Inside Soap UK 21 - 2021

The wonderful thing about soaps is how one plot can resonate throughout the community, utilising the connections and history that have been built up over the years. Take the current “Soaps can use their histories to great effect” Corrie hate-crime story. Not only are we witnessing the effect on those directly impacted, but the plot also has ramifications for Toyah and Imran; Alina’s history with Seb affects her and Tyrone; Asha’s upbringing plays into her behaviour in the story; while Roy’s history with Hayley only adds to his pain and frustration at the world he sees around him. It’s a thing soaps can do greatly, and we sometimes don’t see enough of it – especially recently with Covid filming restrictions, when plots often live in their own ‘bubble’ of characters.…

Violence erupts at Home Farm this week, as drugged Kim grabs a shotgun and takes aim at a mystery intruder on her estate. The shocking moment comes as increasingly paranoid and deranged Kim spots a shadowy figure on her CCTV, and prepares to defend herself and her home. Unaware that she’s being poisoned, the terrified woman is knocking back the brandy while clutching a gun after hearing noises around the house. Then, when she spots a shadowy figure on her security video, Kim prepares to fight to the death. “This could be the moment that Kim Tate becomes a killer again!” warns our Emmerdale insider. “This mystery intruder might have made a fatal mistake. Only someone brave – or incredibly reckless – would march their way into Home Farm in…

The mystery intruder could be the latest person to join the list of folks condemned to death by Kim Tate! It wasn’t all that long ago that she paid sleazy Al a small fortune to make her a widow. She ordered him to kill husband Graham after being rejected in favour of Rhona. However, Al couldn’t go through with the hit job. If Graham had died at Kim’s request, he’d have been the second husband she’d seen off, as it was her ‘return from the dead’ that caused Frank’s heart attack. He didn’t die immediately, but by ripping out the phone line and kicking away his meds, Kim made sure he had no hope of survival. Will gun-toting Kim add another person to her body count, or is the intruder…

Nick takes a big risk and leaves witness protection this week, as it dawns on the Platts that young Sam has been kidnapped by Harvey’s thugs! But soon things take another turn when Nick is caught by one of Harvey’s henchmen, who issues him with an ultimatum – Leanne must retract her statement, or the boy gets it! The drama picks up straight from where it leaves off the previous week, with terrified lad Sam trapped in a van. Meanwhile, word reaches Nick that Sam has been taken, and he insists on returning home to join the search for his son – despite Leanne’s warning that he could be walking into a trap. Meanwhile, Sam’s furious mother Natasha is utterly beside herself with worry, as she realises that her boy…

While Sam’s kidnap puts Natasha through the ringer, actress Rachel confesses that crying scenes don’t come naturally to her. However, the fact that young Jude Riordan, who plays Sam, is such a cutie has made summoning tears much easier… “There’s now a photo of Sam in the Platt house, with his cheeky face and wearing his little dicky bow,” grins Rachel. “I only had to look at that to get emotional for this storyline!”…

Sharon’s new business venture gets off to a rocky start this week, after hungover Zack makes a show of himself at the gym’s debut opening! Having spent the night before the big launch getting drunk with Martin, Zack is a shambles. So, when Sharon spots him flirting with a potential client, she’s desperate to shoo him away. Seeing what’s going on, Sharon’s lover Kheerat decides to do some damage control before it all kicks off, by trapping wildcard Zack in the locker room. However, when Nancy springs him free, all hell breaks loose just as Sharon makes her big speech! “It’s an unforgettable launch for all the wrong reasons,” grimaces our Walford insider. “Sharon wanted to make her mark in a new industry, not be turned into a laughing stock…