Table of contents for 10 - 2018 in Inside Soap UK

“Fiz still seems like the girl next door…” While other characters may come and go, their plots shining brightly but burning up quickly, some of our soap favourites more quietly act as the backbone of their respective shows – consistent and believable as people. But it doesn’t mean that those characters are boring or don’t get their fair share of the plots. Take Corrie’s Fiz, for example. She still seems like the girl next door, that neighbour or pal we all have – but let’s not forget that Fiz was married to a serial killer who she wed in jail, she gave birth after a tram crashed on to the Street, her daughter beat cancer, and she once even streaked on the roof of Underworld! Oh, and she was engaged…

Emmerdale viewers up and down the country wept with joy when Robert and Aaron finally got back together – and the great news is their reunion will be permanent! Stars Ryan Hawley and Danny Miller, who play the much-loved Dales couple, have confirmed that their characters will make a proper go of their romance this time round. However, whispers from the soap’s set suggest a character could soon arrive to stir up trouble for the pair… “We’ve been promised that there’s no more tears!” confirms Danny. “I reckon this is it for them, and all the high drama stuff is done. And I think a different side of them is being shown – this is the better side of life. They’ve got Liv there, they’ve got Seb to look after…

Sick note Corrie’s Bhavna Limbachia (Rana) is on the mend after being hospitalised with gastroenteritis. “We’re very lucky to have the NHS,” she said on Instagram. “Thank you to the doctors and nurses at Tameside Hospital for looking after me.” April’s here Neighbours fans are set to finally meet the mysterious Chloe Brennan – as model and actress April Rose Pengilly has been cast in the role. The 29-year-old star is the daughter of INXS guitarist Kirk Pengilly. Carr crash! Comic Alan Carr has filmed a cameo for an upcoming Hollyoaks episode. He was shooting a segment for his TV show Crufts Extra, and couldn’t resist popping up in the soap!…

“I wish I had an uncle like you when I was growing up. My uncle’s idea of playing with me was sending me down the shops for his fags.” Well, at least Gemma’s uncle recognised the importance of fresh air and exercise. “We’re going to break the internet. Our pretty faces will be viral by teatime.” In which case, Tiff, we suggest a dab of Zovirax as soon as the first blister appears. “You want a girlie chat? I’m the queen of girlie chat!” “Oh, I’m queen of that an’ all.” “Well… me and Kirky want to branch out in the bedroom.” “The thing about Louise… you’d never guess that her mum’s in the loony bin, her dad’s an ex-con and her gay brother knocked up her cousin, would ya?”…

“It would be a classic soap coincidence if the next child Mariam and Arshad foster in EastEnders is Denise and Phil’s son, Raymond! There would be fireworks – and we could revisit a story that was too quickly extinguished.” …suggests reader Mark from London “I’d like to see an Emmerdale plot where the Sharmas decide to put golden tickets in their chocolate bars, but print too many – so Rishi has to race round to stop everyone buying bars and bankrupting the company!” …chuckles reader Steven from Ayr “I hope Seb stays around in Corrie even after the Phelan story is over. I think actor Harry Visinoni is really cute. Can we see him more on the Street,…

FAIR CITY Kerri-Ann’s actions arouse suspicion in Decco this week, and he sets out to learn what she’s hiding. Will he discover her affair? Elsewhere, Cristiano and Will go out on a date, but it doesn’t get off to a good start. Plus, Wayne warns Orla not to interfere in Karen’s problems. RIVER CITY Lenny is hell-bent on seeking revenge this week, against the culprit who hurt Madonna. Who will he decide is responsible? Meanwhile, Stevie tells Scarlett that he’s the reason she’s behind bars. Also, Ellie and Kim decide to help Angus find love – with surprising results… THE ARCHERS Fallon is left feeling irritated this week, as Harrison becomes obsessed with his step count for Sport Relief. But before long, she finds herself being sucked into the cause…

Danny won the best Newcomer gong at this year’s National Television Awards, triumphing over fellow nominees Rob Mallard (Coronation Street’s Daniel), Ned Porteous (Emmerdale’s Joe) and Nathan Morris (Hollyoaks’ Milo). But six weeks after the glitzy ceremony at London’s O2 Arena, Danny remains determined to keep his trophy in mint condition… “I am actually quite scared to take my NTA award out of the box,” he tells Inside Soap. “I know it sounds sad, but the box is really posh and fancy. I love it! Obviously the trophy inside the box is 10 times better, but I’ve also got two dogs at home, so I don’t want them getting hold of it and biting it… or worse!”…

When Inside Soap catches up with actress Carli Norris, we’re spoiled for choice on what we should ask her first. The star is best known for her role as Belinda Slater in EastEnders, but was also a huge hit in Holby as troubled nurse Fran Reynolds. Carli has enjoyed regular parts in Hollyoaks and Doctors, too – and has a fashion label selling clothing from her vintage emporium, Chocodolly, in Colchester. Oh, and did we mention that she’s a mum-of-two, and is set to embark on a national theatre tour? “Some people do get confused and go, ‘Why is that woman from EastEnders working in a shop?’” laughs 43-year-old Carli, as she joins us while in rehearsals for the stage adaptation of Henry James’ classic ghost story Turn Of The…

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THE TRUE-CRIME ANTHOLOGY has delivered another cracker of a story in the wake of The People V OJ Simpson, exploring the complex story of serial killer Andrew Cunanan, who murdered fashion designer Gianni Versace on the steps of his Florida mansion in 1997. While we assume a fair amount of artistic licence went into the telling of this story, as a piece of TV drama it’s utterly compelling – and we’ve been absolutely wowed by ex-Glee star Darren Criss’ chilling performance in the role of Cunanan.…

SHAYNE WARD (Aidan Connor, Corrie ) OUT  Shayne has revealed that although he’s leaving Coronation Street, he plans to stick to acting rather than his music career. “That’s my priority,” he shares. “By the time I leave, I’ll have been here three years, but I’m excited for what comes after.” In the meantime, he’ll also be kept busy planning his wedding to former Hollyoaks star Sophie Austin (Lindsey Roscoe). Early summer JENNIFER METCALFE (Mercedes McQueen, Hollyoaks ) IN  After a year off on maternity leave looking after her first child Daye, Jennifer will be swapping motherhood for mischief as Mercedes returns to the village. “The idea of going back at the moment is exhausting – but I know I’ll be fine once I’m there,”…

BULLSEYE! It’s been another storming week for actress Lucy Fallon, as her character Bethany learned that it’s going to be more difficult to move on from Nathan’s abuse than she thought. And kudos to Corrie for going to the trouble of re-employing actor Chris Harper for just a single shot – bringing Bethany’s worst nightmare to life right before her eyes. We jumped too! It’s Eileen, having a wee! Thanks for that, Corrie. We must be grateful, at least, that you held off with the sound effects. (Which is more than EastEnders did with Ted at the urinal recently.) Rosie in full flush, set against the grim backdrop of Weatherfield, is like finding a flamingo on the dark side of the moon. Last week’s ‘Where’s David?’…

“Josh doesn’t see this as rape – he believes it’s consensual…” David faces a horrific ordeal this week, when his new best friend Josh spikes his drink and rapes him when he’s out cold. The nightmare begins as Josh manipulates David into joining him for a drink – and while on the surface the pair are having fun and a bit of a laugh, scheming Josh decides to lace David’s drink with drug GHB. He then takes David back to his place, with his victim barely conscious… “In Josh’s head, it isn’t sexual assault,” explains Ryan Clayton, who plays the Street’s new villain. “He doesn’t see it as rape – he thinks, ‘I’m sure that David will be up for it, and I might just slip something into his drink…

While Liv didn’t have an easy childhood, her move to the village should have set her up for a better life. But wayward Gabby’s influence hasn’t helped – and Isobel Steele, who plays Liv, reveals that this new drama will knock her for six. “Liv has more perspective than Gabby, who’s very immature,” shares the 17-year-old star. “Even though she’s young, Liv understands how things can go wrong, and how other people can suffer. She feels overwhelming guilt at what she’s done to Lisa. “That will affect her massively,” continues Isobel. “Lisa is a big part of Liv’s life, so this huge betrayal is hanging over her. It’s going to play on Liv’s mind, and she’ll really struggle – which will lead to her drinking more than usual…”…

Carla’s kidney transplant will give her a new lease of life this spring – when she embarks on a steamy romance with a younger fella! The former factory boss clearly has a penchant for the more youthful men on the cobbles, as she showed during her recent fling with Daniel. But now Coronation Street boss Kate Oates has confirmed that Carla is set to get saucy with a new toy boy, as she makes the most of her second chance at life. “They have great chemistry,” grins Kate of the new coupling. “But like most Weatherfield relationships, this one won’t be straightforward. Carla is very keen to keep it under wraps, and she knows that tongues will be wagging if word gets out – and one person in particular won’t…

Street fans were shocked recently, when vile Nathan popped up on their screens! Viewers only had a glimpse at his creepy smirk – but actor Chris Harper did return to the cobbles to film the one-off scene, where Bethany mistook a punter at the lap-dancing club for Nathan. “I’m on stage, rushed down at the interval to see this!” he tweeted on the night of his alter ego’s appearance. “Chiller!!!” Chris is on a UK tour of the play Strangers On A Train, alongside ex-Dales star John Middleton (Ashley Thomas) – so it’s unlikely he’ll return to Corrie for any more shock appearances. However, it’s clear from this pic the soap posted of him filming his cameo in the episode that he loved his time back in Weatherfield. At least…

CHAS’ BABY SHOCK As the Emmerdale landlady struggles to process the idea of a late-in-life pregnancy, would-be daddy Paddy is walking on eggshells. What’s to be done for the best? You have your views... It’s sad to hear that Chas’ reason for not going ahead with the pregnancy is that she thinks she has been a bad mum to Aaron. But what Aaron’s father did to him was not Chas’ fault! He’s grown up to be a fine young man since Aaron and Chas started living together in Emmerdale. | Mary, Chester It was good to see such a realistic situation in a soap, where two parents sit down and really try to figure out what an unplanned pregnancy might mean to them both, and to the future child. The…

FIRST IMPRESSIONS Gobby teen Fiz was a whirlwind who arrived on the doorstep of foster-parents Roy and Hayley Cropper. All big hair, tight clothes and serious attitude, Fiz made an impression on everyone – and managed to wangle a job at the factory thanks to her sewing skills. LOVE TRIANGLE Fiz stole Tyrone off Maria, and then took up with Kirk – and both men ended up smitten with her. After she and Kirk broke up, Tyrone tried to steal her back, and each of her paramours ended up proposing… Kirk by rapping The Real Slim Shady outside Fiz’s bedroom window! THE MOTHER SHIFT Fiz’s family crash-landed on the cobbles when her wicked mum Cilla took up with Les Battersby and brought young Chesney with her. The fractious relationship between…

“There are a million ex-cast mates I’d love to see back” “In 30 years on Home and Away , I haven’t had a single sick day, and I haven’t been late for work once,” declares actor Ray Meagher –aka Alf – as we ask him what advice he would give to young actors joining the soap in its 30th year on air. “I don’t see that as any great achievement, though, I just see that as part of the job. I try to lead by example – so I hope my work ethic rubs off on new people coming in.” Any fresh faces in Summer Bay would do well to take their lead from Ray. He’s been in the show since it first aired on Aussie screens…

“Seb is actually played by a little girl called Lily – and she’s utterly gorgeous!” beams the former Inbetweeners star. “I completely adore her – we all do. The minute she comes on set, no one’s talking to the adults any more, because we’re all talking to Lily. She’s so well behaved and so rarely cries – but when she does, she’s very easy to soothe. “She’s really smiley and inquisitive, and she looks at everything around her. I really enjoy my days working with Lily!”…

With various continuing drama roles under her belt – including playing Martha Kane in Hollyoaks and Anoushka Flynn in Doctors – we asked Carli which character she enjoyed portraying the most. “I really loved Fran in Holby,” decides the actress. “She was such a complex character, and I loved working with a smaller cast at a gentler pace. My particular storyline [in which Fran shared a damaged past with Jac and played a role in the death of nurse Jasmine Burrows] was really captivating and interesting for me as well. So for me, out of all of those roles, Fran was possibly my favourite.”…

Did you know from the start where this storyline was going? The story was given to me at the first audition, but I wasn’t told who it was with until I’d accepted the role. It gives it a whole other level once you know who it is happening to. Do you think it’s important that Corrie is tackling the issue of male rape? Yes, there was a recent BBC documentary about male rape, and in the first three minutes one of the guys said, “You don’t see or hear about male rape, it’s totally under-represented”. I thought, ‘Wow, there we go – this is a story that needs telling’. They are certainly powerful scenes. How were they to shoot? When we did the rape scene, it…

ADAM She already has two of the Barlows under her belt, so why not add another? Peter’s bound to be fuming if she beds his nephew! ALI Given Carla’s health issues, it would be handy to have a GP on tap! But we don’t think his mum Michelle would be impressed… ZEEDAN We know Zee likes the older woman as he’s already tried it on with Leanne! What would Yasmeen make of it all, though? JOSH Yes, he’s a vile rapist – but Josh is set to go to great lengths to cover his tracks. Imagine the drama if Carla found out what he’d done… GARY Being faithful isn’t Gary’s strong point, so might he break Sarah’s heart again by having a fling with Carla? We certainly hope not!…

Watch out Walford, there’s a new Slater in town – and she makes the rest of her clan look like choirgirls in comparison! Mysterious Hayley first rocked up on the Square last month, and wasted no time in targeting Martin – but viewers knew she was cooking up something when they heard her bad-mouthing him on the phone to an unknown associate. Now all has been revealed, as we’re aware Hayley is Stacey’s cousin – and they’ve been plotting to bring down Martin! It remains to be seen exactly how spirited Hayley fits into the Slater family tree, but she certainly appears to be no stranger to fighting dirty! And new EastEnders recruit Katie Jarvis, who plays the gobby mare, is delighted to be related to the infamous clan. “I…

“Stacey finds ashen Mo waiting on her doorstep” Big Mo Harris returns to her old stomping ground this week – but it’s far from a happy reunion with Stacey, as she delivers the devastating news that Kat is dead! “As you can imagine, her family are distraught,” laments our Walford insider. “But we viewers know that the clan are set for the shock of their lives when Kat eventually turns up alive and well. Of course she’s not a goner!” Square bosses announced last year that Jessie Wallace would be reprising the role of Kat – alongside Big Mo, Stacey’s mother Jean and a new member of the brood – as part of a huge Slater revival. Reports have since emerged in the press that Kat – who appeared to…

Nobody in Walford could believe it when Mel and Ian got together – she’d gone from bad boy Steve Owen to settling for a boring if hard-working single dad. Mel soon came to her senses and tried to put an end to the relationship – but Ian had an ace up his sleeve! Lying that his young daughter Lucy had cancer, Ian emotionally blackmailed Mel into staying with him. The pair set their wedding for New Year’s Eve 1999 – but despite them actually tying the knot, their marriage crumbled as the clock struck midnight and Mel found a letter revealing the truth about Lucy. The episode pulled in a whopping 20 million viewers and went down in EastEnders history. But given that their union was based on lies, would…

Susan has the birthday from hell this week – as she learns that Izzy may be pregnant with Karl’s baby! After weeks of arguing, Susan is delighted to hear that Karl is organising her a surprise birthday party. And to avoid any more drama, she even invites Izzy to the shindig – but it’s a move she lives to regret… The Kennedys are stunned as Clive reveals that Karl’s sperm sample has gone missing from the hospital – and it doesn’t take a genius to work out who’s taken it! Karl and Susan demand that Izzy hand the sample back, but are left further outraged after she admits it’s too late! There’s another shock when Elly discovers a positive pregnancy test that’s been dumped in her handbag – so could…

Nancy is forced to miss a romantic date with hubby Darren this week, after she suffers an MS attack. It’s clear that the Osbornes’ marriage is in trouble, so Nancy turns to Mandy for advice on how to spice things up in the bedroom – unaware that Mandy is sleeping with Darren! But when Darren later suggests a romantic meal for him and Nancy, his wife is touched that her other half is finally making an effort. After falling ill, though, Nancy is forced to stand Darren up. Will he forgive her when he realises what’s happened?…

“Keanu is the only one who realises how manipulative Mitch can be” Life can be tough when you’re part of the cash-strapped Taylor clan – but things are looking up for Keanu this week, as he starts his new job working for Phil as a mechanic. And EastEnders actor Danny Walters couldn’t be happier at seeing his character succeed… “It is a relief for Keanu to finally have some sort of stability,” the star tells us during a break from his busy filming schedule. “He’s got money coming in and is providing for his family, so this job makes him feel much more secure. I suppose Phil Mitchell could be quite scary as a boss! But Keanu got to know Phil better when they both got involved in Aidan’s heist,…

“Casualty is amazing because it reflects the NHS truthfully” Tongues have been wagging in Holby City ED over the past few weeks, as everyone tries to work out who’s behind the explosive Rage In Resus blog that’s been publicly blasting the department. Things come to a head this week, as Jac urges Ethan to figure out who the culprit is and make sure they’re punished. So how much longer can Alicia keep her secret? Actress Chelsea Halfpenny reckons her alter ego is feeling the pressure… “Alicia doubts she would be considered to be the culprit because of how close she is to Ethan,” explains the star. “Although the blog doesn’t personally attack him, it is attacking the ED and the people in power. The whole thing has taken on a…

It may be a landmark year for the Aussie soap, but Ray wasn’t aware the anniversary was looming until he was reminded of it by a very dear friend… “Kate Ritchie [aka Sally Fletcher] phoned me about a week before the anniversary date and said, ‘You know what’s coming up in a week?’, and I said, ‘No, what?’” chuckles Ray. “She told me it was the 30th anniversary of Home and Away, and said we had to go out to dinner. So we had our own little celebration, and it was a lovely night. “Kate is currently hosting a radio show in Sydney, and unbeknown to her, I got asked to go in to do an interview the following week,” adds the actor. “Everyone else at the station knew I…

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I loved The Night Manager and Poldark, but The Crown is the one that has really been doing it for me. Claire Foy and Matt Smith are incredible –I always feel like a fly on the wall watching the Queen and Philip. The Last Man On Earth is superb, I think it’s so funny. It’s set after a deadly virus has wiped out most of humanity – and I love that it’s not just dealing with the fact that they don’t have doctors if anyone gets ill, it’s the fact that they can walk into Cher’s house and try on all her costumes! It’s wacky and brilliant, but with a dark edge. I really enjoy MasterChef , especially MasterChef: The Professionals, and I…

DUTY OF CARE BBC1 medical drama Trust Me is to return – with a completely new cast! The first series starred Jodie Whittaker as a nurse using stolen credentials to pass as a doctor, but the new run will revolve around an injured Army veteran. FLESH DANCE Eight female celebs have signed up for ITV’s The Real Full Monty: Ladies’ Night to raise awareness of breast cancer. Emmerdale’s Sally Dexter (Faith) and broadcaster Victoria Derbyshire are among the stars daring to go bare. BI THE WAY Brendan Gleeson and Maxine Peake will appear in Channel 4’s new comedy-drama The Bisexual. Written by and starring Desiree Akhavan, it follows New Yorker Leila’s complicated dating life.…

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 Dylan Keogh............................ William Beck Bea Kinsella............................. Michelle Fox Jacob Masters......................... Charles Venn Rash Masum............................. Neet Mohan Robyn Miller.................. Amanda Henderson Alicia Munroe.................. Chelsea Halfpenny Sam Nicholls........................... Charlotte Salt Louise Tyler............................. Azuka Oforka CORONATION STREET Dev Alahan....................... Jimmi Harkishin Asha Alahan......................... Tanisha Gorey Angie Appleton................. Victoria Ekanoye Jude Appleton..................... Paddy Wallace Izzy Armstrong................ Cherylee Houston 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...................................…

STRICTLY DANCING! Ex-EastEnders star Jonny Labey (Paul Coker) will be setting the dance floor alight in the new West End stage production of the classic Aussie film Strictly Ballroom. Jonny, who took part in ITV dance show Dance Dance Dance last year, will play the lead role in the show – which stars Will Young and opens next month. PARKING FINE! Riley Carter Millington (who played Kyle Slater in EastEnders) and former Hollyoaks star Alfie Browne-Sykes (Jason Roscoe) had to face the cold reality of life after soap recently. When a fire evacuation interrupted their play Birdsong, the cast performed the end of the World War One drama in the car park outside! TA-TA, TAMWAR! His screen dad Masood may be back in Walford, but actor Himesh Patel reveals that…