Inside Soap UK 21 - 2019

“It’s like a second Corrie Christmas!” Oh, I do love this week of the year – it feels as if we get a second Corrie Christmas. Okay, I know Rita isn’t actually putting out the Christmas cards and treating the Rovers to her rendition of Santa Baby (if only!), but this week – where Corrie is on telly every night after the Britain’s Got Talent live shows – has become an annual feast of heart-stopping drama, after months of build-up. In previous years, we’ve had murders, explosions, births, and much more – however, this year sees the Platt family take a holiday in the countryside that turns out to be sedate, quiet and uneventful… NOT! Yep, the clan is about to implode in spectacular fashion – while back on the Street,…

Nick and David’s family betrayal comes back to bite them this week, as Audrey finally learns that they used money stolen from her to go into business together! The truth comes tumbling out after the Platts take a family holiday together that, ironically, Audrey has paid for. But when the pressure of keeping their wretched secret becomes too much for David, he cracks and betrays his brother – telling Audrey that Nick robbed her cash, and David helped his sibling spend it! “David is just sick of lying,” sighs actor Jack P Shepherd, who plays him. “He’s spinning all these plates in the air, and doesn’t want to do it any more. He wants to get it all off his chest, try to repay Audrey, and fix what he’s done…

“David knows he could go to prison – but he deserves it” So, Jack – filming on location meant you all went on a work holiday together. Was it fun? We really did! In real life we’re very close, and it was funny because we went into the local town for dinner like a little family. It must have been surreal just seeing the Platts walk into the restaurant for dinner together, and sit down next to you! It was like a proper little getaway for you all, then? Definitely! In fact, while we were filming these episodes myself, Tina [O’Brien, who plays Sarah] and Lucy [Fallon, aka Bethany] decided that we would stay in the lodge – the main reason being that there was a hot tub – so…

Self-confessed Corrie fan Lorriane Kelly puts in a special guest appearance at the holiday park where the Platts are staying – or so that’s what Gail thinks when she spots a woman whom she believes to be the breakfast TV presenter! After clapping eyes on ‘Lorraine’ enjoying a pedalo ride, Gail convinces Sarah and Bethany to give chase, and they paddle after her in their vessel. Will Gail’s mission to meet her idol go to plan?…

Carla Connor’s mental torment is laid bare this week, when viewers are taken inside her terrifying world – as she suffers a severe psychotic episode. With scenes being told from Carla’s point of view, we’ll see things through her eyes as her fear and desperation reach a dangerous climax. Despite being home under the care of Peter, troubled Carla is still desperately ill and secretly disposing of her medication. Convinced that everyone is out to get her, Carla makes her escape – but she’s set to go on the most challenging journey of her life… “Carla sees Hayley in her red coat… but she’s gone” “Carla thinks her family and Peter are all in on it,” explains Alison King, who plays the unstable factory owner and has worked with mental…

Although no stranger to big storylines, Carla’s real-life alter ego Alison says her character’s psychosis is one of the toughest things she’s ever done. We caught up with her to find out what it’s been like. Hi, Alison. What was it like to film Carla’s psychosis? It was really weird trying to encapsulate what she’s going through. I met a beautiful lady through Mind, who suffers from this, and she told me that in moments of extreme psychosis, you are never not yourself – you are just the most terrified version of yourself. You are locked in there and there is no way out. Was it important to meet somebody with real experience of this? It made all the difference. With soaps, there are different writers for each episode, and…