Corrie star Paula Lane, who plays errant nail-painter Kylie Platt, has announced that she has become engaged. Paula has been dating her actor fiancé Tom Shaw since the two of them were 17.

Yesterday she posted on her Twitter stream: 'Yesterday was the most amazing day! I went to York a girlfriend and came back a fiancée.'

Let's hope her wedding passes off with a lot less incident than the average Weatherfield union.

Coronation Street's Bill Roache who plays Ken Barlow has predicted a series of "earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and tsunamis," will cleanse the earth in 2012.

The 79-year-old actor believes the world is heading for a series of natural disasters sent to disperse "negative energy," which will then herald a new "golden age" where people will communicate telepathically.

He told Sky's The Moore Show': "This is what all the prophecies about 2012 are. Unfortunately there are some cleansings that will have to take place where negative energy has to be discharged and these will be in the form of earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and tsunamis.

"The doom and gloom, as they are saying, is that December 21, 2012, is the end of the Earth. It isn't, but it's the change and the end of a lot of things as we know them.

"We'll move into the golden age which will be a wonderful age where we'll all love. We'll communicate telepathically, we'll all be aware of our spiritual selves, and it will be a beautiful place to be."

Bill - who has appeared in Coronation Street since it launched 51 years ago - also explained he has held strong spiritual beliefs for some time, and a homeopathic doctor helped him in his early years on the ITV1 soap when he struggled to find comfort and happiness.

He added: "That guy was able to appear on the astral plane, and come into a dream and actually speak to me that way.

"Nowadays spiritual things are more accepted and it's going to keep getting bigger. But when I started, these things were very unusual and you had to be careful who you talked to. People would get hostile."

Corrie star Brooke Vincent has been talking to new! magazine about filming Sacha Parkinson's final scenes on the street. Their characters Sophie and Sian are due to wed over the Xmas period but (as this is Corrie) things don't go according to plan and Sian leaves Weatherfield alone.

Brooke says filming the final scenes were emotional: 'We've been crying all the time. Normally, when one of us has to cry for a scene, we burst out laughing, but this time we both had tears streaming down our faces. I was actually on the verge of being sick. It was horrible.'

So, when the scenes air, that isn't intense acting you're seeing, it's nausea.

The Sun are reporting that departing Corrie babe Helen Flanagan (who plays flighty airhead glamour model Rosie Webster) has been inundated by offers to model for underwear manufacturers. The paper claims that Ultimo made Helen an offer last year but her contract with the show made it impossible for her to take the opportunity. Now, freed of her obligations she is reportedly keen to make the most of her assets and get a modelling gig.

According to the Sun (and we know how reliable they are) a source (and we know how reliable they are, too) said: 'Soon she'll be free and can do whatever she wants. She's very excited.'

Helen is certainly not shy about showing off her figure as her Twitter feed amply demonstrates.

Not content with running a pub and a taxi firm it seems Steve McDonald will now be presenting his own motoring TV show, at least alter ego Simon Gregson will. The Daily Star is claiming that Simon has been signed up to present a documentary on British motor racing.

He has apparently been spotted at Silverstone shooting links for the programme, which he is also directing, and Corrie crew are working on the programme in their spare time.
Corrie, Coronation Street, Steve McDonald, Simon Gregson, motor racing, TV show, programme, presenter, presenting, Silverstone

Actor Philip Lowrie, who returned to the cast of Corrie as Dennis Tanner earlier this year after a 43-year sabbatical, has said that he is keen to stay on the cobbles for the foreseeable future. Talking to Inside Soap he said: 'I do hope so, I'm having the best time of my life. I live in London, but now I work here in Manchester for a few days a week, so I have the best of both worlds. At my time of life, to have a job that I love so much and getting to play such an amazing part is fantastic. I can't believe my luck, to be quite frank with you.'

Philip also spoke about the experience of acting with Barbara Knox. She plays Rita Sullivan and it seems she and Dennis are heading for romance: 'I've rarely worked with an actress as fabulous as Barbara. People say there's no subtlety in soap, but that's so untrue. We did a scene where Rita is hoping Dennis will say he loves her, but he can't. What Barbara was able to convey with only her eyes was extraordinary. The emotion shone out of them. By God, it was powerful stuff.'

When Corrie actress Katy Cavanagh fell ill during filming recently the show's bosses decided to film her scenes with a stand-in. Katy, who plays Julie Carp, was taken ill with a mystery tummy bug while filming Sophie and Sian's upcoming wedding. Her lines were removed from the script and the double was only shot from behind.

The ever-reliable Corrie 'source' told the Mirror: 'Viewers won't know it's not Katy because the stand-in looked identical from behind - her hair was styled in the same way. She is a very popular member of the cast and people are wishing her a speedy return.'

Corrie veteran William Roache, who plays Ken Barlow, has become best pals with Stephanie Beacham, who guest starred as barge-dwelling floozy Martha, the actress has revealed. Stephanie joined the soap for a few episodes in 2009 and her character began an affair with Ken that saw him almost leave Deidre for a life on the canals.

Since her time in the soap the two have become firm friends in real life with Roache even writing the forward to her new autobiography 'Many Lives'.

She said of her new friend: 'He's a lovely man. H's just put me on to a doggie psychic. I wanted to know what I could do about my badly behaved barking dog and why she was so snarly with others.'

As we announced yesterday Antony Cotton, who plays Corrie's Sean Tully, has jetted off to Australia to appear in I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here.

The bookie's third favourite at 5-1 (behind McFly's Dougie Poynter and TOWIE's Mark Wright) told ITV.com: "I have a morbid fear of flying. I don't like heights and I am claustrophobic. I have had hypnotherapy and I have also been to therapy to face my fears. The therapy was amazing even though in the days leading up to going in the jungle, I did have moments where I wondered why on earth I had said yes! But life is to live and so I think why not do it. Doing this show is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am hoping it will make me face up to my fears."

Antony was keen to stress that his decision to take part in I'm A Celebrity definitely does not mean he is quitting his role as Sean in Coronation Street. "Absolutely not," he said. "Coronation Street is very special and I love being in the soap. I would never have done this without the blessing of Corrie. They have allowed this to happen."

He said the fact that he is so used to working with TV cameras would hopefully help him in the jungle. "I am probably more used to it than anyone. That side of things will be fine. I have no idea what it will be like, however, being me, Antony, rather than my soap character, Sean. I am a very private person and I never talk about my private life in public."

Aside from missing the final scene and leaving do of his close pal Katherine Kelly (Becky), Antony says he is praying he will also not miss a meeting to discuss how the soap will bid farewell to Betty Driver (Betty Williams) who sadly died in October. He said: "Katherine is filming her last scene and then having her leaving do. I am sad I won't be there for that. They are also going to plan a send-off for Betty. I am keeping everything crossed I will be there for that."

As for what he will miss the most when he is in the jungle, Antony confessed he will find leaving his home and creature comforts behind tough.

Via ITV.com

Corrie star Samia Smith (who plays Maria Connor) has retaken her maiden name of Ghadie after finalising her divorce from her property developer husband Matt. The pair divorced after 6 years of marriage and 11 months separated. They have a two-year old daughter Freya together.

Samia is currently dating Will Thorp, who plays outgoing character Chris Gray on the soap.

Since joining Corrie as Tyrone's love interest, actress Natalie Gumede has had to get used to being shouted at in the street. It seems that members of the public have loud words of advice to pass on, believing that Natalie is actually her character, Kirsty Soames. She told the ITV website that: 'It's great to be part of popular characters' storylines, as you are often shaking their world up, but I'm also aware that change can take some adjusting to. I've already had people shouting 'Leave our Tina alone' and 'You'd better look after Tyrone!' at me in the street'

She added: 'I think Alan Halsall (who plays Tyrone) is well on his way to certified National Treasure status, judging by the stern looks I receive from women across the country'.

Natalie can expect more barracking from the public as Kirsty is about to move in with Tyrone. She revealed: 'Now that Kirsty is moving in with 3T (Tommy, Tina and Tyrone - and now Kirsty - in a two up two down!) I'm looking forward to how their relationships develop further - or not! I'm starting to chip away at the heart of Kirsty. I think viewers will be beginning to see an edge to her - she's scrappy and she cannot help but have the last word. What really redeems her is her genuine love for Tyrone, and her sense of humour; she's genuinely funny...'

Corrie star Helen Flanagan, who recently announced she is quitting the street has told Hello! That she was unhappy with her character Rosie Webster's promiscuous behaviour. There's no denying that Rosie has put it about a bit and Helen says it was this, rather than the panic attacks she has recently suffered, that made up her mind about leaving the soap in which she has starred for 12 years.

She said: 'I didn't enjoy playing her when she went through a promiscuous phase. I'd always felt I would leave by the time I was 21, but when I made up my mind, it wasn't even as if I had a choice. I just knew instinctively. After 12 years playing Rosie, it is time to be myself.'

She says that her recent sabbatical from the show also affected her: 'One of the first things I did was cut my hair and dye it blonde. During my time away from the Street I felt free.'

Rosie will leave the street in February.

The Daly Star are reporting that Corrie star Antony Cotton, who plays knicker stitcher and Rovers barman Sean Tully, is joining the cast of the upcoming series of I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here. The paper says that Antony made appearing on the hit jungle show a condition of his new contract and that he will be given time off to appear.

An 'insider' said: 'Antony loves I'm A Celebrity and he has wanted to do it for a long time. It is the first time an actor has been given time off to appear in I'm a Celebrity. He is very excited.'

The Daily Star is quoting an unnamed insider, that's a fairly safe bet then.

Manchester's St Anne's church played host to the funeral of Corrie legend Betty Driver yesterday and the show was represented by Weatherfield residents from the entire history of the soap. Betty passed away last Saturday at the age of 91 and had requested screens be erected outside of the church so that Corrie fans could follow the service.

Current stars attending included Sue Nicholls (Audrey Roberts), Samia Smith (Maria Connor) Katherine Kelly (Becky McDonald), William Roache (Ken Barlow), Michelle Keegan (Tina McIntyre), and Michael Le Vell (Kevin Webster). Helen Worth (Gail Platt) read at the service, saying: 'The world was a more comfortable place with Our Betty cooking a hotpot. Corrie was her family. I know I speak for the whole cast, crew, production, everyone. The Rovers will not be the same without her. Her last words to me, when she was so ill and it was such an effort for her to speak, were, 'I want you to be happy'.

Julie Goodyear spoke of her friendship with Betty: 'We laughed together, we cried together, we never once had a cross word. She was a true icon and legend and a very dear friend. It was an honour and a privilege to work with Betty Driver for 25 years.'

Former colleague Bill Tarmey, who played Jack Duckworth said after the service: 'She was there. You could fell her presence.'

The whole event was a fitting tribute to a true Weatherfield legend.

Goodbye Betty, and thank you.

Corrie star Michael Le Vell, who plays Kevin Webster, returned to work on the soap yesterday, two weeks after being arrested for on charges of sexually abusing a 6-year old. Le Vell strenuously denies all allegations and his cast and crew mates gave him a warm welcome, at which he was visibly moved.

A Corrie source told the Mirror: 'It was all very emotional. Everyone backed him wholeheartedly, without exception - shaking his hand and offering their support, saying they were 'with him'. He was clearly very touched by the response. Understandably, it was a nerve-racking day for him, but everyone was keen to put him at ease and make him feel welcome. Michael is a well-liked and respected colleague, and he has our complete backing while he fights this

Following her death last weekend, Betty will be buried this Saturday at St Ann's Church in St Ann's Square, Manchester at 11.30am.

Stars of the cobbles, past and present, are expected to join family and friends to pay their respects and say goodbye to the actress, who was loved by all who met her and Corrie fans throughout the world.

Betty, who played Betty Williams for 42 years in the soap, was 91 when she died.

Emotional Corrie cast members paid tribute to the nation's favourite barmaid, with Bill Roache, aka Ken Barlow, saying: "I loved Betty dearly, she was not only a colleague, she was a friend and godmother to my son James. She will be missed in the Street but she will be missed more so as a warm and loving person."

Street legend Bet Lynch said: "It was an honour and a privilege to work with Betty Driver for 25 years.

"We laughed together, we cried together and never once had a cross word. She was a totally professional actress. A true icon and legend and a very dear friend."

According to the Daily Mirror, Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan decided to leave the soap to settle down as a WAG to Premier League star Scott Sinclair, pals said yesterday.

The actress, 21, who has been in a long-distance relationship with the Swansea City winger for nearly two years, and will move in with him in Wales after making her exit in December.

Pals say she's desperate to take things to the next level and get engaged as soon as possible.

A source close to the star who also works at the soap's Manchester studios said: "Helen and Scott have been going from strength to strength but the distance between them while she works on Coronation Street has put a bit of strain on them.

"She's desperate to be closer to him and plans to move into his house when she finishes. And she's made no secret of her plans to get engaged."

Helen confirmed last week she was leaving after 12 years as wild child Rosie Webster.

But she denied that recent panic attacks were behind the decision, saying: "I have played Rosie for more than half my life and I feel the time has come for me to move on and try something new."

Show bosses are planning a dramatic exit but will leave the door open for a return in case Helen changes her mind.

Via Daily Mirror

See pictures of Helen with Scott Sinclair in Paris below:

Coronation Street producer Phil Collinson is working with script writers to devise a fitting send-off for her character, Betty Williams.

Betty was loved both on an off the cobbles and was one of the most popular barmaids to have ever pulled a pint at the Rovers Return, throughout her incredible 42 year stint on the show.

Collinson spoke of his sadness at the loss of the 91 year old actress on This Morning and revealed his plans to pay tribute to the star.

He said: "I've only just got together this morning with some of the script department, and then we'll talk to the writers next week. But we'll do something brilliant and magnificent. We'll give her a brilliant send-off. She deserves it."

Like the numerous Corrie cast members who took to Twitter to express their sadness at the loss, Collinson fondly described Betty as "a wonderful, joyful, brilliant lady."

On Sunday, another of the Street's infamous barmaids, Julie Goodyear, who played Bet Lynch, paid tribute to Betty saying: "It was an honour and a privilege to work with Betty Driver for 25 years.

"We laughed together, we cried together and never once had a cross word. She was a totally professional actress. A true icon and legend and a very dear friend."

Coronation Street's longest running star, Bill Roache, who plays Ken Barlow, added: "I loved Betty dearly, she was not only a colleague, she was a friend and godmother to my son James. She will be missed in the Street but she will be missed more so as a warm and loving person."

A repeat of the documentary The Betty Driver Story will air tonight at 8pm on STV.

Via STV

Corrie stars have been speaking of their late co-star Betty Driver. Betty died aged 91 on Saturday after a short illness. Producers have revealed that her character will be respectfully written out after Xmas and a short tribute will air after tonight's episode.

Helen Flanagan has changed her Twitter profile picture to an image of her with Betty and William Roache, who plays Ken Barlow, has said: 'She was a real colossus of Coronation Street and we will miss her dearly.'

Julie Goodyear (who starred with Betty as Rovers landlady Bet Lynch) said: 'Betty was the real power of the Rovers. She always insisted on having everything clean in the pub, because that was how she would have done it.'

Other stars including Helen Worth (Gail McIntyre) and Antony Cotton (Sean Tully) have also appeared on various TV shows to pay tribute to Betty.

Coronation Street actress Betty Driver has died at the age of 91. Driver, who first joined the ITV soap in 1969 as barmaid Betty Turpin - later Williams, "died peacefully in hospital" in the early hours of Saturday.

She had played the role of Rovers Return barmaid Betty Williams (Turpin) in the soap for 42 years. The actress had been in hospital for six weeks. She had also been unwell earlier in the year and was treated for a chest infection in 2010.

An ITV spokesman said: "She will be sadly missed by everyone who knew her."
Barbara Knox, who plays Rita Sullivan in Coronation Street, said: "I have lost a very dear friend and the Street has lost a very great character, a professional to her fingertips - she will be greatly missed."

Julie Goodyear, former barmaid Bet Lynch in the soap, said: "It was an honour and a privilege to work with Betty Driver for 25 years. We laughed together, we cried together and never once had a cross word. She was a totally professional actress. A true icon and legend and a very dear friend."

Goodyear said Driver was "the very foundation of the Rovers Return", and added: "She will be missed and remembered by millions."

She was employed on a three-month contract but stayed for 42 years. "I thought, why not," Driver recalled. "It'll make a break for a while."

She had already been in showbusiness for more than 40 years, touring the UK as a singer by the age of 12. Driver was appointed an MBE in 1999.

Driver had originally auditioned for the role of Hilda Ogden in 1964 but was later persuaded to come out of retirement to audition for the role of Betty. She appeared in more than 2,800 episodes.

In January 2011 she told the BBC she would never retire. "I just love working and I will never retire - ever - they'll have to shoot me to get rid of me," she said. "I just love people, you see, and I love the cast."

Born in Leicester, Elizabeth Mary Driver moved to Manchester when she two. She described an unhappy childhood with little affection given to her or her younger sister Freda.

At the age of eight she discovered that she could sing and her mother immediately began forcing her to enter talent contests.

When she was just 14 she was given the leading role in the revue, Mr Tower of London, and was spotted by George Formby who cast her in his new film Boots! Boots!

Her scenes as a cabaret singer ended up on the cutting room floor but, many years later, the film was re-released on DVD with Driver's scenes restored.

In 1940 Driver became a big band singer and toured extensively with the Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) appearing in shows for the troops.

After World War II she continued touring and appeared in her own BBC radio show, A Date With Betty, which was broadcast live.

She was cast in a series called Pardon the Expression, a comedy spin-off from Coronation Street, before retiring and then appearing on Coronation Street.

Driver had a seven-year marriage to singer Wally Peterson, which ended in her late 30s.

RIP Betty. You will be sorely missed.

GALLERY - BETTY WILLIAMS OVER FIVE DECADES

It looks like Corrie's Helen Flanagan is trying to get over her recent spate of panic attacks by putting her chest foot forward during a recent trip to Paris. She was visiting the city with her boyfriend, Swansea footballer Scott Sinclair, and has been posting a series of pictures of her trip on her Twitter feed.

This picture shows her wearing an Agent Provocateur dress which is exactly the sort of eye-popping outfit her character Rosie Webster would normally wear. It leaves even less to the imagination than normal.

See Helen Flanagan in Paris gallery below:

Corrie bosses have told cast members to avoid talking about Michael Le Vell and the accusations of child abuse surrounding him. His fellow actors have been told to only post messages of support on social networking sites and offer no further comment so they cannot affect the police investigation.

Sally Dynevor, who plays Kevin Webster's estranged wife Sally on the soap, followed this advice when she appeared on ITV's AlanTitchmarsh chat show and said that she is supporting her colleague. She said: ''Michael strenuously denies these accusations against him and I am backing him 100 per cent. I have known Michael for 25 years and I am right behind him'

Michael Le Vell was due to return to the Corrie set this week but has been given more time off to deal with the allegations.

It's being reported that Corrie's Helen Flanagan may be set to quit the street because of the panic attacks she's been suffering recently. Since returning to the soap after a 3 month break earlier in the year, the 21 year old actress, who plays Rosie Webster, has had several breakdowns on-set and it looks like she may now be thinking of leaving work entirely.

An 'insider' is quoted by the Mirror newspaper as saying: 'It's no secret Helen has been struggling recently. She's been working hard and the stress has got to her. Experiencing those panic attacks has really shaken her up badly. She has said she doesn't want to renew her contract.'

Helen's contract is due for renewal in March and, after 12 years in Weatherfield, she may well decide that enough is enough.

Still it seems that she is finding some time to relax as these pictures of her with boyfriend Scott Sinclair in Paris show!

In a move that may see the male population of the UK setting off in a mass rush to the newsagents, Michelle Keegan has said she would consider posing for Playboy. The actress, who plays barmaid Tina McIntyre in Corrie told Heat magazine that 'Playboy's a good thing to do' and that 'If it was tastefully done and I didn't have all my bits and bobs out, I would probably think about it, because it's Playboy. But I wouldn't just get totally naked."

Despite Michelle being names sexiest female at numerous TV awards ceremonies she may yet find that getting her 'bits and bobs' out will prove to be a prerequisite with Playboy. At least a minimum of a bit or one bob, anyway!

Keith Duffy is set to return to Corrie after months off on tour with his band Boyzone only be written out of the soap permanently. Keith plays Ciaran McCarthy and his character is currently working on a cruise ship with girlfriend Michelle Connor (Kym Marsh) but will arrive back on the cobbles before Xmas.

Keith, though, has decided that he needs to spend more time with his family so Ciaran will be written out almost immediately after.

A source said: 'Something had to give and sadly it was Corrie. He's had a great time working on the show but these last few months have proved to be very demanding.'