Inside Soap UK 47 - 2020

“I for one am glad that Corrie told this story…” It’s the saddest of times in Corrie this week, as Leanne, Steve and the rest of the family say their final goodbyes to little Oliver. It’s a journey we’ve travelled with them, caught up in the superb acting of all concerned – particularly Jane Danson as Leanne, whose dogged love kept pushing her on, even when it maybe shouldn’t have. But not forgetting Simon Gregson, whose performances as bottled-up Steve have equally moved us. It’s a story that could only have been told as well as it has within a soap, and I for one am glad they did. Elsewhere this week, the Square’s Mick is adrift, the Dales’ Al is amiss, and the Street’s Geoff is a… well, I’ll…

Parents Leanne and Steve face the most heart-wrenching moment of their lives this week, as their seriously ill little boy Oliver loses his fight for life. The pair have spent months battling with the hospital and courts to try to keep their son alive after he was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease. But as Steve announces that the time has come to let Oliver die with dignity, Leanne must accept there’s nothing more she can do… “Leanne feels abandoned,” says Jane Danson, who plays her. “She’s devastated as Steve has always backed her. She feels emotionally battered, but she’s not giving up.” Fighting alone Having lost their court case against the hospital, it seems Leanne and Steve must now face the inevitable – that Oliver doesn’t have much time left. And…

How challenging has this storyline been for you to play out? Being in a hospital set for 12 hours a day, talking about a dying child, is tough – but this happens to real families, and we owe it to them to tell it as truthfully as we can. The scripts have been amazing, and it’s not been hard to feel the sadness. But at the same time, over the years I’ve learnt to switch off for my family. You have to be able to box it off and have family time – meals, homework, dropping the kids off. What response have you had from viewers? I’ve had so many messages from families going through something similar. A lady stopped me on the street, and we had a chat about…

Mick struggles more than ever this week, as he fails to make sense of his past. And when his distant behaviour propels wife Linda into Max’s arms, he finds himself seeking out Katy – but how will she react when he begs for her help? It’s clear to Linda that her husband is troubled, and when Mick returns home from son Lee’s with a black eye, Linda is given more cause for concern… “Mick claims he got his black eye when he was mugged…” “Mick claims that he was mugged, and Linda accepts his version of events,” reveals our Walford insider. “However, given how distant he’s been recently, Linda can’t help but think that there’s more to this than her hubby is letting on. Of course, she has no idea…

Linda isn’t the only one who’s noticed that Mick isn’t himself recently – Tina has also clocked that all is not right with her relative. But while Linda thinks that Mick’s anxiety has returned, Tina reckons her nephew needs to get his mojo back – by regaining control of the Vic! As far as Tina can see, Mick’s downward spiral began when they left the Vic, and she’s convinced that if she can just get him back in his beloved boozer, then all of Mick’s problems will be solved. However, as Tina kicks off a campaign to get current landlord Ian and manager Sharon out of the Queen Vic by any means possible – and ropes in Sharon’s old foe Shirley to help her accomplish her mission – will her…

Priya is completely taken aback this week, when her boyfriend Al asks her to marry him! But are his actions as genuine as they seem? Al proposes to Priya on a romantic day that he’s set up for her – and to say that she’s surprised by his gesture is an understatement… “Al organises a little picnic for Priya – he has champagne, and all of her favourite foods,” says Fiona Wade, who plays the bride-to-be. “And then, he proposes! At first she says, ‘You don’t have to propose to me just to make me feel better’, but Al seems really sure, and she’s over the moon. So Priya’s very excited, and to her it’s the best news ever. She couldn’t be happier, so she buys it.” “Priya trusts Al…