Monday 28 February 2011

Corrie's Sean's baby

(This post was originally posted by blogger Rebecca on the Coronation Street Blog in May, 2010, reposted with permission.)

I adore Sean. Well, I adore Antony Cotton and have done since I saw him in Queer As Folk at my tender age of 14. I love Sean but I think he's criminally underused. I would love for him to find a lovely man, get married and settle down - maybe they could move into the Peacocks' house if they are definitely leaving? I hate how Sean is mostly just a spare part and mostly - sadly - just the funny gay man who ribs the factory girls. I have a lot of issues with GLBT issues in Coronation Street anyway, but that's a different post.

But, aww. Tonight's first episode showed Sean being allowed to show some feelings for a change! He was complaining about Becky being all: "Baby baby baby," without any regards to his feelings as an absentee father. I forget sometimes about that kid. He must miss him. (Was he called Dylan?) Maybe we could have a storyline about Sean pushing for access?

Side note, I once saw Violet and Jamie (Jenny Platt and Rupert Hill) at a Ryan Adams gig in Manchester. It was shortly before they left Corrie. It was very surreal.

Corrie Weekly Awards for Feb. 21 - 25


Long Story award: Gold Star: It was going to be a line of the week but Norris' kidnap story just has to get an award!

White Knight award: Gold Star: Graeme taking Tina in hand to help her.

Glib award: Gold Star: Lewis is pouring it on thick. Don't trust him, Audrey!

Good Excuse award: Gold Star: Blanche did have a good excuse for not getting on the plane! Rest in Peace, love!


Lines of the week

Carla to Natasha "Didn't take you long to swoop did it?"
Lewis to Audrey "With you I can just be myself. Very refreshing" (pah!)
Norris "I don't care if we're under seige from an army of zombies, you stay in your own room!"
Graeme "Scotch Broth knocks all tinned soups into a cocked hat, especially in winter" (Yay!)
Eddie about Gary "He's lazy...work shy! Gets it off his Uncle Len" (and who else, I wonder?)
Nick to Graeme "As scintilating as your conversation is, we'll have to go out" David "Result!"
Mary "Would you rather be buried alive or bleed to death, Norris" (in the wilds of Yorkshire, that's a scary question!)
Jason to Graeme "Are you thick?" Graeme "Pot..Kettle... black..."

Sunday 27 February 2011

Corrie Sunday Comments, February 28

Off we go for another week of Sunday comments. Don't forget to check the Bluenose Corrie Blog tomorrow for Lines of the week and weekly awards!


Mary is definitely showing signs of madness and obsession. She scared the bejeebies out of Norris when he saw her chopping wood in the middle of the night, and she was offering him her bath water, sabotaging the motor home, breaking Norris' glasses and keeping him helpless. She doesn't get upset, she gets enraged! It's very scary. And all Norris had to do when he finally got hold of Rita was holler for help instead of going running off down the bumpy lane when he then twisted his ankle. Of course the motorhome was mysteriously working again. She's pushing Norris into a rejection but he's too scared of her to come right out with it. And she implied that she may have made her mother "pay"... killed her??? Then that wedding dress behind the door?


Well, it turns out her mother isn't dead (so why did she tell Norris that she was? hmmmmm) and she was not charged. We didn't get to see the interview but Mary is adept at twisting words and she'll have made Norris look like a Moaning Millie. But it wasn't a misunderstanding at all, we all know that.

Many of you already know, but the actress that played Blanche, Maggy Jones, passed away in December 2009 and having Blanche die in Portugal was the end result. They could never replace the actress, after all. So here we are, Blanche is due back from Portugal, and passes away in her sleep. Her friend tells Deirdre that she found a new love! Meanwhile, Ken wants to convert the loft into his own space. Deirdre says no no no, Ken asks Jason how long it would take and how much it would cost! I wonder if he'll have his eye on Blanche's room, now? What's in the letter she left? Most likely f uneral instructions, considering she was a professional funeral attender, she'll have very a precise view of her own send off.


So her friend May came to see the family and sprung the news about this Albert fella but May's descriptions of dear, sweet Blanche certainly don't sound like the Blanche we all know and love! And i know she would never have called Deirdre "Deedee" so that must have been the increasing volumes of brandy. It must be difficult for Deirdre. She and her mother most definitely had a contentious relationship in spite of the fact that they did care for each other. She's lashing out at Ken and everyone else but she's really just heartbroken.


I don't know why Graeme didn't catch up to Tina. She didn't have that much of a head start and in her condition, she shouldn't have been able to outrun him, especially considering she collapsed again as soon as she got back inside!! Wasn't he great, though? bashing down doors and feeding her soup? The thing is, Tina shutting herself away is part of the problem. She *needs* to talk about her father, that's what helps more than keeping it in.


It didn't take Long for Lewis to butter up Audrey and then spring the Greek Island dream on her. Now how do you think he hopes to finance that??? Hmmmm???? Natasha really is making a nest for herself at Gail's, isn't she?


Becky's freaking about the first meeting with the social worker. You know she's scared she'll not measure up and the social worker will think she's not good enough. Claire's idea of practicing was good but you know how touchy Becky is!


Poor Gary. Everyone ganging up on him but in the end, he admitted a bit of wobblers and went back to the army. You know, it's a good thing Eddie is such a good liar! He can make you believe anything without directly lying to your face, can't he? Then he turned Gary in but he had decided to go back before they came to round him up.


Natasha finally got her date with Nick and what did they do? A drink in the Rovers and straight up them stairs. At least David got his own back by inviting Graeme to stay! And why does Nick have such a bee up his arse about Graeme staying? Really, though, David should have taken Gail's bed from the start and given Graeme his. Did you see? A new Amy! Maybe this one will actually *want* to act and be comfortable saying a few words! Unusually, that country cottage looked way bigger on the outside than it seemed to be on the inside! Trev is trying to get all the fellas to buy World Cup tickets. The price appears to be 1500 quid and it must include hotel and air... that's a lot for most of the guys and don't mention it to the women! Because you know they will have all their feet put firmly down!

Saturday 26 February 2011

Fab Corrie Photo: Gail and Sally

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog in xxxx, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

I know it's nowhere near Christmas but this Coronation Street front page from The Radio Times was too good to resist for our Fab Photo Friday today.

Friday 25 February 2011

Misery in West Yorkshire

This storyline with Norris and Mary in Haworth has really tickled me.  Well maybe tickled is not the right wording.  Clearly based on Stephen King's Misery, one of my favourite stories.  I haven't watched the movie in years but what I loved about this week's Corrie was that the odd flash of the movie came to me.  The Street carried on in  its normal way and then we jumped over The Pennines to West Yorkshire to a house in the middle of nowhere to find Norris being slowly handicapped by Kathy Bates' doppelganger.  I actually laughed out loud during Norris' failed getaway scene.  You were so close, all you had to do was speak to Rita and you would have been saved but then Mary, in her beast on wheels, came round the corner and you had no where to go.


Such a clever little piece I really enjoyed it.  Is this the end of Mary's Heathcliff obsession with Norris?  Probably not.




Scary Mary's wedding dress

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog in May, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Wasn't it a lovely, yet rather scary touch, to have a wedding dress in the background as Mary scared Norris senseless in Haworth  last night on Coronation Street in Canada?

We can exclusively reveal that the dress is an original, vintage 1930's jacquard wedding dress in cream satin, with a pattern of trailing branches, in a subtle gold metallic thread, which gives the dress a subtle shimmer.

The dress is simply made, so may have originally been made by the bride herself, or perhaps by a local seamstress back in the 30's. The dress has typically 1930's puffed sleeves and a short train to the back of the dress. Combined with a stunning 1930's headpiece - mixing tiny wax flowers (very popular at the time) with sparking diamantes, and topped off with a cream lace veil.

The dress was supplied to Corrie by vintage dress boutique Freudian Slips Vintage, Visit their website here.

Thanks to our blogger Yoork for the screen-grab.


Ed: (and this won't be the last you'll see of this dress! I'll say no more!)

Preview of Next Week's Corrie in Canada (Feb 28 - Mar. 4)


Blanche is buried and there's a surprise attendee at the funeral. Steve and Becky meet the social worker, how will that go? Will Becky be able to hold her temper? Anna and Eddie, too, meet the social worker. Everyone seems to have a plan this week...  Sean is missing someone and launches a plan. Roy has a plan too, but Hayley isn't going to see it in a favourable light. Someone else devises a devious plan and Graeme continues his plan to help Tina back to wellness.

For more detail on the spoilers, and a few photos, too, check out the Moosejaw Mercury over on Corrie.net

Thursday 24 February 2011

Yes, it's a new Amy Barlow


(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog in May, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

If you're wondering to yourself whether Coronation Street have got a new Amy Barlow after watching the Corrie last night, the answer's 'Yes, they have'. Clearly taking after mum Tracy, of which there's been four, this is the sixth! Amy Barlow.

Read more on the new Amy Barlow here.

Wednesday 23 February 2011

Corrie films two endings for Gail McIntyre court trial

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog in April, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Whenever I read that Coronation Street's filmed two endings in a cliffhanger storyline, I always think to myself that they probably haven't, I mean, when would they have the time to do so? But in the case of Gail McIntyre at court, two endings have indeed been filmed and both were witnessed by shoppers and members of the public who were outside Bradford City Hall to watch events unfold.

It says here that in one scene Gail McIntyre came out of the building flanked by David, Nick and Audrey. Chased by reporters and photographers, played by extras, they ran to a waiting cab, giving the impression that Gail had been acquitted. Running down the City Hall steps Gail cried: “Tina, you heard what the judge said!” Tina was clearly distressed at the outcome of the Court case and was comforted by her on-screen boyfriend Jason.

In an alternative scene, David, Nick and Audrey came down the steps looking upset, with David angrily confronting Tina. Street busybodies Norris and Mary stood at the bottom of the steps, watching the action unfold.

A spokesman for the production team said two outcomes were being filmed. Fans will be on tenterhooks  to find out Gail’s fate.

Tuesday 22 February 2011

Rue de Coronation, eh?

Here's one for Corrie fans in Quebec. There's a town called Hudson, just a bit west of Montreal off Hwy. 40 and once a month, on the first Sunday in the month, a group of Corrie fans meets to celebrate their mutual love for the show. They meet in the town's only British style pub and they have a good old natter and a bit of trivia to round out the day. (That's called a Ping but they don't seem to refer to it as such.)

The group is called the Hudson Coronation Street Appreciation Society (HCSAS) and the founder is an ex-Yorkshireman called James Parry. There's a lovely article in the Yorkshire Post about it. The group maintains a spoiler-free code so anyone returning from the U.K. or reading ahead on the internet is not allowed to reveal any upcoming stories. Canada, as we all know, is nearly 10 months behind the U.K. broadcasts. That's a long standing sore point for Canadian fans who used to be only 6 weeks behind so spoilers weren't quite as much of an issue. But that's a rant for another day.

James Parry was a closet Corrie fan until he moved to Canada and realized that there were lots of like minded fans here. For ex-pats, it's a taste of home and a trip down memory lane. Canada has strong ties to the British Isles and many Canadians identify with the show on that level and enjoy it. Where the culture is still a bit different to ours, as Parry's girlfriend points out, the "life issues are very universal".

I've had a Google around Hudson, and though the interview doesn't say which pub it is, there's only two possibilities and the most likely is Willow Place Inn Pub on Rue Main Street as the other one, the Cunningham's Pub, is described as a *new* Irish style pub. If you live in the vicinity and want to join in, check at the pub to see when the group meets. There does appear to be a Facebook group but it doesn't seem to have been used in several years.

There is an old news article here with some contact info at the bottom, which may or may not still be valid. Your mileage may vary.

Monday 21 February 2011

Jack P Shepherd: "David Platt's too nice!"

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog in April, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

There's a wonderful interview with Jack P Shepherd, who plays Coronation Street's David Platt here. He says he worries that David's turning soft and hopes the writers give him more evil things to do. It's well worth a read.

Jack also talks about his little baby Nyla and how he reckons he needs to start going to the gym and putting on a bit of weight.

Corrie Weekly Awards for Feb. 14 - 18

Don't turn your back on me Ladeh! award: Glass Star: Unusual angle, seeing Audrey and Rita having it out in the salon. It looked like Audrey's back was turned to Rita when it was only her reflection in the mirror.

Sucker award: Gold Star: I'm very afraid Audrey is getting taken in by a con man

Wuthering Heights award: Gold Star: Kate Bush wailing, Yorkshire Moors, and a stack of competitions...what more could you ask of a holiday? (quite a lot, actually)

Deer in the headlights award: Glaring star: Natasha backed Nick into a corner so he had to take her for a drink and he *still* ignored her. Get a clue, woman!

Snoop Dog award: Nosy Star: Audrey got what she deserved when she nosed into Lewis' black client book.

Appropriate soundtrack award: Warbling star: When Natasha came into the pub, "All By Myself" was on the jukebox and Nick was nowhere to be seen.

Where did that conscience come from award: Gold Star: David is starting to scare me.

Lines of the week:
Tyrone "It must be true because Kirk told me and Kirk knows a lot about animals." Molly "No, Kirk knows a bit about dogs."
Deirdre "Why do you always turn me into the boring one?" (because he's the pot and you're the kettle)
Kevin "I just loved me wife more than you" (don't they usually?)
Norris about Mary "I don't want her going Twang! in the middle of the night!"
David to Gary "I've taken you in! I've given you crisps!"
Graeme "Very underrated, sarcasm. Wasted if your target is too dense to understand"
Natasha "I didn't want to turn up early, I might as well tattoo Desperate on me forehead" (too late)

Sunday 20 February 2011

Corrie Sunday Comments, February 20

Off we go for another week of Sunday comments. Don't forget to check the Bluenose Corrie Blog tomorrow for Lines of the week and weekly awards!


Audrey and Rita finally made up but it was tough going. Rita appears to be quite a bit more stubborn than Audrey. And it's all down to Saint Emily of Bishop.Rita is highly skeptical of Audrey and Lewis being a proper couple and so she should be but she and Audrey are going to have to agree to disagree if they're going to keep their friendship and Rita can just make sure to be there to pick up the inevitable pieces when it all goes pear shaped.


In the maintime, though, you just knew Audrey wouldn't be able to stop herself from snooping in Lewis' little black customer book and it's like when you eavesdrop, you aren't going to find out anything good about yourself. Or at least nothing overly flattering. That was one way to put her off the scent and keep her from dropping his services, though, snog her face off! It makes me think Lewis definitely has an agenda where Audrey's concerned. Some people might think his gesture was romantic but he's not giving up the escorting and making her a priority is he? How's she going to feel waiting at home for him to come back from dates? Lewis must have women falling for him all the time. And i bet he stays over with more than one of them too.

My take on the situation? Sian loves Sophie but I'm afraid she's confused. She even said she doesn't like girls but she does love Sophie. I hope Sophie isn't going to get her heart broken. In the meantime, looks like she'll be working in the corner shop. It'll be all girls together, with her, Molly and Sunita! And Tina is pretty much hitting bottom. She's not eating or sleeping and after that collapse in the butcher, something is going to have to be done. Everyone seems to be very concerned and rightly so.

Yes i think Molly *is* a spiteful cow. She couldn't have what (who) she wanted so she could very well make Kevin swing in the wind, thinking she was going to blow his life sky high. It really wasn't Kevin's fault. Tyrone didn't check to see if he'd finished the car. But Molly finally settled in with Tyrone, she wouldn't jeopardize it by taking the chance that Kevin's marriage would blow up and he'd choose her as a consolation prize. No wonder she wants to move away.

So if Kevin can't get rid of the baby, he can at least encourage Tyrone to go along with Molly's plan to move away. Between the two of them they've managed to convince him. I don't understand why Nick always has to take orders from Carla like she could sack him if he doesn't. He's part owner and she's treating him like one of the factory workers and he's taking it off her!


I can't understand why Sunita would want to live in a 100 year old tiny little house that has no backyard when she's got two rambunctious twins that won't be able to share a bedroom forever. News headlines on the newsboard, "Hopes fade for missing kitten"...really??? Somehow i really doubt that would make the major news flashes. Did you ever think you'd see David actually being nice? He's keeping Gary's secret but when he sees how upset Anna is, he actually did the right thing but in the process, tipped off Gary over the phone. No matter, they caught up with him anyway. Now what?

Mary really knows how to produce a seduction ... a stack of competitions? Seriously? She did manage to get his head on her bosoms though. She's a bit on the creepy side isn't she? She's always been weird but she's turned scary since her return. I can't understand why Norris would go away with her considering her past attempts to get him. So she's already trying to keep him stuck inside with her. Missing laces to his boots...and all of a sudden the phone isn't working? Hmmm...

Oh Natasha, dear girl, you really have to stop throwing yourself at Nick! He might catch you eventually when he's got no choice but is that the way you want to bag a fella? It's so clear he's really not overly interested, and she's all but stripping naked in the street for him.And there she was, one more chance and he'll have blown it. He blew it, said he had to work, so she figured he was just lying and told him off. For working. In his office. Doh. If he was just trying to get out of a date with her, why would he be hiding out in his office? He'll take up with her eventually since she's offering herself on a plate but he's only using her and she won't see it. Maybe down deep she will but she'll talk herself into a fair tale romance that doesn't exist. It's actually painful to watch!

Saturday 19 February 2011

State of the Street - April 2010

What a month was April 2010 in Weatherfield as we reach the end of it on Canadian screens! The lost of one baby was mourned, and another baby was clinging to life in spite of his maybe-father wanting rid. Love was found in all the odd places and unrequited love rears it's unhinged head as the month ends. Liar, liar, pants on fire, and that's not just Stape's mantra, it could also be Lewis's. For all the details, have a read over here for the State of the Street for April.

Friday 18 February 2011

Why I love the Coronation Street lesbians

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog in April, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Corrie has always been about the women. The men are kept very much in the background being feckless, drinking too much, gambling the housekeeping money away on a nag, having a fling with a floozy or murdering their wives. And so this fan believes the time was more than right for a lesbian relationship on the nation's favourite soap and wholeheartedly welcomes it.

Yes, the tabloids are going for titillation but that's to be expected. I'm in agreement with the Corrie actresses who've said that Sian and Sophie's relationship on Corrie is a romance, a love story. And it's a story about which the Lesbian and Gay Foundation approve too.

In her wonderful book Women and Soap Operas, Christine Geraghty says that all soap opera turns on the premise of female friendship - how they work, why they don't, what happens when a man comes between them - and lesbianism is just the next step forward in the development of women's friendships on screen.

If there was just one thing I could change in the lesbian romance of Sophie and Sian, it'd be for a lesbian relationship to to have taken place between two of the older women instead. But that's just an age-thing, because I'm old too. And I don't suppose Eileen and Gail cuddling up to watch 'Desperate Housewives' together on the sofa would have made the gossip magazines and generated as much publicity as the two very pretty and young actresses Brooke Vincent and Sacha Parkinson are currently doing.

When Corrie aired its first gay kiss when Todd tried to snog Nicky Tilsley, the storyline developed with Todd coming out, being proud, stutting his stuff around Manchester's gay village. With Sophie and Sian's storyline, it remains to be seen how it will go. Will Sophie be seen in lesbian-Christian groups, for instance. Will she come out and be proud, or simper after Sian and then run to the first "New Corrie hunk for Sophie!" that could well be announced in the tabloids in a few months time? Time will tell, but Corrie will handle it well, of that I'm sure.

Preview of Next Week's Corrie in Canada (Feb 21 - 25)

Next week in Coronation Street here in Canada:

Tina has a guardian angel, Norris is wary of scary Mary, Natasha is ingratiating herself. Deirdre gets some sad news, Mary has some 'splaining to do, Trev has a world class plan, and Steve and Becky get ready to be scrutenized.

For more details and photos on next week's spoilers, check out the Moosejaw Mercury over on Corrie.net.

Thursday 17 February 2011

Fiz + John = a new Corrie baby?

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog in April, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Fiz and John are hardly love's young dream on Coronation Street and so I'm wondering what the writers have got in store for the Stapes.

I'm definitely not in the same camp as blogger seapenguin who likes John Stape. I can't stand him, and blame him for ruining Fiz's life.

But I'm also wondering if there's going to be a Stape baby on the scene soon? Would a Stape baby bring John to his senses and bring his focus back to Fiz instead of his selfish need to bring the wisdom of Stapid to the schools of the parish? Ooh, I'd like to slap John Stape, I really would. He's taken the fizz out of ou

Is Corrie's Lewis after Audrey's love - or loot?

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog in April, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

I'm loving Nigel Havers on Coronation Street as the charming and suave Lewis, are you?

But he's too charming, by half, I'm starting to feel, and I'm wondering if he'll start falling for Audrey but not in a way that she'd like him to do. I mean, I wonder if he's setting her up for freebie nights out, not charging her for his time, so that she thinks he really loves her when he's just after her cash? I may be wrong, of course but it's something that's already been hinted at a while back. What do you think's really going on with the fragrant Mrs. Roberts?

Wednesday 16 February 2011

Coronation Street: A Likely Story

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog in April, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Reprinted with permission from fab TV blog PauseLiveAction

Just when I thought that Waterloo Road would be the only show which I would pick fault with every scene due to my employment in education, along comes a pretty dire storyline from the team at Coronation Street.

For some unknown reason, the powers that be are still flogging the terminally boring character of John Stape. A man who has returned to the screens more times than a cuckoo has to a clock, he is the only character that can have a saucy affair with a flighty, saucy young minx, find himself beaten up twice, spend months in jail, be at the centre of a wedding plot and stage a kidnap and still be less interesting than a debate with Ken Barlow over which colour is better between light grey and pale green.

The latest ploy to try and make John entertaining (rather than the more obvious idea of axing him) is to have him steal another teacher’s identification and begin working in a secondary school under a false name. This is a man who must have a bear-like tatooed lover back in the nick as he seems pretty damn desperate to go back there. He’s still boring mind you, but I don’t know if I’ve mentioned that.

What we’ve seen is John steal an old colleague’s ID, apply for a job Monday, be interviewed on Thursday and get the job and working there on Friday. I wish being appointed to a school was this quick! This is a procedure that normally takes weeks but this is by far the least troubling of the many plot-holes. Firstly, how is John going to get references? The staff who knew the man John pretends to be (Mr Fishwick) will be more than likely to ask him if it’s okay to write about him. It’s standard practice in education (and all other walks of employment for that matter) to contact your referee and give them the heads up that you need a reference in advance.
Secondly, a criminal police check can take up to and including 6 weeks to come through. And we are expected to believe that the school will let John come into the school and work unsupervised the day after he gets the job? I don’t know of many schools who would take that risk!

And how does he expect not to be caught? The other staff in the school are bound to have come across Weatherfield High before seeing as it’s not too far away. School staff visit other schools all the time for educational visits, sports competitions, meetings and other jobs. Just by word of mouth, the silly man is going to come undone at some point. He even forgot to answer to his fake name when called into interview for goodness sake!

I love Corrie but sometimes they treat the viewers like idiots. The plot scripting at the moment needs some serious tweaking. Even if this fake teacher plot were accurate, it would still be nauseatingly dull. And as for the Molly and Tyrone stuff, the sudden disappearance of Sally and the complete dropping of her cancer storyline and the ongoing saga of Sunita wanting to be closer to the shop, I won’t even go there as I will take up this blog’s entire bandwidth!

Phew! I understand that my post seems to be a bit of a messy rant. I should get an English teacher to check my work. Although Mr Stape-wick will be too busy dodging loopholes…

Tuesday 15 February 2011

Coronation Street's Fat Brenda

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog in April, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

As part of Coronation Street's 5oth this year, wouldn't it be great to see Fat Brenda from Levenshulme, at last?

She's one of the best Corrie characters that we've never seen and I feel it only fitting for her to put in an appearance on the show's special birthday this year.

I'm not the only Corrie fan hoping to see Fat Brenda, fan Chris M left a comment here saying exactly the same thing. And Gadgee also left a comment on that post saying that he thought Fat Brenda was probably really slim, because Curly was nicknamed on account of his straight, flat hair.

So come on, Corrie fans, let's start the petition now to bring Fat Brenda to life on Coronation Street - and leave your comments below!

Monday 14 February 2011

Eddie Windass in Clean Dressing Gown Shock

(This post was originally posted by Seapenguin on the Coronation Street Blog in April, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Oh, how I love him! Anyone else's eyes pop out when Eddie Windass appeared in his dressing gown again last Friday? It was flapping open - as usual - and revealed, surprisingly, amazingly, a set of clean, white, matching undies, i.e. white vest and y-fronts. What surprised me even more, was that the dressing gown, which seemed to be the same one worn in the episode when he was dumping his rubbish in other people's bins (go Eddie!), seemed clean? I suppose it makes sense - even Eddie's not going to wear a minging dressing gown over a clean set of undies. Anna must be managing to get a load in the washing machine when he's having a kip on the sofa. Or maybe I'm being unfair. Maybe Eddie's added laundering to his baking talents.

What DIDN'T surprise me, was Eddie saying: "Where's me cheese?" Answers on a postcard, please! (only kidding). My own theory is that Gary is hiding in the attic and surviving on cheese.
I think I also heard a quick mention of evil Len Windass. I wonder if he will re-appear, as part of the Gary AWOL storyline? Personally, I hope he does. I thought he made a great Corrie villain.

Corrie Weekly Awards for Feb. 7 - 11


Mama bear award: Gold Star: Pam laying into Kevin over harassing Molly, several times! Go Team Pam!


Asshole of the week award: Gold Star: Kevin for suggesting that Molly get an abortion (sorry about the award title but it had to be said)

Idiot award: Gold Star: Stapid...(for many things but in particular, your new boss comes to visit, drinks two bottles of wine with you and you let him drive home???)

Well that didn't work out as planned: Beer Star: Graeme. Being spontaneous with both Rosie and Natasha at the same time! Oops. Just call him the Master.

Will wonders never cease award: Gold Star: Gary and David being civil and maybe even being mates? I think I've woken up in an alternative universe.

Stunt work excellence award: Fantastic stuntwork for the car crash! And excellent watching them tear the car apart too!

Instant Ambulance Award: It always amazes me how ambulances appear almost instantaneous even in the most remote locations!

Fashion Don't award: Did we really need to see Eddie in his Y-fronts without any warning?

Unlikely confidantes award: Friendly star: Ken and Steve sharing a quiet moment away from the madding crowd.

Lines of the Week:
John "Let's get rid of John Stape" (please. Let's.)
Anna to Teresa "That's my son you're leering at. Focus your fetish fantasies somewhere else!"
Molly "It might not be yours and it might not be Tyrone's but it's definitely mine now Get Out!"  (I don't like Molly, but Kevin is rapidly sinking in my opinion too)

Kevin to Pam "Lie, you mean" Pam "That shouldn't be hard. You've had enough practice!"
Teresa about Fiz and Julie: "One of 'em's married to a kidnapper stroke pervert and the other one's dad was a paedo and *I'm* persona non gratia!"
Julie to John: "Love her. Ravish her. But don't fan the flames!"
Eddie: "I've been all over. Left no stone unturned. Which is very appropriate given what Gary's friends are like"

Pam to Kevin "If he knew half of what you've done to him... I pray he never finds out" (It's a soap. Of *course* he's going to find out!)
Eddie "I've been all over. Left no stone unturned. Which is pretty appropriate when you consider what some of Gary's friends are like"

Sunday 13 February 2011

Corrie Sunday Comments, February 13

Off we go for another week of Sunday comments. Don't forget to check the Bluenose Corrie Blog tomorrow for Lines of the week and weekly awards!


Back when this was airing in the UK, John had aquired a new nickname on the corrie blogs etc. "Stapid" (Stape + Stupid). So when i use that, you'll know what it means!

John's boss, Brian, seems to be like one of those people that try wayyy too hard to be friends and then stick to you for life. Figures Julie would clap eyes on a new man like him and glom onto him! They were quite funny together weren't they! But you know, John should never have let his drunken mate drive home no matter how anxious he was to get him out of the house. Then can we just put a lock on Fiz's lips? Good god she sounded like a fishwife! (or fishwick wife lol! Couldn't resist!) John is very good at manipulating her, though, but he didn't really have it all thought out, did he? He didn't work out details until after he'd started teaching again (furniture factory name, etc.... should check the phone book or internet to find one that actually exists!)

Julie is another wrinkle in the plan. She's all keen to make cozy with Brian, John's new boss, whose a bit of a pratt to be honest. And the new youngish teacher seemed to be catching the eye of a pretty young student and we all know where that could lead! He's got history, you know!

Oh, is Teresa still on the show? We've not seen her for ages. I thought she'd left! Lloyd's new crush isn't on the game, she's a lap dancer/stripper! Who puts a photo of just themself on their phone? Well Teresa sure put Cheryl in the know as to Lloyd's GIRLFRIEND. But how did the cab come for Cheryl when Lloyd hadn't called for one? Sophie managed to use the classic "women's troubles" excuse. What was her father going to say? Men, especially dads, often get quite uncomfortable talking about that sort of thing. Then, though, Sophie got a makeover in Rosie's image. She looked pretty hot!

Oh dear.... Kevin didn't get to finish the car and Tyrone just assumed it was done. Only this time, an unfinished repair job isn't just going to land the passengers in a cold lake, they've rolled down the hill and one of them is pregnant! Good stunt work! WAsn't it cool watching them pull the car apart? Big plot hole though. Can you guess? Read here to find out.


Now you just knew Tyrone would end up blaming Kevin but he didn't stick to it. But Molly will. Kevin started off the week in Arsehole mode wanting Molly to abort a 20 week baby. I don't think it could legally be done anyway! And Kevin was all "I don't want to be friends with you anymore" with Tyrone so Tyrone could very well come to the same conclusion that Kevin might have done it on purpose. Anyway Kevin knew where Tyrone was headed, why did it take him so long to decide to find out where Diggory lives and get in the towtruck and head after Tyrone? That's not the only plot hole here.


Steve and Eddie are already in a pi$$ing contest over the adoption. It's not like it's a competition but some men just can't help themselves, i guess! Looks like Becky and Steve are going to try for the adoption. As are Anna and Eddie. I think both couples are probably pretty unlikely to be accepted, at least in real life but on a soap...i suppose it could happen.



I quite like that they haven't dropped the friendship between Gary and Chesney yet. Nice big/little brother type chemistry there. Graeme has learned the error of his ways. Use different chat up lines and don't charm two people that live or work in the same street. Public humiliation ought to serve to teach him the lesson. Kirk got a good dose of it too! So Izzy is the girl in the wheelie and isn't she full of beans? Take no prisoners! Some sparks between she and Gary, though, if i'm not mistaken! But Gary isn't even supposed to be there, he's gone AWOL!


Anna's done Gary some sandwiches. I think she gave him half a loaf! I like how Sunita seems to feel like a big sister to Sophie sometimes. She remembers what it's like to be a heartbroken teenage girl...even if she wasn't crushing on her best girlfriend!

Why do people always, *always* insist on calling the hospital to find out about people that are in there when they aren't family and they know the hospital *never* tells non-family members anything!

Saturday 12 February 2011

Corrie plot hole of the week

(This post was originally posted by me on the Coronation Street Blog in April, 2010, reposted with permission.)

There was one hole in the plot about the crash this week, a hole big enough to drive a breakdown truck through!

Tyrone didn't take the road to Diggory's, he turned off in a different direction to go to the country pub as a surprise for Molly, yet Kevin drove right past the pub and arrived at Diggory's house.

I would have expected Tyrone to return the way he came to that intersection to take the other turn to Diggory's house that Molly pointed to him. Presumably, Kevin has a Satnav in the breakdown truck to enable him to find people easier, it didn't make sense to me that he would take the wrong road just so he could drive by Tyrone's car parked by the pub and we could say "oooh he drove right by Tyrone's car!" It would have been just as "tension building" to see Kevin at the intersection, check the satnav and turn the other (correct) way. I also notice that it seemed that, though Tyrone had a very long head start, Kevin had caught up with him and passed the pub in awfully quick time.

Other than that, though, the crash was all very well done, wasn't it? Great stunt work, top marks for that and for the rest of the drama. I don't blame Molly for having an initial reaction that had her accusing Kevin of trying to kill her and the baby after he tried not once, but twice to convince her to get rid of the baby. He says it was impulse but, as i said, he came after her two different times on two different days to put pressure on her. That's not impulse. And that's really not like Kevin, either. Kevin is the dad that took his sobbing teenage daughter home and held her and made her cups of tea.

Friday 11 February 2011

On Coronation Street, It's one idiot after another this week!

(This post was originally posted by me on the Coronation Street Blog in April, 2010, reposted with permission.)

It was an exercise in frustration watching Coronation Street this week. Honestly, the cobbles were littered with idiots! Some of them were found out pretty quickly (Graeme and Kirk), some were maybe not so obvious to the other characters but certainly were to the viewers (Rosie and Natasha for other reasons besides Graeme) and there were a couple of real prize Eeejits too that just appalled me. Who were they? Who is the Prize Idiot of the week? Read the rant over here and find out.

Next week on Canadian Corrie screens

I do apologize for forgetting to post the upcoming week's spoilers last week! Back to your regularly scheduled previews!

Mad Mary and Norris head to Yorkshire. Sian and Sophie are together again. Lewis and Audrey are closer, too! Molly has a plan. Natasha moves toward her goal. David does the right thing. Tina hits a crisis point. If you want more details and a few photos, check out the Moosejaw Mercury on Corrie.net.

Thursday 10 February 2011

Corrie Fab Photo Fred

I was looking through my Corrie images (you end up with quite a collection when you write for blogs!) and these two jumped off the screen. I thought they might bring back some fun memories. The photo above looks like Fred is just carrying on as he often did, postulating about something to Sunita. But no...what's happening is he felt a drop or two of water fall on him from the ceiling. This is what happened next!

Wednesday 9 February 2011

Alan Halsall: "Fans want to mother me!"

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog in April, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Alan Halsall, who plays Coronation Street's Tyrone Dobbs tells The Mirror that he never gets chatted up and that instead, fans offer to mother him and cook him his tea.

It's a good interview, and comes on the day when we'll see Molly involved in the car crash tonight on Corrie. Alan says he offered to do his own stunts on the car crash but they've been instead done by top stuntman Rob Hunt, whose credits include The Bourne Ultimatum and Quantum of Solace.

Tuesday 8 February 2011

William Roache reveals deafness problem

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog in April, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

William Roache, who plays Coronation Street's Ken Barlow, has revealed that he's 50 per cent deaf in both ears and needs visual cues when filming his scenes.

He said: "People don't know I have got a hearing problem. Deafness is extremely isolating. I live in a cocooned world. I could be having a normal conversation and certain things I just won't hear. I can't hear watches or alarms, footsteps or the rustling of paper. The floor manager has to give me a visual cue, a hand signal, and it is just something that I have learned to live with. I have put up with it all these years."

Monday 7 February 2011

New characters joining Coronation Street (Spoiler)

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog in April, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

There's some interesting additions to the Corrie cast coming up in the next few months.

As you may or may not already know, Tony Gordon's returning and bringing with him a new hit man called Robbie.

Liz McDonald's going to get a new fella in the shape of Owen Armstrong, who's the dad of Kirk's new girlfriend, Izzy.

And there'll be another of Owen Armstrong's daughters joining the show in the summer too - details to be announced. It all sounds good to this Corrie fan!

Corrie Weekly Awards: for Jan. 31 - Feb 4

(This post was originally posted by me on the Coronation Street Blog in April, 2010, reposted with permission.)

I married my mother award: Gold Star: Steve. Does anyone else think Becky's new hair looks a lot like Liz's current style?

I want to go back to jail award: Iron star: Stape of course. (Kidnapping wasn't bad enough, let's try identity theft.)

Shallow crisis du jour award: Tin star: Rosie flouncing because her fella wasn't a footballer after all.

High Noon award: Gold Star: Rita and Audrey glaring daggers at each other and sniping insults.

Irony of the week award: Bryan, Stapid's boss urging him to "just be himself."



Ordinary but sexy award: Gold Star: Jason! (Personally, I'd choose Trevor)

Desperation isn't pretty award: Gold Star: Natasha salivating and babbling after Nick
Silver Star: Graeme persuing Natasha and Rosie.


Lines of the Week:
Michelle to Ryan: "Is this connected to the mood I see before me?"
Stape: "What harm would I be doing?" (Doh)
Deirdre: "It can't be easy for Fiz living with someone that's never satisfied." Ken: "I won't ask you how you know that."
Kirk "She lols at all my jokes" Graeme "And this is a real woman, not a virtual one?"
Michelle: "Did you eat your mam out of house and home?" Graeme: "No, I set fire to it"
Becky "First social worker that looks down her nose at me, I'm gonna clock her" (yeah, that'll help)

Sunday 6 February 2011

Corrie Sunday Comments, February 6

Off we go for another week of Sunday comments. Don't forget to check the Bluenose Corrie Blog tomorrow for Lines of the week and weekly awards!

Molly still doesn't want to tell anyone she's pregnant, wants to get used to the idea. She's known for over a month and she's well into the second trimester. How much time does she need? Tyrone is so excited and putting the 3d scan on the internet isn't exactly how Molly wanted to go public about it. Unfortunately, seeing the actual moving baby on the video made it real for Kevin and now he's whinging and moaning. How on earth can he be the baby's godfather? Oh and we're not friends anymore. Sounds more like Sian and Sophie than a grown man... Suck it up buttercup.


And Kevin *still* can't stay away from Molly even though he doesn't want anything to do with her or the baby. Surely if Audrey wanted new magazines for the Salon, she'd go elsewhere or send Natasha? Maybe she was hoping she and Rita could make it up i suppose. Speaking of Natasha, her chasing Nick isn't pretty. She's not even good at it. Looks and sounds more like a 14 year old than a grown woman.
Lloyd has a big crush on Leanne's old friend Cheryl. Steve warns him that Cheryl might be one of Leanne's mates from the bad old days and Lloyd took offence. Considering that Cheryl congratulated Leanne on "getting out" when she first met up with her, i'd say it's a fair warning! Natasha has an instant crush on Nick. Looks like he might even be receptive. Well, i suppose he would be willing to take what's on offer.


And as i said last week, an episode out of turn, Rosie's smug mug got a bit of a surprise when her footballer turned out to be a burger slinger! Kirk + Online Dating = disaster. Using Jason's photo? Really? Of course it's going to backfirel! And, of course, Graeme's methods aren't much better. Only his methods of "spontenaity" was pretty poorly thought out. Use the exact same chat up line on both Natasha and Rosie. . Bad decision..


Teenage angst. Ryan feels guilty but he didn't own up to Sian that he was the kisser not the kissee. At least he couldn't lie to his mum and fessed up to her but he still managed not to tell Sian the truth and she figured it out herself. Sian dumped him well and truly. And he deserved it! And Sophie moved in on Sian! Really, though, kissing her right after she broke up with Ryan was probably not the best move. She freaked out Sian, though, and i suppose that's a natural reaction when you're already upset and you're only 15. Sophie is a lesbian, she's realized it and she's in love with her best friend!


John's friend Charlotte seems a bit of a live wire. I can't really spoil it but watch this space. It's not the last we've seen of her. I've always said John was a narcissistic passive aggressive idiot and he's off on one again. He is going to take Colin Fishwick's identity now he's going to Canada and pretend to be Colin in order to get a job. I hope he's practiced Colin's signature to match the documents. Never mind that it's highly illegal and never mind that it normally takes weeks and weeks to get the security check done. Nope, this is Corrie and you can apply, get interviewed, pass the test and be hired in a day. He's putting all that extra stress on Fiz and telling her he agrees, bad idea, but if he did... no, no, he won't do it. But ... but... until he wears her down. No respect for her feelings at all, no respect that it's illegal in addition to getting forged id made up as well. Making her lie along with him.


I don't think i could hate John Stape any more than i do at this moment in time for how he's treating Fiz...all because he has to do what he wants to do no matter that it could wreck his marraige. Fiz, the old sparky Fiz, would have kicked him to the curb but the new Fiz has no backbone, unfortunately.


Deirdre had a point about John having to learn to accept his limits. Well, at least Ken isn't a psycho, just a serial cheater! John's made a start on that with Rosie, mind you, but since then, he's not gone that route again yet. So it seems like Fiz finally wore down and figured if she didn't let him do it, he'd turn into another unsatisfied Ken Barlow? It'll end in tears all right, but not the way you think it will. How on earth could he even apply for a job without a proper resume/cv? He only knows the one school where Colin worked but what's the rest of his job history and education? And pretending he's got a job at a furniture store? Really??


Wow, Becky has a haircut just like Liz! Or nearly! They do say men marry women that turn into their wives but you don't often see the wives turning into their mothers-in-law! And the Windasses want to adopt? That came out of nowhere, didn't it? And with the backgrounds both couples have you would think it would be an out and out reject slip, wouldn't you? Steve, Becky and probably Eddie with a criminal record, Steve married how many times? Anna and Eddie not married at all. They make it sound like each case is assessed on it's own merit and generally it should be ok but in real life, i very much doubt either couple would be considered.


Rita and Audrey are still firing shots across the bow at each other. Why Audrey was surprised to see Rita in the Kabin i don't know. Even though she's not the owner, she is there most of the time anyway and she is working there again.

Saturday 5 February 2011

Coronation Street: Simply The Best

This first appeared on the Coronation Street Blog in April 2010 but is a reposting from another blog elsewhere and was posted with permission.

Reposted with permission from the best TV blog in the world, PauseLiveAction

Coronation Street is not every person’s cup of tea but, what struck me when watching an extremely uneventful episode last night, is that it’s probably the only show which I can still enjoy even though literally nothing happens.

Corrie pulls off the risky formula of simplicity is best. Soaps tend to be over the top, unrealistic and hectic (Corrie included, if you look at the ongoing Tony saga) but sometimes it’s just as enjoyable to watch the characters you know and love just going about their normal lives, without sleeping with eachothers’ friends/relatives/pets or stabbing eachother when they bring you the wrong flavour of crisps.

Take last night. What exactly happened? There were no major storylines, no window shaking showdowns, no punch ups, no sordid bunk ups. Audrey went to a party with Rula Lenska to find Rita cosying up to the same man she likes (and by cosying up, I mean sharing a drink and fluttering one’s eyelashes, this is no passionate, every-position affair) Becky asked a friend’s advice on adoption. Rosie searched Ebay for a tracksuit. Graeme wound Norris up a little bit, for a laugh. A chocolate egg went missing.

That was it. As always, with Corrie, the episode was character and dialogue driven instead of plot driven. It’s the little things that matter when it comes to Coronation Street. It’s an institution, people all over the country know these characters better than their own neighbours so when the team of marvellous writers pen a witty line and the character delivers it you can sit there and say ‘oh that is so typical of Liz!’ (Don’t say it out loud if there are others in the room).

That’s the beauty of Corrie. In an episode where Audrey and Rita sniped cattily at each other, Norris’ hunt for gossip over a chocolate egg was fruitless and Hayley was just being lovely Hayley, nothing needs to happen. You’re just spending half an hour with some characters you know.

Posted By Our Man In The North

Friday 4 February 2011

The Devastator - what's happened to the Lay-deez man?

(This post was originally posted by Seapenguin on the Coronation Street Blog in April, 2010, reposted with permission.)

Before I start, apologies to anyone eating their tea while reading this. I know that photo is likely to bring awful things back.
Anyway - what I'd like to know is this. What on earth is going on with Dev at the moment? And by Dev, I mean full-on Dev - Dev the schmoozer, Dev the lay-deez man, Dev the king-sized Stinking Bishop (yes, that IS a cheese) of cheesy chat up merchants. I miss him and I'd like him back please. Not only is there a shortage of available man-flesh for the older woman on Corrie just now, Dev the family man is just not doing it for me.
What are the writers thinking? Do they think Dev is getting past it in the skirt-chasing stakes? NOT as far as I'm concerned. He's got the double whammy - a wallet AND a purse - sorry, did I say purse? I meant PULSE. And he could give Lewis a run (or hobble) for his money, any day. So I'm fervently hoping that the sale of Maria's house goes pear-shaped, quick-style, and that Sunita hops it with the kids.

Thursday 3 February 2011

Jack P. Shepherd celebrates 10 years on Corrie

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog in April, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Jack P. Shepherd, who plays David Platt on Coronation Street, is celebrating being part of the show for 10 years.

In a good, long interview with the Mirror, Jack says: "I've been David Platt almost as long as I've been Jack Shepherd, which is weird! But I've enjoyed it...it doesn't feel like a decade. David's an idiot! I wouldn't be his friend. I wouldn't give him the time of day. But I love playing him and I don't see why I couldn't be here in another 10 years. By then he could own the Rovers or Underworld, or be an out-and-out thug. He could go either way."
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