Innholdsfortegnelse for 25 - 2018 i Inside Soap UK

“Really, what was Toyah thinking?!” Usually in soap, you feel sorry for characters when they make some huge, horrible mistake. You understand their motivation, and you can sympathise with them as they face the terrible consqeunces of their actions. But at other times, you just want to grab them by the shoulders, look them straight in the eye and scream: “Did you really think that this wasn’t how this was going to end, you total imbecile! Have you never even seen a soap?!” Well, today we’d like to say hello to Toyah Battersby! Really, what was she thinking?! This baby situation was a tram crash waiting to happen. But sometimes the fun comes from waiting for that tram to crash, and enjoying all the fallout that comes with it! The…

Corrie star Nicola Thorp made a shock exit from the soap last week, after her character Nicola left for Bristol with baby son Zack. The actress immediately took to Twitter to confirm that it was her final episode, and to thank her colleagues for her memorable time on the show. “Thanks to the cast and crew and everyone at Coronation Street for making the cobbles feel like home this past year,” she tweeted. “I’m lucky to call you my friends. Thanks to the audience and fans for all the love and support. From this Nicola (and the other one) see you later, Weatherfield.” Nicola first arrived on the Street last June – and what a turbulent 12 months it’s been! She found out she was Pat Phelan’s daughter,…

“Milo and Liberty are completely bonkers!” Milo enlists Brody’s help to woo Liberty this week – but there are disastrous consequences! When Brody spots clueless Milo making a fool out of himself in front of Dirk’s daughter, he encourages his pal to just ask out Liberty on a date. Yet after inadvertently inviting Cindy and Dirk along too, it’s clear that Milo needs some serious help… “Bless Milo, he’s never had a girlfriend!” explains Nathan Morris, who plays him. “He’s socially awkward – and romantically, he’s just useless! Liberty is so exotic to him, she’s so bubbly and bright, and I don’t think he’s ever met anyone quite like her. He’s instantly smitten, but he doesn’t think that he stands a chance with her. “Milo knows he needs to seek…

“My gran told me: ‘Never trust a man whose eyes are too close together, who drives a red car, or who doesn’t like animals.’” Is that right, Toyah? Our gran told us to never trust a pub landlady or anyone named after an 80s pop star. “You’re cutting it fine for that meeting in Harrogate.” “I haven’t used ‘base-jumping accident’ for a while. How injured do you want to be?” No one in the world has conversations like Graham and Joe, and we love them for it. “I’m not going. So you have to get creative with an excuse. I’m thinking something sophisticated yet edgy.” “Big Mo. She’s got powers. She knows things. She’s like that Nostril Damus.” “You mean Nostradamus.” You can always rely on Honey to get a…

Joel is determined to do the right thing for Cleo this week, and is focused on getting her happy and healthy again. After he buys them both fitness watches so they can go jogging together, Cleo is delighted, and filled with confidence that she can finally win her battle with bulimia. Unfortunately, Cleo then proceeds to find the calorie counter on the watch, and is appalled at how slowly she’s burning off weight when she exercises. So will Joel’s attempt to help only end up making things worse for Cleo?…

“Halfway looks up to Stuart – he really wants to make his big brother proud!” It didn’t take EastEnders fans long to fall for feckless Callum ‘Halfway’ Highway. The loveable fella radiates goodness, and has proved to be the perfect boyfriend for unlucky-in-love Whitney Carter. That’s why it was such a shock to meet his older brother Stuart, whose volatile, disruptive personality put us on edge from the start. His return to the lives of Halfway and Mick has us scared for their safety – and with good reason. This week, Stuart drags both men further into his twisted version of justice, and it’s clearly a dangerous game they are playing. As Inside Soap meets up with Walford’s Tony Clay, who has won our hearts as Halfway, he warns us…

Just like many Casualty stars before him, George has filmed a cameo for sister show Holby City, which will be on screen later this summer… “It’s just for one episode – I’m the guest lead,” enthuses George. “There’s a big story running in Holby with Professor Gaskell doing all these tests, so Ethan sees it as a chance to do some research on his Huntington’s diagnosis. “It was a really fun couple of days of filming, and I know the fans enjoy the crossovers,” he adds. “It’s not always easy to co-ordinate, but there is talk of doing more. There are even rumblings of a full Casualty@Holby City-style episode happening again, which would be very good!”…

HOLLYOAKS’ MERCEDES We’ll have to wait until summer for Jennifer Metcalfe’s return to Hollyoaks , but steal her style at the races with this Ascot-inspired get-up……

If the chemistry between Stath and his sister Sophie looks very natural in the show, there’s a really good reason for that – she’s played by Jamie’s real-life sister Natasia Demetriou. “It’s an absolute dream come true,” Natasia tells Inside TV. “All our home videos are me and Jamie just bossing each other around, trying to do shows. It just feels like we’re seven again. I think Jamie and I got into comedy because our favourite thing to do was make each other laugh!” Sophie dreams of being a dancer and isn’t officially employed by the family lettings agency – but is generally expected to help out whenever she’s there, which is fairly often… “She’s an absolute idiot,” admits Natasia. “A lot of the characters in this are idiots, but…

OUT MIKEY NORTH (Gary Windass, Corrie ) Mikey has revealed he is currently taking a short break from the show. “I have about two months off now,” he says.“I’m going to go away and de-Windass for a bit, and then come back and see what’s next.” But Mikey is keeping himself busy. The actor has been spotted filming for the new series of E4’s All Star Driving School in London alongside famous faces including TOWIE’s James ‘Arg’ Argent. Summer JESSE BIRDSALL (Steven Fletcher, Holby City ) IN The Eldorado legend, who more recently played uber-villain Fraser Black in Hollyoaks, is heading to Holby as Fletch’s estranged dad. But it seems it’s unlikely to be a joyful reunion for father and son, with Fletch banning…

The Mayor of Weatherfield will soon be embroiled in a major scandal, if these dramatic snaps are anything to go by! Corrie stars Sally Dynevor (Sally) and Joe Duttine (Tim) have been spotted filming scenes which show Tim lashing out and punching newcomer Duncan! With rumours hinting that Sally’s future as mayor will be under threat after she falls foul of a con artist, could Duncan turn out to be the rotter in question? “We all know how seriously Sally takes her role as mayor – so imagine how humiliated she will be once she realises she’s been taken in by a complete shyster!” gasps our Corrie insider. “She prides herself on being a respected pillar of the community, so if her reputation is brought into disrepute, she’ll never be…

When we speak to Nathan, he’s calling us from a location shoot, where he’s involved in filming an upcoming stunt for the soap. And while the actor isn’t allowed to reveal the exact nature of what happens, he does hint that it has something to do with Milo’s huge secret… “I can’t say whether Milo’s secret will come out, but the stunt is related to his past,” teases Nathan. “It’s exciting – I love the stunts the show does, they’re fantastic. It’s hard work to film, but the end product is worth it. There are some big moments coming up for Milo!”…

Martin and Stacey are ready to tell the world that their marriage is back on track this week – and what better way to do that than by having him move back into their marital home? It’s been a rocky six months for the couple, ever since Stacey slept with her old flame Max on Christmas Eve. It looked as if their marriage was over, especially once Martin instigated divorce proceedings. However, over the past few weeks, the pair have reconciled, and have made up for lost time by having sex in all manner of risky locations. “Martin’s ex Sonia has been trying to persuade him to keep things low-key, so it won’t confuse or upset their daughter Bex,” our Albert Square mole reminds us. “But Martin and Stacey can’t…

There’s another shock in store for the Astonis this week, when they find out that Maggie has written goodbye letters to them all. Following her recent battle with pneumonia, Maggie only has a couple of days before she starts chemo again – so plans a romantic getaway with hubby Ben. But the holiday gives her time to properly assess her future. “Maggie is reflective, and feeling very sentimental,” explains Kestie Morassi, who plays her. “With time to think and breathe, she starts to think about the bigger picture, and what might lie ahead for her family.” Realising that she may not survive her cancer, Maggie writes letters to Ben, Ziggy and Coco, for them to read after she has gone. However, once she’s home, Ziggy finds the notes – and…

Roxanna is left in a terrifying predicament this week, as Professor Gaskell fails to turn up at work – and she makes a worrying discovery about her supposedly prolific colleague. While Roxanna prepares to assist Gaskell with a patient’s spinal-fixation procedure, he’s actually holed up in Lisbon, where the terrible reality of his secretly disastrous stem-cell trial is hitting home. But after Roxanna snoops round his lab in a desperate bid to find out where he’s got to, what will she make of what she finds in there?…

You have to laugh at Liz McDonald, don’t you? She told all her friends that she couldn’t possibly get together with Johnny because he’s a married man and he’s grieving for his son. She remained strong and decent… right up until the afternoon of Aidan’s funeral! Annie I’m very sad that Johnny Connor can’t bring himself to be nicer to Jenny. After all, she’s lost a child too – in terrible circumstances – and has been doing all she can to support him. Yet when Liz told Johnny that her daughter had died, it was a real moment of bonding for them. I know that Johnny is suffering terrible grief, but there really is no excuse for how he is treating Jenny. He’s starting to lose my sympathy! Hamza, Leeds…

LEE MAYHEW Billy was estranged from Lee for years thanks to his drug issues and thieving. He let him back into his life, only for Lee to rob him again – and recently, when Billy slid into his own drugs spiral, it was Lee who scored the hard stuff and blackmailed Billy with it. ELI DINGLE Marlon’s brother Eli was likeable, but had a dark side too. He got Marlon shot in an armed robbery, kidnapped him, and threatened to throw him off a multi-storey car park – and even helped Debbie hide a body! When he left, Eli took a wad of Marlon’s cash with him. SEAN SLATER Stacey idolised Sean, but the ex-squaddie was psychotic. He took fellow soldier Al hostage, got with Ruby for her money, and…

1 Patrick Archibald Shaw was born in Oxford on 12 September 1938 – although because his birth wasn’t registered, for many years he believed that he was born in 1940. Patrick didn’t originally consider a career in acting, initially training as an engineering draughtsman at the Cowley plant of Pressed Steel Company Ltd. But he later enrolled at RADA, and was soon a familiar face on our television screens… 2 Patrick first turned up in Emmerdale as businessman Rodney Blackstock in 2000. Introduced as the ex-husband of Diane (Elizabeth Estensen) and absent father of Bernice (Samantha Giles), Rodney wasn’t exactly given a warm welcome when he swanned back into their lives after so many years. However, he soon settled into village life and created a stir…

1 Mane ‘n Tail Original Shampoo and Conditioner Used by both people and horses, this shampoo and conditioner leaves hair soft and shiny, without stripping natural oils. 2 Chantecaille Philanthropy Cheek Collection in Joy This embossed compact leaves a gorgeous veil of colour on cheeks – and supports the American Wild Horse Campaign. Win win! 3 Ralph Lauren Big Pony 2 Eau de Toilette Luckily this fruity fragrance doesn’t smell like horses, but this pink bottle will look lovely on your dressing table. 4 Lovely Jubbly Designs Horses Gift Makeup Toiletry Wash Bag Store cosmetics in this fabulous galloping horse-print wash bag. Available in both blue and pink hues.…

The Bridge starting again was big news in our house. And I’ve realised I’ve had Happy Valley Sky+ed for so long that maybe I’ll just never watch it. We live in that area now, so it’s just as well I don’t associate the streets I walk my daughter down with horrific crimes! I watch a lot of comedy – I watched James Acaster’s Netflix stand-up specials in my dressing room when I was on tour. I sort of obsess over stand-up, and I’m delighted that I still find it funny. Also GameFace, Roisin [Conaty]’s sitcom, that was another show that we sat down together and watched. A lot of the TV we watch is sort of comedy through documentary – things like First Dates. When you’ve had a…

“Belle wants it to work between Lachlan and her, so he’s relieved” There’s terror for Lachlan this week when Jai violently confronts him – is Belle about to discover Lachy’s terrifying secret? Lachlan made a big mistake recently after he involved drunken Priya in his latest murder attempt. He thought she was out for the count when he tailed Freddy in his car and prepared to bludgeon the oblivious investor with a rock. But it looks as if Priya saw enough to be scared of Lachlan, and now Jai is hopping mad. “This is a nightmare scenario for Lachlan – how will he explain his way out of this one?” muses our Dales spy. “Priya was drunk, but she’s not stupid, and she saw enough of his darkness to be…

Ambitious Maria could be about to stab boss Audrey in the back – by going into partnership with a rival hairdresser! Maria has been giving her future some serious thought, and recently suggested to Audrey that she wants to be a bigger part of the business. Audrey pooh-poohed the idea, but could her dismissiveness end up costing her dearly as Claudia – played by Rula Lenska – makes Maria an offer she can’t refuse? “Maria thinks it’s high time her hard work was recognised and appreciated,” reckons Samia Longchambon, who plays her. “She asks if she can buy into the salon. But Audrey won’t entertain the idea, and wants to keep it in the family.” It’s after cobbles minx Tracy slyly suggests Maria should set up her own business in…

The big 100! Veteran Corrie star William Roache (Ken) has revealed that he plans to stay on the cobbles until he’s 100! “I want to be the only centenarian still working in a soap. That’s what I intend to do,” confirmed the 86-year-old. New role Former Neighbours star Olympia Valance (Paige) has landed a role in new Aussie football drama Playing For Keeps. She’ll appear as Tahlia, the fiancée of the team’s captain, Connor – who’s played by ex-Home and Away actor Jackson Gallagher (Josh Barrett). A baby for Tori? Rumours from Summer Bay suggest that Tori will decide she wants a baby – and asks close pal Robbo to be the father! But how will Robbo react to her stunning proposition?…

The fact that Hugo has turned up in Erinsborough with no sign of his mum is highly suspicious. We’d put money on seeing Andrea again soon – but could the real Dee still be out there? “Toadie and Sonya have been trying to track down Andrea to get their money back – so there will be a lot more problems for them when she does resurface,” confirms Ryan. “I’m scared of what would happen if the real Dee turns up, though – it’s going to be a long time before I can joke around again!”…

Eva’s parenting abilities are called into question this week, after Johnny phones social services – and reports her for neglect! The custody battle for the youngster gets dirty when Johnny hears from Liz that Susie’s had an accident. He’s furious to hear that Aidan’s girl has been put in danger, and wastes no time in calling the professionals as he accuses Eva of being a bad mum… “Eva turns her back for a split second, and Susie rolls off the sofa – it could happen to anyone,” reckons our Weatherfield spy. “Poor Eva is absolutely horrified, and rushes her little girl straight to the medical centre to get her checked out. She does everything by the book, and luckily no serious harm has come to Susie.” Sadly for Eva, Liz…

“It would be brilliant if Corrie’s Bethany had a baby. It would make Audrey soap’s first ever great great grandmother (I think!)” …says reader Marcie from Penge “I’d like to see Brenda round up as many of Bob’s ex-wives as possible, to plan their ultimate revenge on him. A bit like the film The First Wives Club . The Bob’s Wives Club!” …suggests reader Michael from Kent “In Hollyoaks , it would be great if the Maalik dad wasn’t dead after all. Just when Sami’s plan is coming to fruition and he’s about to kill James for real… Guess who walks in!” …laughs reader Stephanie from Glasgow “ EastEnders really needs some cheering up. I think they…

Grieving Carmel comes up with a new project this week, in memory of her murdered son Shakil. When she notices a group of schoolkids hanging around on the street, Carmel realises that too many teens are in need of something constructive to do with their time. So she proposes the idea of a youth club, and sets about making it happen! However, Shakil’s mates – Bex, Keegan and Louise – realise that he would have hated the idea. Will they have the heart to tell Carmel, or let her carry on with her quest?…

FAIR CITY Emmet gives Alex and Melanie cause for concern this week, as his behaviour grows more hostile. What’s his issue? Meanwhile, Cristiano and Will navigate their ‘casual’ relationship, but a spanner is thrown into the works. Plus, Charlotte is intrigued by Jenny’s past… THE ARCHERS Pat is left disturbed this week, after Lilian reveals some shocking information – and the mistake spells huge trouble for Justin… Across Ambridge village, Anisha drops a bombshell on Rex, who’s left reeling – but what is it that she confesses? Finally, Lily and Freddie are at loggerheads again. River City is taking a two-week break during coverage of the World Cup, and will return to BBC One Scotland on Tuesday 3 July. See p93 for times & channel details…

TOP TOMBOY Emmerdale’s Liv was wearing a really cool white t-shirt with the word ‘Tomboy’ across the front. My sister would love it! Do you know where it’s from, please? Jules If you log on to www.etsy.com  and search ‘tomboy t-shirt’ a whole host of options will pop up. You can pick one up for as little as a tenner! DEADLY EX Fiz sympathising with Eileen in Corrie got me to thinking: how many people on the Street have been married to murderers? Kelly There’s certainly enough members for a Weatherfield Killers’ Wives Club! Eileen had Phelan of course, and Fiz was married to John Stape. Gail was famously married to Richard Hillman, and Carla survived her marriage to Tony Gordon. One other person on the Street with…

As long-time viewers of soaps, we’re used to watching ‘will-theywon’t-they?’ romances playing out on our screens. But the continuing saga between Ethan and Alicia in Casualty has rumbled on for so long that Inside Soap has almost destroyed the office telly by continually throwing stuff at it in frustration (tip: it’s better to throw cushions than remotes)! “That’s the trouble with these continuing dramas – as soon as you put two people together, there’s no conflict any more,” explains George Rainsford, who plays Ethan. “There’s never a straightforward way of making a relationship work! It has been really fun to play, though, and I do thoroughly enjoy working with Chelsea [Halfpenny, who plays Alicia].” As we settle in for a natter with…

Street fighters! CORRIE’S LUCY, TINA AND SAMIA MEET THEIR HEROES… They’re familiar faces on the cobbles, yet some of our Corrie favourites found themselves over in France – when they celebrated The Marvel Summer of Superheroes at Walt Disney Studios Park. Lucy Fallon (Bethany), Tina O’Brien (Sarah) and Samia Longchambon (Maria) joined some of Marvel’s most-loved characters in order to mark the 25th anniversary of the park’s opening. The celebration includes a season of epic events, shows and interactive experiences for fans – and the Weatherfield ladies were in full action mode as they posed alongside the likes of Captain America. And it seemed as though all Lucy’s dreams had come true when she puckered for a kiss with Spider-Man! Turn the page to see what else the…

“PEOPLE WILL ROOT FOR STATH BECAUSE HE’S A MUPPET” It ought to be statistically impossible to be bad at letting flats in London: it’s a city where demand outstrips supply, and no matter what ludicrous price you might be charging, there’s always someone willing to pay it. And yet here is Stath, the anti-hero of this new comedy, whose work for his family’s lettings agency in north London is so thoroughly shambolic that he can’t even be trusted to answer the phone… “He’s a shocker,” chuckles Jamie Demetriou, who created the series and plays Stath. “When you’re showing someone around a flat, it’s yours to lose, so you could just stay in silence. He just talks – he’ll point at a wall and tell…

PERHAPS IT’S A BIT UNFAIR to single out one member of an ensemble, but it has to be said: Isn’t Liza Tarbuck absolutely the best thing about this series of Taskmaster? From managing to complete a three-person team challenge by herself because she knew she had the right answer, to admitting that she didn’t give one task her all because she “had one of those cob-ons where I thought ‘well…why?’”, Liza’s approach to the show keeps us on the edge of our seats and is absolute comedy gold. If she doesn’t end up as series champion, we’ll be lodging a complaint with Ofcom.…

X CHANGE Long-serving judge Louis Walsh is leaving The X Factor, while Sharon Osbourne will only be a judge for the live episodes. Who will fill their seats for the auditions? Let the rumours begin... THE RIGHTS STUFF Comedian Joe Lycett will be helping out members of the public with their consumer issues in a new show Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back for Channel 4. In the six-part series he’ll be taking a humorous but very serious approach to fighting for justice for the British people. PLAYING POLITICS Sarah Lancashire has joined the cast of new BBC2 drama series MotherFatherSon. She’ll be playing Angela Howard, a former businesswoman who is now Leader of the Opposition in this eight-part drama about a family media empire.…

CASUALTY Connie Beauchamp......... Amanda Mealing Gemma Dean...................... Rebecca Ryan Iain Dean...................... Michael Stevenson Lisa ‘Duffy’ Duffin................ Cathy Shipton Charlie Fairhead.............. Derek Thompson Noel Garcia........................... Tony Marshall Elle Gardner.......................... Jaye Griffiths Ethan Hardy.................... George Rainsford David Hide................................ Jason Durr Jan Jennings............................ Di Botcher Dylan Keogh.......................... William Beck Bea Kinsella........................... Michelle Fox Jacob Masters....................... Charles Venn Rash Masum........................... Neet Mohan Eddie McAllister................... Joe Gaminara Robyn Miller................ Amanda Henderson Alicia Munroe................ Chelsea Halfpenny Sam Nicholls........................ Charlotte Salt Louise Tyler........................... Azuka Oforka CORONATION STREET Dev Alahan....................... Jimmi Harkishin Angie Appleton................. Victoria Ekanoye Jude Appleton..................... Paddy Wallace Adam Barlow...................... Sam Robertson Amy Barlow.......................... Elle Mulvaney Ken Barlow......................... William Roache Peter Barlow....................... Chris Gascoyne Simon Barlow.............................. Alex Bain Tracy Barlow............................... Kate Ford Leanne Battersby................... Jane Danson Toyah Battersby................... Georgia Taylor Chesney Brown......................... Sam Aston Mary Cole...................................…

DARK AND STORMY! She certainly had her moments as EastEnders’ ice queen Ronnie Mitchell, but Sam Womack has truly gone over to the dark side – revealing a new hair colour recently. And if you’ve been missing the actress on your screens since Ronnie’s wedding day drowning, fear not – she’s currently filming for her role in the new series of Silent Witness and was spotted shooting scenes in London alongside star Emilia Fox. OLD NEIGHBOURS A new Aussie soap has been announced, and it contains a couple of familiar faces! The Heights will tell the timely tale of residents in a social housing block and their relationship with the rapidly gentrifying community around them. Ex-Neighbours stars Saskia Hampele (Toadie’s cousin Georgia Brooks) and Dan Paris (Libby Kennedy’s ill-fated husband…

SHOW KEVIN AND KAREN DANCE TOUR 2018 Join Strictly Come Dancing pros Kevin and Karen Clifton as they hit the road with their second UK tour. Filled with sassy tunes, sparkling costumes and heart-pounding dance routines, this spectacular show promises to be even bigger and better than before! It runs till 29 July – for tickets and more information, visit www.kevinandkarenlive.com Win!  Text or write in book * to win or DVD any on this page bottom (*see details of the at page the ) DVD FIFTY SHADES FREED The trilogy based on EL James’ best-selling novels returns with the final chapter. Believing they’ve put their past behind them, newly weds Christian and Ana face new challenges that could jeopardise their happiness. Win!  For the chance to win a copy,…

BULLSEYE! The saga of baby Susie has so far been dominated by her real and fake mums Eva and Toyah. But this week, Peter Barlow found out the truth and star Chris Gascoyne really came up with the goods – portraying his character’s confusion, grief and anger. While we feel for Toyah, we couldn’t help but agree with Peter when he pointed out the true horror of what she’d done, raging: “You selfish bitch!” How does Weatherfield’s surly gang leader Tyler Jefferies instil fear and respect with a haircut like that? Mel sits at her desk like she’s just about to deliver the news headlines, then introduce Sharon with the weather in your area. Meanwhile, Sharon’s tan is something else. She’s almost purple. Where’s she been sunning herself? Death Valley?…