Table of contents for November 14, 2015 in Inside Soap UK

The soaps are full of thugs and ruffians of every stripe. But not everyone who is pushed to use violence can be considered the villain of the piece. Look at Corrie’s poor Leanne, for example, over the page. She has her hand raised to Simon, which would be unforgiveable if we hadn’t seen his drip-drip campaign of cruelty over the last few months. Will Leanne hit the boy she considers her son? Or will Simon finally see how his behaviour is affecting his mum? Meanwhile, down in Walford, ‘good’ and ‘bad’ are far more clear-cut. Dreadful Dean is circling his latest prey, and we can reveal that he’s going to try to do to Roxy what he once did to Linda (see p10). We pray that he won’t get away…

A MCQUEEN WEDDING WAS NEVER GOING TO BE PLAIN… No soap wedding is ever drama-free – but in spite of the chaos that follows, Kai had a great time filming his nuptials! “It was actually a really lovely day,” grins the star. “Reenie and Myra plan an outrageous Hawaiian-themed tropical wedding at the Dog, so Club Tropicana was playing – and everything was really bold, bright and colourful. “Zoe [Lucker, aka Reenie] looked gorgeous, but me just holding her hand and having a priest there was really bizarre!” adds Kai. “We’re both married in real life, so it was a bit weird having to do it all over again.”…

I’LL BE BACK! EastEnders has promised that we haven’t seen the last of wicked Gavin! Actor Paul Nicholas is currently starring in a play, but could be back in Walford before the year is out. “I’ve got my fist around the heart of EastEnders and I’m squeezing it!” he grins. SOPHIE’S OFF Young Sophie Webster is set to wave goodbye to Weatherfield! Brooke Vincent - who plays her - is taking an eight-week break from Corrie to play a pregnant woman on stage in Salford. We don’t know how or when Sophie will leave the cobbles, but the character is expected to return. BIG DRAMA! Hollyoaks boss Bryan Kirkwood has revealed that Nancy and Darren will take centre stage in a major plot next year. “We’ve got Nancy and Darren…

Ditzy Honey Mitchell won’t be winning a Nobel Prize for her intellectual ability any time soon – but the decision to bring her back to EastEnders is a smart move. Poor Billy’s love life has been in the doldrums since Honey walked out on their marriage seven years ago – so as the pair look set to rekindle their romance this week, we’ve got our fingers crossed for a reunion… “I’d love Billy and Honey to be a proper family again,” enthuses star Emma Barton, who made a brief return to the role last year after initially playing Honey from 2005 to 2008. “They’ve got two young children, and I think it’s important to show them working through their problems. It would be really sweet if they got married again!”…

WHILE ASHLEY swears Bob to secrecy, there’s someone else he’d consider confiding in… “Ashley wants to get all his ducks in a row before he reveals anything to anyone,” explains John. “While Bob is quite hostile with him about the fact he won’t tell Harriet, his friendship with his ex-wife Laurel remains extremely important to him. He doesn’t tell her anything yet, but he can imagine himself telling her. “He’s never stopped loving her since they divorced, and is more likely to confide in Laurel than Harriet,” continues the star. “The fact is they’ve been through an awful lot together, and it would only take the slightest twitch and he’d have her back in a heartbeat…”…

If you were admitted to Holby City hospital, which member of the team would you want to operate on you? …asks Marion from Birmingham Hanssen or Jac! You don’t want your surgeon to be all lovey-dovey and emotionally invested – you want them to be so coldly detached and brilliant that you know they’d be great. I’d love Serena to do it, but I’d worry that she’d be on the Shiraz and that her scalpel might slip! Who would be your dream celebrity guest star if time and budget were no problem? …asks Joe from South Shields I can never make up my mind between Kylie Minogue and Emma Thompson. If Hanssen ever left – and believe me when I say that I don’t want him to – I’d love…

It seems congratulations are in order for former cobbles bad boy Sean Ward, who passed his driving test recently. While cruel Callum Logan rots under Gail’s shagpile, the actor posed proudly with his certificate after having completed an intense five-day course. On Corrie, a lookalike stunt driver performed Callum’s driving scenes – but now Sean will be able to take the wheel himself on acting gigs!…

Almost making it to the Strictly Come Dancing final in 2010, Scott did himself proud on the dance floor – as did his screen brother Jake Wood (Max) last year. And it seems there’s a spot of healthy competition between the two former co-stars as a result… “Jake was amazing on Strictly – but he still didn’t beat me!” laughs Scott. “I wanted him to win it while he was still in the show, but after he was voted off, things were different! I even got heckled about it – someone shouted out, ‘You’re not as good a dancer as your brother!’. So I had to say to them, ‘Actually, if you check the statistics, you’ll find that I finished fourth and he was fifth…!’. “But…

1 SATURDAY Home JML MOOD MAGIC CANDLES This great new product from JML gives you ambient colour-changing candles without the flame, smoke or mess! Made with real wax, the candles have 12 colour settings to choose from and a useful timer control. This set is guaranteed to enhance the mood of any room! WIN! For the chance to win a set, tell us what Grace’s last name is in Hollyoaks: A) Brown, B) Black, or C) White. Text ISWIN1, a space, then A, B, or C and your name & address to 87080 (50p). Or see below for postal entries. 2 SUNDAY DVD DOWNTON ABBEY - SERIES SIX As the much-loved ITV drama reaches its final full series, the Crawleys are at the heart of one of the…

Simon’s cruel torment of his stepmum Leanne becomes too much to bear this week, and she snaps – raising her hand to hit him back! For weeks we’ve watched as Simon has lashed out at his mum, hitting her where it hurts both physically and emotionally. But he takes things a step too far by coldly telling her that he’s glad she can’t have any kids of her own, pushing Leanne to do the unthinkable… “Simon says things that he knows will hurt Leanne a lot,” explains Jane Danson, who plays the fraught mum. “He really hits a nerve and pushes all her buttons. When he’s throwing cruel insults at her about not having any more children, it all just becomes too much for her. He swings for her, and…

Vile Dean will subject another Walford woman to a horrific ordeal – when he tries to assault his girlfriend Roxy. A tabloid report has claimed that EastEnders bosses are working with the charity Rape Crisis on the storyline, which will take place in the build-up to Dean’s dramatic exit… “We’ve seen signs of Dean’s controlling behaviour towards Roxy, but the desperate measures he takes to maintain his power over her are frightening,” reveals our source. “Will Roxy regret defending him for so long if he succeeds with his wicked plot?” The news will come as no surprise to EastEnders viewers, who were frustrated that Dean escaped punishment for raping Linda last year. But could his behaviour towards Roxy become the catalyst that finally sparks his explosive farewell? “Ronnie is really…

LAURA HAS SWOTTED UP ON KERRY’S CONDITION… “I’ve been doing lots of my own research into diabetes,” explains the 32-year-old star. “But there’s the sad story of our very own Kitty McGeever, who played Lizzie Lakely. She had the same illness as Kerry and lost her sight as well. “I also have a cousin with diabetes,” continues Laura. “So I know about the kind of impact it can have on your lifestyle. You need to really watch yourself, and you have to stop indulging in all the things that are bad for you!”…

Slippery Vincent has certainly kept us on our toes since arriving in Walford, and like his wife Kim, we’re never quite sure what he’s up to! EastEnders fans were left guessing again when Vincent met with a mystery man at Walford East Tube station. We’ve no idea who the fella is, only that dodgy Vincent was conspiring with him about something – and that Ronnie Mitchell working at The Albert “wasn’t part of the plan”. So just what is Vincent playing at – and who might be set to suffer as a result?…

FAIR CITY All hell breaks loose in Carrigstown this week, when Flynn holds a number of the residents hostage! As his erratic behaviour spirals out of control, Flynn threatens to shoot every one of his captives. Will anybody survive the nightmare? Elsewhere, Heather spots trouble brewing in Farrah and Max’s relationship, while Damien attempts to patch things up with Caoimhe. RIVER CITY Lenny’s health continues to deteriorate this week, while his guilt over Zinnie’s death only intensifies. With the police sniffing around, and all else seemingly lost, Lenny resolves to leave Shieldinch forever… Also, it is Drew’s birthday – but the only present he desires is to find out the truth about his real father! And Eileen is looking to hire a new charity shop manager. THE ARCHERS Rob has…

WE OFTEN ask the stars of Casualty which of their cast mates would make the best doctor in real life – and Crystal’s name frequently comes up! She admits to being fascinated by the medical profession… “I’m ridiculously excited when I get a new medical storyline,” the actress tells us. “I’ve learned how to suture properly, just because I wanted to make it look real. And a couple of weeks ago, I had to learn how to do a complicated chest drain, because I didn’t want anyone pretending to be my hands on screen. “I’m always begging the producers to give me more heavy medical storylines – I just love playing with the fake blood!”…

DO CHANGE YOUR FIRST NAME! You’ve returned to your old stomping ground older and wiser – so you’re going to need a new name to reflect the more grown-up you. The cobbles’ Nicky Tilsley very sensibly dropped the ‘y’ on his return, while sister Sarah-Lou followed suit by becoming simply ‘Sarah’. Also, Walford’s Deano dropped the ‘o’ with the hope of commanding a new-found respect – but his despicable behaviour soon put paid to that. DO CHOOSE THE RIGHT MOMENT ! Timing is everything, as Walford’s Sharon will tell you, Honey. “Bet you never thought you’d see me again,” she cooed, as she was revealed to be the new landlady of the Queen Vic back in 2001. And the look on her former mother-in-law Peggy’s face said it all! In…

It’s the full ‘douze points’ from us for the stars of Coronation Street, as they gathered to celebrate 60 years of the Eurovision Song Contest in aid of Mood Swings charity. Enjoying the themed lunch and pictured looking spectacular were cast members Jennie McAlpine (Fiz), Ellie Leach (Faye) and Debbie Rush (Anna), plus former Corrie star Suranne Jones (Karen McDonald), who auctioned off an outfit from her latest show, Doctor Foster. You could easily mistake these four beauties for a new girl band - now there’s an idea that would guarantee a UK win at the next Eurovision!…

What do you make of Nico’s unique fashion sense? …asks Dolly, via email It’s very Wednesday Addams-centric at the moment! It’s fun dressing like that, though, because I used to wear the same when I was about 12 years old! So it’s like having a flashback. These days, I’d definitely need to inject a bit of colour before feeling comfortable enough to wear her outfits off set. What’s the most shocking thing Nico has done so far? …asks Ollie from Dundee The obvious answer would be killing Carly – but to be fair, when I read the script, it just seemed so accidental. I don’t feel that Nico is an out-and-out cold-blooded killer. To be honest, I found the aftermath more shocking – particularly when Nico lost her temper and…

HOLLYOAKS’ ELLIE Stripped back doesn’t have to be boring, as new kid on the block Sophie proves. Here’s how you can be on-trend and nail simplicity with some timeless buys… Give your little black dress a new season spin with this Missguided bargain. Be on the money by investing in this deluxe backpack. Add a fedora for edge and to really make a statement. Wear a white tailored blazer that your party season wardrobe will be thanking you for later. An A/W15 trend to tick off your lust list. No wonder Sophie’s snapped up a pair!…

WE WERE A LITTLE nervous about the second series of Fargo. The first one was so great, we worried that a follow-up would only disappoint. So far, though, we’re very happy with how this one is advancing. It’s a completely different story from the first series, focusing on small-town mob warfare in the late 1970s, among other things. But it still delivers brilliantly bleak comedy and drama, with ordinary people doing extraordinary things. And we’re loving Kirsten Dunst as Peggy Blomquist, a beautician with big dreams who is caught up in a murder.…

REPEAT PRESCRIPTION Hit BBC1 drama Doctor Foster is to return for a second series. Though Gemma (Suranne Jones) exposed her adulterous husband, Simon, writer Mike Bartlett promises us that her story is far from over… DARK MATTER BBC1 has ordered a new drama based on Philip Pullman’s bestselling trilogy of novels, His Dark Materials. We hope they have more success than the film series, which stalled after an adaptation of the first novel, The Golden Compass, starring Nicole Kidman. TOGETHER AGAIN BBC1 series Family Finders is returning for a second series. If you have recently discovered or been reunited with a lost family member, call 01273 224 804 or email familyfinders@ricochet.co.uk to share your tale.…

DADDY DEAREST! EastEnders’ Sharon has suffered some bombshells in her time, but finding out that wicked Gavin is her biological dad has to be the biggest of all! She was stunned – but you lot saw this plot coming… I suspected right from the start that Kathy’s husband Gavin would turn out to be Sharon’s dad! It was just too much of a coincidence that they happened to have the same name. The only shock for me was that nobody in Walford made the connection sooner. Nikki, via email Imagine finding out that someone as horrendous as Gavin is your dad – he makes Dirty Den look as saintly as Dot in comparison! I can’t believe that Sharon would want anything more to do with him, given all…

ARIES 21 MARCH - 20 APRIL  Your trusting nature may get you into a spot of bother this week. If something seems too good to be true, then it probably is - so take everything you hear with a pinch of salt and use your head! TAURUS 21 APRIL - 21 MAY  A stable home life is one thing many people aspire to, and it is certainly something you’ll be pursuing in earnest this week. Luckily, you won’t have to look too far afield for a solution… GEMINI 22 MAY - 21 JUNE  Make sure you have your wits about you this week, as there’s a major financial issue to solve. It isn’t much fun to have to stick to a budget but, for your own sanity, make an effort.…

EMMERDALE The time has come for Ms Bernice Blackstock to plight her troth to Mr Lawrence White – of Home Farm, Emmerdale – and we’re all invited! The only problem is: there are penguins trying to hatch eggs on the Antarctic tundra with feet less cold than Bernice’s. Can she marry just for comfort and cash? Or will she hold out for a man who can bring some heat to the marital bed? HOLLYOAKS Lindsey targets Cindy! HOME AND AWAY Marilyn’s past blast NEIGHBOURS The arsonist arrested? CORRIE WICKED IS AS WICKED DOES Tracy has had a personality transplant since she settled down with nice Robert. But next week, we see the return of the jealous, vengeful Tracy we love to hate! EASTENDERS BLADDERED AND BLOTTO Ever since Gavin left…

BULLSEYE! Emmerdale delivered a deliciously dark twist when Chas’ stalker turned out to be none other than, erm… Chas! From what we can tell, she’s been smashing up the Woolpack in her sleep and has absolutely no idea. So if you’re reading this, lady, do yourself a favour and lay off the cheese before bed… Dear Corrie. Can Eva have a storyline of her own before she turns blue in the face trying to muscle her way into Kylie’s? Thanks in anticipation, Inside Soap xx Oh yes. Ken’s still got it. The haunted house that Mary and Brendan visited in Corrie looked uncannily like the Dog In The Pond in Hollyoaks. They’d scare up a few ghosts there, no question! We hope we haven’t seen the last of…

Watching Simon torture his mum in such a cruel way has been quite harrowing. But Jane tells us that sadly this kind of abuse is more common than you think… “It’s an interesting issue to tackle – it happens a lot more often than people are aware of,” she reveals. “Many parents can relate to the teenage years being frustrating. Simon has been through a lot – but then he’s also going through puberty. “[Star] Alex Bain is brilliant, and his performance is so believable – it makes you realise Simon would behave this way given everything he’s had to endure.”…

Valerie has a lot on her mind this week, as she visits her own GP surgery with health concerns. Her colleagues put the receptionist’s melancholy mood down to her recent break-up from boyfriend Ashley. But it’s clear there’s something much more serious going on as her doctor refers her to a haematologist for further tests. She returns to The Mill, and in her highly emotional state, struggles to complete even the most basic of her work tasks. But will Valerie open up to her friends – or continue to struggle alone? Also this week… Jimmi considers returning to police surgeon work.…

Zak’s close bond with Joanie takes an awkward turn this week, after they join forces in encouraging Cain to become more involved with his son Kyle. The pair are pretty pleased with themselves after coercing Cain to finally spend more time with his boy – so they celebrate their good work by heading to a northern soul music night. But after Joanie jokes around and poses as Zak’s wife, the atmosphere darkens. Zak appears deeply offended by the pretense, and Joanie’s left mortified by his frosty attitude. What has prompted kindly Zak to react this way? Also this week… Bernice selflessly offers to sign a pre-nup for Lawrence, and Laurel tells Sandy she just needs to move on with her life, like Marlon has.…

VIEWERS WERE KEEN for Myra to return to the village, and bombarded Nicole with tweets asking when she’d be back. But given the awful events that have rocked the McQueen family this year, some wondered why Myra hadn’t ventured home a bit sooner… “After Phoebe was murdered, I got some phenomenal tweets,” reveals the actress. “People were saying, “Oh my God, where’s Myra? Phoebe has died!”. I felt really guilty about not being there… so maybe I should have come back for that one!”…

Kate receives a romantic birthday gift in the form of her fiancée this week, as Caz makes a surprise appearance on the cobbles while on leave from the Army. It’s the first time we meet soldier Caz, and it’s clear she’s smitten with Kate when she announces she wants them to set an April wedding date! But how keen is Kate on rushing into marriage? We grabbed Street co-stars Faye Brookes (Kate) and Rhea Bailey (Caz) for a gossip in the hope of finding out… How are you both settling into Coronation Street so far? Faye I love it here – everybody is so nice. It’s such a team effort at Corrie. Everyone pulls together to make this fantastic programme, and it’s great to be a…

It’s been a heart-stopping year for the doctors and nurses of the Holby wards, who have spent more time saving each other’s lives than they have the patients’! But we’ve had plenty of surprises to balance out the suspense, with fan favourites Henrik Hanssen and Oliver Valentine returning to their old hospital stomping ground. According to producer Simon Harper, there are more shocks to come as Holby gears up to mark sister show Casualty’s 30th birthday with a big crossover episode… What’s been your Holby highlight from the past year? I have two, the first of which was Hanssen’s return – that was something the audience was really hungry for. My other highlight is the relationship between Zosia…

Waves are having a mega revival this season, so keep yours in check with TRESemmé’s hairspray. Purses at the ready! Create killer waves with Superdrug’s super-cheap thermal rollers. Get your hands on V05’s Nourish My Shine shampoo and conditioner for a radiance boost. The clever clogs at BaByliss have answered our prayers for glossy locks with this Diamond Waves styling tool.…

“I’M TERRIBLY LUCKY. I GET TO VOTE FOR THE OSCARS, SO I AM SENT ALLTHE DVDS- THAT KEEPS ME BUSY!” Diana Rigg from You, Me And The Apocalypse on her spare-time viewing “I HAVE A HUGE PHOBIA OF BIRDS, AND I HAD TO RUN THROUGH A HUGE BUNCH OF BIRDS TODAY.” Ashley Walters faced his fears head-on while filming BBC1 police drama Cuffs “MY COSTUME WAS QUITE COMFORTABLE TO WEAR- IT WAS A BIT LIKE WEARING A MOTORCYCLE JACKET.” The Last Kingdom’s Alexander Dreymon was pleased not to have to don chainmail like his co-stars “WE’RE THERE TO STICK UP FOR THE CONTESTANTS -WE’RE ON THEIR SIDE ALL OF THE TIME!” The X Factor’s Caroline Flack on the duty she shares with Olly Murs in the live shows…

WHAT’S UP, DOC? I was watching EastEnders recently, and the doctor who treated Stacey after her electrocution looked familiar. Did she play Steve’s first wife Vicky in Coronation Street? Mac, via email You’re getting your old soap characters confused, Mac! The doctor was played by Emma Davies, who was Emmerdale’s Anna De Souza from 2008 to 2009. Anna’s dad, Donald, was married to Nicola – making Nicola her stepmother! ED CASE! After finding out that Alya had cheated on him, Corrie’s Gary went off to visit his dad. But I can’t remember who he was. Did we ever see him on screen? Michaela, London We certainly did. Gary’s dad, Eddie, arrived on the Street with the rest of his family. He was a lazy layabout who…