Table of contents for 1 - 2018 in Inside Soap UK

It’s a brand-new soap year – 12 whole months of fresh plots and shocks. And as is traditional here at Inside Soap, we have an action-packed preview of what’s to come in 2018. In fact, there’s so much blooming gossip to reveal that we have to split it over two weeks. So enjoy our massive Corrie, Hollyoaks and Aussie preview this issue, but come back next issue to see what the other soaps have in store for 2018. And the new year is certainly starting with a bang, judging by this week’s action. We have Mel Owen returning to Walford after 16 years away – how will ex-hubby Ian and former fling Phil react to that blast from the past? Meanwhile, there’s major wedding drama in Corrie, as Ches and…

The Maaliks face death head-on this week, as they’re caught up in a horrifying collision! The clan are on their way home from a family cricket match when Misbah crashes the car, spinning out of control in a tunnel. And they barely have time to catch their breath before they realise a lorry is bearing down on them… “The crash episodes look amazing,” grins Harvey Virdi, who plays Maalik matriarch Misbah. “We actually did the stunt in the tunnel – there were chains on the end of the car, and cameras just outside of the windscreen. Then the car was spun around with us inside – we were doing that all night!” The stars may have been thrilled to film such an exciting stunt, but the only emotion their characters…

Sheer horror washes over Eileen this week, after she learns about the gun that Phelan has stashed inside his toolbox! Following his nail-biting showdown with Luke, Phelan’s killer secrets begin to unravel as it dawns on Seb just what his boss is really capable of. The lad is so terrified that he makes plans to escape Weatherfield – but not before warning Eileen that she is married to a monster… “Eileen has stood by her fella through thick and thin, yet the evidence stacked against him is too strong to ignore any more,” explains our cobbles insider. “She had put Anna’s accusations down to the fact that she must be barking mad, but after Seb turns on Phelan as well, Eileen starts to wonder if there’s some truth in it.”…

The Barton boys may be feeling baffled by Moira’s behaviour this week, but actor Michael Parr – who plays Ross – has revealed that the shocking truth about Emma’s murder is set to come out imminently! “In the coming weeks, you’ll see Ross find out that Moira did it,” shares the actor. “What does Ross do then? It’s possible we may have another murder on our hands!” Although Ross was not the one who pushed his troubled mother to her death, he’s not entirely innocent given that he led her to the viaduct in the first place. And with both Ross and his brother Pete wracked with guilt over Emma’s demise, we predict massive repercussions once the lads discover that their Auntie Moira is the killer! So with this in…

Fed-up Gemma shocks boyfriend Henry by calling time on their relationship this week – after realising that she’s dating a massive snob! Having invited Henry as her plus-one to Chesney and Sinead’s wedding, Gemma is excited at the prospect of attending the romantic event with her dream man on her arm. But her happiness is short-lived when posh Henry starts looking down his nose from the off, and Gemma realises that he thinks he’s better than her and her pals. Given the circles he usually moves in, Henry thinks Ches and Sinead’s wedding is a very downmarket affair. To pass the time, he starts making sarcastic comments about everything, and Gemma is horrified to realise that he’s so shallow. Although in the past she’s questioned whether she’s good enough for…

DON’T I KNOW YOU? The actress who plays Mark Gibbs’ wife Jenna in Hollyoaks has a familiar face. Might I have seen her in something else? Isaac Actress Laura Hopper played Kayleigh Jackson in Doctors from 2016 to 2017 – and you may also remember her from an episode of Army drama Our Girl back in 2014. PRISON BREAK Fiz and Tyrone both thought Kirsty Soames might be to blame for setting their trampoline on fire, but later learned she was abroad. I assumed she’d still be in jail after what she did to Tyrone. When was she released? Gary, Knebworth Kirsty went to prison in 2013 after admitting that she’d been physically abusing Tyrone. However, she was released a year later.…

The new girl Mel Healy arrived in Walford in 1998 to join her vicar brother Alex, having travelled round the Greek islands in the wake of an abusive relationship and bankrupt business. Beale bother Reluctant Mel married Ian Beale on New Year’s Eve 1999, having been pressured into following through with the nuptials by Ian’s claim that his daughter Lucy had cancer. But after discovering his shocking lie during the reception, Mel ditched him. Drunken betrayal Mel was then drawn to handsome E20 nightclub boss Steve Owen, and their relationship quickly turned serious. She accepted Steve’s proposal – but in a drunken moment of madness on Christmas Day 2000, Mel fell into bed with her mate Lisa’s boyfriend, Phil. Shotgun wedding Steve was furious about Mel’s dalliance with his loathed…

The Maaliks have had a tough time of it in the past 12 months – and the family will suffer further trauma in 2018, when Imran begins to physically and emotionally abuse his own mother, Misbah! The tormented teen has secretly felt sidelined by his siblings for many years, but after Misbah makes a shocking choice that convinces Imran he really is inferior to the rest of the Maaliks, he takes his resentment out on his mum in horrifying fashion. Imran’s brutal behaviour leaves poor Misbah torn between protecting herself and safeguarding Imran and her other children – all while maintaining her job at the hospital! Can she hold the family together?…

The legalisation of same-sex marriage Down Under could be good news for one couple – while another may be hearing the patter of tiny feet! “I’m particularly thrilled that we’ll soon have the option of celebrating all relationships in our community,” grins Jason. “But that’s not to say David and Aaron will make it to the altar – we also believe in equality when putting challenges and hurdles in front of our characters! And a new baby is not out of the question for the coming year…”…

CORRIE’S BETHANY & RANA ’Tis the season to be sparkly, so party into 2018 like Lucy and Bhavna in these sequinned stunners...…

The idyllic life of London GP Mona Harcourt is dealt a serious blow at the beginning of this six-part thriller – on the same day that a terrorist attack brings London to a standstill, she learns that her brother Kareem, who runs a charity clinic in Lahore, has been abducted on his way back to the UK. Worse still, she discovers that Kareem’s teenage son Danny has been missing from university for six weeks – and the police are interested in his whereabouts… “This incident throws her family into turmoil, and puts an immense strain on all her relationships,” reveals Archie Panjabi, who plays Mona. “Over the course of six episodes, we get to see the test of how strong those relationships are.” “It’s a very difficult subject to come…

The Maaliks aren’t the only family caught up in the catastrophe – Diane and Tony are also on the scene after Diane makes the hard decision to leave her husband… “Diane is done with Tony by that point,” shares Alex Fletcher, who plays her. “She needs a break from him, because nothing that comes out of his mouth is the truth any more. It’s tough because they have the kids and a life together – but Diane believes it’s the right thing.” Having found out that Tony’s son Harry killed Amy, you can’t blame Diane for packing her bags! Tony agrees to drive her to stay with her sister – and they’re embroiled in the devastating events in the tunnel. “I was genuinely frightened when we filmed it,” admits Alex.…

As the net closes in on Phelan, his battles with Andy and Luke could come back to haunt him if Steph Britton returns. Rumour has it that star Tisha Merry, who played her, is reprising the role – throwing a spanner in the works for Pat. Steph was last seen jetting off abroad under the assumption boyfriend Andy had dumped her, when actually he’d been taken hostage and later killed by Phelan. If she begins snooping around, will Steph find out about Andy’s murder and what went on between Pat and her brother, Luke? Or will she be next on Phelan’s hit list?…

Dylan’s drinking spirals out of control this week – after he gets so sozzled that he forgets to turn up for work! Following an irate call from Charlie, Dylan realises that he’s meant to be on shift – and he’s forced to cover his tracks as he assures his colleague that he’s on the way in. But when he jumps behind the wheel while still intoxicated, Dylan finds himself in big trouble after he almost runs over an old lady and her runaway sausage dog! Will he end up on the wrong side of the law when the police arrive?…

FAIR CITY Caoimhe’s search for Saoirse grows more desperate this week, as Damien panics that he’s out of his depth. Elsewhere, Debbie and co stage an intervention for Emmet. But how will he react as they take action? Also, Robbie threatens to tell Laura about Dan’s crime. RIVER CITY Alex is faced with an impossible choice this week, as Rick says he will kill Frankie if Lenny isn’t brought to him. Meanwhile, Maggie’s op is scheduled, but disaster strikes when her donor, John, goes AWOL! Can Caitlin and Ellie find him? Also, Danny is caught up in a messy love triangle. THE ARCHERS David and Ruth’s concerns for Pip mount this week, and Ruth is left to ask a sensitive question. Elsewhere, Roy is worried that Lexi is being exploited,…

“Is your own style anything like Faye’s?” Life is dramatic for teen tearaway Faye – and as the Street’s Ellie, 16, answers your questions, she tells us why she’s glad she’s nothing like her alter ego… “Who or what inspired you to get into acting?” It was my mum. I wasn’t very confident as a little kid, so Mum put me into drama school to help build my confidence up a bit. I really enjoyed it and carried on doing it until I realised, ‘This is something I want to do with my life’. It wasn’t as if I’d told Mum I wanted to act when I was little –it just turned out to be the thing I wanted to do. “Are you anything like Faye in real life?” Definitely…

Gary is to be left beaten and bloodied in a violent assault – with actor Mikey North spotted filming the brutal scenes that show his alter ego slumped in the street. “This isn’t some scuffle that Gary’s had – he’s been given a real pasting,” notes our spy. “He’s a soldier, so whoever gets the better of him must be very nasty.” The police are called, and special officer Craig is first on the scene – but will he catch the villain responsible?…

Ladies of Ramsay Street, lock up your husbands – Izzy Hoyland is returning to town! The home wrecker is set to make a shock comeback to her old stomping ground during an hour-long special in February – and Neighbours head honcho Jason Herbison promises us that she’ll be bringing with her bucketloads of drama… “Izzy’s return will be explosive for Karl and Susan,” teases the show’s executive producer. “It’s a roller-coaster ride from the get-go, and I think viewers will love it. We had a lot of fun plotting her arrival scene – she certainly makes a memorable entrance. I’ve been on the edge of my seat in the edit room – and I already know what happens!” There’s no word yet on whether Izzy will be bringing…

With drama and despair aplenty in Emmerdale, it’s nice to see that the show’s stars are much happier on the other side of the camera. Attending the Christmas With The Stars event for blood cancer charity Bloodwise at the Royal Albert Hall, Chris Chittell (aka Pollard) and wife Lesley Dunlop (aka Brenda) looked superglam in their fancy attire. Another Dales duo were spotted looking casual but classy – as Charley Webb (aka Debbie) and partner Matthew Wolfenden (who plays David) made a visit to The Lowry in Manchester to see the festive Elf The Musical.…

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With the future of the White family hanging in the balance, Robert still has baby Seb close – for now, at least. It remains to be seen whether he can keep custody of his son in the wake of this shocking incident, with Rebecca determined that Seb will grow up on the other side of the world without even knowing that Robert existed. But would Robert really be that bad a father? After he endured a long, dark night of the soul on Christmas Day, would now not have been a good time for Rebecca to reassess his parental capabilities, before running away? Of course, Robert didn’t enjoy a perfect childhood himself – having lost his mother while a baby, then his adoptive mother. He also endured a strained relationship…

We were thrilled when it was announced that star Maisie Smith was returning to EastEnders, considering what a big hit she was first time round! Her comeback also gives us an excuse to dig out this adorable picture from 2011, when Maisie scooped the Inside Soap Award for Best Young Actor. We have high hopes that Tiff will have as much of an impact now as she did back then – if Whitney has the patience to put up with her!…

ZAINAB Telly life… The last we heard of Zainab, she was living in Pakistan. Real life… Actress Nina Wadia revealed earlier this year that she’d been asked back to the show, but had declined in favour of filming an American comedy pilot. TAMWAR Telly life… Tamwar is currently travelling the world with girlfriend Nancy Carter. Real life… Actor Himesh Patel plays Nitin in the Channel 4 sitcom Damned – and with a second run on the way, he may be too busy for EastEnders right now. SYED Telly life… Syed is living happily with his husband Christian in Birmingham. Real life… Actor Marc Elliott was recently on our screens as abusive Isaac Mayfield in Holby City. But last time Inside Soap spoke to him,…

YOUR BEST BITS OF 2017! Now I’ve recovered from all the soapie Christmas drama, I’ve been taking some time to reflect on the past 12 months – and what a year it’s been! From brutal murders to gripping revenge plots – with plenty of much-needed comedy in between – it’s certainly been one to remember. And I’ve enjoyed reading about all of your favourite moments… TAYLOR MADE! My favourite character this year was EastEnders’ Karen Taylor. She can be reckless, but she also loves her kids and is hilarious! Karen has a heart of gold, and I like her cheerful attitude and one-liners when she people-watches from outside her house. Manisa, Harrow I loved watching Eva’s revenge plan in Coronation Street, and my highlight is when she targeted Maria at…

“Don’t mind me, I’m just finishing off my grocery shopping!” Tamzin Outhwaite is waiting patiently for us as Inside Soap arrives at the EastEnders set for the low-down on Mel Owen’s highly anticipated return to the Square. With a pile of scripts and a coffee in front of her – not to mention that online shop to sign off – it’s clear that Mel’s Walford homecoming is keeping Tamzin super-busy already. But as she chats away, the smile on her face says it all – she’s as excited as we are that Mel is back in town… It’s great to have you back on the Square, Tamzin! How easy was the decision to return? Well, I always think that when you get…

The trust is gone – Bob will need to fight hard to get it back! We’ll hold up our hands and admit that Laurel sleeping with Bob almost trumped the revelation that Moira killed Emma Barton – what a shocker! But we accept that the world of soap moves in mysterious ways, and now Bob and Laurel must face up to the consequences of their illicit night together... “Bob feels very guilty indeed about cheating with Laurel,” insists actor Tony Audenshaw, who plays him. “It was one of those things that just happened, and he didn’t think things through. Well actually, he didn’t think he’d get caught!” The big shock for Bob’s missus Brenda is yet to come, though, as she still doesn’t know that Laurel was the woman whom…

Judging by our sneaky snaps, there is still plenty of drama in store for Eva before she leaves the cobbles! Our pictures show her and Toyah visiting a pregnancy clinic – but which of the ladies is set to receive the mother of all shocks? “Toyah is desperate for a baby, so it would be an absolute miracle if it turns out that she is expecting,” insists our Weatherfield mole. “But for Eva, who has been to bed with both Aidan and Adam in the past couple of months, the news might not go down so well!” It was Eva’s pregnancy lie that blew apart her relationship with Aidan, after he discovered that she had faked the whole thing to get back at him for cheating with Maria. Meanwhile, Toyah’s…

Hi, Nicola! What does the new year have in store for your character? Let’s just say the net is closing in on Phelan, and Gary and Nicola join forces to figure out what he’s hiding! Our own little Coronation Street crime drama is beginning to unfold, and Nicola means business. Meanwhile, her baby bump is getting bigger and bigger… How do you think Nicola will react if she learns that her dad is a killer? If anyone found out the true extent of what Phelan has been up to, I think they would run a mile – but not Nicola. There are other people involved, and Nicola will stand up for what is right and do anything it takes to finally bring her father to justice – even if she’s…

FEEL PECKISH? Tony teams up with Darren and Luke – as the trio decide to go into business together and buy Nightingales from Marnie! How will the old friends fare when working side by side? LOMAXED OUT! Tensions run high between Leela and Peri as the rows between them grow ever more fierce. As mother and daughter go head-to-head, could Leela force Peri out of the Lomax clan? ALONE NO MORE Simone has been adjusting to life without Louis – but her situation could change when she shares an unexpected romantic spark with a villager! Could new love be on the horizon for the singleton?…

He’s currently playing happy families with Leo, David and Amy in the penthouse, but Paul’s cosy set-up is about to come tumbling down around him – as a stranger brings up some memories he’d rather forget… “Paul has a colourful past, and there are some interesting chapters that remain largely unexplored,” Jason tells us. “It’s a gold mine for storytelling. Paul will be challenged by the arrival of a person who has a cross to bear, and Paul will be forced to revisit a period he thought was long forgotten. “Also, one of our all-time favourite characters from Neighbours’ 80s period is returning,” adds the producer. “That will be a thrill for our long-time fans – and probably quite bemusing and fun for our newer viewers!”…

She’s notorious for her leopard print and red lippy as Kat Moon, but actress Jessie Wallace is showcasing a different look as she treads the boards this Christmas! Dressed in a black cloak and adorned with red feathers and two statement devil horns, the EastEnders legend is currently starring as the Wicked Queen in Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs at Churchill Theatre in Bromley. In spite of her boo-hiss alter ego, we still think Jessie is the fairest in the land! Meanwhile, her former co-star Adam Woodyatt (Ian) has taken to the stage as Peter Pan’s dastardly Captain Hook at the Wyvern Theatre in Swindon. He looks rather fetching in that curly wig – and the hook would come in useful for scrambling a few eggs in the café……

These two Walford wonders were ruffling more than just feathers recently – as they donned a pair of outfits that had ruffles and waves for days! While EastEnders’ Whitney can usually be found sporting some hoop earrings and heavy make-up, it was a treat to see her real-life alter ego Shona McGarty in a dress that oozes elegance and style! She was joined by her eternally glamorous former co-star Dame Barbara Windsor, aka Peggy Mitchell, at the Christmas With The Stars charity event held in London.…

“I WAS RELIEVED TOHAVE THE DOG THERE– HE WAS LOVELY” When experienced and dedicated social worker Miriam makes plans for Kiri – a young black girl in her care who’s soon to be adopted by her white foster parents – to have an unsupervised visit with her biological grandparents, she firmly believes she has Kiri’s best interests at heart. However, Miriam soon finds herself plunged into a crisis when she learns that Kiri has disappeared during the visit – and may have been taken by her father, who is not supposed to have any contact with her… “I think Miriam is guided very much by her intuition,” reveals Sarah Lancashire, who plays her in the drama. “She has a huge heart, but of course…

It’s a mega-talent weekend on ITV, as The Voice UK is also back for its second series since hopping across from the BBC. Coaches will.i.am, Sir Tom Jones and Jennifer Hudson all return for another go, and they’re joined this year by rookie Olly Murs – who we chatted to during a break in filming… “The chair comes with a lot of responsibility – I feel like I’m in Game Of Thrones!” he chuckles. “I’ve got the dreams of the contestants in the palm of my hand – I’ve never been in that position before.” Despite the initial nerves, Olly reckons he quickly started enjoying the blind auditions, and he feels that Team Olly is going to have a really eclectic quality. “I’ve got quite a…

The final two-parter of last year’s Silent Witness made us fear that it might be over for Nikki Alexander, when she was buried alive in Mexico. Nikki managed to survive – but has the experience changed her? “Whereas the episodes are usually independent of each other, we couldn’t ignore that it was such a massive way to end the last series,” confirms Emilia Fox, who plays her. “So that has continued into this series, with the after-effects on Nikki and the other characters – importantly, between Jack and Nikki – and how the team regroup with each other. That runs alongside the story which opens this series.” However, while the things that happened to her in Mexico will continue to weigh heavily on Nikki, Emilia hints that there are better…

CORONATION STREET  accidentally got engaged over a kebab. Corrie struck gold with this pairing – and with Tracy now back in the mix, there’s surely more comedy gold to come! Most OMG! moment The double murder of Andy and Vinny. Some claimed it was too brutal – but we thought it a bold and brilliant plot twist. What went wrong? Eva’s revenge on Aidan proved a damp squib. Why turn her into the villain of the piece? Our dream for 2018 We’re ready for cool and collected Nicola to show her ‘Phelan’ side. It’s way past time Corrie had a new female supervillain! HOLLYOAKS Fave characters We love anything actress Anna Passey does – and her alter ego Sienna’s cancer ordeal and pain over losing baby Sophie felt heartbreakingly real.…