Table of contents for 26 - 2021 in Inside Soap UK

Birthday girl Linda isn’t in the mood for a celebration this week, as a gift from her child-stealing ex Max leaves her with a dilemma. And matters are only made worse when she walks in on two parties being thrown – one for her and one for her baby – and she doesn’t want to attend either of them! It’s been a tough time for Linda and Mick, with most people unaware that Linda is expecting Max’s baby. The news that Max has absconded with little Abi – leaving Rainie heartbroken – weighs heavily on Linda, who knows that she is carrying his child. So, when oblivious Frankie offers to throw a party for Linda, she turns her down flat. “Linda’s trying to keep a low profile, as she finds…

Stone the flamin’ crows! Rumour has it that Alf’s Bait Shop and the Diner in Home and Away is under real threat, following the news that the local council in charge of Palm Beach in Sydney – where the exterior set is positioned – plans to tear the building down! It’s thought that a new venue will be erected in its place, meaning filming on the soap could be disrupted for up to six months. We suspect the drama will take place from inside the venues in the meantime……

David and Victoria affirm a friendship this week, as they gush over their babies – but is their connection more than parenthood? With Meena on his case, and Jacob needing his help, David is desperate to spend some time with baby Theo. He decides to go round to Victoria’s house, where the pair of them bond over Theo, and Vic’s baby, Harry. There, David feels happy to be away from the chaos of his family, and the pair begin to realise how much they have in common……

Pierce makes a dramatic comeback to Ramsay Street this week, but has he returned for business, or strictly for pleasure? When Karl hears of Pierce’s return to Erinsborough, he encourages Hendrix to make an effort to spend some time with his dad. However, once Pierce arrives, it’s clear that he doesn’t have any intention of seeing his boy. And when Paul comes face to face with his ex-business partner, he correctly guesses that Pierce is back due to money troubles! Across town, Hendrix isn’t the only one who isn’t happy about Pierce’s return: Nicolette is anxious about seeing him, and when Chloe bumps into her ex-husband, Nicolette starts to feel concerned. Later, Pierce learns that Nicolette planted the necklace to ensure that Chloe found out about his affair with Dipi,…

Alec’s plan to secretly install a door between his flat and Rita’s hits a snag when the old skinflint employs workshy handyman Pat Hegherty on the cheap – who promptly disappears with the job only half-done. Famously not short of confidence in his own abilities, Alec takes up a sledgehammer and decides to finish the job – bringing half-a-hundredweight of rubble down on his bonce. He has to be rescued by Martin and Jack, who are soon gossiping about what Alec and Rita are getting up to behind closed doors… This is all minor scandal compared with what’s happening at the other end of the Street. One minute Steve is taking Fiona out for a meal to spoil her, the next he’s inviting Maxine back to his flat. He does…

Since moving to the cobbles in 2017, Summer has been a welcome ray of sunshine in her godfather Billy’s life. However, a dark cloud was recently cast over their happy home, after Summer witnessed the beginnings of Seb and Nina’s devastating attack, and now the traumatised teen is set to struggle with the news that she has diabetes. Meanwhile, for star Harriet Bibby – who took over the role last year from original actress Matilda Freeman – her Weatherfield experience so far has been nothing but bright and beautiful… “It’s always tricky coming into a show and taking over a character from another actor, as I think initially the audiences goes, ‘What? Where has Summer gone?’” grins the 23-year-old, as she joins Inside Soap to chat about her cobbles role.…

While it’s clear that Suzette loves working with her on-screen family, she also tells us there’s another character she’d be thrilled to cross paths with on the Square… “I learned British Sign Language a few years ago, so I’d love some scenes with Frankie,” she grins. “I don’t know how that would work in the storyline, but it would be really exciting for me. The deaf community is huge, so I think it’s lovely that we’re exploring that on screen. “It’s an incredibly beautiful language, and my journey with it is ongoing,” continues Suzette. “I try to keep up with it through some deaf friends and connections I have, it’s just fascinating. It’s an official British language, so I’m a big advocate.”…

Sharon, 25 “My friends would probably describe me as quite outgoing, a bit savage and outrageous,” grins civil servant Sharon. “I don’t want to be the only one in our group chat who’s single any more!” Aaron, 24 “I worked at both the royal weddings of Princess Beatrice and Eugenie,” reveals the luxury events host. “In my job, you meet a lot of famous people – but unless you’re Beyoncé, I’m not interested!” Shannon, 22 “I’ve had quite a lot of people in my DMs – some I can’t even say,” whispers Shannon, who’s a model. “There have been a few footballers…” Hugo, 24 “Being a PE teacher in lockdown, I found myself being a bit of a budget Joe Wicks in front of the camera,” shares sports-lover Hugo. “I…

Here’s everything you need to know about the series based on the hit podcast of the same name, which gets an airing on Alibi this week… So, Limetown first started life as a podcast, then? That’s right – it was created in 2015, and became the No 1 podcast on iTunes within just a couple of months. In a nutshell, the story revolved around a series of reports by investigative journalist Lia Haddock, as she looked into the mysterious disappearance of more than 300 people at a neuroscience research facility in Tennessee. And does this TV version follow the same storyline? More or less, but the cast has changed. Actress Jessica Biel (aka ‘Mrs Justin Timberlake’) plays Lia in this adaptation, and she’s also an executive producer. Zack Akers and…

CORRIE We are family!  TODD FIGHTS TO BRING HIM AND BILLY EVEN CLOSER... Todd might have schemed and lied to get himself back together with Billy, although underneath it all, it seems he’s truly happy to be part of the family with Summer again. But when he starts to feel unvalued next week, in true Todd style he acts quickly to change things – and makes a shocking move. However, he’s in for a bombshell of his own, as he discovers that he can’t leave his past behind him quite as easily as he thought… EASTENDERS Daddy issues Things have been rather chilly between Ben and Phil since Ben married Callum. But next week, will one of them finally make a move towards reconciliation – and will it be accepted…

The Platt family’s ongoing bickering finally pushes Gail over the edge this week, seeing the beleaguered mum and gran suffer a heart attack! The stressed matriarch is trying to keep the peace between her fraught clan when the pressure becomes too much to bear. After weeks spent worried sick about Nick and Sam being in danger, Gail is now trying to cope with Natasha’s rules over who can see the young lad. So, when David meddles, and a huge row erupts, Gail’s health takes a turn for the worse. “It’s a terrifying moment for Gail – she is hit by this intense chest pain and is finding it hard to breathe,” warns our Weatherfield insider. “It’s little Sam who finds her and raises the alarm, and the Platts finally rally…

Grace finds herself in the back of a police car this week, after she’s set up by Fergus – will she be able to outsmart the con man, or has he won their war? With half of the Loft now signed over to Fergus, Grace is determined to get back her nightclub. But outdoing the sleazy businessman is a taller order than she first thought… “I think this is the first time Grace has met her match!” exclaims Tamara Wall, who plays her. “She’s genuinely a bit scared that she’s going to lose everything. Grace has had the club since day one, it belonged to her dad before her, and this is where she likes to be – right at the centre of Hollyoaks village.” In an attempt to lull…

Bride-to-be Tori has her dreams shattered this week, when her groom Christian announces that he can’t marry her right now! The surgeon has been acting strangely in the wake of his near-death experience with Lewis, so while Tori is excitedly packing their bags for the wedding, Christian is seeking out his next thrill! But when Christian goes missing just as the couple are supposed to be leaving for Melbourne, Tori is left very worried… “That’s the point at which she does start to panic a little bit,” explains Penny McNamee, who plays Tori. “She’s left voice messages for Christian, but he hasn’t answered, so she’s just really confused about what’s going on. That’s when she starts to get concerned that something more sinister is at play; she doesn’t have any…

Manipulative Meena goes into overdrive this week, as she plots to get Jacob out of David’s house – and her way – for good. However, given we have recently discovered Meena’s murky past, how far will she go to get what she wants? She’s hell-bent on moving in with her boyfriend, and is frustrated and furious that Jacob’s return is holding them up. David is attempting to be cautious after going too fast with former partner Maya and inadvertently exposing his son to a child abuser. But Meena doesn’t understand, and only cares about getting her own way – and while Jacob is there, she’s blocked… “Meena has proved that she’ll go to disturbing and dangerous lengths to get what she wants,” warns our Dales insider. “She’s put Rishi’s life…

In traditional Coronation Street style, this storyline is designed to encourage debate around what many consider a taboo subject: the fact that so few male gay professional footballers feel able to be open about their sexuality. It’s just over 30 years since Justin Fashanu – who had played for Norwich City and Nottingham Forest – broke new ground as the first professional player to come out as gay. But three decades on, despite greatly increased acceptance in society, there are currently no openly gay footballers in England’s top four divisions – likely due to fear of homophobic abuse from fans, or pressure from clubs over how it might affect a player’s ‘market value’. “The perception within football is that if you’re gay, you’re weaker,” says Amal Fashanu, who set up…

Chloe and Ryder set up their new taco truck in the Surf Club car park this week – sparking all-out war with Salt owner Mac! After Mac demands to see the pair’s trade waste permit, and it turns out they don’t have one, they’re forced to move their truck to a new location. However, in Chloe’s eyes, the battle is just heating up… “Chloe is hurt following her dismissal from Salt, and upset that she still hasn’t received an apology from Mac,” explains Sam Barrett, who plays her. “They both enjoy a bit of friendly competition, but it might go beyond that…” Once Chloe and Ryder get their permit through, they’re quick to move the truck back to Salt. Then Chloe twists the knife by pretending that she’s seen a…

Tom and Yazz are forced to have a difficult conversation this week, as they realise that they’ve never discussed the subject of having children… After Tom is forced to break the news to Yazz that their condom split, they’re faced with the possibility of an unexpected pregnancy. Tensions build between the couple as Yazz takes the morning-after pill, while Tom – who’s already a father to young Steph – states his hope that they’ll one day add more kids to their brood. Can the married couple come to an agreement about where their future lies?…

Back in the days when EastEnders had a big budget, they were off overseas at the drop of a hat. Just last issue, we were in Paris with Phil and Kathy. Soon, we’re off to Italy with Ian, on the trail of Cindy, Steven and Peter. But first, our bags are packed, our teeth clenched and our toes curled, ready for perhaps the most notorious jaunt of all. ‘The Fowlers in Ireland’ all-but sparked an international incident, so insulting did the show’s Irish viewers find the catalogue of clichés on display: portraying the residents of a small country town as a bunch of twinkly eyed, donkey-riding rogues at best – and abusive drunks at worst. More damning still, while designed to bring a dash of much-needed sunshine and whimsy to…

THE SOAP EXPERIENCE… It’s been weird having all of the soaps available to watch on demand, but I’m loving it! Now I can just binge-watch one after the other – I feel immersed in Albert Square one day, then the cobbles the next, before heading over to Emmerdale village to finish off the week! Tom, London GOODBYE, KIRSTY I was sad to hear that Corrie has killed off Tyrone’s ex-wife Kirsty off screen. I was hoping she would come back at some point, either to terrorise everyone on the cobbles, or return reformed. We should have known, as most baddies meet a sticky end on Coronation Street – but it would have been more delicious to see it on screen! Kevin, Staffordshire For us, unless the character is killed on…

“How amazing is it for Emmerdale to have a Pride celebration?” grins actress Anna Nightingale, aka Andrea, as we sit down for a chat with her about this week’s festivities in the village. “I was so excited! The biggest thing was getting on to set on the first day, because we didn’t know how it was all going to work with filming. But the art department had made the village look beautiful. And, oh my God, we had extras! Beautiful real-life couples! It was really emotional and moving.” We could all do with a big, bright celebration right now, and Andrea is determined to get the whole village into the Pride spirit and spread the love. But will her efforts impress new beau Charles? Anna hopes so… How important is…

Summer is so far clueless to the stunts that Todd pulled to break up Billy and Paul, yet as a viewer, Harriet knows exactly what he is capable of! So who does the star think is the right man for Billy? Her answer might shock you… “I’m nervous to answer this, as I know what everyone is saying; that they want Billy and Paul to end up together,” chuckles Harriet. “However, the truth is: I know that Todd is a swine, but I love him! “From the moment that Dan teased a wedding for Billy, I’ve really wanted Summer to be a bridesmaid,” she adds. “All my fingers are crossed for that!”…

Cleo’s mental health takes a massive downward turn this week, when she finds out that her childhood abuser, Pete, is grooming another teenage girl! It’s devastating to watch Cleo spiral back into the grips of bulimia as her traumatic past comes back to haunt her – but as we chat to Hollyoaks star Nadine Mulkerrin about her character’s relapse, she tells us that sadly, Cleo’s predicament is very true to life. “I was disappointed to hear Cleo would relapse,” admits the star. “I came back to the show and Cleo was all positive and doing really well. But Hollyoaks storylines are great in terms of what is actually real – you can suffer with something like anorexia or bulimia for over 30 years, it’s not something that ever goes away.”…

Poor Faith is forced to confront her worst fear this week, as she worries that her cancer may have returned. However, as Faith refuses to confide in her fellow Dingles, loyal Pollard is her only lifeline of support – spelling more drama for his relationship with Brenda… “Faith really feels as though the cancer is back, and she doesn’t want to worry her family,” explains actress Sally Dexter, who plays Chas and Cain’s eccentric mum. “Faith is quite a proud lady, and she would like for her children to accept her again because they genuinely want to, and not just because they feel sorry for her. So, Faith turns to Pollard, whose friendship she is really grateful for – but it causes high drama!” “Brenda gets the wrong idea and…

With all the drama in her life, Grace at least has one friend to turn to: Martine Deveraux. When Grace struck up a romance with Felix, she knew the baggage that came with him – a jealous ex and three grown-up triplets. But what she didn’t know was that she and Martine would later become firm friends. “I love the fact that Grace and Martine are getting so close,” grins Tamara. “Grace always has a man around, yet she rarely has any girlfriends. And I’m really hoping that friendship carries on because it’s so nice and unexpected – especially with their big personalities. “To be honest, I’m always rooting for Esther to return, she was the last great friend Grace had,” she adds. “Maybe I’ll give Jaz [Franks] a call,…

Inside Soap can confirm that Emmerdale has seen the last of Luke, following his sudden departure from the village recently. Victoria sent her other half packing after his mum Wendy revealed that Luke hit his brother, Lee, moments before Vic’s brother Robert appeared to kill him. And while there’s talk on screen of what this new info means for jailed Rob, Luke won’t be back to a play a further part in the story. Meanwhile, as one door closes, another one opens with Michelle Hardwick – who’s on maternity leave from her role as Vanessa –hinting that she may soon return to the show. After co-star Dominic Brunt (Paddy) confessed on Twitter that he was struggling to learn his scripts, Michelle said she was “already having anxiety dreams”. Sounds promising!…

Phil threatens to pull a Darth Vader-style confession on little Raymond this week,  as he insists upon revealing that he is the boy’s father! “It was only a matter of time before Phil took back some control,” reckons our Walford insider. “Nothing means more to him than family, and young Raymond is his boy.” Denise has so far managed to limit Phil’s access to their son, with fiancé Jack even resorting to blackmail to keep Phil out of their lives. But after a USB stick full of evidence of Phil’s dodgy goings-on was found by Max, Denise lost her leverage. “Nothing means more to Phil than his family” Meanwhile, since hooking up with Kat, Phil seems to have rediscovered his sensitive side. He’s decided to go semi-legit to provide a…

Iqra and Mila cement their future this week, as they agree to live together! After Mila confirms to Kathy that she has taken steps to become her sister Kioni’s legal guardian, Kathy informs Mila that Iqra chose to stay in Walford to help her, rather than visit her sister Habiba and the new baby. Realising Iqra’s sacrifice, Mila apologises, and the pair happily reunite. So, as they make the momentous decision to move in together, could this be the start of something special?…

Conniving Daisy ousts Sean from the Rovers this week, in a desperate bid to grasp as much cash as she can. After the Double Glammy debacle, Daisy is scared stiff that she won’t be approved for a mortgage, so tries to up her salary at the Rovers. However, the only way she can do that is by knocking Sean off the rota and taking his shifts for herself! It’s not long before her nasty antics come to the attention of the rest of the staff. Emma is incensed that Daisy has given Sean the chop, and reminds her that he’s in possession of Betty’s legendary hotpot recipe. Without Sean, the Rovers can’t serve up its signature dish – and Emma tells Daisy that she won’t work again until he’s back!…

Ryan is left frustrated by Alya this week, so ends up hanging out with Daisy instead! Desperate to have some fun, Ryan suggests to Alya that they go on a night out. However, when Alya says she has to work, and that Ryan should get a job, he heads out alone. Later, Daisy spots Ryan wallowing in the Rovers, and attempts to cheer him up. But when Ryan reveals to Daisy that he’s a DJ, and she urges him to reboot his music career, what will Alya make of their exchange?…

Talk about playing the field. Village newcomer Diane Blackstock leaves two men speechless this week, when she invites both Alan and Eric to the same romantic candlelit supper. Goodness. You hear about these kind of parties… but it’s hard to imagine Alan Turner as a swinger. Happily, it seems that Diane is just keeping her options open. Funnily enough, Diane’s future lies with another village elder entirely – and you can witness the seeds of that story as young Ritchie moves in with the Sugdens, and begins to build a bond with Sarah, who is feeling taken for granted by Jack. And there’s more romance simmering as the last-minute star of the Christmas show – one Witty Willy – turns out to be a face from Betty’s past. Are the…

There’s war at Erinsborough’s Flamingo Bar this week, as Roxy continues her vendetta against boss Amy – and Amy tries to get her fired! Here, Neighbours’ star Zima Anderson (Roxy) tells us why she’s been enjoying this storyline so much… Hi, Zima! What was your reaction when you heard that Roxy would have an epic feud with Amy? I was so excited to work with Jacinta [Stapleton, who plays Amy]. Outside of work we’re both quite bubbly and energetic people, so I was ready to work with someone on my level. When I found out we would be fighting, I was a bit sceptical because we don’t want to be doing the catty, girl-fight thing. But we made the scenes quite playful and fun. Why is Roxy so desperate for…

“What was your audition for Coronation Street like?” “What’s it like working with Sally Ann?” It was my first one out of lockdown – I’d had six months of no work and no auditions, so I was worried that I’d be horrifically rusty. But I think I was just so desperate for work that it was good in the end. I felt quite relaxed, as I’d had plenty of time to learn the script, so I just thought I’d go in and try to have a nice time. Then a week later, I found out that I’d got the role! “What were your first impressions of Daisy?” She’s essentially a deeply flawed young woman, and I like characters that make you ask, “Why?”; “Why is she like that?”, “Why is…

This emotional new two-parter focuses on conjoined twins – in particular, Callie and Carter Torres. The Idaho-born twins are joined from the chest down, and their parents, Chelsea and Nick, face the unbelievably difficult decision of whether to leave the three-year-olds together, or risk putting them through complex surgery to separate them – which could mean losing one or even both girls… “Callie and Carter were born healthy, and I always wonder when my luck is going to run out,” muses Chelsea in the film. “Sometimes at night, I’m like, ‘Okay, I’m going to separate them.’ Then you push back, because of the risks. It puts a lot of pressure on you.” In an attempt to help them with their agonising choice, Chelsea and Nick chat to other conjoined twins,…

Despite having spent 12 years as the fearsome host of The Weakest Link, Anne Robinson admits that we probably won’t be seeing her strict persona as she takes over as the letters-and-numbers show’s seventh presenter… “Looking back on the early Countdown shows, Richard [Whiteley, original host] was soft and gentle,” she muses. “All of the hosts have taken a character to it, haven’t they? That’s one of the reasons for its longevity.” And after predecessor Nick Hewer did a decade as host, Anne isn’t ruling out a long stint. “I could be on it when I’m 86!” she laughs. “I’m the oldest woman on television who’s not judging cakes!”…