Blimey! Just this week we were asking if Corrie fans wanted to see big Jim McDonald back on Coronation Street and today we read in The Sun that he is in fact coming back! I swear it was a coincidence and we really didn't know but I'm pleased as punch that big Jim will be back on the Street. Apparently Charles Lawson will return as Jim for six weeks in October and viewers will see him on screen in the run-up to Christmas. Is anyone else as happy as I am with this news?
Just when we were asking this week if The Kabin needed a revamp on Corrie, it turns out that the Rovers Return is in line to get a makeover. But what's this I hear? It's going to turn trendy? Say it ain't so! Coronation Street producer Steve Frost told The Daily Record: "It's quite dated now and we will be giving it a much-needed facelift. Our designer is working on plans at the moment."
Rovers regulars have fought off several previous bids to change the look of the pub. Angry protests forced the original Corrie landlady, Annie Walker, to scrap plans for a total renovation in 1961. And seven years ago, regulars Mike Baldwin, Fred Elliott and Duggie Ferguson took over the bar to save it from being turned into a "fun pub" called the Boozy Newt. The Rovers has changed only once - after a fire which gutted the building in 1986. And yes, that is Alfrred Hitchcock in the Rovers Return!
Denise Welch, who played Natalie Horrocks has been suffering from clinical depression on and off for the past 18 years and speaks very frankly about it in an article in the Manchester Evening News this week. She's very open about how it's affected her life, and once, even her work. We've heard about this awful disease affecting so many people, including Winston Churchill, who called it the "black dog". Denise is trying a new treatment so let's hope she gets good results.
Excellent interview with Willam Roache, Coronation Street's Ken Barlow (as if you didn't know!) in today's Daily Record. He starts off commenting on the departure of Liz Dawn, breaking news this week that we've been blogging extensively. Liz has taken her health into consideration and is leaving the show later this year rather than cause delays on set when she's not well. (This has happened in the past, when Bryan Mosley, who played Alf Roberts, was not well. The producers had to suggest that he retire because they really did worry about his health. Six weeks after he retired, Bryan died.) William remarks on many other current Corrie issues like the influx of more "sex on the Street", saying that viewers are more savvy these days and they had to change to keep up, but thinks Corrie finds a good balance between being too old fashioned and too modern. What do you think? Is the balance between the gripping and sensational and the everyday little passages a good mix? Or do you wonder what they're doing to your Corrie!
We hope you enjoyed this week's special theme quiz, all about Coronation Street's Vera Duckworth. Not too many people had a go, but I think it probably got lost in the huge onslaught of Vera postings we made the other day. Have another try before you look through the link to the answers!
Isn't it a coincidence that most of the forgotten characters that Corrieblog readers listed are related to the corner shop in some way? We've already explored the lives of Norma Ford and the Hopkins family, and other suggestions included Maggie Clegg, Irma Barlow, Renee Roberts and today's forgotten resident, Lionel Petty.
Unfortunately there's not all that much to say about Lionel Petty, so the ending to our week of forgotten characters is a bit short. [Ben]
Click below to read more about the owner of the corner shop from 1965-1966
If you’ve read this week’s sneak previews, you’ll know that Steve McDonald finds himself falling for a woman in Malta who turns out to be a transvestite. Well, the actor who plays Shania the transvestite is an award-winning drag queen called Anthony Berry. Anthony, pictured here looking fabulous, won Drag Queen of the Year 2005/6.
Mind you, I’d love to see this other Corrie-related award-winning drag queen on the show, wouldn’t you?
No prizes for saying "Ken Barlow", right? I've been thinking a lot about Corrie's production today (especially its sets) and I got thinking about how old some of the props must be. Which are the oldest? My bet would be on the bits and bobs in the Barlows' sitting room - I'm sure that those chairs have been around since we first met Uncle Albert in 1960. There must also be some old bits at No.3 where Emily Bishop resides, but which other props do Corrieblog readers think have been around for a long time? [Ben]
Thanks to Tvor for the photograph. You can see more of Tvor's superb behind-the-scenes pictures over at her Kodak website.
Coronation Street’s Big Jim McDonald is turning up in panto this year to scare the living daylights out of theatre goers when he does a stint as evil Abanazer in Aladdin. Charles Lawson, who played Corrie’s Jim McDonald, will be starring in the panto at Stockport Plaza this Christmas.
So, that’s big Jim added to the list so far of Coronation Street stars who’ll be in panto this year. Want to see which other ex and current Corrie actors have signed up for panto already? You can click here to find out. Oh yes you can! Missus is that a banana, oops there go me drawers, it’s behind you, etc. Why not have a look at our Available for Panto blog too?
Our A-Z related Fab Photo is brought to you this week by the letter D. D is for Dearest Friends. The Duckworths are one of Coronation Street's most enduring double acts and their on-screen chemistry is helped in no small part by Liz Dawn and Bill Tarmey's great friendship. This Fab Photo seems to capture that friendship beautifully. [Sky Clearbrook]
On this day in Coronation Street history, July 27 in 1981, Deirdre Langton married Ken Barlow. Of course, we all know now this was only the first of their two marriages but at the time, the pair of them must have thought it was for keeps. Want to know a spooky coincidence between this wedding and their second one in 2005? Click here. And why not have a look at more Coronation Street weddings in our special section here.
Here we have a picture of Corrie's dustbin men triumverate of Chalkie Whiteley, Curly Watts and Eddie Yeats. Chalkie turned up in Corrie in 1982, parked his dustbin van outside of No.13 as Eddie and chums popped into Hilda's for a cuppa. Chalkie ended up buying No. 9 from the Faircloughs and his mother in law moved in too - Mrs Phyllis Pearce! Other dustbin men on the Street could include Scooter although he was more of a tip and skip man. And another dustbin connection is Barbara Knox (as Barbara Mullaney) who starred in an early series of The Dustbin Men on TV.
Check out all of our Corrie A-Z here.
It is quite rare that Coronation Street's sets aren't convincing, but one of them really doesn't cut it for me these days. Did you ever play shop when you were a little child? You know, a few bits and bobs from your mam's cupboard, perhaps some sweets and some toy money? Ever feel that you're reliving those childhood moments when there is a scene in the Kabin? I certainly do sometimes. A good few months ago our very own Flaming Nora pointed out that the Kabin's sub-post office that never gets used so perhaps the Corrie bigwigs could tie its removal into a complete revamp, eh?
Is it time that the Kabin was made to look like a serious newsagents again, rather than a poor man's toyshop-cum-sweet-emporium? Or is the Kabin a perfect set? [Ben]
So, is anyone enjoying watching Ashley Peacock make a fool of himself with Casey the firestarter, twisted firestarter? Claire's moved out of the marital home in fear of someone burning her in her bed while Ashley's hoping for a little more heat in the bedroom himself - with Casey!
But is anyone enjoying this storyline, as it's so very out of character for Ashley? After the hurt he went through when he found out Maxine (Tracy Shaw) had an affair with the too-tall doctor Matt Ramsden, is this storyline believable enough for Coronation Street fans to enjoy it? What do you think?
Do you see these books? Look very different don't they? One is titled "Life in the Street... Coronation Street, Past and Present" and one is titled "Coronation Street Celebrating 30 Years". Both are authored by Graeme Kay. I saw each of them on eBay recently (two different sellers) and thought "ooh, those are new to me, I must get them for me collection". One arrived the other day and one today. Then I discovered that they are exactly the same book under the cover!!! I never really twigged that it would be the same book, even though it had the same author. The only difference is that "Life on the Street" was published in 1991 and has one more year's worth of storyline summaries than the 30th anniversary book. So, folks, if you're tempted, I just wanted to warn you. Same book, different cover and title. I can take one to a ping for a raffle prize and be reimbursed but you might not be so lucky. Oh well. It looks quite good and will be a nice addition to my collection that includes Weatherfield Life, Around the Houses, and various other anniversary type books.
We've seen Leanne Battersby grovel to Queen Carla Connor for some investment in the pizza place down the precinct, but could Miss Battersby now turn her attentions to another Weatherfield business mogul? According to RTE Entertainment, Leanne approaches corner shop tycoon Dev Alahan in the hope of a sound and above board investment, but desperate Dev takes her invitation to dinner in a different way and tries it on with her!
Is Dev just a creep or is it easy to misinterpret the intentions of former escort Leanne? [Ben]
Want your fix of more Corrie spoilers? Click here.
Today I thought that I would hit four Coronation Street characters with one stone and delve into the history of the Hopkinses. The family moved into Coronation Street in 1974 when they agreed to rent the corner shop from Gordon Clegg after his mother, Maggie, moved to Zaire. At the head of the family (in all but name) was Idriss Hopkins, but the real boss was his mother, Megan, who was often referred to as 'Granny'. Idriss was married to a local woman, Vera, played by Kathy Staff, and the couple had a daughter, Tricia. [Ben]
Click below to learn more about Coronation Street's Hopkins family.
Dialogue is integral to any television show, movie or play. Good dialogue can greatly enhance something and bad, cheesy or predicitable dialogue can completely turn you off. Coronation Street has mostly been blessed with very good writers who incorporate the local dialect and expressions into their scripts. They know their characters quite well for the most part and give them dialogue that suits them. There's nothing worse than having a character come out with something they'd never say, like having Ken Barlow utter "My bad!" unless it was in a highly sarcastic manner, but having someone like Dev say it to make himself look hip and young to try to relate to his 15 year old daughter works because it's something he might do.
It is August of 1965 and the residents of Coronation Street dash from their houses as the walls tremble and the window panes rattle. Loud rumbles and crashes accompany them as they spill out onto the cobbled street, where they are greeted by an horrific sight - one of the houses has collapsed! [Ben]
Click here to watch a YouTube clip of No.7 falling to the ground.
Want to watch more Corrie video clips? Have a browse in our YouTube section!
Now then, here's a picture puzzle which might test you a little. Pictured here as The Spice Girls for Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes back in 1998 are five Coronation Street actors. But who are they and which Coronation Street characters did they play? For more Picture Puzzles, click here.
News reached us this week that Cilla Battersby-Brown will do a runner to Las Vegas when she leaves Coronation Street. Yes, Cilla is going to leave Corrie with frisky Frank, a pensioner who's not short of a bob or two. But this isn't Corrie's first Las Vegas connection. Did you know it's 10 years, yes 10 years, since Jack and Vera set off for Vegas and the soap bubble in Vegas video was made? To jog your memory, there's a blog post here about the Vegas trip which saw Ray Langton's 'return' to Corrie and Maxine and Fiona go a bit daft.
Is anyone else enjoying watching little Josh Peacock as much as I am, at the minute? What a little star Ben Beresford, who plays Josh, is turning into. Now that Josh has actually got some lines to say on Coronation Street, and is speaking and reacting to the other actors on the Street, he's really come into his own.
Have there ever been any other Corrie kids who can steal a scene in the same way that little Josh does? I always used to like Wayne, the child who Roy and Hayley fostered, he was really cute, but little Josh, aah, he's so sweet! Do you know how Ben Beresford tells the difference between his real dad and Steve Arnold who plays his on-screen dad in Corrie? Click here to find out.
Sunday 29 July 2007 7:30pm - 8:00pm on ITV1.
Chesney (Sam Aston) turns 13 but is worried when Schmeichel goes missing.
Eileen (Sue Cleaver) and Pat (Sean hughes) return in a great mood from Scarborough but she is soon deflated when questioned about Pat's wife by Lloyd (Craig Charles) and Jamie. She is further annoyed when Jason (Ryan Thomas) confronts her about her relationship with Pat. She complains to Steve (Simon Gregson) that everyone is putting a dampner on her new relationship.
Samia Smith, who plays Corrie crimper Maria Sutherland, was the star attraction at an Aylesbury-On-Sea extravaganza last weekend.
The Coronation Street hairdresser turned up to promote the event in Kingsbury and The Bucks Herald says she was very popular in the lunchtime sun, signing autographs and posing for pictures before opening the Aylesbury Pier Theatre.
Jenny Platt was flippin' great tonight, wasn't she? For the first time since it all began, I found the baby storyline very interesting, especially now that it's obviousy starting to have an affect on young Violet. Sean is billing and cooing around Vi, telling her what to eat and what not to eat, but it is Jamie Baldwin who notices that something is clearly not right. When she takes a pregnancy test Violet breaks down in tears - but are they tears of joy or sadness? [Ben]
From: Sue Johnston taken ill before first big scenes on Coronation Street