It seems Corrie's current plotline involving builder Owen Armstrong (Ian Puleston Davies) slapping girlfriend Anna Windass's adopted daughter Faye (Ellie Louise Leach) has upset quite a few viewers.

Some took to social network Twitter to raise their concerns that the scene was too much, one tweeter said: 'Very uncomfortable. Wrong on so many levels', another added, 'Don't think it should have been shown.'

Philip Noyes, of children's charity the NSPCC responded to the controversial plot, saying: 'Parents can obviously be pushed to the limit on occasion but there are more positive ways of correcting a child's behaviour than smacking them. It simply sets a bad example and teaches children that violence is a solution. Children tell us it leaves them scared and confused and the NSPCC believes it simply gives out the wrong message and breaks down the trust between child and parent.'

The Daily Mirror reports that a Corrie spokesperson told them: 'We most certainly don't condone Owen's actions - as will be seen by the ramifications of the slap, and the effect it has on his relationship.'

Monday night's episodes of Coronation Street, which featured the rape of Carla Connor (Alison King) by partner Frank Foster (Andrew Lancel), drew average audiences of 10 million viewers. This is very good news for ITV, its advertisers and the Corrie producers but is it ultimately bad for the soap itself?

Here at Corrie Blog we've been very critical of the soap's recent obsession with serious, usually crime-related storylines. The past couple of years has seen far too many characters imprisoned or accused of murders, beatings, kidnappings and theft. While many of these storylines (the rape included) have been very well conceived and delivered the fact is that Corrie isn't a programme with a history of constant sensationalism. There used to be the odd crime and sometimes characters turn out to be wrong 'uns but the recent propensity for near permanent serious criminal activity amongst the characters has moved the soap dangerously close to Eastenders territory, or even (heaven forbid) Brookside at its maddest.

The problem is that with 10 million viewers tuning in to watch an episode featuring rape the producers may feel the pressure to make such seemingly popular storylines an ongoing regular feature. We're not saying that there will be something as drastic as a rape or murder every other week but the idea that serious stories attract more viewers is a dangerous one. As we've said before, the hardcore 6 million or so regular Corrie viewers watch predominantly for the humour and the (relatively) realistic tradition of the show. Shocking storylines may bring short term results but how long before too many of them change the hue of Corrie for good and die-hard viewers feel alienated and start switching off permanently?

Tread lightly, Corrie, you're on thin ice.

Here at Corrie Blog HQ something has been bothering us about Corrie for a while. It's not the eternal question of where all the residents of the street park their cars (we'll get to the bottom of that one day) or how many rooms there are in the Barlows' house (seeing as they sometimes have up to seven people living there). No, it's, exactly what is the 2 for 1 Tuesday Meal Deal they advertise in the Rovers?

For those who haven't noticed, there's a poster on the wall of the pub - the wall that adjoins the Barlows, near where the toilets are - that clearly says '2 for 1 Tuesday meal deals'. What is less clear is what exactly the poster is offering. Bear in mind that the only food ever seen being consumed in the Rovers is Betty's Hot Pot or occasionally a packet of nuts. So why is there a poster with a plate of...erm... something, not hot pot anyway, and details of a 2 for 1 offer? It doesn't make sense.

The poster is well designed, properly printed and looks like the kind of thing a brewery would send to chain pubs. But when the only food option is hot pot surely a chalk board saying 'Hot pots 2 for 1 on Tuesdays' would be more appropriate? Although that itself seems somewhat unnecessary when the pub is full of non-eaters all day every day anyway. Why not just put up a sign that says 'OK, we know Betty's been off sick for months but please buy a hot pot as we've got a freezer full that she made when Freshco were had a meat offer on and they won't last forever. Please eat our food. We can't survive on Peter Barlow's pineapple juice habit and Norris and Ken's halves for much longer, not when we have about 9 staff (one on long term sick leave) for only 22 customers. The wage bill is crippling us so please, please buy our food'.

It'd be a big sign, mind.

Corrie newcomer Catherine Tyldesley has been sticking up for on-screen mum Michelle Collins over her clearly poor Manchester accent. Since arriving in Weatherfield a few weeks ago Collins (who plays Stella Price) has been talking in a weird half-accent that sounds more like a southerner doing a cartoon northerner than and actual northerner, but the fragrant Ms Tyldesley (who plays Stella's equally fragrant daughter Eva) says she can't see the problem. She told Inside Soap, 'I can't understand this fuss. If you actually listen to Michelle's accent, there's nothing wrong with it at all. My family couldn't get any more northern, so if I heard something that wasn't quite right, I'd be the first to say so. I think she and John Michie (Karl Price) are both doing a brilliant job of their characters.'

You may be right Catherine, maybe her accent is bang on and utterly convincing. Maybe it's everyone else that's hearing it wrong. Maybe we should just forget about every other northern accent we've ever heard and just accept that that's the way all folk in the north actually sound. We'll keep you views on file for future reference. Thanks for your much valued participation in the debate.

Corrie actor Ben Price, who plays knicker factory boss turned bistro owner Nick Tilsley, has said that Corrie's move away from comedy toward crime-obsessed misery is vital to the soap's survival. Talking absolute tosh he told BANG Showbiz, 'I think the show has definitely steered away from what it started as, but it was launched in black and white. If you don't move on or try anything new you'll still be stuck in black and white with Ena Sharples and Elsie Tanner sweeping up the street.'

He continued by showing he can count, 'It was 50 years ago, it's not a series that has been running for three years - it's 50 years old and you have to keep coming up with new storylines to keep the audience involved and interested.'

And then that he knows nothing about Corrie's fans, 'The viewing figures are actually up and the audience clearly like these shocking storylines, as they're watching them. That's what matters.'

Where do we start with this ill-argued twonk? Firstly, 'if you don't move on you'll still be stuck in black and white' is a facile, idiotic comment. Technologically advances in TV broadcasting have nothing whatsoever to do with plots and character, if they did the show would be broadcast in 3D and feature storylines requiring footballs to be kicked straight at the camera or Deidre to get wound up every episode so her neck veins really bulge out.

Next, 'it's not a series that's been running for 3 years, it's 50 years old' - quite right, Ben, and it's been going for half a century because it's built a loyal fan base by offering gentle, banter based, non-sensational humour. The current producers seem determined to layer criminal act upon criminal act with ever-increasing regularity and ignore the elements that secured the programme its longevity. There's always been the odd punch up, affair or murder but it feels like that's ALL there is now, maybe the producers should re-watch some of those old shows and see what Corrie is really all about.

'The viewing figures are actually up and the audience clearly like these shocking storylines' - Wrong! Producers are piling on the sensational storylines because they have a temporary effect on viewing figures, but in the long term they will be harmful. The core audience for Corrie is around about 8 million viewers, these are people who have watched the soap week in week out for years. When there is an attention grabbing event this figure rises by a few million - a few million fair weather fans who may bring short term benefits to ITV and it's advertisers but who disappear again when things calm down, leaving the core audience feeling ignored and cheated. Eventually the core audience will become disaffected with the constant ridiculous storylines and dwindle away. ITV ignore Corrie's real fans at their peril.

So, thanks for that, Ben, thanks for sucking up to your bosses, talking balderdash and showing that the 'new crop' of Corrie trustees (yourself included) know nothing about the soap and are happy to make tow the party line and show blind fealty to the great god of viewing figures whatever the cost to the great institution of Coronation Street.

We're used to seeing the stars of Corrie on the settees of the nation's TV shows plugging upcoming storylines or their imminent appearance in panto, but in the past few days a new Weatherfield-related face has been on our screens. Controversial Corrie producer Phil Collinson has been on various TV shows (including BBC Breakfast and This Morning) to try and counter the growing criticism of the show and his stewardship.

With viewing figures dropping rapidly recently, Collinson is on a full-on charm offensive and has countered claims that the soap is too fantastical, too gay and too rubbish-accenty. On BBC Breakfast he tried to deflect some of the gay criticism by claiming it only crops up because he himself is gay, on This Morning he defended Michelle Collins undeniably poor Northern accent by saying that he'd heard a lot of people saying they like the character and he said that the ratings drop was caused by Wimbledon and the hot weather.

He might have a point. He might not. The fact is that Corrie has been getting increasingly outlandish over the past couple of years and the gentle, uneventful humour which made the soap popular in the first place has been largely forsaken in the hunt for sensational storylines, many of which just don't work. The Graeme/Xin marriage plot was ill-thought out and poor, Becky and Steve's break up has been surprisingly dull and disjointed and the interminable Stape murder farce was tortuously dragged out over two years and still hasn't finished!

We at Corrie Blog say, 'Come on, Corrie, we love you but it's time to restock, reshape and return to being a simple story of Northern folk.' When the show's producer is becoming more well known that it's stars something is very wrong indeed.

Please let us know what you think, leave a message below or send us your thought via Twitter or Facebook.

Are there now too many music montages in Coronation Street? With both of the recent bank holiday Sunday 'specials' of Corrie featuring musical montages - where shots are cut to music, pop video style - and some of last year's 50th anniversary episodes culminating in similar scenes, viewers may well be of the opinion that the soap is moving a little too far away from it's traditional format. The Sunday episode during the royal wedding weekend featured a montage of Sean, boyfriend Marcus and Sean's son Dylan enjoying the sights of London to the sounds of London Calling by the Clash (noticeably mimicking a scene in the film Trainspotting) and last Sunday's Blackpool episode saw a brief montage cut to 'She's So Lovely' by Scouting For Girls. There were similar montages last year - shots of street residents as Rita sang in the Rovers, for instance - and it's now starting to look like they may well become a regular feature.

There's no doubt that, correctly handled, montages can have great impact but two in two weeks seems a little like laziness. The recent Sunday episodes felt like hastily knocked together spin-offs to begin with so perhaps the montages were included as a means of filling some time in half-hearted programmes? Certainly these scenes are a million miles away from Corrie's established style. Let's not forget that the soap was created to be a realistic look at a Northern back street but the programme makers now appear set on making it appear more like a pop video. Maybe they're hoping to sell the repeats to MTV?

Is Corrie changing too much? Are the producers right to try and update the format? Please let us know what you think.

There have been views aired across the internet that Corrie hasn't been up to standard of late. After last year's 50th anniversary culminated with the already legendary tram crash some have said that the programme has been struggling to keep up the pace it set itself. Certainly recent plotlines have not been as dramatic or even as cohesive as before (doesn't the whole visa/ wedding scam seem a little thrown together?) and there is an inevitable feeling of anti-climax on the cobbles.

But Monday night's Becky extravaganza (with Katherine Kellly on blinding, blood soaked form) felt much more like Corrie in its stride, has Corrie regained its mojo? Will upcoming storylines be an improvement on some recent lacklustre episodes? Please let us know what you think. Leave us a message, send a tweet, comment on Facebook - we'd love to hear from you!

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As Mrs Hargreaves departed this life under a hairdryer in tonight's Corrie we're left wondering whether we're watching Corrie in 2011 or the TV of yesteryear. In the same scene that saw the dryer demise was Audrey, Claudia and her new beau Mark, or Joan from Reggie Perrin, Q from Rock Follies and Russell from Butterflies, if you prefer. Those under 40 may not recognise the references but a lot of older viewers must be convinced that someone in Corrie casting is obsessed with providing work for ageing sitcom/ comedy musical performers. What next? Rodney Bewes working in Dev's kebab shop? Or Robin Asquith as one of Steve's taxi drivers? We will see....

Former Doctor Who series producer Phil Collinson is to join ITV Studios as the new producer of Coronation Street. Collinson, who takes up the post in March, replaces Kim Crowther (pictured), who is leaving after two and a half years on the soap.

Speaking about the opportunity to join ITV he told The Stage: "I am absolutely thrilled to be joining Corrie. It goes without saying that it's a tremendous honour to be entrusted with building on Coronation Street's success and creating the must-see storylines for 2012 and beyond."

Molly and Kevin's affair appears to be back on the cards and moving up a gear - with the romantic weekend away going ahead this time. However, it all looks set to end in yet more trouble for them - when Kevin's van breaks down in the hotel car park!

They end up arguing when Kevin can't fix it and help has to be called. Let's just hope Tyrone isn't the one who comes!

What are you making of the controversial Molly and Kevin affair? Comment us below with your thoughts.

Here at Corrieblog, we've been lucky enough to secure an exciting opportunity for our readers. Kate Anthony - better known to viewers as Auntie Pam Hobsworth - is giving us the chance to have a Q&A session with her, to ask her anything we'd like to know!

I'd like to invite you to submit any questions you'd like to ask Kate about her role as Pam, her time on the Street, or anything else about her life and acting career. You can email me your questions, and try to get them in by Tuesday 21 July.

Hope you will make the most of this great opportunity to interact with a star of Corrie, and here's hoping this may be the first of many Q&As!

A growing passion of mine over the last couple of years has been collecting autographed photocards from a variety of famous faces. So, sitting bored one grey afternoon in January, I decided to further my collection by opening up to the possibility of collecting autographs from the cast of Coronation Street.

After some light research as to how to go about this, I found the process relatively simple. To receive a signed cast card of a Corrie actor and actress, you simply had to write to the star you wanted requesting an autograph and pop it in the post, along with a SAE. I thought I would give this a go to see if I had any luck, and so randomly selected Gray O'Brien - Tony Gordon - to be my first shot.

A mere ten days later and - hurrah! - success! A familiar envelope dropped through my letterbox containing a photocard of Gray, personalised for me. And so the pen came out once more, and over the next few weeks and months I began writing to each of the 60+ cast members.

Corrieblog reader Tracyluv has been in touch, and had this to say about Rosie Webster's recent windfall - receiving £150,000 as 'compensation' from John Stape:

"We were hoping that John would rescind it and she would have to pay the money back but I suppose that's too much to hope for. I cannot believe his solicitor did not try and talk him out of this, as his mind is not balanced at present."

So what do we think of this development? Is Miss Webster going to go from bad to worse with this big payout? Or will it ground her and help towards setting her up for the future? Comment us below, or drop an email to Corrieblog HQ!

Ghost of Pat Phoenix stalks the Coronation Street set, says the Sun. "So many people have seen and felt the same things that there has to be something in it," says Sue Cleaver.

They try to make Peter Barlow go to rehab, but he says "no, no, no," according to the Star.

There's an excellent interview with Corrie producer Kim Crowther over at Digital Spy.

Over on ITV.com, there's a video of Jennie McAlpine, Katy Cavanagh and Craig Charles when they appeared on This Morning. They also have the nominations for ther British Soap Awards, and one of them is pocket-sized genius Alex Bain (Simon). Hurrah!

Received wisdom says that murderers always get their comeuppance in soaps. Therefore it follows that Tony Gordon can't get away with murder forever - or can he? Kathy R thinks that, in Tony's case, justice could be postponed indefinitely.

Here is my best guess on what will unfold regarding Tony being the mastermind behind Liam's murder. Tony's henchman will either disappear or refuse to implicate Tony in the murder. Which will leave Tony free to continue to enjoy his freedom, go back to being co-boss of Underworld, and have a torrid affair with Maria. Even if his involvement is suspected, it will be impossible to prove. Gray O'Brien just had his contract extended, ITV loves him to bits, and they have big plans for him, according to the Corrie scuttlebutt. When you develop a character as popular and interesting as Tony has become, you don't send him down. So Liam's murder isn't going to get officially solved for some time. Probably not until or if Gray wants to leave Corrie. Just my opinion of course. What say you all? [Kathy R]

Sandie M is lamenting the departure of the character I'll always think of as "Cousin Tom."

Have I missed something, or was Tom taking Kelly Crabtree up the alley (giggle) his last scene, and he's really gone? If so, I think that's really disappointing. But in fact, the thing I'm most disappointed about, and think is most important concerning Tom leaving, is that he won't be around for the Tony reveal. Tom played such a big part in Liam's final months and, besides Carla and Maria, was the main character he interracted with. Who is going to care about what Tony did to Liam now other than Carla? Maria will be more concerned about how she fell in love with her husband's killer and feeling sorry for herself - right before she's whisked off screen when Samia has maternity leave. Me-Shell, who acts like she never even had two brothers die young, will care for all of five minutes before getting back to her love life (please PLEASE writers, do not put her with Luke Strong!). And Ryan, well, it's like he and Tom were never related anyway. So after a year of this story slow-burning we'll have Tony himself, who I assume will be leaving after the story is over anyway (sadly) and Carla reacting from this story. I'm sure that'll be well worth it though as Gray and Alison never disappoint.

It just would have been better if Tom was around for it too. Despite his recent mopings, he was a well-written character. The way he never got over Liam dying like the rest of the Connor's (bar Carla) was nice to see, judging by how fast the grieving process takes place in soaps. The whole outcome of him leaving at this point reminds me of Maxine's mother, Doreen a few years back, and how she berrated Audrey for accusing Richard Hillman of her daughter's murder, but by the time the reveal in that story happened, Doreen had already moved on and never apologised to Audrey for the way she'd been with her.

I know Tom's last two months haven't been great character wise (we weren't even told where he was living, and his main story time involved him walking Ozzy), and his popularity dropped but he was a character that started off so well, and probably won't ever be seen on the cobbles again, as from reading his Twitter page I assume P McG has moved to London. Anyway I wish him the best in his career and hope it isn't the last we see of him on TV. There is clearly something about him from seeing the interest he's had on here. [Sandie M]

This month ended with the big reveal that Colin seduced Paula when she was just a schoolgirl, producing Julie as a result. It seemed ok when it was Sarah getting pregnant so young because it was Sarah and another young lad. It feels really creepy knowing it was the father of Paula's best mate, Eileen. (But it's been done before, in That Other Soap's very early days so it's nothing new!) It seems clear he must have taken advantage and it's bound to be the last nail in the coffin between the already rocky relationship between Eileen and her dad (and yes, pun intended, since the spoilers have already said Colin is going to die!). And poor Julie! Julie's really had a roller coaster April! It started off badly. She was going to break up with Kirk but he finally realized she was going off him and finished with her first. Then she starts flirting with Jason and finds out he's her nephew! Still, it gives some of our favourite characters a good workout of the acting chops.

Here's a little sample from our recent email postbag.

On last night's episode: "Firstly, really well written Lucy Cannon is a good talented writer. And It was great to see more of Emily and Betty - its high time they had more to do and more screen time. The celebrations of Colin's birthday were great viewing, and it was brilliant to see Rita take to the spotlight, Barbara Knox is a corrie legend, and I really liked the scene between her and Norris that was really well written and acted and showed great emotion. It was also nice to see Julie turn to drama, she was excellent as well as Paula and I'm looking forward to the fall out from it. Plus, and I don't say this very often, it'll be nice to see How Eileen copes with all, I'm sure Sue Clever will give a great performance true the latest dramas! Great episode with a mixture of comedy and drama, plus its high time we saw more of Ashley and Claire, it was good the way Lucy wrote in so many characters." [Chris H]

On the return of Carla: "I am glad to hear Alison is in discussions again about the characters return later this year. I imagine her return will have a big part in Samia Smith's temporary departure as Maria for her own maternity leave! I imagine Carla will force Maria out in some way. I can't wait to see it all play out." [Peter]

There's a mishmash of Coronation Street ups and downs this week. Straight off the mark, the performer of the week, at least for me, was Gray O'Brien as Tony. He's done manipulation (Maria, Luke), mean (Tom), defensive (Luke sacked him), cocky (threatening to take his business away from Underworld) to the midst of another panic attack (at Maria's scan).

We must start off with a fashion faux pas...
Hairdo of the week: Becky's pouffy do with a braided tiara. And the hunk of cake in her gob didn't help!

Brilliant move, bringing back a Tony mask! Those masks creeped me out on the night of the stag and they still do and they seem to unsettle Tony nearly as much!

Lines of the week:
Gold star: After sacking Tony, Luke hands him the mask and says "Here, take both of your faces with you!"

Silver star: Norris "I'm the duck on the lake. I might seem calm on the surface but below I'm paddling like billy-o to keep afloat."

Bronze Star "Has Minnie chucked in her pinnie?"

I seem to have inadvertently sparked off a bit of a heated debate about the merits or otherwise of Gail Platt, by publishing a critical comment from Kathy R, which was objected to by Chris H, and now Kathy R is objecting to the objection. It's times like this when I really miss having a proper comments facility (are you listening over there at Shiny Towers? We want our comments link back!), so that people could pitch in and have their say.

Anyway, this is what Kathy R thinks, and then we'll have a quick poll to see if you agree [then click the continue reading link for comments that have been emailed in].

"I wasn't directing my comments at the actress who plays her, but the FICTIONAL character. And yes, Gail is majorly annoying and quite stupid in her insistence on never thinking David capable of wrong doing. She has had to face the consequences of his monstrous actions quite a few times where he has deliberately hurt others, yet she still won't hear a word against him. Well, people are rightly suspicious and mistrustful of him now, apart from Saint Gail. He has earned every bit of their scorn and dislike. I know motherly love is strong, but she does David no good by her incessant blindness and tolerance to his evil ways. Quite the opposite; he knows he can always get around Gail with a few more lies and a fake smile, and she's so eager to believe him."

Please keep emailing your comments to us. We love to hear from you and will try to put as many as we can on the blog.

Gail Platt's biggest fan, Chris H, wasn't happy about recent comments from Kathy R, who described Gail as "pathetic and idiotic": "I think she was very rude," he says. But he's also been noticing a possible brewing romance: "the rumor a few months back about Kevin and Molly - there's signs or hints that could be true - in scenes they're in lately they seem to be getting along greatly." I've noticed that, too. Could the unthinkable be about to be thinkable?

Meanwhile, Mags is getting annoyed at the way no-one can keep their mouths shut. "I agree with Old Ena, I too am getting annoyed at the mindless way that they are opening their mouths and blurting out. OK , may be you can understand Audrey having a go at Ken and trying to get him back on the right tracks but as for Poppy...

Recent emails to us have revealed that Luke Strong has quickly won a place in our hearts. Even people who haven't seen him yet love him already - Pearl emailed to say, "Have just read Babe's description of Luke Strong on the last comments post. We have yet to meet him in Canada and now I'm looking forward more than ever to his arrival." On the other hand, Kathy R is hoping that justice won't come too soon for Tony Gordon: "I know that all the evidence we have points at Tony being responsible for Liam's murder, but I hope the writers can find some way to keep him on Corrie. He is my favorite character! Gray O'Brien is a marvellous actor, and he plays Tony with so many nuances. He's ruthless, yet can be gentle; cold but capable of warmth and tenderness, and he can be very funny in a snarky way. Plus I LOVE his accent! I could listen to him all day. I can't imagine Corrie without him any more."

So let's have a little poll!

Thanks to everyone who has emailed us with comments, and continuing apologies (and teeth-gnashing frustration) about the comments link still not working.

On Friday's episode: "I am so glad now that their is a real family unit around Dev. The Alahans have established themselves as a strong family unit now and as much as Tara is a spoilt brat I like her. Because she is spoilt she gets what she wants and she knows how to get it. When she doesn't, her perspective on life is shattered just like that of a 10 year old child. I am glad Poppy told her because it shows a sign of trust in her growing friendship with Tara and is also developing her on screen character. I am glad she is being brought into the show more and I really look forward to seeing her character evolve and us as a viewer discovering more about her. I like her. Back to Tara and I can't see her ever being happy long term with Dev. She jumps in quickly and is in a need to be in a relationship. As a result she places trust in someone easily and it is no surprise that this is shattered in an instant. Though in this case she has a right to be devastated! Dev should have known better but we know that a leopard never changes its spots." [Peter]

"I really enjoyed Friday's episode, mainly because of the comedy - firstly Dev rushing around like a headless chicken making sure Tara doesn't find out about his fling. Then we have Teresa and Umed - the slap was hilarious and so unexpected, laughed out loud! Then we have Ashley and Claire...

In addition to Thumbs Up and Down, this week we're giving out award medals.

Visuals of the week!
Gold: Blanche in an aviator's hat and goggles! "I stayed on the coach with me sudoku"
Silver: Teresa lounging on Maxine's bench with tatty boxboard over her, looking as pathetic as she can muster.
Bronze: Simon in marigolds after cleaning Blanche's room!

Line of the week!
Gold: Peter "Oh well we can't all live up to the high standards of Saint Ken of Weatherfield"
Silver: Darryl about Dev "Who? Grocery Man? Faster than a carton of milk and stronger than a week old cheese?"

Chuckles of the week!
Gold: Molly winding up Tyrone when he thought she'd baked Jack's pigeons in a pie.
Silver: Teresa slapping Umed's face when he was trying to chat her up! About time someone did!
Bronze: Dev scurrying aross to the shop as fast as his little legs would carry him so as not to leave Lisa alone too long with Tara. But Tara already knew about his indiscretions!
Click through to see another round of "Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down"