Coronation Street Blog: martin platt

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Friday, 22 March 2019

The other David Platt

After a tough few days on the cobbles, we get a rest tonight because of the football: England’s first Euro 2020 qualifier at home to the Czech Republic.

With next year's European Championship coming 30 years after the 1990 World Cup (the first major tournament I can remember), I’ve been getting nostalgic about football recently. It’s been a welcome distraction from the British political system collapsing in on itself like the roof of a Weatherfield knicker factory.

My reminiscing has also been driven by this week’s brilliant ITV two-parter, ‘Harry's Heroes: The Full English’ which featured some absolute football legends from the ’90s, but unfortunately no David Platt (62 caps, 1989–1996).

Nevertheless, I have often wondered if Weatherfield’s hipster hairdresser and/or England’s magic midfielder have ever stopped to think about ‘the other David Platt’.

Here are both David Platts in their England kits, back in the day:

Corrie’s David was born in December 1990, a few months after England’s heroic performance in Italia ’90. David was initially registered a Tilsley (I still don’t get that) but Martin Platt may have been playing the long game. In hospital, Martin joked to Gail that they should call him Gazza, so football was clearly on his mind.

Anyway, I enjoyed this scene on ITV3 the other week. It was originally broadcast on 1 November 1991, when Nicky was mad on football and Martin had arranged a trial with Ferndale Street under-11s. There is a nice David Platt reference:

Nicky was right – it wasn’t a header that the other David Platt scored in extra time against Belgium to clinch England’s place in the quarter-finals. It was a volley and what a fantastic goal it was:

David Platt (the footballer) was as clinical in front of goal as David Platt (the stylist) is with a pair of scissors. Happy memories and all thanks to Classic Coronation Street!

We don’t get many real life footy references in Corrie these days but it is nice to see some Weatherfield County supporters on the street and Kirk as the club mascot, Buzzer the Bee.

And perhaps it was Nick’s playing career at Ferndale Street that secured Tommy Orpington's attendance at the ‘Trim Up North’ launch earlier this month.

The launch went OK in the end. But now that the roof has caved in, I can’t see Tommy O agreeing to be Brand Ambassador for that new range of Underworld pants. I reckon it’ll be a ‘Tommy NO!’ for Nick.

I hope England are better on the pitch tonight than Nick Tilsley is at table football. When will Tommy Orpington be called up to the squad? All together now... “He's fast! He's mean! He likes a fruit machine! He's Tommy O! He's Tommy O!”

By Martin Leay

Twitter @mpleay

Corrie Blogs @ bit.ly/corriemartin

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Friday, 27 July 2018

Cold War Corrie

All images in this blog are © @Coldwar_Steve

So, there’s this Twitter account called ‘McFadden’s Cold War’ run by @Coldwar_Steve - a character who posts surreal photo montages of politicians, footballers, celebrities and Phil Mitchell - ALWAYS Phil Mitchell - against a backdrop of bleak British imagery. It’s very funny and his work is regarded by some as the perfect antidote to Brexit Britain and the rise of Trump.

Simply put, these images are great and the guy is a genius. Coldwar Steve has amassed over 74,000 Twitter followers and an army of famous fans, including the artist Grayson Perry. The Guardian recently profiled Steve’s work and it’s well worth a read here. Is it art? Is it satire? Is it crucial commentary on a world that’s in crisis? I don’t know... but I know that I like it.

Of course, with Coronation Street being such an intrinsic part of what it means to be British, Corrie has not escaped Coldwar Steve’s attention. I’m new to his stuff but it seems that Dev Alahan and Kevin Webster have been regular motifs from the start. Roy Cropper and Steve McDonald have also appeared, as have many other characters from our beloved Corrie.

I told my wife about McFadden’s Cold War and after showing her some of Coldwar Steve’s work, she agreed that you need to see it to get it... and that it is true brilliance. So, without further ado, see below my Top Ten Corrie related examples of Steve’s schtick. Great, aren’t they? My favourite is ‘Street party selfie’.

To be honest, the world is so mad nowadays and Corrie storylines are moving so far beyond the realms of possibility, that I wouldn’t be shocked if images such as these started appearing in the ITV previews. Frankly, life is bonkers and you’ve got to laugh or else you’d cry. Keep doing what you do, Coldwar Steve - the world needs you right now!

Excellent use of Peter Beardsley! © @Coldwar_Steve

Morrissey! This is my absolute favourite!!! © @Coldwar_Steve

By Martin Leay, on Twitter @mpleay

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Friday, 23 March 2018

Coronation Street episode review, Thur 22 March, 8.30pm

I know I promised I would be here for the Friday episodes – but due to football one episode of Corrie appeared this evening and was a pretty easy introduction for me.

David wakes up on the sofa in Martin’s house having taken Max and Lily for a visit and to distance himself from his problems in Weatherfield. Martin knows that David is suffering from something stressful – or is ill – but David is not talking and David will not let the children out of his sight. Shona is again getting no answer to her phone calls. Martin tells David that New Zealand is going to be good for him and he has a good house and it is very safe. David does not even give Martin the chance of a catch up before he is heading back to Weatherfield. Once back home David announces to Shona that they should move to New Zealand as well - no discussion! Shona, Gail and Audrey try to convince him otherwise. And then David drops the bombshell – he will move even if Shona does not come – her choice.

Tyrone and Ruby are staying with Kev – but since he gently smacked Ruby the latter is saying she hates Tyrone and will not even come downstairs and she refuses to hold hands when they go outside. Fiz meanwhile is using the sleepover excuse again. Gina tells Fiz she saw Ty with Gemma earlier and Fiz is upset every is gossiping about her. Ty is just grateful for the help Gemma has given him and he and Chesney have words as Chesney knew about Hope whom Fiz is taking to the doctor. Ruby wants her tea with Hope when they see each other in the Street.

Ali has spent the night with Carla – so it looks like she has achieved a full recovery. He departs through the café and both he and Carla make it seem that he responded to a very early call out (do you know any doctors who actually do home visits these days? No me neither!). Robert gives Carla a message from Michelle about their meeting at Mayor Metcalfe’s later and invites Ali to train with him. After the training Ali spots Carla and Michelle together and Robert confirms they are very close friends.

Rosemary Piper (Sophie Thompson) has asked for another meeting with Gail as she has had more messages from Richard. Apparently Richard has laid a curse on the family and to deal with it Rosemary is going to need to charge and there will be quite a few sessions. Brian overhears the conversation as he was in the Bistro chatting to the newly butch and assertive Chesney.

Carla and Michelle rock up at the Metcalfes' for a brew and once they have apologised for the way they behaved last time Sally feels it is only right that they should be the first to see the impressive Italian designer Freshco makeover applied to her living room. Carla calls it “Very cutting edge.” Sally adds she has always been keen on the avant-garde - Banksy, Tracey Ermine, it is so sophisticated! Michelle thinks she has seen the design before. Behind Sally’s back both Connors dissolve with laughter. As they sup a brew Tim (with flowers) and Gina arrive and the latter identifies the wallpaper as being Weatherfield Freschco – as they have in their caff! Michelle confirms she has also seen it! Tim blames Kirk. Sally throws the flowers back at Tim.

Kosmo

Twitter: @Kosmo100

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Thursday, 22 March 2018

Martin’s Platter of cheese

Tonight’s Corrie will see the return of Martin Platt, a character that I have fond memories of from childhood. There weren’t many Martins that I could look up to in public life, so my namesake in Coronation Street had to do.

I always liked Martin. He was a good dad to David and to his adoptive children Nicky and Sarah Louise. It’s been interesting to see what he was like as a young man in the Classic Coronation Street episodes on ITV3. He had a hoop earring and a mullet, like most lads about town in the mid-to-late 80s.

Unfortunately, Martin is not returning under happy circumstances. It is, of course, part of the story arc that began last week with the terrible assault on his son, David.

I always imagined that if Martin Platt did come back to Coronation Street, it would be following a career change from nursing to cheesemaking, given Sean Wilson’s own professional development since leaving Corrie in 2005.

I pictured Martin setting up a stall at an artisan food market on the cobbles, selling a variety of produce from the Saddleworth Cheese Company. A storyline of this sort would reflect modern trends in food and drink consumption and provide a fantastic marketing opportunity for Sean Wilson. Alas, it wasn’t to be.

Nevertheless, I thought I’d mark Sean Wilson’s return to Corrie and escape the doom and gloom of current happenings on screen by sampling some of the actor’s award-winning cheeses. Plus, it gave me an excuse to use the pun in the title of this blog. Apologies if it’s a bit cheesy.

I’ve been wanting to try Sean Wilson’s cheeses ever since I found out they existed. However, they have only recently hit the south of England. Sean now has a nationwide contract with Asda and his cheeses are available in stores with a deli, badged under the name ‘Artisan Farm’.

That said, it took me a while to track them down. I walked two miles to the Asda in Wallington one Sunday afternoon but left empty-handed. I continued my pilgrimage to the Waterlooville Superstore when visiting the in-laws, having persuaded them to drive me there. This was also to no avail.

Eventually, my parents found two of the sacred cheeses in the Asda in Burgh Heath and bought them for me. Thanks mum, thanks dad.

‘Muldoons Picnic’ is a Lancashire crumbly cheese. The tasting notes tell of "a fresh acidity and broad curdy creaminess to the palate, giving a pleasing aftertaste and character that you just don't find with the factory equivalent".

This cheese is named after the Lancashire term for a room full of screaming kids. For example: "What do you think this is, Muldoon’s Picnic?!" It sounds like the Platt household in the early 90s!

‘How’s ya father’ is a creamy Lancashire with a “velvety character” and “a pleasing appearance and aroma”.

I tried both of these on some crackers with a nice drop of port and they really are very good.

I also had them both melted on toast with a bit of tomato. How’s ya father was my favourite and is particularly good on toast.

There are two other cheeses made by Sean’s Saddleworth Cheese Company. ‘Mouth Almighty’ is a stronger cheese which is said to have an initial tang that “opens up into a full flavour and unfolds into the mouth with a creaminess not too dissimilar to the How’s ya father”.

‘Smelly Ha'peth’ is a medium soft blue cheese with "a mild, sweet, nuttiness of a more continental theme". ‘Smelly Ha'peth’ is a Lancashire term for a child covered in muck after a full day’s play.

I’ve not tried these other two but if anyone knows where to find them in London or the South East, please let me know!

It’s good to see Sean Wilson find success in the world of cheese after Coronation Street and long may it continue. However, I was also pleased to hear that he was coming back to Corrie, albeit only for a short time.

With what has happened to David, the reunion between father and son may not make for easy viewing, but it is entirely right that Martin Platt should be back on screen within a storyline of this magnitude. Perhaps the character will cancel his move to New Zealand and stick around for a bit longer. David’s going to need his dad around.