A couple of months ago Antony Cotton, who plays knicker-stitcher and barman Sean Tully on Corrie, was labelled 'Trouble with a capital T' on Twitter by former colleague John Thompson while Antony was in Australia appearing on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here. Now two current workmates are involved in a spat with him on the same social network.

The Mirror is reporting that co-stars Jack P Shepherd (David Platt) and Ryan Thomas (Jason Grimshaw) have been trading insults with Antony. Apparently they both accused Antony of being a persistent name-dropper, which lead to him labelling Jack a 'little irritant' who 'needs the money more than me'.

Antony then claimed that his I'm A Celeb campmate Mark Wright had 'hoovered up' all Ryan's personal appearances. This lead to Jack responding 'That's not banter, it's an insult'.

All pretty tame stuff but, as all this bickering is happening in public, it surely can't be to long now before Corrie bosses issue another warning to the cast that they moderate their tweets.

Is it the 23rd of the month already? Must be time for former 'pop singer' and reality TV regular Kerry Katona to try and work a part on Corrie.

It seems like she is determined to manoeuvre herself into Weatherfield and attempts to get the attention of show bosses on a regular basis by crow-barring the notion of her working in the Rovers into virtually every tabloid interview she gives.

This time she is quoted in the Sun as saying: "Imagine it, leopard print jacket, cigarette in me gob, 'All right love, lager and lime?' I'd be right at home. People don't realise how much acting I've done. I was in a comedy drama 'Showbands' which was only shown in Ireland and obviously there's the Iceland adverts."

Well if she wants it so much, we say 'give it her'. Why not give her a role as cellarman in the Rovers only for to be killed by a falling barrel before she gets to utter a word? Then she might shut up about it.

Just a few weeks after returning to Weatherfield Kym Marsh, who plays Michelle Connor, has told PA that she's not sure if her contract will be extended when it expires in June.

She said: 'I've no idea yet, I don't know if they want me to stay, so we'll just have to wait until next year and see what happens. I would like to stay, if it's right for me and right for them I'll definitely stay, but there are two parties involved and it's got to work for everybody'

This seems a strange, almost pre-emptive, strategic interview for Kym to give. Her character was off-screen for most of 2011 and with Michelle's boyfriend Ciaran now written out there really seems little for the character to do. Perhaps she gave the interview and made the comments in an attempt to remind Corrie bosses that she's still there or to try and galvanise support amongst Corrie fans ahead of contract negotiations?

Who knows? Whatever the reason for her comments, come June we'll know if she's staying or not.

Outgoing Corrie actress Sacha Parkinson gave a tearful interview to ITV's This Morning programme as she discussed her departure from the show. Sacha's character Sian Powers has been in Corrie since just 2009 but has quickly become very popular. She is due to leave the street over Xmas and as her and girlfriend Sophie Webster's wedding goes awry.

Speaking about her reason for leaving the soap, Sian said: ''It's just really exciting, to be honest, just going back to auditioning. I'm not scared - maybe in a few months if I don't get anything, I will be. It was just something that I had to do. I was so comfortable there that I could have stayed there for the next 50 years. I'm looking for anything that's interesting - just something different and something to get my teeth into.'

She also gave some details about the forthcoming wedding episodes: 'The last two episodes are around one day. It's not just them getting to the church and it all goes bad. It's happy again, then it's down again, then it's happy again - it goes up and down about three times, and then it's the end.'

Michelle Collins has been talking about her Corrie character's upcoming take over of the Rovers Return. Michelle plays Stella Price and the New Year will see her offered the pub by a cash-strapped Steve McDonald. She said: 'I've had my name above the door for quite a while now as manager, but now she's actually going to own it. They struggle to get the money together to get a mortgage. And they're turned down by a few people because they're 'too old'. But then you'll see what happens. It's quite exciting, being the owner of The Rovers.'

Michelle has been criticised since joining the soap for her admittedly suspect Manchester accent but is happy with the way her character is developing, even going as far as to make a rather over-the-top comparison: 'I'd love to create another iconic character. I think Stella seems to be a bit like the Mother Teresa of Corrie. Suddenly she's everybody's agony aunt. They're injecting a little bit of steeliness into her.'

Former Corrie star John Thomson, who played children's entertainer Jesse Chadwick in the show, has been bad-mouthing former colleague Antony Cotton (who plays knicker stitcher and barman Sean Tully) on his Twitter feed.

Tweeting while watching Antony on ITV's I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here he said: 'Antony you nasty piece of work you are doing yourself no favours. Antony Cotton - the truth will out!!' Someone then asked if Antony's complaining in the jungle show was similar to his behaviour on the street John tweeted back that Antony was: 'Trouble with a capital T'.

John joined the soap in 2008 as a love interest for Eileen Grimshaw but was written out in 2010. He has recently been seen on Arctic survival show 71 Degrees North. This lead to him comparing his experience on that show with Antony's in Australia: 'No excuse, I didn't turn on any one in Norway. Antony just go. Do us all a favour.'

Antony has been noticeably uncomfortable on occasion in the jungle and has not been slow in making his feelings plain to his campmates and the TV cameras. He may decide to make his feelings known about John Thompson too, once he finds out what he has been saying about him.

After the heartbreak of finding out his 'son' was actually the result of an affair between his wife and best mate, Corrie's Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall) is reportedly going to be a father for real in the New Year. The Daily Star are reporting that after the car crash involving Tyrone, girlfriend Kirsty (Natalie Gumede) and Tina McIntyre (Michelle Keegan), which we reported yesterday, a hospital check up will reveal that Kirsty is expecting.

Last time Tyrone thought he was a father it turned out that wife Molly had actually impregnated by lothario grease-monkey Kevin Webster. Let's hope Kevin and Kirsty haven't been 'jogging' or Tyrone may well be in for another shock.

Corrie lasses Tina McIntyre (Michelle Keegan) and Kirsty Soames (Natalie Gumede) are going to be involved in a car crash.

The Sun is reporting that scenes involving Tyrone's policewoman girlfriend Kirsty chases a car being driven by Tina. Tina slams on the brakes and Kirsty's police car hits her from behind.

Tyrone (Alan Halsall) is also travelling in Tina's car and the Sun has pictures of him running around on location with a bloody nose. Tiona apparently comes off worse, being knocked unconscious and needing hospital treatment.

The scenes will be shown in the New Year.

It's being reported that, in a cruel twist of fate, Corrie actor Michael Le Vell will be shooting scenes where his character Kevin Webster will be questioned by police, something he has recently had to do in real life. Le Vell is under investigation after he was alleged of historical rape but Kevin will seemingly also have to face police following the murder of evil knicker boss Frank Foster. Foster (Andrew Lancel) will be killed after attempting to assault Kevin's estranged wife Sally and this inevitably puts Kevin in the frame.

The ever-present Corrie 'insider' told the Mirror: 'The cast think that making Michael do these scenes is particularly cruel. It seems inconceivable these storylines can't be rewritten considering the situation he is in. We're being told the murder storyline must continue - it has too many knock-on effects to change now.'
There has been no definite confirmation from official ITV sources of any of this so it may well just be the Mirror mischief making. We shall see.

Corrie Helen Flanagan's woes seem to be continuing a she's had a car accident after leaving the set. Helen, who plays Rosie Webster but will be leaving the soap in the New Year, said on her Twitter stream that she had been up since 5AM and soon after reversed onto a Vauxhall Astra dry cleaning van in her Range Rover. Apparently, the first words of the woman in the van that was hit were: 'Rosie Webster's just crashed into me'.

Helen had been filming the scenes of her onscreen sister Sophie's wedding at a nearby church. No-one was hurt in the incident.

Rumours have been flying around the internet and social networks recently that Corrie's Antony Cotton (Sean Tully) is in Australia and set to take part in this year's I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here. Sean himself has denied the rumours but he would say that, wouldn't he?

It now seems that, despite an ITV spokesperson declaring the rumours 'speculation', there will soon be some sort of announcement regarding Antony. It might not have anything to do with I'm A Celeb, obviously, but it's looking increasingly like Antony will be tucking into liquidised kangaroo anus with Freddie Mercury before the week's out.

There's a sentence you don't type everyday.

Corrie bosses may be planning to bring back characters from the show's past to commemorate the life of Betty Driver and her character Betty Williams. Betty, who died last week, had been with the soap for 42 years and producers have already stated that they want an appropriate send off for the character. It now appears (if The Sun is to be believed) that Betty's funeral episode may see the return to the programme of at least Bet Lynch (Julie Goodyear) and possibly more 'heritage' characters.

The ever-present 'source' so beloved of the tabloids said of Bet's potential return: 'Julie worked with Betty for 25 years and wants to be part of her exit. She's not coming back permanently but she's up for doing an episode. Nothing is set in stone yet -- but a funeral with stars past and present would be really fitting. She deserves a tribute episode and everyone wants to honour her memory and her work.'

There is talk on other websites about other characters reappearing for Betty's funeral so it could turn into something of a Corrie reunion.

Remember the ex-girlfriend that Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) recently took on a date in order to make wife Becky (Katherine Kelly) jealous? No? Apparently Steve had dated her years before and she was a model? She turned up for the date with teeth missing and her obnoxious son in tow? Got her? Well, she's coming back.

Beth (extra points if you remembered her name) is played by Lisa George and she is going to be returning to the cobbles as she lands a job at Underworld. No more details at the mo but ITV.com reveals that she will be involved 'in some dramas'. Thanks for that.

In one of the biggest non-stories of the day, several newspapers are reporting that singer Dionne Bromfield (goddaughter of the late Amy Winehouse) has been offered a guest role on Coronation Street. Headlines like 'Dione Bromfield lands Corrie role' certainly hint toward this being the case.

If you bother to read beyond the first paragraph of any of the stories, however, you soon see that all that's happened is that she was at a party with some Corrie people. That's it! There is nothing that suggests she is actually going to be in the soap.

It would appear that this is a case of Bromfield's agents wanting to get some free publicity as her last 3 singles have all failed to chart. Be interesting to see who isn't going to be in Corrie next.

Not normally known for being a shrinking violet when if comes to flashing a bit of flesh on set (or anywhere else come to that), Helen Flanagan fled the Corrie set in tears when filming a fake topless scene became too much for her. Helen plays flighty 'glamour' model Rosie Webster in the soap and despite the fact that over the past couple of years she's been in more scenes dressed just in her underwear than fully clothed she apparently came over a little coy while filming an audition for a modelling agency.

She was being filmed from behind with her modesty protected but the stress of undressing in front of a room full of crew appears to have finally affected her. An insider said: 'Helen was in pretty skimpy clothes and pretending to audition for a model agency. The scene was filmed in a way that gave the impression she was topless. There were quite a few people on set and it got too much for her. Something upset her and she ran off saying she couldn't do the scene."

After a 20 minute break Helen seems to have remembered that it's impossible to play Rosie fully clothed and returned to finish filming the scenes

Lanky, Bolton-born TV presenter Vernon Kay says he'd like to turn his back on being a game show host and become a regular in Corrie. The Family Fortunes host told The Sun: 'I'd love to be a shop assistant in Dev's shop or a barman, or the cleaner in the pub.'

It appears he's done more than just dream as he also says that he's made initial enquires: 'I did speak to a guy on Coronation Street a couple of years ago and he had this character lined up. Nothing came out of that, but I would be up for doing it now. Corrie has a real subtle undertone of comedy and that is what I have been brought up around.'

But what character would Vernon suit? Another of Ken Barlow's undiscovered sons? Rita's toyboy? Perhaps Steve McDonald could discover he's not just one of twins but one of triplets? Let us know what part Vernon should play if he joins Corrie.

Soon-to-return Corrie star Kym Marsh has used her weekly column in New Magazine to hit out at what she says are press exaggerations about the amount of money her and her Weatherfield co-stars are paid. Kym, who has been on maternity leave for the past few months, spoke of her happiness that her friend Michelle Keegan (Tina McIntyre) had signed up for another 12 months on the show but said that reports of her pay increase were not true. She said, 'I'm delighted that my friend Michelle Keegan has signed another year-long contract at Corrie, but the reports of a six-figure sum made me smile. The press always exaggerate our salaries.'

It had been reported that Corrie bosses had been forced to offer Keegan a '6 figure salary' to stay with the show as she has been tempted to move to London to be with her new fiancé, The Wanted singer Max George.

The last thing you need when you've just moved into a new house with your girlfriend is her wife-beating ex moving in with you. Well in the latest hot comic turn from Corrie that's exactly what's happening to loveable Lloyd Mullaney (Craig Charles). With Charles and co-stars Holly Quin-Ankrah (Cheryl) and Will Thorp (Chris) all leaving the soap the producers have decided to throw them all into the same house, add a brain tumour and see what hilarity ensues.

It seems that Chris's sudden, extreme behaviour is being caused by a brain tumour that he has kept from girlfriend Maria (Samia Smith), his ex Cheryl, his boss Owen, the other residents of the street and the viewers. The only clues we received were strange, sudden messages from the resident Weatherfield doctor warning Chris that he has to go see him. Chris hasn't bothered and now he's gone off on one, smashed up Maria's flat and so he's out on the streets

Lloyd agrees to let him stay with him and Cheryl but the former couple become close again, probably leading to the departure of one, two or all three of the characters. While it'll be sad to see Lloyd go, the characters of Cheryl and Chris haven't really found favour with viewers so maybe producers can look at bringing a more fun family into number 13, which will presumably be looking for new residents soon.

Well isn't this wonderful news? In a move seemingly designed to turn Corrie into an even more miserable version of Eastenders, Carla Connor is to attempt suicide. Before we lay into the producers we have to say that suicide (and rape, which will also features in the storyline) is, of course, an extremely serious subject and we mean no disrespect when we say this but - for goodness sake, STOP IT!

Everyone has had enough of this ongoing attempt to force unnecessarily sensational storylines on Corrie. It seems like everyday there is news of the producers driving the soap down another dark alley. Why does everything have to be murder, rape and suicide? Why can't we just have a laugh?

Statements from 'insiders' at Corrie (which always seem to accompany these stories) have been very noticeably saying things like 'plots are decided far in advance' and 'the soap can't just abandon storylines at short notice' as if to pre-empt criticism from fans increasingly frustrated by the direction the soap is heading. Well that's just balderdash. If (heaven forbid) there was a prominent murder, rape or other serious incident that mirrored a current or upcoming storyline then it would be scrapped or altered to avoid insensitivity. It's happened plenty of times in the past. So why can't storylines be similarly altered or scrapped simply because Corrie's fans demand it?

It wouldn't be easy and it would probably have a negative affect on ad revenue but it would certainly be much braver for the Coronation Street producers to hold their hands up, say 'we're wrong' and set about returning the soap to its core values instead of continuing down this path of destruction. Wouldn't it be great if tomorrow the only Corrie news was 'Norris snags the cardy in the Kabin' or 'Corrie dedicates whole episode to Roy and Hayley discussing 70's sweets'? That's what we want, why can't we have it?

Coronation Street star Jennie McAlpine, who plays Fiz Stape, has said she wants her on-screen husband brought to justice - a sentiment surely echoed by the entire nation. Jennie was speaking on ITV's Loose Women about the current storyline which has seen Fiz locked up for crimes committed by her bungling bad boy hubby John (Graeme Hawley). When asked whether Stape would be coming back to the soap she said, 'He's got to, hasn't he? In good soap tradition, the baddie has to have their comeuppance - and he hasn't! It definitely feels unfinished."

'Unfinished'? 'Everlasting' would be nearer the mark. Without wishing to sound like a stuck record - how much longer can this Stape murder/ farce go on? It feels like decades since John first started misbehaving (remember when he kidnapped Rosie Webster? No? Well it was a long, long time ago) and the whole storyline has been dragged out over 2 or 3 tortuous years. We at Corrie Blog say, 'bring Stape back, kill him off, make sure he's definitely, definitely no-way-we'll-see-him-again dead and then move on'. Enough is enough, let's get back to the kind of pointless corner shop conversations about Kendal mint cake and Norris's cardigan collection we all prefer and forget about murder for a bit.

Since joining Corrie ex Eastenders actress Michelle Collins has come under fire for her (undeniably) poor Manchester accent. Well now it seems he co-stars have taken to showing their support for her by affecting cockney accents and talking in rhyming slang on-set.

A source said: 'Michelle has been having a really tough time of it lately. This was the cast's way of saying they are on her side. It really cheered her up.'

Another 'insider' was quoted as saying: 'Cor blimey, strike a light, would you Adam 'n' Eve it, you're a bloomin' marvel Mary Poppins'*

*No they weren't, we made that bit up.

Here's a good one - The Sun are reporting that millionaire international pop star Beyoncé has become a fan of Coronation Street. The 'Crazy In Love' hitmaker apparently got hooked on life in Weatherfield during her recent visti to the UK to play music festivals like Glastonbury. In an somewhat unlikely turn of events the paper are claiming that Beyoncé spent her downtime while here eschewing the pop star lifestyle in favour of watching soaps on TV.

An 'insider' (unnamed, naturally) said that rather than party she would stay in her dressing room watching ITV. The source said: 'Beyoncé finds the accents on EastEnders really funny. She spends half the time mimicking what they're saying in her fake British accent.'

This story is obviously 100% true and not just made up by The Sun as an excuse to show another picture of Beyoncé in a skimpy outfit - something, incidentally, we here at Corrie Blog would never be guilty of.

Mirror claims that Corrie stars and crew want to meet show producer Phil Collinson for crisis talks. One 'unnamed cast member' told the paper, 'Things have not been going smoothly for a while and there is a growing discontent amongst some of the cast. 'Even some of the crew can't believe where the show is going. There is a talk of a clear-the-air meeting with the producer, he is a strong-minded individual who sticks to his guns once he has made his mind up about something.'

Phil Collinson is quoted as saying, 'We have stories running which involve lots of different characters and we regularly have opportunities for the cast to chat to the producers and writers.' And ITV stated, 'We are extremely pleased with the work of Phil Collinson. The Street continues to be the UK's most popular soap and this year's storylines have helped increase both audience volume and share year-on-year.'

There's no doubt that increasingly outlandish story lines have been criticised in the press and they may well be responsible for the dip in ratings but here at Corrie Blog we think that it might just be the summer holidays that are responsible for the traditional June/ July switch off. We shall see......

The transfer of filming of Coronation Street to the new set at Salford Quays has supposedly been affected by sound problems - again! If all the stories are true then first filming was interrupted by ducks and swans near the set, then airplanes flying over and now there are claims that a nearby Hovis bread factory is too loud for filming to continue.

Although the soap isn't due to move until the end of 2012 it seems that either the new set is situated in the noisiest possible part of Manchester or there is a shortage of proper Corrie stories going round. We reckon the latter may be the case.

Controversial singer/ reality TV star Kerry Katona has been talking about her desire to take up acting and join the cast of Coronation Street. She told Star magazine that she has her sights set on becoming a thespian and appearing in Corrie would be her ultimate ambition. She said: 'For me, acting is just dead easy. You're somebody else and you leave your world behind. I'd love to be in Waterloo Road or a psycho in Coronation Street!'

Everyone here at Corrie Blog is holding their breaths. Honestly.