Inside Soap UK 34 - 2021

“Our only desire is your pleasure!” I’d like to offer a big thank you to the Inside Soap regulars – 1,025 of you in fact – who took part in our reader survey this year. It’s fascinating to see what you enjoy most about the mag (always the opening Scoop section, of course!) and what you’d like to see more or less of. Our first response is to tweak our TV guide this week, to include extra digital channels, with detailed listings for ITV2 and ITV3. And remember, we’re always thrilled to receive feedback on the magazine, so do drop me a line with any ideas, or requests for features or interviews. This is your magazine, and our only desire is your pleasure! Speaking of desire – he continues seamlessly…

Heavily pregnant Linda suffers a terrifying ordeal this week, after two thugs storm the Vic with the intention of robbing the joint! As Mick’s petrified missus is grabbed by the brutes, will she and her unborn baby come to harm? “Linda is in the bar closing up when the thieves burst through the door,” explains our Walford insider. “They don’t care that she is an expectant mum or a vulnerable woman on her own. All the men care about is leaving with what they came for.” The drama kicks off after the Vic hosts Whitney’s singing gig. Throughout the course of the evening, the locals dig deep into their pockets, with the proceeds from the event due to go to charity. However, as a brimming cash bucket overflows with notes…

It’s no secret that Mick’s missus is due to leave our screens now that actress Kellie Bright, who plays Linda, has wrapped filming ahead of welcoming her third child. Yet the mystery remains: what will spark her departure from Walford? “The big plot twist, of course, is that Max Branning is actually the father of Linda’s baby, not Mick,” our Square sneak reminds us. “The Carters have fibbed, claiming that Linda is not as far along in her pregnancy than she really is. However, as Max’s brother and resident detective, Jack, pops into the pub after the robbery with an update for Mick and Linda, will they struggle to keep their secret?”…

The Dingles are torn apart this week, when Noah is accused of raping Liv while she was blackout drunk. Accusations fly after Liv wakes up from another binge and finds herself covered in bruises. At first, she can’t recall anything that happened during the drunken night, but later, she starts suffering disorientating flashbacks that place Noah at the scene. So Gabby voices her suspicion that what happened was rape. “It’s a terrifying and traumatic experience for Liv to remember nothing but these flashes of violence,” shares our Emmerdale insider. “She can’t visualise what happened, just that she’s grappling with the figure in her flashbacks and realises it’s Noah. It’s Gabby who suggests that this could be as serious as rape – and Liv is sickened to think she might be…

We’ve been wondering for years whether Noah Dingle could escape the curse of his parentage – but it looks as if he’s destined for a dark path. It seemed unthinkable that the son of Chris Tate and Charity Dingle could be anything other than a rotter, though instead Noah has often proved the moral compass for his wayward mother. However, now he stands accused of rape, just weeks after stealing pregnant Gabby’s underwear and stalking her. He also lashed out when she rejected him – so does Noah have a nasty streak, or was that a one-off outburst?…

Maria launches a vicious attack on her former love-rival Sarah this week, and she smashes up the Underworld van with a crowbar! After Maria’s son, Liam, suffers a terrifying asthma attack, the worried mum becomes convinced that his condition has been caused by the increased traffic in the area. And she takes all of her anger out on Sarah… “Maria’s fuming, and it becomes her mission to get rid of all the vehicles causing the heavy pollution on the Street!” declares Samia Longchambon, who plays her. “She decides that Sarah’s van is a pollutant, and needs to be off the road – she loses it, and smashes up the van! It was great fun to film; what other jobs are there where you get to let rip with a crowbar?…