Man who killed Schmeichel returns to Coronation Street

Next week on Coronation Street, we'll see Norris have a big of an argument with a fella called Alistair. It's all to do with some roof slates at No. 3.

Alistair is played by actor Nicholas Asbury, who is no stranger to Coronation Street. Back in 2011 he played the role of a vet called Mr Brodie.  

He was the vet who treated Schmeichel when the Great Dane was diagnosed with liver disease in November 2011 - and put him down!

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Coronation Street dogs make a special appearance on set

I really love this. Two of my favourite things: Coronation Street and doggies. ITV News is reporting that Ozzy, Eccles and Schmeichel surprised visitors at the former Corrie set at Granada Studios to mark National Pet Month. 

It's great to see Schmeichel back from the dead! 

 

Eccles the border terrier is actually a boy! Eccles plays the Barlow family pet who was originally named Lady Freckles on the show. And he shares the role with Freckles who is female.

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Coronation Street fans vote Schmeichel as favourite pet

Coronation Street Blog readers have voted Schmeichel the dog as their favourite Corrie pet in a landslide victory. 311 of you voted and 192 (61.74%) voted for Chesney Brown's Great Dane, who appeared between 2004 and 2011.

In second place came the Barlows' dog Eccles with 27 votes (8.68%). She's appeared since 2006. Minnie Caldwell's cat Bobby came third with 21 votes (6.75%). There were two Bobbies - one that appeared between 1962 and 1968 and then from 1968 to 1976.

Maria Connor's dog Ozzy came fourth with 11 votes (3.54%). He's appeared since 2007. Mavis Riley's budgie Harriett came fifth with 10 votes (3.22%). She appeared between 1982 and 1990. Jack Duckworth's pigeon Scarlett came sixth with 8 votes (2.57%). She made her last appearance in 2009.

Simon Barlow's rabbit Leanne came seventh with 7 votes (2.25%). She appeared until 2009. Tyrone Dobbs' greyhound Monica came eighth with 6 votes (1.93%). She first appeared in 1999. Her last appearance is unknown.

Rita Sullivan's dog Mr Woo (2002), Craig Tinker's rat Darryl (2012- ) and Maxine Peacock's cat Bella all came ninth with 4 votes (1.29%). David Platt's rabbit Barney, Percy Sugden's budgie Randy (1983-1988, 1988-1997), Jed Stone's cat Sunny Jim (2008-2009) and Frisky the cat who appeared on the Corrie titles from 1990 until 2002 all received 3 votes (0.96%).

Jesse Chadwick's parrot John, Hilda Ogden's cat Rommel, Betty Williams' cat Marmaduke, the Duckworths' dog Boomer and Sean Tully's dog Shandy all received 1 vote (0.32%).

Happy with the results?

And if you haven't yet, you can vote for your favourite pillar of the community here. Voting closes at midnight on Monday, 2nd September.

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Chesney's passage to adulthood

Poor Chesney. He's got to face some hard decisions and he's got to face up to his responsibilities. It's devastating to lose a pet so I feel for the lad, I really do. But if he's old enough to choose to be a father, then he's got to be old enough to do the right thing by Schmeichel.

The tests and operations just aren't going to help and he's got to face that. I think this storyline shows that Chesney still has a long way to go growing up. Read more about it on my other blog here.

We're in for some sad scenes this week. 

Pet charities on alert for Schmeichel's death

Pet charities are preparing for calls from distraught ­animal lovers tomorrow night, Monday 14th November, when Coronation Street dog ­Schmeichel dies.  The ITV switchboard also expect a deluge of calls from owners wanting to share their grief and seek advice on how to get over the death of a beloved pet.

One insider at the ITV soap revealed to The Express that there was a hardly a dry eye in the ­studio when filming the death of ­Schmeichel, the Great Dane, in the arms of doting owner Chesney. The story is all the more poignant because of Chesney’s ­financial plight and the fact he does not have pet insurance to treat a pet with cancer, an increasing problem for real owners.

The Blue Cross Pet Bereavement Support Service, said: “Losing a pet is often described as feeling like losing a member of your family. Our service offers them a lifeline.” More details at http://www.petsathome.com or http://www. bluecross.org.uk

Pics: Schmeichel's Coronation Street life

As we prepare to say farewell to the gentle giant Schmeichel, the official ITV Coronation Street website has a picture gallery of the Great Dane's life.

Have a look at it here.

See also: Schmeichel to be killed off.

Seven years of Schmeichel on Coronation Street

Next month Coronation Street will say farewell to Schmeichel the Great Dane. For seven years, the huge dog has been a constant companion to Chesney and has become a favourite with fans.  His on-screen death will mean a change in routine for the dog which has played the role and his owner, Anne Lunt. 

Anne, who runs Animal Capers who also supply Eccles and Ozzy to Corrie, is interviewed on the BBC news website and pays a fond farewell to working on Corrie with the huge dog.

It's a nice little interview and you can read it here.

Schmeichel films his final scenes on Coronation Street

Schmeichel the Great Dane is being killed off in Coronation Street and he's now filmed his final scenes.  

Anne and Clive Lunt own the Great Danes who have all played Schmeichel and they told the Manchester Evening News: "We have always shown dogs. I got my first Great Dane about 43 years ago and I’ve probably had about 15 to 20 over the years. The agent for Granada was a friend of mine and he asked me if he could use one of my dogs. When we first went in they said it would only be for three weeks but then we had storyline after storyline, it just took off.  Because Chesney was a small child who had had no love in his life and he loved this animal, I think everybody took them to their hearts."
The dog first appeared on the cobbles in 2003 as the best pal of Chesney, played by actor Sam Aston. Since then he has been played by four different dogs, all owned by Anne and Clive who have been breeding and showing dogs, including Great Danes, for more than 40 years. At their busiest, the couple owned 12 of the pets but now have just two along with Schmeichel’s canine co-stars Ozzy and Eccles.

Thanks to Schmeichel’s success, the couple now run their own business – Animal Capers – supplying TV shows with pets of all shapes and sizes from horses to goldfish.

When the first Schmeichel had to retire due to ill health, Magnam – another of Anne’s prize pets – took his place, followed by Spike. The three dogs have all now died but the character lived on when Spike’s grandson – also called Schmeichel – took over in March.

Anne, who lives in Hyde, said: "He is a natural. He is a lovely character and Sam (Aston) has built up quite a bond with him. He said it’s the finish of an era and I agree."

Save Schmeichel - group launched on facebook

Following the news that Coronation Street's giant dog Great Dane Schmeichel is going to be killed off, there's a group that's just been launched on facebook called Save Schmeichel. 

Have a look at here.

Save Schmeichel! Corrie's going to kill him off

No! Say it ain't so!  The Daily Mirror reports today Schmeichel is going to die in Chesney's arms on Coronation Street.

From the Mirror:

The Great Dane first appeared on screen in 2003 and was given to Chesney – played by Sam Aston – by mechanic ­Tyrone Dobbs (Alan ­Halsall). Since then they have forged a strong bond and the pooch has gone on to become one of the most famous animals on TV. But when Schmeichel, who was named after the ­Danish former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter, becomes ill, ­Chesney makes the ­heartbreaking decision to have the dog put down. The distressing scenes will be shown in the next few weeks. A Corrie insider said: “It will be heartbreaking for Chesney – and for ­viewers. But bosses think the time is right for Schmeichel to leave the show.” Schmeichel has been played by four different Great Danes during his eight years on the ITV1 soap, as the ­animals used have either died or became too old to cope with the demands of ­filming the five-episodes-a-week show.

From me:
Nooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why Schmeichel should stay on the Street

Baby Hope or Schmeichel? Schmeichel or baby Hope? 

Are you appalled by or applauding Fiz for wanting to get rid of the big slobbery dog now that there's a little slobbery baby in the house? 

Dogs charity The Dogs Trust understand Fiz's Coronation Street concerns but say on their blog that there's no reason why anyone with a new baby in the house should get rid of a family pet, no matter how big and how drooling it is.   Lying, cheating, murdering husbands, however, are quite another matter and Fiz ought to take advice.

Have a read of their blog and see what the dog experts say about the current canine chaos on Corrie.

Corrie can still make me laugh

In spite of the angst, the plot holes, the petty grievances, Coronation Street still has those little scenes that make me laugh out loud and this week, especially last night, was no exception.

Cagney and Lacy (aka Claudia and Audrey) staking out Marc's house was too funny! The scene where they're discussing what men want you to do and would you do it? Claudie did it just once but Audrey thinks you should just tell them there's loads of woman that would do it for them but not her. What was it? A comb-over! *wipes monitor*

Then there was Norris hollering at the dog. What he thought that would accomplish, I don't know. But that's one huge dog! Norris was up on the step ladder looking over the wall and the dog, up on his back legs, looked him right in the face! Eek! (In case you think that dog isn't long enough, I've been on the outdoor set and seen the height of the wall, which is about 6 foot high. I'm pretty sure the dog  is quite long enough to do that and see eye to eye with someone on a step ladder.)

Ozzy voted Corrie's favourite pet

Ozzy the black lab has been voted Coronation Street's favourite pet, beating Schmeichel the Great Dane by a whisker of only four votes.

395 votes were cast by Corrie fans in the latest poll here on the blog and the results are in as follows for Corrie's best pet:

Ozzy, 166 votes (42%)
Schmeichel, 162 votes (41%)
Maxine's pussy, 46 votes (11%)
Minnie's cat Bobby, 29 votes (7%)
Barney the rabbit, 10 votes (2%)
Randy the budgie, 8 votes (2%)

Want to see where Ozzy the Corrie dog goes on his holidays?
Click here to find out.
Read Ozzy's official ITV profile here.