Coronation Street Episode Review Friday 10 May 2024

Bethany remains convinced that Nathan is responsible for murdering Lauren despite the lack of any evidence and any amount of persuasion expounded by Sarah-Lou or Daniel to the contrary.  It is 7 years since her own grooming - but as she says leopards do not change their spots.  Apparently Bethany had been told  that Nathan had been released - at her former London address and it has not been forwarded - and you can hardly blame the police for that.  However she eventually spots Nathan in the video reconstruction of Lauren's last known movements where he is wearing a hi vis jacket with a logo.  This enables her to find the relevant building site and he decides to go there and challenge him.  

George and Glenda continue to argue over the business and, well, everything.  Glenda sees Dee Dee who advises the downside risks are greater than the upside.  Glenda is almost going to follow this when another diatribe from George causes more upset.  She exacts her revenge by getting the business on the market and "Rest Easy" pop round to try and secure the business cheaply - but George is bemused until he is shown the estate agent's board in his front window!  It transpires that Glenda has not put it on the market - she just did it to wind up George.  At various points both are willing to negotiate a solution - but never at the same time so after further heated exchanges Glenda is once again at Barlow Legal Services seeking proper representation.  As Glenda observes where there is a will there is a way.

Bernie is clearly not herself and even Gemma spots there is something wrong with her - but Bernie is giving nothing away.  Gemma thinks it is all connected to Paul - but we know there is another part of her history causing upset.  Later Gemma tells Bernie that she was not a bad mother - but Bernie is convinced she could have done better.  Bernie admits she has some buried history - and Gemma tells her what is important is what she does now.  And eventually we see Bernie searching for a Christopher Green - so presumably a missing / adopted child - and letters from the family of his progress over the years.

Leanne is becoming ever more unreliable at work and has decided to setup a standing order without telling Nick for £200.  In return she appears to be receiving and taking vitamin pills which are intended to improve her neurological pathways - but all we see is her becoming ever more distant to her sister and husband.  Leanne is convinced they are working for her.  Toyah seeks to try and get her to see that she is being led a merry dance - but gets completely blocked with absolute denial by Leanne who asserts that you cannot put a price on your physical and mental well-being and that Toyah is simply not willing to open her mind to new approaches.  Toyah calls it a scam and Leanne does not want to know.

Maria accompanies Liam to a therapy session and continues to argue with Gary trying to cover up his moving out.  Gary insists they tell Liam they are splitting up - but Liam overhears her dumping Gary.  Eventually the three of them sit down for a proper discussion and Maria has to accept that Gary does care for Liam (Gary admits to messing up), despite events yesterday, so in a complete reversal of her position Maria tells Gary to stay - she might not be completely at ease with Gary and Sarah - but that having Gary move out is not beneficial for Liam.  They all hug.

Bethany grabs Nathan's phone as he unlocks it and runs away with it.  She finds that he subscribed to Lauren's Ovidz output.  Bethan hands it over to DS Swain and Nathan is interviewed - but denies any involvement and there is no real evidence on which to hold him plus he has an alibi for the relevant time.  As a result Daniel takes Adam along to put the fear of god into Nathan - who is going by the name of "Joe" at the job he has - obviously hiding his conviction.  Nathan says he will talk to his probation officer.  Later Bethany checks up on one of the other accounts to which Nathan has subscribed which she spotted on his phone and there is evidence of contact between this account and Nathan.

Not a bad episode - everything is trotting along and I fully understand the Glenda / George antipathy - they will eventually be reconciled - but at what cost in the interim?  I am pretty sure Nathan is a red herring - as is DS Swain - but he still looks like a nasty piece of work so let us hope Bethany finds some dirt on him.  And at some point Bernie is going to have to come clean - but could it have waited until Paul has gone and that loss triggered the search?

I am about to depart on another little jaunt so I very much doubt that I will be here next week.  If I am anywhere it will be Wales on a train.  I certainly hope to be back for the following Friday.

Written by Ella Greenhill and Emily Gascoyne.  Directed by Merlyn Rice.

Kosmo

@Kosmo100

---

A matter of age

I can't help but feel that the surge of complaints regarding the Bethany Platt grooming storyline are unreasonable. I've blogged in the past about the rising numbers of younger viewers watching Coronation Street and setting up their own fan accounts, primarily on Instagram. I've also seen pages set upon on Facebook and Twitter, and even on YouTube were 'edits' and reviews are made. It's this younger generation that are increasingly becoming less self-aware of the dangers of the internet, because they have been brought up into a generation where technology is everywhere and is part of everyday life.

The roots of Bethany's story were when she started vlogging about beauty products at Nathan's request. To him, this was free promotion of his 'tanning salon', which is an obvious front to hide the horrors happening in the flat above. To Bethany, she was becoming a popular social media star overnight and was enjoying this - much to Nathan's delight as this meant she put further trust in him.

To the younger generation of fans who are forever creating new pieces of content on Instagram, it is so easy for them to fall into the wrong hands, and this is Coronation Street's response to that, to make the viewers who idolise Lucy Fallon as Bethany Platt, realise the harsh reality of life online.

What angers me is that older fans, who are definitely of a pre-internet time and are mature enough to understand the dangers of the online world are criticising the storyline, saying that it is unbearable to watch and not relevant, almost as if producers are taking the story too far. These are the people watching the programme through rose tinted glasses! They think that Bethany is stupid for believing Nathan's lies, but that's because they have never been in the same situation as her and never will be either. The younger fans however are worryingly more likely to be exploited online, and Coronation Street is giving this horrible scenario the exposure it deserves, to raise awareness of what is only going to get worse if action against grooming is not taken.

It always upsets me when people complain to Ofcom because they simply "do not like" a storyline, especially when its a storyline that is highlighting a major issue from today's society. If we don't talk about this, who will? And it's almost always a matter of age. I see no problem whatsoever with Corrie running such a story, and I have no doubts that it will have been a major talking point in some households where children find themselves using the internet frequently. This storyline has the ability to change and save lives!

Rant over! You can find me over on Twitter @MichaelAdamsUk

---

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

In Defence of the Grooming Storyline

The grooming storyline has courted much controversy and will continue to do so, up to the point where it plays itself out and the villains of the piece get their comeuppance. Some people feel that such a storyline, involving the abuse of young teenage girls and the manipulation of them by men, several decades older, should not find a place in a soap opera.

Why though, are people objecting to this particular storyline, when other controversial storylines are accepted without a murmur?

Coronation Street has never been shy of an issue - often issues which divide opinion. There has been surrogacy, assisted suicide, gender reassignment, clinical depression, endless affairs and betrayals, murders, attempted murders, domestic abuse, bigamy, illegal immigration, gambling addictions, child abduction, teenage pregnancy, stillbirth, sham marriage and the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s Disease, to name just some. Each of these issues makes for difficult viewing, so why does the grooming storyline, in particular, cause so many to be upset?
Coronation Street must keep up with the times and though I’m sure that grooming in some form or another has always taken place, it is at the forefront of our awareness, because of the Rotherham, Rochdale, Oxford and other scandals, where vulnerable girls have been abused. And some boys too.
Maybe people take the view that soap operas should not tackle current issues, but that would leave the soaps much the weaker. It’s great to have the comedy and the conversations, but, in my view at least, it needs some grit, otherwise it would fail in its attempt to mirror, at least to some extent, real life. What keeps us watching is the fact that we can relate to happenings on the cobbles, to the characters, to their problems, their joys and their disappointments – all of which we, in our turn, at some point in our lives, experience.

Grooming is a fact of life. It is my view that producer Kate Oates is courageous in bringing this truth to our screens. Nathan’s manipulations and his cruelty, coupled with Bethany’s downright refusal to see the truth and being so obstinate, despite her family pointing out the reality, is not easy to watch. Nor is Sarah’s desperation at the possible loss of her child. Bethany has turned completely against her family. Her thinking has become so twisted and distorted that when Nathan has a ‘party’ Bethany agrees to his demands, even when it involves three of his ‘mates’.  A cigarette burn, too, is accepted as some kind of a show of affection. Nathan’s masterstroke is the proposal and the ring. Bethany is young and foolish enough to believe that it actually means something.

This storyline must be seen through. It would be false if Bethany suddenly saw the light and ran home to Sarah. Also, the after effects will be heart breaking and drawn out, once Bethany has finally seen the truth - as she surely will.

By Ruth Owen, twitter: @Ruth1722

Read more Corrie news, interviews and spoilers 

---

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 Blog Interview with Lucy Fallon

“It’s so important and I’m determined to do it justice”
says Lucy Fallon, who plays Bethany on Coronation Street.

Hiya! It’s just Jordan with the second part of my interview series. My first interview was with Chris Harper, who plays Corrie's Nathan and you can read it here.

With Bethany’s storyline just heating up and taking a lot of twisted turns for the worst, I thought I’d treat all you lovely lot to an interview with Lucy Fallon.

On the morning of 27^th March, off I went to the ITV Studios with my phone and a Poundland notebook bought that morning in a rush. Ever the professional! At the age of only 21, Lucy is at the centre of what has been called one of the Street’s most harrowing storylines ever. However, the young actress spoke passionately about the importance of the storyline.

She revealed that Corrie had worked with the NSPCC on this storyline and Lucy herself had spoken to a girl – dubbed as Lucie – who became a key factor in the writing of Bethany’s story. Rather worryingly, the research subject from the NSPCC was considerably younger than Bethany and was subject to abuse for six years, repeatedly described by Lucy as “horrific”. Unlike Bethany however, “Lucie’s” abuse came about thanks to social media and upon learning this, Lucy Fallon stated that she now believes there should be a higher and more forceful age restriction on social media.

 Interestingly, when Corrie spoke to Lucy at the NSPCC, she told them that she does not call herself a “survivor”, as many people would. “Lucie” prefers to be called a victim because that’s what she is and always will be.  Lucy Fallon revealed that in the long run though, Bethany will be okay.

It’s no secret that this is Lucy Fallon’s first professional acting job, but the brave actress spoke of the dark places she pushes herself to go to when filming the harrowing scenes. Unsurprisingly, the most uncomfortable scene for Lucy to film was the bedroom scene with Neil. She explained that she wasn’t required to film any other scenes that day, because of the high emotion involved, but the importance of the storyline pushes Lucy to go those dark places. Speaking of the controversy generated by the pre-watershed drama, Lucy made an important point that nothing shown has been particularly graphic.     

“I was nervous at first because there’s so much pressure. But this has been my favourite one to do so far because of the message. As an actor, I’ve learned a lot. You’re not doing it properly if you don’t put yourself in that situation”

“That whole week is a bit of a… headf**k” said Lucy, oh-so eloquently lost for words to describe Bethany’s plight. She’s right. Bethany started the week being raped by her a friend of her boyfriend’s and by the end of the week, her boyfriend had become her fiancée.

When talking about her fellow cast members and their support, Lucy named Ben Price as a confidante among the members of the cast.

Bringing the interview to a light close, Lucy spoke of her life outside of Corrie.  She spoke of how she tries to get back to normal after days filming tough scenes:

“I don’t think there’s any way you can get out of it but I’ve got a really long drive home. I listen to music and zone out". Working on Corrie has also given her the opportunity to become a homeowner at such a young age. She humorously described her first foray into the world of property “It’s going good We’ve got a sofa that was damaged and they couldn’t fit the washer in but apart  from that…!”

The current stage in the storyline is set to run through the summer, but there will of course be ramifications for Bethany even after Nathan has gone. The whole story is going to draw to a close around autumn time. But this abuse won't hold Bethany back.producer Kate Oates sees Bethany going on to be a successful businesswoman. I think this would be a great way to develop Bethany and keep the message of the storyline going long after the abuse is over. It will show that falling victim to something horrendous like this doesn’t always mean the end. What do you think? Can you see Bethany becoming a businesswoman?

A very interesting chat with a young woman who is already proving herself to be quite the actress. She is doing a brilliant job of – as she put it – “starting the conversation” with this storyline.

As always,

Thanks for reading!

Jordan

Twitter - @JordanLloyd39

Read more Corrie news and spoilers

---

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 Blog Interview with Chris Harper

Bethany is a “risk worth taking” says Chris Harper, who plays Nathan on Coronation Street


Hiya! It’s just Jordan (I don’t care how serious this post is meant to be – I’m not dropping that intro!)

A couple of weeks ago, this nervously excited blogger was sent on his way to ITV Studios in Manchester to take part in interviews with four Coronation Street actors revolving around some of the major storylines taking place this spring. As the first in a series of four blog posts regarding the interviews, this makes a change from my Wednesday ramblings, right?

After getting up at a time I’ve not seen for years and spending two hours on a train to Manchester, I couldn’t help but smirk to myself as I hopped into a black cab asking to be taken to Coronation Street Studios. Ten minutes later, I’d been driven through the security gates, welcomed to Corrie with a handshake and found myself amongst a swarm of proper journalists. To them of course, this was no big deal. They’d been here many times before and not one of them nearly died when Catherine Tyldesley bounced into the reception. 

Along with the proper journalists, I was ushered through the studios and onto the set of Roy’s Rolls – a change of venue since the Bistro was unavailable. The residents of the Street would probably consider lunch in Roy’s a bit of a downgrade from the posh Bistro, but I was more than happy to have sandwiches in the iconic greasy spoon.

The last interview of the day was with Chris Harper who plays Nathan, a character currently at the helm of a much-discussed grooming storyline involving Bethany Platt.  However, had the bosses at Corrie not decided that Chris was too nasty, we could have been watching him in the role of Mary’s long-lost-seen-for-a-week-and-never-mentioned-again son. I bet Chris is glad to be playing the “better” character!

Nathan may be a sinister character, but that doesn’t stop Chris Harper being attractive, so of course I was rather happy to sit and listen to him talk about a storyline which - as it transpired - has had a tremendous amount of research on all sorts of levels.  Chris explained how he and the rest of the team at Corrie have worked with numerous charities which deal with grooming victims.

There has been a little bit of controversy over the storyline’s suitability. After all, Corrie is a family show and usually the premise of a sex ring would belong after the watershed. However, Chris spoke in favour of the brilliant way Corrie are tackling what may seem to some an issue too far.

He said: “Unfortunately, these are crimes that affect families. They are just hinting enough. You don’t need to see what they do it. Bringing it up and raising the conversation is vital. Just to know that it’s never the victim’s fault. Just to have that knowledge, would be brilliant. I just hope it doesn’t ruin anyone’s tea.”

Chris went onto explain the “alien” network that Nathan is. He is not the only perpetrator; he is simply a pawn. And of course, with things on Corrie happening on the Street or not at all, we know that Shona is an ex-girlfriend of Nathan’s; a victim still bearing his scars who somehow managed to escape. This, if a little contrived, will create an interestingly complicated link between Shona, Nathan and the Platts, should she get involved. 

When teasing what is to come in the storyline, Chris made it clear that things will get darker for Bethany. Much darker. The clever thing about the storyline, as he explained, is that Nathan has not done anything illegal to sixteen year old Bethany. Yet. No photographs have been taken. Yet. No money has changed hands. You guessed it: yet. On screen, we have already met Nathan’s friend Neil, who according to Chris is “just the beginning”.

When asked whether Nathan is likely to stay around, Chris was clear in his answer that he is not, which makes a lot of sense. There would be outcry should Nathan – or anyone in soap really – get away with such a crime. Chris also commented on Nathan’s motivation, which I hadn’t realised before the interview, we know precious little about: “It’s quite a fun job as an actor to play someone so duplicitous. It’s much more important we see this through Bethany’s eyes.”

With the whole Bethany storyline thus far set to run until September, we are sure to be tuning into much deeper and much darker scenes. But we can be assured that Nathan will come to a nasty end. Where that will leave Bethany, only time will tell.

“I’d like to see Nathan suffer”

To leave things on a lighter note, here’s a jolly titbit: Lucy Fallon likes to share her Maltesers with Chris under the quilt in between takes!

And that concludes the first of my four interview posts. More to come very soon!

As always,

Thanks for reading!

Jordan, twitter: @JordanLloyd

---

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