope she's kept that hideous wig!.

Anyway, that's me for another week.

What're your thoughts on this Wednesday's Corrie? For me, writer @DamonCorrie never fails in delivering high drama and hilarity, in equal measure.

Let us know what you think!.

You can find me on twitter @rybazoxo  - your self-styled 'Cobbles Connoisseur'.

Join me next time, for more Wednesday Weatherfield Wisdom!.

Happy Christmas X

See also: Christmas gift ideas for Coronation Street fans

Read more Corrie news, interviews, gossip and spoilers  

Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook                                                           

---

---

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

Corrie weekly update – Angelo's and a courgette

Corrie weekly updates from 1995

All the wit and warmth of Weatherfield
None of the waffle
Available from amazon.co.uk or amazon.com 

Sarah wants to get back with Gary but Bethany does her best to drive a wedge between them. “You’ve got the wrong end of the stick!” Gary tells Sarah when she tells him how much she feels betrayed by him making Nicola pregnant, to which Bethany replies: “She doesn’t care about you, or your stick!”.  Gary then finds out that Bethany’s working in the lap dancing club and breaks the news to Sarah, who takes her mum Gail and grandma Audrey to the club to find out what’s going on. This was a wonderful scene, again taking the sting out of Tassels and all the seediness that must go on within it. But would Bethany really be allowed to work there, as she’s not yet 18?

Bethany’s not best pleased, as you can imagine, to see her family in the lap dancing club. But as Audrey points out: “If you worked in a pet shop, you wouldn’t mind us coming down to look at the hamsters.”  Audrey further remembers Tassels when it used to be an Italian restaurant, back in the day, and it was where she ate her first courgette.

Hospital scene of the week alert: Gary in A & E after being beaten up by the bouncers in the lap dancing club. Yes, army-trained Gary who was out in Ukraine recently working as a body guard got beaten to bits by a couple of back street bouncers.

In court, Anna Windass is found guilty of actual bodily harm against Seb and sent down for five years.  Phelan’s daughter Nicola returns and she’s harbouring Seb in her flat, hiding him from Phelan. She tells Gary that she believes Seb’s story about Phelan killing Luke and she’s going to work on Phelan, pretending that she’s a loving daughter, until she uncovers the truth. Ooh, I like this a lot.

Now then, ever since Toyah Battersby returned to Coronation Street she’s been defined by one thing and one thing only – her desire to get pregnant.  It’s dull to the extreme. This week Toyah was given the news that the surrogate carrying the baby for her and Peter had a miscarriage. And she also found out that Eva is pregnant. This is one storyline I’m not enjoying, not one little bit. Whoever’s captured the real Toyah can we have her back, please? And while you’re on, let’s have Peter back too.

In the Rovers, Gemma throws Henry Newton a birthday party where everyone dresses up as the name of one of the Newton and Ridley pubs.  Rosie Webster comes dressed with a red stripe down her face, and no-one can work out what she is. “I’m the nation’s most popular pub name, The Red Line!” she cries. Oh dear.

Gina’s all giddy kipper after Weatherfield County football star Tommy Orpington gives her a shining endorsement by wearing one of Gina’s hats and posting a picture of himself on Instagram. Spurred on by this, she throws herself into the fashion business with gusto.

Summer returns this week with a convoluted story about why Todd Grimshaw isn’t coming back. I lost the will to live at this point, it was so clearly cobbled together a scene after Bruno Langley’s shock exit from the soap.  Anyway, it was something to do with police and Todd and police and Todd and police.

Newcomer Josh turned up at the garage to apply for the position as mechanic that Tyrone and Kev have to fill to replace Luke.  Josh is going to be crucial to the programme as he’ll turn out to be the rapist who attacks David Platt.

And that’s just about that for this week.

Remember, you can sign up to get these Corrie weekly updates by email at http://www.corrie.net/updates/weekly/subscribe.htm

This week’s writers were Chris Fewtrell and Jan McVerry (Monday); Susan Oudot (Wednesday); Damon Alexis-Rochefort (Friday). Find out all about the Coronation Street writing team at Coronation Street Blog: Exclusive: All Current Corrie writers online

Glenda Young
--
Blogging away merrily at Flaming Nora
Website: glendayoungbooks.com

Read more Corrie news, interviews, gossip and spoilers  

Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook 

---

Please read our advice for leaving comments on the Coronation Street Blog
All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

Corrie weekly update – Tinker and Tassels

Corrie weekly updates from 1995

All the wit and warmth of Weatherfield
None of the waffle
Available from amazon.co.uk or amazon.com 

Anna’s trial starts this week and first up in the stand is Pat Phelan who lies through his teeth. Second in the stand is Seb, who tells the truth and points the finger of blame at Phelan for telling him to lie about Anna pushing him off his ladder. Will Phelan be found out soon? Let’s hope so. In a wonderful scene in Eileen’s living room, she questions Pat about what he’s been up to and he squirms his way out of it magnificently, but Eileen’s got her gander up now and goes back to visit Anna in jail.

After Chesney and Sinead’s wedding was called off last week, Sinead moves into Maria’s flat. This tiny little flat above the hair salon now houses Maria and little Liam, Kirk and Beth, Craig and Sinead. Chesney, meanwhile, is left on all alone in his house across the road.

PC Craig Tinker’s called to a fracas at Tassels, and that’s not something I’ve ever said in a weekly update before. One of the girls has been beaten by a punter and Craig is aghast when he finds out that Bethany works there too. Not as aghast as we all are, Craigy-boy.  Anyway, now he knows, he determines to keep Bethany safe from harm and her secret, so far is safe.  Bethany then takes it upon herself to keep Gary Windass far from her mum when she finds out Sarah’s considering getting back with her ex.

Eva finds out she’s 17 weeks pregnant. I’m going to repeat that. Eva, unaware for the last four months that there’d been any changes to her body AT ALL, she finds out that she’s 17 weeks pregnant with a baby that’s been growing inside her for the past four months. Did I mention four months? Did I mention how daft this whole flaming thing is? Anyway, all of this means, of course, is that the baby is Aidan’s, not Adam’s. Eva and her new best mate Shona bunker down in the Rovers to decide what to do.

Elsewhere, Simon’s been excluded from school for selling vodka and Tyrone’s kids cut up a load of sample knickers that Sean had sown for Aidan and Alya’s new venture.

By far the best scene of the week was the beer fight in the Rovers when Toyah, jealous of Carla and Peter’s history, pretends to befriend Carla, but then admits to Leanne that it’s all a ruse.  Michelle overhears and chucks a pint at Toyah, who gets soaked not once but twice. It really was very funny indeed, the perfect giggle for a Friday night Corrie in way that Corrie had almost forgotten to do.
And finally this week Gemma wants to do something special for Henry’s birthday and so Liz suggests throwing a party in the pub. She glances over at the picture of Betty on the wall and says it would have been what Betty wanted.  A nice touch, I felt.

And that’s just about that for this week.

Remember, you can sign up to get these Corrie weekly updates by email at http://www.corrie.net/updates/weekly/subscribe.htm

This week’s writers were Julie Jones (Monday); John Kerr and Ben Tagoe (Wednesday); Damon Alexis-Rochefort (Friday). Find out all about the Coronation Street writing team at Coronation Street Blog: Exclusive: All Current Corrie writers online

Glenda Young
--
Blogging away merrily at Flaming Nora
Website: glendayoungbooks.com

Read more Corrie news, interviews, gossip and spoilers  

Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook 

---

Please read our advice for leaving comments on the Coronation Street Blog
All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

Coronation Street writer shortlisted for episode award

Damon Alexis-Rochefort (left) with Tony Warren (centre) and Corrie writer Jonathan Harvey (right)

One of my favourite Coronation Street writers, Damon Alexis-Rochefort, has been shortlisted for a writing award.

Damon has been shortlisted by The Writers' Guild of Great Britain awards in the Best Long Running TV Series 2018 for an episode of Coronation Street which he wrote.

It was episode 9251 which Corriepedia tells us was Eva and Aidan's wedding day back in September 2017. It was also the episode where Rita was in hospital for her brain tumour scan and she was singing along to another patient playing the electric organ. You can find out more about the episode here.

The awards ceremony takes place on January 15, 2018.

Good luck, Damon!

Find out all about the Corrie writing team here

Read more Corrie news, interviews, gossip and spoilers 
 
Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook 

---

Please read our advice for leaving comments on the Coronation Street Blog
All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License

Corrie weekly update - Padron Flaming Peppers

Corrie weekly updates from 1995

All the wit and warmth of Weatherfield
None of the waffle
Available from amazon.co.uk or amazon.com  

My favourite story this week has been that of Gemma and Newt. Newt, you’ll remember is the nickname of Henry Newton, heir to the Newton and Ridley beer empire. He’s Cecil Newton’s grandson but to Gemma he’s her Prince Charming. So taken is she by him that she locks herself in the loo at the Rovers when he turns up with a bouquet of flowers for her. Gemma’s not used to such niceties from fellas, and Rita has to go and have a word with her to get her out of the loo.

THIS WEEK'S HOSPITAL SCENE NO. 1. Baby George keeps falling ill, and it seems as if it happens each time he’s with Mary. In a soap twist I’ve been shaking my head at this week, Mary’s son Jude and his wife Angie report Mary for child abuse to the social services. Mary’s in pieces, she wouldn’t hurt a fly never mind her beloved grandson. But Jude and Mary are certain she’s hurting their baby and decide to head back to South Africa. Again. Oh, just go and never come back. 

Todd figures out that the car crash Billy was involved in many years ago was the same car crash that killed Susan Barlow – Peter’s twin and Adam’s mum. Billy’s beside himself with grief.

THIS WEEK’S HOSPITAL SCENE NO. 2 – Robert after having his testicle removed in the cancer scare.

Faye moves in with Eileen and Phelan and away from Anna and Gary. She chooses to believe that Phelan’s a good guy and so it’s left to Gary to tell Faye that Phelan raped Anna. Still it’s not enough for Phelan’s grip on Faye and Seb to loosen. Gary’s at a loose end and heads back to Ukraine to do another job. Sarah gives him a St. Christopher medallion before he leaves.

Over at Underworld, Matthew Singh gives the place the once-over but is shocked to find there’s a squatter living in there. Less shocked is Aidan Connor. Is Aidan deliberately trying to put Matthew off from buying the place?

Johnny and Jenny’s plans to move to Spain continue and Kate says she fancies moving with them. Rana’s not happy to hear this and then the next thing you know, she and Kate are stripping each other’s clothes off in the back of the Speed Dahl van while Luke finds them together. This story might be titillation for the lads and post-feminism soap for ladettes, but for this long-term soap fan it’s just really dull.

And that’s just about that for this week.
 
Remember, you can sign up to get these Corrie weekly updates by email at http://www.corrie.net/updates/weekly/subscribe.htm

This week’s writers were Damon Alexis-Rochefort (Monday); Carmel Morgan and Ella Greenhill (Wednesday); Perrie Balthazar and David Isaac (Friday). Find out all about the Coronation Street writing team at Coronation Street Blog: Exclusive: All Current Corrie writers online
http://coronationstreetupdates.blogspot.com/2008/11/exclusive-all-current-corrie-writers.html

Glenda Young
--
Blogging away merrily at Flaming Nora
Website: glendayoungbooks.com

Read more Corrie news, interviews, gossip and spoilers  

Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook

---

Please read our advice for leaving comments on the Coronation Street Blog
All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License