It's been a while since I last had a Monday moan - in public at least. But I was just reading that the British Heart Foundation has complained that most people don't know the symptoms of a heart attack and may delay getting help because they don't realise they're having one. Fair enough, that's important to know. But what I object to is when Coronation Street gets dragged in as being guilty of misleading people. "I was really surprised to find out I'd had a heart attack because they always show people on television shows like Coronation Street keeling over," a heart patient is quoted as saying.
The most recent person to have a heart attack on Corrie was Jerry Morton. Michael Starke, who plays him, has said that there were medical people on set throughout filming to make sure the scenes were played authentically. Jerry didn't just "keel over," but actually went to the pub for a pint and tried to carry on as usual, and only got medical help when his friends really insisted. This seems to me exactly the kind of realistic picture the BHF want us to know about, and shows that the programme's makers take their responsibilities very seriously. And, after all, it's meant to be entertainment, not a public service broadcast.
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I would have said Jerry's portrayal was spot on. People I have known who have suffered heart attacks tried to carry on like Jerry, thinking they've either pulled a muscle or have indigestion.
I wouldn't be surprised if he just pulled a show out at random, or if he was thinking about heartattacks in the past, like Mike Baldwin (I can't remember if Fred died of a heartattack or not).
Please tell me....has Helen Worth just had a face lift? Sorry this is off topic but I'm SO curious
Mike's heart attack was very sudden and fatal. But massive heart attacks *can* be like that. We only heard Fred drop in the hallway, didn't see him. But i've known someone that something similar happened to. Sitting on the floor watching telly and just keeled over. Me dad's heart attack was more like Jerry's, pain over a few days actually until it got bad and he went down but we got him to hospital and he was ok.
I don't think Helen has had a face lift. She just wears a pound of eye makeup.
For me O don't think that Corrie is entetainment or education at this moment with its terrible storylines and some of its cast. The episodes should be cut per week. These are the reasons why after 40 years of watching Corrie I no longer watch Corrie and judging by messageboards the show under this new producer has not improve at all.
Jeffrey:
I agree with you whole heartedly.
I am only watching the odd show now and again. The storylines are complete rubbish and I think that the writers never even bother to watch the earlier shows themselves. This results in extremely bad continuity and unbelievable storylines. Example, here in Canada David has just driven into the canal. Everyone but Sarah believes and feels sorry for him. However, a couple of episodes earlier, Bill and Jason both agreed what an evil little rat he is and that he loosened the scaffolding.
Sorry, this show is just not credible any more.
Corrie - you have jumped the shark !
Jeffrey:
I agree with you whole heartedly.
I am only watching the odd show now and again. The storylines are complete rubbish and I think that the writers never even bother to watch the earlier shows themselves. This results in extremely bad continuity and unbelievable storylines. Example, here in Canada David has just driven into the canal. Everyone but Sarah believes and feels sorry for him. However, a couple of episodes earlier, Bill and Jason both agreed what an evil little rat he is and that he loosened the scaffolding.
Sorry, this show is just not credible any more.
Corrie - you have jumped the shark !
My boss was having a heart attack sitting next to me. She had felt tired for a few days, and on the day felt a chest pain which radiated round her back. She carried on working but eventually went to her GP who sent her straight to hospital. They said it was a heart attack but not a serious one. Still she was off work for months but has been well ever since. Neither of us knew what it was, so I think Jerry's acting was very realistic.
Even so, the storylines are very weak and I agree with other posts. Perhaps they have too many writers who do not understand what Corrie is about.
I totally agree with Gwladys Street. Corrie's storylines are terrible and getting worse as we speak. Sarah's wedding was a complete disaster and I actually felt sorry for the kid because David ruined everything for her, right down to giving the Morton kids the wedding gown for their guy. I started watching the Street in 1965 and this is the first year that I take the attitude if I see it I see it, if I miss it I miss it. My family & friends feel the same. I know that as with any show, Corrie has to grow & change with characters & storylines, keep relevent with what's happenning in todays world, but come on the characters are coming and going too quickly so you don't get to care about them. Then the writers get stuck too long on a story "Connors" and viewers get fed-up. Then characters that have been the backbone of Corrie are put on the shelf for too long, used as just fillers. But mostly there just isn't any good writing and not enough comedic relief that made Corrie so enjoyable for years.
I feel sorry for our Canadaian friends because if you think it's bad now where you've got to in the story, I can assure you it will be getting a whole lot worse in the next few weeks when the baby-swap storyline starts, because that is the absolute pits and without doubt the worst storyline ever.
Whilst in the UK I think there's been a slight pick-up in quality over the last few weeks it has been very slight and the show is nowhere near classic Corrie at the moment and I think over the last 18 months or so there has been a real detioration in quality.
Still think there's a lot of good characters and actors but they're being wasted because the writing's been largely terrible and the storylines lacking energy, direction and in a lot of cases even purpose.
And despite loving Corrie, even still though nowhere near as much as I used to,you can't get away from the fact that 5 episodes a week is far too many and in truth is probably at the heart of most of the problems affecting the show at the moment.
Am I correct in thinking that the actor playing Dev's new friend, Prem, played his father in about 2004? I recognised him instantly. How come Dev didn't??
Wendy - You're right. The actor who plays Prem also played his dad. We blogged about it here http://www.corrieblog.tv/2008/07/its_devs_dad_bu.html [Sue H]
I also think Helen Worth has had some kind of treatment to her face. She looks so much younger and there is no trace of the lines she use to have round her mouth. Whatever she has had done - I want some, it looks so very natural.....
quote/ "Please tell me....has Helen Worth just had a face lift? Sorry this is off topic but I'm SO curious
Posted by: susan | August 5, 2008 8:43 AM" end quote
Well I was thinking the same thing!
I have noticed how tight her jawline is now, whereas once upon a time you couldn't tell where her neck began and her chin ended! But she does make me think of E.T. now!