Brooke Vincent on Sophie's chances with Jenna

Over on the ITV official Corrie site, Brooke Vincent talks about Sophie's new romance with her physiotherapist, Jenna. Brooke says that Sophie has already got a "vibe" that Jenna may be a lesbian and her own crush on Jenna has been growing as she's been recovering with Jenna's professional help. Sophie thinks that Jenna may reciprocate her feelings but what we, the viewer, have seen could also point just to a friendship.

Sophie takes matters into her own hands, makes the leap of faith and kisses Jenna but they're interrupted by Kevin who blows his top. Not willing to listen to Sophie who insists she instigated the kiss,  Brooke explains: "Kevin blames Jenna because he is embarrassed that he made a pass at a woman who is clearly not interested in men. He can’t blame Sophie, she is his daughter, he just feels stupid and he wants to blame someone.

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Sophie is being naive, though, thinking love can conquer all but we all know Sophie isn't the brightest button in the box. If I was writing this storyline, I'd have Jenna be a little attracted and flattered but back off firmly, recognizing that Sophie's crush is something that can happen in these types of situations ("transferrence" anyone?) The storyline will only serve to introduce Jenna as a lesbian but she ends up being Sophie's friend instead, possibly introducing her to a younger friend as a blind date.

But they won't listen to me, will they? Will they heck!

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Coronation Street wins Stonewall Award

Coronation Street won a Stonewall Award last night for ‘Broadcast of the Year’.  Well done to Corrie!

From the Stonewall website:
Broadcast of the Year – Coronation Street. The Street gained its first and second lesbian characters with Sian and Sophie’s relationship this year, alongside Antony Cotton’s established centrepiece role as Sean Tully. Our judges said Corrie has proven to be ‘streets ahead with its lesbian and gay characters, depicted with the same wit, warmth and drama as all of Weatherfield’s cherished faces.’

All the winners are listed here at the Stonewall website and in the Pink News.

Brooke talks about Sophie's journey

There's a good article over on SheWired.com with an interview with Brooke Vincent. It's all about the journey that Sian and Sophie have made from best friends to coupledom. Brooke talks about filming with Sascha Parkinson, her long time friend and says that although confused at first, Sophie now accepts that she's a normal girl who just happens to be a lesbian. Her new found faith in God isn't an issue either because Sophie believes God accepts her for who she is as well.

Janice Battersby - a likely lesbian?

The Sian/Sophie storyline has got me thinking. If, as some have suggested, there was a Coronation Street romance between two older women, who would they be? Gail and Eileen have been mooted as a likely couple. Hmm. Maybe. But I'm coming out of left field here and saying Janice Battersby. She's not having much luck with Trev the binman, who's currently cavorting with Carla in her king sized gold damask sheets 'n' duvet 'n' everything else set (where did she GET that lot? Markies maybe?). And she was trying to get into nursing, a while back, wasn't she? What happened there?

My mystic Meg side sees Janice making some big mid-life changes this year. I've no idea who she'd link up with, though. NOT Eileen or Gail, I'll say that. Maybe she'll meet someone nice at an evening class?

Why I love the Coronation Street lesbians

Corrie has always been about the women. The men are kept very much in the background being feckless, drinking too much, gambling the housekeeping money away on a nag, having a fling with a floozy or murdering their wives. And so this fan believes the time was more than right for a lesbian relationship on the nation's favourite soap and wholeheartedly welcomes it.

Yes, the tabloids are going for titillation but that's to be expected. I'm in agreement with the Corrie actresses who've said that Sian and Sophie's relationship on Corrie is a romance, a love story. And it's a story about which the Lesbian and Gay Foundation approve too.

In her wonderful book Women and Soap Operas, Christine Geraghty says that all soap opera turns on the premise of female friendship - how they work, why they don't, what happens when a man comes between them - and lesbianism is just the next step forward in the development of women's friendships on screen.

If there was just one thing I could change in the lesbian romance of Sophie and Sian, it'd be for a lesbian relationship to to have taken place between two of the older women instead. But that's just an age-thing, because I'm old too. And I don't suppose Eileen and Gail cuddling up to watch 'Desperate Housewives' together on the sofa would have made the gossip magazines and generated as much publicity as the two very pretty and young actresses Brooke Vincent and Sacha Parkinson are currently doing.

When Corrie aired its first gay kiss when Todd tried to snog Nicky Tilsley, the storyline developed with Todd coming out, being proud, stutting his stuff around Manchester's gay village. With Sophie and Sian's storyline, it remains to be seen how it will go. Will Sophie be seen in lesbian-Christian groups, for instance. Will she come out and be proud, or simper after Sian and then run to the first "New Corrie hunk for Sophie!" that could well be announced in the tabloids in a few months time? Time will tell, but Corrie will handle it well, of that I'm sure.

Brooke and Sacha on Sophie and Sian's big kiss

It's been all over the tabloids and media for days and it's hotting up today with two big pieces about next Sunday's budding romance between Sian and Sophie. They're making a big deal about the first lesbian kiss on Corrie, which comes over 6 years after the first boy-on-boy kiss between Nick and Todd. Brooke Vincent says over here that it was easier than her first on-screen kiss with a boy as she and Sacha Parkinson are good friends. Sacha agrees, over here, but she's concerned about audience reaction after the big buildup.

Sian and Sophie's relationship will build slowly and they'll keep it from their friends and families at first but expect fireworks when Sian's volatile dad finds out (at least, that's my guess). Oddly enough, I reckon Sally and Kevin will get over their initial shock and be supportive though I expect we'll have some typical Kevin hollering and fuss first. Rosie is expected to be nothing but supportive which is nice to see after all the past sibling rivalry the two have experienced.

Sophie Webster to be Corrie's first lesbian says News of the World

There's a wonderful story today in the News of the World with a great headline of "By 'eck as dyke!". If this story's true - and there's no certainty it is as they only quote a 'Granada source' - then Sophie Webster is set to be Coronation Street's first lesbian. This sounds a wonderful story to this fan's ears - it's about blooming time there was a bit of lady love on the cobbles although I'm still holding out for Gail and Eileen to get it together. Until then, and if it's true, this blog says go, Sophie go, and make the role a convincing role-model for young lesbians everywhere.

Mind you, it's not the first time the News of the World has mooted the lesbian on Corrie story. Have a look here from July 2008.

See also:
Michael Le Vell reckons Sophie Webster's a legend
Brooke Vincent on being Sophie Webster

Coronation Street to get its first lesbian

Coronation Street has its fair share of gay men in it now and a transsexual too so featuring a lesbian has been long overdue.

According to the News of the World, Corrie's first lesbian will turn up on the cobbles soon. You can read the full story here although my money's still on Gail and Eileen getting putting their differences to one side and getting along, um, just a bit better.

Want to read more about the representation of homosexuality in Corrie? Click here