Inside Soap UK 16 - 2021

“We’re rooting for Stuart and Rainie this week…” It’s great how soap characters can totally transform themselves, and – thanks to the skill of a show’s writers and actors – we viewers completely buy into it. It really struck me when we had a lovely catch-up with Amy Walsh, who plays Emmerdale’s Tracy. I’d forgotten that the character arrived as a heartless schemer, leading on poor Sam Dingle to make some quick cash. Fast-forward six years, and she’s now a much-loved villager. It’s the same with Rainie and Stuart in EastEnders – this week, we’ll be rooting for them as they decide to take another crack at parenthood. Who in their right mind would have given this pair a baby a couple of years ago? It’s the constant evolution of…

Get set for a nail-biting week in Walford, as Whitney and Kush put a plan in motion that changes the course of their lives forever. After the events of Kush’s recent court appearance, during which he was under pressure to take the rap for various crimes perpetrated by the Mitchell family, the story takes an unexpected twist – forcing Kush and Whitney to make a snap decision about their future together. Will they get their happy ever after? Or is their whirlwind romance set to end in heartbreak? “Whitney reckons no harm can come to her when Kush is around” “Whit is confident about the plan that she and Kush make,” shares Shona McGarty, who plays Whitney. “She has full confidence in him no matter what they do, and with…

As EastEnders viewers wait on tenterhooks to see whether Whitney and Kush escape the various horrors circling them, it’s no secret that actor Davood Ghadami, who plays Kush, has filmed his final scenes with the show. Inside Soap can go as far as to reveal that this week will be Kush’s last on screen, and star Shona insists that it’s not to be missed… “It’s such big stuff that we felt as if we were in a film,” grins the actress. “Davood was really excited!”…

There’s a huge surprise in store for Rita this week, when her former foster daughter Sharon Bentley arrives back on the cobbles! It’s been over 20 years since Rita last saw Sharon, and to say that they didn’t part on good terms would be an understatement. So how will Rita react when the daughter who betrayed her rocks up on the Street, bold as brass? “Sharon fleeced Rita back in the day!” our Corrie sneak reminds us. “Rita gifted her the Kabin as a birthday present, then money-hungry Sharon decided to sell it so she could buy a house with her new hubby! Poor Rita was forced to buy back a business that was rightfully hers to begin with…” Rita’s gobsmacked as Sharon reveals that she’s nominated her for a…

LITTLE GIRL LOST! Rita and hubby Len had no kids of their own, so took in Sharon after she rejected her first foster-parents for being too posh. Trouble followed when Sharon got a crush on the local hunk – Gail’s hubby Brian – and began babysitting young Nicky Platt to get closer to him… CURLY TOP! With her crush on Brian causing big ructions, Sharon took a job in Sheffield as a kennel maid. She returned a year later, following Len’s death, and kicked off a romance with Curly Watts. However, she was just toying with him and soon fell for Terry Duckworth, before leaving them both behind and heading home. WEDDING WOES! Sharon returned to the Street to invite Rita to her wedding to fiancé Ian. Soon, Ian began…

Mandy’s horrified to catch Vinny gambling this week, as the family faces a financial crisis left behind by Paul’s scheming. Terrified that Vinny is heading down his dad Paul’s dark path, Mandy is desperate to stop him – and puts herself in serious danger in the process… “Vinny finds Paul’s notebook containing everything there is to know about gambling,” reveals our Emmerdale spy. “There are all of Paul’s wins and losses over time, as well as future tips, which Vinny finds really intriguing. But it’s also worrying how engrossed Vinny is in the book – part of him obviously still wants to hold on to his dad.” Vinny tells Liv all about the notebook, but she tries to make him see sense, and leave everything about Paul behind. Liv thinks…