Coronation Street Episode Review;Wednesday 13th of July 8 pm

Would it be even a Wednesday without a Platt family meal? It would appear not, going off these past few weeks, and tonight the Audrey family trust fund continues to grate with certain parties. With Stephen as a mediator, David is the agitator, and even though Gail is paying, Audrey’s finances are the main focal point - the meal ends before it even begins. Nick sends apologies but Max is not in attendance either and hasn't been seen for a bit. The lad had a gripe with Maria recently, and he's skilled with social media visuals. Isn't this all a bit obvious? It’s not to Maria though, whose heightened sense of paranoia seems to be correct. We learn tonight that she’s being stalked, but by whom? Jimmy the random refuse collector, or the street’s resident online orchestrator? 

Maria and Kelly attend some council event at chariot square, and Jimmy threatens Maria. She’s then propositioned by some sleazy councillor about the deep-fake video. Sleazy lecherous councillors? It would seem that the writers probably watch Newsnight! Either way, it would seem Maria is being dangerously hounded on and off-line. We later learn that her mobile phone is being tracked anonymously by some tik-tok gimmick - a tracker was posted in her bag. Gary takes her to the cop shop and the police promise to chat with Jimmy. As it’s Weatherfield police, I imagine they won't be solving this anytime soon. I think I've solved it already, actually. It's Max, isn't it?? Later, David decides on a positive plan to cheer Audrey up. 

Reunited at last, Fiz and Ty's conscious re-coupling sees them telling the girls all about it, but they must keep it a secret from Phill. I’m all for guinea pigs and chocolate fountains for bribery purposes too, but Hope to keep schtum? Not a chance! Speaking of which, Tyrone has booked them into a couples therapy session. Admirable, but aren't they ignoring Hope’s obvious counselling needs? 

Meanwhile, Phill’s still clinging to the idea of getting back with Fiz and tries some sort of romcom guff, in full view of the street and factory staff. Fiz's mortified (she isn't the only one). I like how Kirk was involved, I just wished he’d have done his Classic Corrie Eminem impression -  that was actually funny and far less excruciating to watch than this was. Elsewhere, Phill asks Tyrone to go with him on the mini-moon holiday break. 

 

Steve's N0.1 problem may be about to go through the roof if Ed has anything to do with it? The warring neighbours have sparred a bit over this already, and with Aggie getting involved, Steve's directionless repair ideas (he used to be a builder and led the team that built Victoria St shops & the medical centre, but yeah, whatever) lead him to cross swords with the street’s other builder. Aggie forces Ed to take the job on at mates rates, but I doubt Steve and Ed will be pals anytime soon. Meanwhile, Ed is given a new business proposition by Ronnie. A new set of Weatherfield houses or will they be off-screen, I wonder?  

 

Elsewhere tonight - Micheal Bailey reappears with baby Glory. Paul also returns. Tim and Sally talk tantric sex (rank!). Tim privately confides in Aggie and decided to try some self-care (ranker!) I can only wonder where their confidential little chats are heading. Stephen decides to return to Milan. I agree with David on that one. Bye!

I am @rybazoxo self-styled cobbles connoisseur & Coronation Street superfan 

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Coronation Street Episode Review;Wednesday 6th of July 8 pm

Phill-sized problems keep on coming for Fiz? Pre-wedding nerves are now 100% in overdrive for our flame-haired and harassed bride-to-be. Putting Tyrone firmly in his place, Fiz remains insistent on marrying Phil, and with battle-axe buddies Mimi and Evelyn settling scores, it only leaves Camilla as an outrider that could now destroy the big day? Tonight, the Hen party is in full swing with Maria devising a game of Mr & Mrs, which Camilla predictably wins. Things get worse for Fiz as Camilla admits to email exchanges between her and Phill, and that she still has feelings for him. It then transpires that Phill’s ex had an affair, which she regrets, and she wants him back. Fiz is understandably suspicious, what with Tyrone’s past actions, and spies on Phill, seemingly caught in a clinch with Camilla outside Speed Daal. Maria takes a snapshot on her mobile phone, and ironically, she takes that as proof of Phill’s subterfuge. 

Meanwhile - Audrey calls a Platt clan council meeting to discuss divvying her fortune! Audrey isn't dying, but being a rich o.a.p and head of this hilariously dysfunctional bunch of reprobates, she decides to get her affairs in order and clearly aligned. Predictably, the bistro meal descends into chaos as various family members appear to butter up and bribe Audrey into submission, only for Audrey to announce the bequeathing of her cash to Weatherfield’s retail association (W.A.R.T.S) in memory of Alf. Disgusted, David decides to take action and consults Adam about taking power of attorney. Audrey then tells Stephen she’s lying about the warts donation, telling him to keep it a secret from the rest of the clan. 

Later, Phill turns up at the Rovers and tells Fiz that he rebuffed Camilla and only shared an innocent hug - no canoodling. Phill then admits to never sending any emails, and Mimi is outed as the culprit. Phill banishes his Mother from the street and bans her from the wedding. Later on, we see Hope secretly accessing Phill’s laptop. Could she be the email spammer and be the one out to sabotage Friday's wedding?   

Elsewhere tonight - Steve’s N0.1 roof problem causes more grief, but he manages to find a roofer via a flirtatious cab customer and agrees to pay three grand up front. Alya, Leanne, and Debbie are all annoyed at Toyah’s actions, which seem mired in grief, as she rejects Imran’s ashes. Stu discovers his daughter has moved and conveys his sadness to Yasmeen and Alya.  

I am @rybazoxo self-styled cobbles connoisseur & Coronation Street superfan 

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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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Coronation Street Episode Review;Wednesday 25th of May 8 pm

Fresh from Hope's psychotic attempts at D.I.Y digging and car wrecking, Phill has a few challenges in front of him tonight, and by the end of it, he's fought Tyrone in concrete, made amends with his frenemy, and proposed to Fiz! Is he as crackers as John Stape, hell-bent on writing this true-crime story, or just genuinely in love? What about Tyrone? He's laid his cards on the table with Fiz just recently, and after flailing around in that concrete, fighting Phill, and then finding the ring, it seems he's disregarded his own feelings for Phill's romantic intentions, instead! Less true crime and more a Mills & Boon I think, but you never know with Corrie, is Phill hiding something else, maybe? Tonight, with Fiz back at Number 9, Tyrone relishes the possibility of getting the family back together, ignoring Evelyn’s caustic caution, and Kevin’s wise words. Fiz informs the factory lot of this split - these classic machinist gossip moments make Underworld's modern interior and lax security a lot more bearable. Unlike Sean, who continues to irritate.

Heading over to Phill’s, Tyrone disregards Kev’s advice and the boys are soon fighting in the wet cement. The wet cement was possibly a metaphor here, and I think it worked. I could have done without the gratuitous semi-nudity and the hosing down, but of course, comedy is all about subjectivity.  The banter between the boys and bloke-ish humour certainly had me laughing, anyway. We know these two will be best mates in the end, and with them reconciling for the sake of Fiz, Phill ends up proposing marriage, which is accepted. Tyrone as best man, perhaps?  

Talking of reconciliation - hurray! for Daniel and Daisy who are now back together - but where does that leave Nicky? That tiny cramped corner shop flat must be more of a tardis than Eileen’s! Tonight, Nicky tells Daniel she’s moving out, feigning the chance of the exciting new opportunity, whilst struggling to hide her upset at having her hopes of romance dashed. Daisy’s even had a new hairdo in celebration (yes she's gorgeous, and yes she knows it). With Nicky now out of the way, I guess she’ll now want Paul out of the way as well?

Meanwhile, Abi visits Imran and Toyah with gifts for baby Alfie and takes advantage of Toyah's better nature, by requesting sole access to Alfie for a day out on her own - next Monday. Toyah agrees. Toyah also receives a call from social services asking them to adopt Elsie, due to some sort of incompatibility issue. Ironic, given Toyah and Imran’s fraught circumstances, and highly implausible, but still, this is all geared towards next week's dramatics so we can let it slide. Abi is expectedly upset at their good news which prompts a thoughtful look on Kev's face. Next week is a big one for Coronation Street so this is a harbinger of a plot device sown in, in the middle of a mid-week episode. 

Elsewhere tonight - Weatherfield’s jubilee flag committee have been busy ( I’d guess Roy and Mary are behind that). Summer’s exam strife continues, affecting the flow of tonight's drama, and it makes the production and direction go a bit weird for some reason. Faye’s early menopause causes Craig some earache, but her heart-to-heart with Sally added a sweet poignancy to proceedings. N0.1 Coronation Street has loose tiles, which nearly maimed Tracy, opening up a neighbourly feud between Ed and Steve. Loved having Bernie back in action tonight, but Paul does seem a bit superfluous in terms of Summer's plot. 

I am @rybazoxo self-styled cobbles connoisseur & Coronation Street superfan 

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