Ghostly goings-on while filming Corrie hostage scenes

Tonight on Coronation Street, Shona will be taken hostage by son Clayton in a derelict warehouse.  And Callum Harrison, who plays Clayton said that while filming was taking place, the cast and crew were terrified on set by a ghost.

Callum said that while filming a ghostly whispering began terrifying everyone there.

Actor Callum exclusively told The Sun Online: "It is a really spooky place, the place where we filmed it was on Most Haunted. We were doing a take and one of the assistant directors said can we stop talking in the back. Everyone was looking at each other like there's nobody talking. But there was whispering on the mic and no-one was there.

"That was freaky, honestly that happened, no word of a lie, we really were like 'Jesus'. The place is a mess honestly, it stinks, the place is horrible. When we were filming the scenes, the scenery really helped when we were filming because it felt like I'd genuinely took her away and kidnapped her. It was a disgusting place, but it was really good like, it was amazing to do it."

You can read our interview with Callum Harrison here: "Everyone likes a bad boy, don't they?"

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Carry on Corrie - some thoughts on current storylines

By Stephen Leach, who is in Twitter @SirTerenceBoot, our guest blogger, who shares his thoughts on current Coronation Street.

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Spare a thought for Sarah Platt: after only doing the occasional shift at the Rovers every other week for the past three years, going full-time as Carla’s PA must be exhausting. No wonder we’ve hardly seen her in recent weeks, she must be working flat-out. Mind you, as talented as Sarah is, she’s nothing compared to Leanne, whose years of experience as a waitress, table dancer, bistro manager, and escort apparently now qualify her to be a legal secretary. Personally, I can’t think of anyone in the world less suited to graciously welcome potential clients into my office than Leanne: she really is a singularly unpleasant woman. Always mouthing off about something. And she seems to have been hired exclusively so she can smirk at Imran and play tonsil tennis with him between meetings.

A love triangle between a vegan, an ex-prostitute, and a lawyer sounds awfully like the premise for a bad Channel 4 sitcom, but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the Imran-Toyah-Leanne story. I suppose I always enjoy it when Corrie goes a bit Carry On, and Imran was especially good at it: constantly making “ooh missus!” facial expressions, hastily stuffing his shirt into his trousers and re-buttoning his collar every time Adam or Leanne walked into the room after another romp with Toyah. “Have you been hard at it, Imran?” “What?! Er, yes… been bent over my desk all morning. I mean, really giving it to them. I mean…”

Is that it for Kate and Rana? Honestly, probably not, but try and enjoy the break while you can: six weeks without them hysterically crying and wailing at each other will probably feel like five minutes once Rana returns to Weatherfield. I’d expected Kate to fall back into Sophie’s slightly-predatory arms once Rana left, but no, it turns out Sophie’s busy with someone else: Paula (played by the wonderfully-named Stirling Gallacher). “Are you a lesbian?” asked Sophie hesitantly. “No,” said Paula, “if anything, I’m bisexual,” and balloons and confetti promptly fell from the sky along with a banner reading “finally, finally, someone finally said the sodding word”. Is there someone at Granada reading my tweets? Unfortunately, Paula feels like a character with a shelf life. One suspects she’s hiding a hideous secret: she’s a middle-class lawyer, after all, and characters like that never turn out to be good people.

I’m a bit too young to remember Tyrone’s mother, so her death went over my head somewhat. And I certainly can’t work up the effort to be interested in this resulting story about him trying to find out who he is. But we’ve been rewarded for our trouble with the presence of Maureen Lipman, so I’ll try to bear through it. If she turns out to be his real grandmother, I’ll stand on my head outside Buckingham Palace and put a sparkler up my bottom. No doubt Tyrone will let her continue living at his house anyway.

Then there’s the Hannah/Katie story. Has anyone told Andy he’s got a sister yet? One would think he’d want to fly in to meet her, but then again, the journey from Spain to the UK is a notoriously difficult one, so best not. Much as I’m glad that the writers haven’t retconned Katie’s death after all, this story does leave a sour taste in the mouth (so it does). Still, any excuse to have Jim back: I could watch Charlie Lawson read the dictionary (so I could). But good grief, Jim, where do you find a young woman that evil? Asking for a friend… (so I am).

Once again, though, I’ve got to gripe: the storylines are rushing by at the speed of light. This plot was announced months ago. People on the internet have been talking/moaning about it ever since. And yet you just know it will be over in a matter of weeks. The anticipation seems to last longer than the actual event does. (Now, there’s a Carry On line if ever I saw one…)

Why did Hannah and Jim go to the bother of faking a DNA test, exactly? If the deception was so poor that it took Steve and Tracy 20 minutes on the Internet to work out that she’s a fake… maybe Jim was just relying on Liz being so inept with technology she’d never think to Google her: going by that measure, it’d probably work on half of my family. Let’s be honest: this story is preposterous, even now we know that Hannah’s not Katie. Liz is no Miss Marple but surely the fact that Hannah manages to drag every single conversation they’ve had back to how desperately she needs money to pay for her treatment should tip her off. In her position, I’d be raising hell: instead, she’s shrugged her shoulders and said “oh well, better late than never, eh? At least we found each other eventually.” And for someone who believes that doctors can be inept enough to mix up a dead baby with a live one, she’s surprisingly willing to throw thousands of pounds at an experimental medical treatment.

Still, though. What’s the point of characters having money if they can’t be scammed out of it? Audrey (almost certainly), Jonny (imminently), Maria (probably), Carla (eventually), Ryan (inevitably). If I lived on the Street and suddenly came into money I’d be stashing it in one of those no-access-allowed ISAs before you could say tally-ho. And it still probably wouldn’t be enough. The Street’s full of hardened criminals right now: Ryan’s druggie mate (may he rest) and his dangerous dad; Josh the serial rapist; sneaky, slimy Jude; Jim the failed bank robber; and – perhaps most heinous of all – Maureen, perpetually lurking in the aisles of the corner shop, fixated on swindling Dev out of a few pence on out-of-date baked goods. Watch yourself, Corrie fans. Trust no-one.

By Stephen Leach, who is in Twitter @SirTerenceBoot

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Corrie Press Day (Part 6) - Eva Price leaves Coronation Street!

Welcome to interview No. 6 of my visit to the Coronation Street set, and my day caught in a flurry of exclusive summer storyline interviews.

A character who has had a stormy seven years on the show, Eva Price is about to depart Coronation Street for the foreseeable future. Stepping onto the cobbles in 2011, Eva slowly broke away from the Price clan and formed a 'sisterhood' with half-sibling Leanne and Leanne's half-sister Toyah. A tumultuous relationship with Aidan Connor resulted in her daughter Susie, and we know how much heartache this has caused several residents of the Street.

As actress Catherine Tyldesley enters the Corrie hub for today’s press release interview, she appears a little upset. The actress has in fact just filmed Eva’s final teary scene on the set of Corrie, and she begins our interview apologising for looking a tad emotional. I am now hoping to hear that addictively more-ish laugh that Catherine gave to Eva!

As a mother yourself do you get emotional at the thought of your child being taken away from you (when Johnny kidnapped Susie)?
“Yes. Absolutely. I can’t begin to imagine being in that position, I personally can understand why people would give their children away but it's not something that I could do”

If Toyah hadn’t have confessed to Peter, do you think Eva would have taken Susie back anyway?
“Yes. She said to Toyah, 'I want to move out so you can be a family with Peter and Susie' but it's breaking her heart seeing Susie every day. But yes I think she would have taken her back anyway 100%”

How does it feel to be leaving Coronation Street?
“It's surreal. I feel like I’m trying to absorb everyone more than ever. I’m trying to get every last bit of it in and I love it here, I’m not unhappy, so it's going to be really emotional.”

Eva isn’t being killed off so would you ever consider a return?
“Of course, yes, I’d consider it. We don’t know what the future holds but Corrie has been like a home to me,” she enthuses. "Ever since I was small, I’ve dreamed of being on Corrie, it was a dream job. I would love to see Eva come back to wreak some more havoc.”

Are you happy with your leaving storyline?
“So happy. Kate Oates has been wonderful; the writers have been wonderful and I’m really grateful for the stuff they have given me. It’s a great exit storyline”

Why does Eva think it's better to move away from Weatherfield?
“Because of Johnny, and for Toyah’s sake. She can see how hard it is for Toyah to be seeing Susie every day. It's just heart-breaking. She actually isn’t being selfish, she is doing it for them and a fresh start for Susie. She has her Mum and Gran in France so feels she has the security she needs there”

I for one will miss Eva on the street. For me, I think she represents that northern strong female character that Tony Warren created at the show's inception.  All the best to Catherine, I say.

Would you like to see Eva Price return to the cobbles in the future?

I am @rybazoxo and I write Wednesday night episode reviews for @CoroStreetBlog Follow me for more content on Corrie’s summer storylines. coming soon.

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Our interview with Antony Cotton as Sean's homeless storyline begins

‘it’s a monstrous beast, being homeless’ -Antony Cotton

CORRIE PRESS DAY (PART 2) 13th of June 2018 – Coronation Street Studios – Salford

Welcome to interview No. 2 of my visit to the Coronation Street set, and my day caught in a flurry of exclusive summer storyline interviews.

Now situated inside the ‘Coronation Street’ hub after quaffing ITVs deli lunch and copious cups of coffee, I was sat in the midst of Fleet Street's finest, ready for another interview with a Corrie cast member.  Settling down with the rest of the press, a jovial, chatty, confident and charismatic Antony Cotton (Sean Tully),  sat poised and ready to answer our questions.

A serious storyline is afoot as Sean descends into the harrowing modern-day nightmare, of homelessness.

Going to great lengths to research the story, Antony Cotton has actually already had personal experience of homelessness.

''During my stint on Dancing On Ice, I went on Facebook (not that I’m ever on it), going through thousands of messages, by fluke, I opened one from an acquaintance I'd met a few times socially, who asked for help as he was homeless. I rang him and questioned what was wrong and once I knew it was real, I knew I had to help''

Finding himself navigating the often un-linked social services and minefield of social security issues, Antony contacted Manchester homeless charity – Barnabus and whilst simultaneously filming ‘Dancing On Ice’ training for the show, and filming Coronation Street, the actor set about helping his friend, in anyway possible, subsequently finding him a home, giving Antony a unique insight into homelessness.

‘’The moment you have no address you have nothing, that’s why there are so many homeless people’’-  continued Antony, on Sean’s homeless storyline

Rather than sofa surfing or lodging which is something Sean has always done (whether at Eileen’s or with Fiz & Ty), Coronation Street felt obliged to engage Sean in a literal and very real homeless storyline, which shocked Antony the actor.

‘I thought that Sean would not be in that position but it is true, and very spookily, so much so, that I had to go back to the charity Barnabus to research the storyline’ he admitted 'I had already done the research without knowing’

At this point in the interview, I must tell you a fun story. So, about 18 months ago, before joining the Coronation Street Blog, I won a competition with this blog and received a brilliant Sean Tully notepad in the post (see pic above). I thought ‘Ooh I can take that with me to the press day’. Only in the middle of the interview, I realise I’m scribbling away in it, which caught the eye of Antony Cotton, who definitely saw my notepad. Surreal doesn’t quite cut it!

Anyway, back to Sean’s storyline and Antony’s thoughts on it

"My first scene in the tent is where Sean is getting the tent from a bush and I thought well would you put it there really? but I knew it was true as my friend had done it."

As an ambassador for various Army charities, Antony is incredibly passionate about the homeless and the plight of the socially ignored and is rather humbling with it.

The interview ended with a final thought from Antony;

"There is the translucent element of homelessness. They are treated like the walking dead; it's been a real eye-opener."

Coronation Street has produced Sean’s storyline in conjunction with UK homeless charity 'Shelter' whom who can find out more about here.

I am @rybazoxo and I write Wednesday night episode reviews for @CoroStreetBlog Follow me for more content on Corrie’s summer storylines, coming soon.

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If this is Heaven, Corrie... then what is Hell?

Coronation Street's heroin scene in last night's show has prompted 82 complaints to broadcast watchdog Ofcom. 

After taking the heroin, Lee said to Billy in the post-watershed scene: “This must be what heaven feels like.”

A spokeswoman for Ofcom said: “We are assessing these complaints under our broadcasting rules, before deciding whether or not to investigate.”

An ITV spokeswoman said: “Coronation Street has a strong tradition of tackling serious contemporary issues in a responsible way. In upcoming episodes we will be showing the very negative side of drug taking as Billy’s life starts to fall apart.”

This fan said, well, nothing. I was lost for words at the end of Coronation Street last night. Just as I was with the Pat Phelan dark episodes. And not in a good way, either.

Were these episodes....

Dramatic? Yes

Harrowing? Yes

Issue led? Yes

Great acting? Yes

Gritty? Yes

Coronation Street? No

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Random Corrie Storyline Thoughts

Luke is dead at the hands of Pat Phelan because you know, once you've killed, it's not  quite so difficult to kill again. It was a bit of a gruesome death, though, burned alive in an exploding car. What I wondered was...what was Pat's plan previous to that where he got Seb's fingerprints on the gun? Was he going to set up Seb for the death of Andy and Vinny should the bodies surface? The big hole there is that Seb wouldn't have any motiviation. He didn't even know them. Did Phelan check to see where Seb actually was on the night they were killed? The bodies have been in the water awhile, I don't know if they could with any certainty know the exact day they were killed. And now that Pat used the gun himself, the prints will have been worn off by the gloves her was wearing.

Let's move over to Rana who was frantically trying to get hold of Luke all day. We know his battery died but the voice messages would still be saved on the phone company's system. Luke thought Rana was pregnant but she's now lied to Zeedan and brushed off Luke's remarks as having got the wrong end of the stick. She was terrified that Luke would tell Zeedan that he was told directly that Rana was pregnant. He can't tell anyone anything now but the voice mail messages might raise some interesting questions. 

Are the bodies about to resurface? Whose shoe popped up coincidentally when Phelan was at the pond? That was a bit contrived.

Rana's brother, Imran, is now in the show. We haven't seen much of him yet but so far I think I kind of like him. Charming but not too cheeky and annoying or arrogant. A good foil for Adam who thinks very much of himself. Is he an actual solicitor or is he a paralegal like Todd? He's newly single, as well. My guess is Maria. She is usually the first one a single man sleeps with before he settles down with someone else, isn't she? Wouldn't it be nice to see him take a shine to Izzy?

Jude and Angie are still around, I see, and not found a home of their own yet. When ITV opens up the set to new streets or parts thereof, I am guessing that's where their home will be. Poor Sean ends up losing both of his jobs though neither was due to Jude and Angie. But if you go blabbing about a patient's personal health in public like he did while talking to Eileen, it was right that someone report him. It's down to him that he chose to quit because Dr. Gaddas was only going to give him a warning. He also lost his lodgings so he does what a lot of people have been doing lately, turn up on the doorstep of Number 9. I guess all these guests are putting that loft conversion to good use. Poor kids still don't have a place to play but the lodgers have a place to crash. Or so it seems.

Peter sacking Sean seemed a bit abrupt but I don't think Peter was ever comfortable with Sean behind the bar. He knew that Sean was Team Liz and probably felt that Sean would rather be working for the McDonalds. Sometimes you gain staff with a business that you kind of have to keep but they'd be the first ones you'd replace if you had the opportunity. I wonder if Peter will take him back?

Daniel turned on the self sacrifice to push Sinead away. It's clear he still loves her but he ended up telling her he never loved her. The wedding is coming up soon. The thing is, I do think Sinead is better off with Chesney, they have much more in common. They do make for a deadly ordinary couple but Sinead and Daniel never did click for me, either.

I've never liked Michelle, but this week she surpassed my low expectations for her. How on earth would she believe that Steve missed paying her 10K in the divorce settlement? I reckon she probably knows down deep that he is making excuses and she has no guilt taking his hard earned money but she also had no guilt robbing the Bistro and defrauding the insurance company with rigged and untrue claims on how much was in the till. If she's wiling to do that, she certainly has crossed that line; it's only a matter of time.

It seems wrong seeing Tracy and Steve looking all loved up. It has to go wrong, it always does. I'm with Amy, the pair of them are toxic to each other. Most of the time they have known each other since Amy was conceived they've hated each other. There was only one brief moment that they were a real couple and that's only because she got pregnant with twins. Then she ruined it all by losing the babies and lied that Becky pushed her down the stairs. It feels like they've put them together because they don't know what else to do with them. Both Steve and Tracy are settling for each other rather than be alone.

Carla's back and I'm thrilled but since she needs a kidney transplant, likely from a family member, I have a bad feeling. Johnny could never be a donor because of his MS diagnosis but there are enough Connors to pick from. Someone's going to be a match and there's always a possibility that someone will die and be a donor that way. That person may or may not be a family member. In the meantime, the burning question on everyone's lips is ... who will they pair Carla with? Will they split up Peter and Toyah? Carla had more chemistry in one scene with Peter than Toyah has, that was evident. Toyah knew it, too. Should they put Peter and Carla back together? Probably not.

It's a pity we've lost Bruno Langley. That really put a ragged rip in the storyline fabric that is going to be difficult and awkward to set right. I hope Summer comes back and I hope Billy doesn't lose her to that awful Geraldine.

And finally, Brian and Cathy are moving into number 12, the flat he used to own with Julie. When Brian left the show, there was talk about Julie buying his half and she couldn't afford to. It seemed to be a dropped subject after that and we don't know  that the flat was sold or not. It's been empty for a couple of years. Now Brian has the key and he's moving into it. Has he had the key all along? there has been no word that he re-purchased it or contacted the new owner so I must assume he still owns it or a share of it. And if that's the case, why on earth was he blagging a place to stay with Norris and later, Roy? For the comedy value? Because I can tell you there wasn't any of that for me. Inquiring minds want to know why the continuity elves missed this one.

Tvor (Twitter @tvordlj)
Originally posted on State of the Street, reposted with permission.

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