Table of contents for 49 - 2018 in Inside Soap UK

Ooh, I do love a good soap twist, so I really do have to commend EastEnders on holding its nerve with the Stuart/Linda/ Mick storyline. “Ooh, I do love a good soap twist!” As soon as Linda started saying Mick was guilty, before cutting ties with him all those weeks ago, I thought ‘Nah, she’s making this up, it’s all a big plan to win Stuart’s trust. She’d never do this to Mick’. But while time went on and the plot continued, I slowly became convinced that Linda actually had lost faith in her husband. As star Kellie Bright tells us in our chat on p40, she “had no idea Linda was such a good actress!” Well, the plot reaches crunch point with a two-hander episode this week, when we’ll…

SISTER IN FLAW! Daz hadn’t been in the village for long when he found himself kissing Kerry – his brother Dan’s girlfriend. Soon, all hell broke loose and it looked as if it might be all over for the siblings when the truth was finally revealed. HAIRCUT HORROR! After Daz confessed to a drunken mistake with a fella, confused Bernice thought he meant that he’d had a one-night stand with a man! The truth was that Daz had let a barber run wild with the hair-colouring while drunk! BOOZE BLACKMAIL Determined to win over girlfriend Bernice’s stroppy daughter Gabby, Daz let her blackmail him into keeping quiet about her drinking – even turning a blind eye to Gabby’s vodka-laced coke in return for her bigging him up to Bernice! FLEECING…

It’s far from ice cream weather now – but that hasn’t stopped Corrie’s cast and crew from decamping to Blackpool to be beside the seaside! Stars Patti Clare and David Neilson, who play Mary and Roy, were spotted filming on the promenade for scenes that are reported to be part of Mary’s hunt for her missing son, Jude. Does the fact that his anxious mother purchases three 99s suggest she will finally manage to locate him? “It’s looking promising, as surely Mary won’t go all the way to Blackpool for nothing,” moots our cobbles spy. “The poor woman went through hell and back with Angie identifying a body that thankfully didn’t turn out to be Jude, so her luck has to change at some point, right?”…

We’re intrigued about what’s going on between Dawn and Harriet… Me too! I’m really pleased we’re exploring Dawn’s history. She came in as a part of Ross’ acid attack story, but clearly has a lot of problems. Her heart is in the right place, though, and it’s very important that we see why this vulnerable woman is where she is today. Harriet is probably the last person viewers would expect Dawn to be linked to, isn’t she? Yes – Harriet makes out that she doesn’t know Dawn, but there’s some real history between them. There are some shocking revelations to come, and some great twists… Are you enjoying playing Dawn so far? I am. She’s feisty and complicated, which is challenging as an actor. It’s not always pretty – I…

Suspicious Jenny thinks that Liz is still messing around with her husband Johnny this week – and even after she finds out that the barmaid is actually meeting her former love Mike, she continues with a plan for some playful revenge! When Liz asks Jenny if she can slip off for an hour during a quiet period, the Rovers landlady agrees, yet instantly smells a rat. Fearing that her love rival is off for another liaison with Johnny, Jenny trails Liz using a tracker app, to find out what she’s really up to. But Jenny’s investigation surprisingly takes her all the way to the cab office… “Jenny is filled with relief as she realises that Liz is on a secret date with Mike, and not Johnny!” laughs our Corrie spy.…

Jane tries her hardest to heal the rifts in Paul’s family this week, though her efforts don’t quite have the outcome she planned! Having been called back to Erinsborough by Leo and Amy in the hope of galvanising their father, kindly Jane invites the extended clan to come together for a catch-up lunch. But things start to go wrong, after Gary, Amy and David drop out at the last minute, leaving Paul with just Terese and Leo – who then leaves early! Far from lifting Paul’s spirits, the lunch only serves to make him feel more downhearted. Jane realises she’s overstepped the mark, and blames herself for believing that Paul’s broken family relationships could be mended so easily. Even after Jane apologises, Paul keeps her at arm’s length, leaving her…

There’s disharmony among the Walford Warblers this week, as Jean beats competition from Honey and Kim to perform the solo for the choir’s Christmas concert! Ian is delighted for his fellow choir member – although not everyone is quite as pleased that Jean will have her moment in the spotlight. Jealous Kim concocts a plan to steal the solo back from Jean, but her scheme backfires, and instead Jean wins extra respect from choir mistress Morag. However, Morag is far less impressed by the rest of the choir’s efforts in their rehearsal. With Christmas just a few weeks away, and time running out for the singers to be pitch perfect, Morag snaps and scolds the wobbling warblers. In a final act of desperation, she even tells tuneless Karen that she’s…

SALLY’S JAILHOUSE SHOCK! Well, that’s one plot twist I didn’t see coming – Corrie’s Sal actually being found guilty of fraud, when we all know she’s innocent! The worst thing is that her family is now starting to doubt her… The moment that Sally was found guilty and then dragged away back to jail was utterly devastating to watch. Actress Sally Dynevor played those scenes so well – you could see the agony in Sal’s eyes as she realised that vile Duncan had won. Let’s just hope justice prevails soon. | Gordon It’s one thing for the jury to find Sally guilty when she did nothing wrong, but I’m so disappointed in Tim for believing Duncan’s lies. He knows Sal better than anyone, so he should realise that she would…

1 Post-natal depression Claire tried to return baby Thomas to hospital, saying he’d been switched at birth. She was later sectioned for pushing his pram into the road. 2 Terrible Tracy Tracy conned Claire into testifying for her when she stood trial for Charlie’s murder, but the evidence was questioned after the issue of Claire’s mental health was raised. 3 A woman scorned Claire bonded with bereaved mother Casey Carswell – but when Casey had an affair with Ashley, it transpired she’d set fire to the Peacocks’ home! 4 Life and death Claire and the kids escaped after their house collapsed in the tram crash, but Ashley died in the wreckage of the Joinery bar, having bravely saved Peter Barlow’s life. 5 Attempted murder When Tracy was released from prison,…

“I’ve heard you like to travel. Where’s the nicest place you’ve been?” …asks reader Wendy Bisson from Brighton I’ve been to so many amazing places. The last trip I made was round the US for nine weeks – I started in Texas and went through Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and California. That was great! Next up for me is India, and up through Nepal into the Himalayas. It’ll be a good month-long vacation, so I’ll need to get the time off first! We’ll have to see. Every week, we put your questions to a star of the soaps. Look out for requests on our Facebook page, or email your questions to youask@insidesoap.co.uk, putting the actor’s name in the subject line. Our favourite question each week will win a…

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FULL CREDIT TO THE FAMILY of Ruth Wilson for allowing the story of her grandfather Alec and his secret multiple marriages to be made into a TV series. We keep having to remind ourselves that it’s based on a true story, because it has plot twists to rival the finest works of total fiction. But we’re not just watching for the lurid stories of polygamy – it’s also an extremely emotional, moving and human piece, anchored by Ruth’s superb performance as her own grandmother, Alison, reeling from the news that her recently-deceased husband was not the man she thought him to be……

IS HARRY HEADING HOME TO WALFORD? Could a return to Walford for Ben Mitchell be on the cards? Actor Harry Reid certainly hopes so! “I miss the character of Ben,” the star recently told Kent Online. “I have my frustrations about him and I wanted him to do well in life. I still see Jamie Borthwick, who plays Jay, and we have fantasies about how Ben and Jay will take over Albert Square.” GUTTED RUSS IS DEAD! Former Hollyoaks star Stuart Manning has spoken out over the death of his alter ego Russ, whom viewers saw brutally murdered at his own wedding last month! “I was gutted!” the actor told Daily Star Online. “There’s no getting away from it. In a perfect world, I would have loved Russ to be…

BULLSEYE! Sometimes the past is so key to a character’s personality, there’s simply no escape from it. This is how Kat feels about her childhood abuse at the hands of Uncle Harry. Whenever she’s forced to remember, traumatic events follow. The only positive is the acting masterclass from Jessie Wallace – such as this week, as she came to believe her dad Charlie knew about it. But surely that can’t be true… Does Ray get all of his wives an engagement ring as big as this? What’s the possible appeal of bigamy? It sounds not only expensive, but totally exhausting. The Ruby storyline is EastEnders is absolutely outstanding, both in writing and acting. We’re sure it’s going to help a lot of people. Bravo, BBC. The Emmerdale art scam plot…

Lily reaches breaking point over Prince’s odd behaviour this week – but will he tell her what’s going on before he pushes her away forever? Lily’s husband has been acting strangely – rejecting her advances, having mood swings and even punching Louis after vandalising the school. Little does she know, though, that Prince is having a terrifying time after finding a lump on one of his testicles… “Lily is in for a really tough and emotional week,” sighs Lauren McQueen, who plays Lily. “Normally Prince is pulling her in for a kiss, yet now he’s just dodging her. She knows something isn’t right – and so she’s getting very concerned about him.” During this time, Lily has placed her trust in her and Prince’s lodger, Romeo – whom Lily recently…

Here’s your first glimpse at Mitch Baker’s return to Walford – and just look who he’s set to team up with! Our sneaky snaps show Karen’s ex getting to know Queen Vic landlord Mick – who is soon to be released from prison – when the pair bump into one another at Walford Wanderers Youth Training Club. But will the men become friends or foes? “Gossip from the location shoot suggests Mick is there to play some footy with the local kids, and discovers Mitch as one of the coaches,” whispers our Square source. “Mick can’t resist having a little kick-about of his own, but the solemn look on his face indicates that he has the weight of the world on his shoulders.” If these scenes air after Mick’s Christmas…

Ste is set to be targeted by a far-right extremist group in a hard-hitting new Hollyoaks storyline. Newcomer Jonny – played by former X Factor star and Dancing On Ice champ Ray Quinn – will identify Ste as a candidate for anti-Muslim radicalisation, after learning of his vendetta against the Maaliks, whom Ste blames for the death of his sister Tegan. “After a lot of eye-opening research, I’m nervous and honoured – but most of all excited – for this very different soap story to be told by our amazing team and my talented new screen partner, Ray Quinn,” says star Kieron Richardson, who plays Ste. “From our research, we realised that Ste was disenfranchised and vulnerable enough to be groomed into extreme views,” adds Hollyoaks’…

Reckless Tiffany hits a new low this week, when she takes little Lily to a drug deal. The troublemaking teen is given a new dodgy job to do by manipulative Evie, but finds herself stuck after the rules get changed at the last minute. Evie tells Tiff that she has to abandon what she’s doing and get to the meeting point as soon as possible. However, Tiffany isn’t on her own – she’s babysitting Lily. “Evie is pulling Tiff’s strings, and Tiff is sliding into a world of criminality and abandoning every principle she has,” warns our EastEnders insider. “The old Tiff would never have considered taking a small child to a drug deal, yet now she feels she has no choice. If Stacey and Martin could see what she’s…

Her partner Scott Ratcliffe is currently working away from home, and star Kym admits that she’s pining for the absent Army major. So while there’s heartbreak in store should Michelle discover Robert’s deceit, Kym wants the juicy scripts to keep coming – because she wants to be occupied! “I’m very quiet at work, and that’s a shame,” she recently confessed in her OK! magazine column. “I’d rather be busy to take my mind off Scott…” Kym and soldier Scott were first introduced by Kym’s Coronation Street costar Antony Cotton (Sean), and went public with their romance over the summer. However, while unlucky-in-love Michelle appears to have yet more upset around the corner, it’s fortunately a very different story for Kym’s real-life relationship – despite the long distance. “It’ll all be…

Liam convinces Lisa to sell dodgy vodka to her mum this week, but Simone’s not impressed and refuses to do it! In a bid to get the vodka off his hands, Liam resorts to new tactics – unfortunately, the whole plan goes pear-shaped after the buyer demands her money back! When Liam refuses, she threatens his partner – but assuming she means Lisa, Liam doesn’t care! When he realises that Lisa’s still in the village, however, it becomes clear that Jesse was the intended victim. Will Liam find his brother before it’s too late?…

HEAD BOY This has been bugging me for a while, but where have I seen the actor who plays Bessie Street School’s deputy head, Phil, in Corrie please? | Annalise The actor is Tom Turner – he was in Hollyoaks as Cheryl Brady’s boyfriend Nate Tenbury-Newent in 2013, and played the King in the 2017 version of Beauty And The Beast ! JIM’LL FIX IT? Recently in Neighbours, Paul has been talking a lot about his late dad, Jim. I love the show, but I was only born in 1997 so he was a bit before my time! I know he’s coming back soon, though, so can you tell me a bit about him? | Alice Jim was father to Paul, Julie, Scott…

Damon plants a kiss on Maxine this week – but he doesn’t quite get the response that he was expecting! But Hollyoaks’ Jacob Roberts, who plays Damon, is rooting for them to make a go of things… So Jacob, what do you think of Damon and Maxine? I think they could be really good together! Apart from the fact that Maxine is obviously a very attractive girl, she also laughs at Damon’s jokes – which not many people do! I like Maxine as a character, and I look forward to working more with Nikki Sanderson [who plays her]. But things don’t go to plan when he tries to kiss her… He totally misreads the situation! She’s been watching an old video message from her late hubby…

1 Lysette Anthony (as she’s professionally known), was born as Lysette Anne Chodzko on 26 September 1963 in  Marylebone, London. Lysette’s parents, Bernadette Milnes and Michael Adam Anthony (originally from the Channel Island of Jersey), were also both actors. Meanwhile, her paternal grandfather, Alexander Chodzko, was a mariner and journalist of Polish-Ukrainian descent. 2 Lysette began her acting career on stage at the tender age of 10, after she joined the Cambridge Theatre. Lysette later became the youngest member of the National Youth Theatre when she performed with them at age 14. 3 Soon after starring in a West End production of Pinocchio , Lysette’s parents sent her to a convent  boarding school in Torquay, Devon. Lysette reminisced about her school years: “It was run by nuns…

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 Jenning............................... Di Botcher Dylan Keogh.......................... William Beck Marty Kirkby................ Shaheen Jafargholi Jade Lovell.......................... Gabriella Leon Jacob Masters....................... Charles Venn Rash Masum........................... Neet Mohan Robyn Miller................ Amanda Henderson Alicia Munroe............... Chelsea Halfpenny Ruby Sparks.............................. Maddy Hill Louise Tyler........................... Azuka Oforka CORONATION STREET Dev Alahan........................ Jimmi Harkishin Lewis Archer........................... Nigel Havers Angie Appleton................ Victoria Ekanoye Adam Barlow...................... Sam Robertson Amy Barlow.......................... Elle Mulvaney Ken Barlow......................... William Roache Peter Barlow....................... Chris Gascoyne Simon Barlow.............................. Alex Bain Leanne Battersby................... Jane Danson Toyah Battersby.................... Georgia Taylor Emma Brooker............... Alexandra Mardell Chesney Brown.......................... Sam Aston Claudia Colby..........................…

We’ve seen many well-known faces pop up on the wards of Holby , but this week a hospital wedding calls for a special guest star of a certain calibre! Enter Reverend Richard Coles – who wowed TV audiences with his fabulous moves on last year’s Strictly – as he joins the staff for what promises to be a happy day indeed… “I’m thrilled to be finally invited to exercise my ministry of healing at Holby City, which has been my healthcare provider of choice for 20 years!” jokes the Rev. “And to officiate at an occasion so joyous even the late Professor Gaskell would crack a smile.” As to which pair tie the knot… With their wedding plans in chaos, maybe it isn’t Jason and Greta. Could…

ExtraEnders! A new Walford podcast is available now on the BBC Sounds app, with the first episode focusing on Kat, Alfie and Hayley. Fans who download the series opener will find out what really went on in Spain all those months ago… Back to the Bay! Good news, Home and Away fans! The show will return to Channel 5 from its Christmas break on 7 January. Hooray! Grim reaper! Coronation Street actor Nigel Havers (Lewis) has added more fuel to the rumour that his alter ego will meet a grisly end at New Year. “It’s not looking good,” teased the star, who reprised the role earlier in 2018. “It’s looking grim all round!”…

The Dingles turn on each other this week, and Charity ends up thumping Marlon in the middle of the Woolpack! Violence erupts after head teacher Jessie is left with no choice but to exclude Charity’s son Noah from school, causing his mother to go nuclear. Marlon steps in to defend his girlfriend, and is quickly reminded of how hard his relative packs a punch… “The Dingle court looks as if it will have its work cut out – because of course Charity and Marlon are in full breach of the family code,” groans our Dales insider. “There hasn’t been this much in-fighting since… well, probably just last week, knowing this lot!” Worried Jessie dreads the fallout of her decision at the start of the week, as she realises that she’ll…

“I hope EastEnders really goes for it with the romance between Ian and Jean. She’s far more appropriate for him than Mel. Jean is such a positive person. I think she’ll truly bring out the best in Ian.” …insists reader Anna “If Sinead dies from her illness, or loses the baby, than I’m done with Corrie . I can only cope with so much sadness on TV. Come on, Corrie . Do the decent thing and save yourself one viewer!” …warns reader Mrs Brierley “ Roxy Shahidi in Emmerdale is an absolute comic genius. They should put Leyla with some stronger characters and really let her shine. She’d be a wonderful owner of Home Farm, or…

“There is an alternative. You could chuck her out. Well… You’re not married. The house is in your name and you wouldn’t have to give her a penny. And then you could join one of them dating apps. Find yourself a nice young lady who hasn’t spawned a devil child.” We love how fully Evelyn has plotted her fantasy of separating Tyrone from ‘Fiona’. “Don’t bring Alfie here. The last thing we need is Pandora’s box opening up! [ Looks pointedly at Hayley ] Or any other kind of box, come to that.” We can’t think what you mean, Jean. “Jude will turn up eventually.” “That’s exactly what Mother said when Albert went missing. My hamster, he escaped while I was cleaning out his cage, got run over…

It’s Elly and Mark’s engagement party this week, but Chloe isn’t feeling particularly delighted for the happy couple – and delivers them a trainwreck of a speech! Knocking back a few drinks, Chloe proceeds to give an impromptu toast. However, it all ends in disaster after she reveals the Brennans’ battle with Huntington’s disease. Afterwards, Elly tends to sick Chloe in the beer garden, who then proceeds to declare her undying love for her friend! So how will Elly react now that she’s engaged to Chloe’s brother?…

FAIR CITY After a face-off with Ritchie this week, Decco lays into Charlotte for making Julia’s life worse. Meanwhile, Darragh offers to accompany Erica to a party, but can’t bring himself to ask her on a date. Plus, Sharon is sad that Harmony won’t be home for Christmas. RIVER CITY Maggie leans on Lenny for support this week, as her addiction takes its toll on the broken McLean family. Elsewhere, Angus gives Nicole a job and uses it to embarrass her as revenge for scamming Bob! Finally, Suzie accuses Callum of vandalising the panto set. THE ARCHERS David delivers bad news to Lynda this week about the Canterbury Tales, and despite her calm response, is she more upset than he realises? Meanwhile, Brian enlists Lillian’s help as he tries to…

“Most of the viewers cottoned on to what Linda was up to straight away,” grins Kellie Bright – who plays Linda – with a sigh of relief, as Inside Soap catches up with her on the EastEnders set. “I was secretly quite glad about that, because while I always want to play our stories truthfully, it can be tricky when you’re doing something that has so much ambiguity. “What I’ve discovered about Linda is that she is a brilliant actress – I had no idea!” adds the star, laughing. “For me personally, it’s been great to play a completely different side to her.” The Carters’ battle with Stuart has seen them tested in ways we never thought possible, setting the stage for…

When the Dingles arrived in the village in 1994, viewers had no idea the family would be leading the charge for a full Dales takeover! Fast-forward to 2018, and the Dingles dominate the village, delivering top drama and comedy on a nightly basis. The only people who love them more than Emmerdale fans are the actors who play the crazy clan – and we got a selection box together to talk about why being a Dingle is the best job in soap. “Being a Dingle, there’s never a dull moment…” CHARLEY “There’s always something happening in Emmerdale and, being part of the Dingles, there’s never a dull moment,” laughs Charley Webb, who plays Debbie. “I started on the show when I was 15, and I have a lot…

When she first arrived in Weatherfield in 2003, Claire Casey could barely say boo to a goose. Fast forward eight years, and the former nanny – who’d married her boss Ashley to become Mrs Peacock – had broken out of her favourite beige anorak and, in a furious act of revenge, almost bashed Tracy Barlow to death. It made for quite the Coronation Street journey for a character initially described as ‘Weatherfield’s answer to Mary Poppins’, and Julia Haworth, who played Claire – and is currently enjoying a guest run in Doctors – has warm memories… “I had a fantastic time at Corrie,” she beams. “And I loved it when Claire found her feisty side. Someone called her ‘Claire the mousewife’, which made me chuckle. When the mouse roared, it…

CORRIE’S CLAUDIA Keep out the winter chill like cobbles star Rula, with one of these bright and merry scarves. Now that’s a wrap!…

I’ve finished watching the Bake Off final on catch-up, and I was Team Rahul from the start, so that felt great – but all of the contestants were good. I love Prue Leith, too. I’m a real Great British Menu completist, so as sad as I was to see Prue leave that show, it’s nice to have her on Bake Off – she’s got such energy, and she’s so colourful and fun. The things I watch to relax are programmes like Traffic Cops and Police Interceptors, or a documentary about the A1! So much of my job is spent travelling, and I’m quite a pernickety driver, so there’s a lot of wish-fulfilment where you see the people who ruin your day on the roads finally getting arrested! I…

COLD COMFORT The Cairngorms are the new home for BBC2’s ‘Watch’ shows, starting in 2019 with Winterwatch. It’s a tough habitat for animals, so that should give Chris, Michaela and Gillian lots to explore. GOING DUTCH Here’s a sneak preview picture of Tchéky Karyo reprising his role as Julien Baptiste in The Missing spin-off Baptiste. Set to air next year on BBC1, it sees the retired detective helping his ex-girlfriend – now Chief of Police – to solve a case. RIGHT ON SONG Rochelle and Marvin Humes are to host a new BBC1 quiz, provisionally entitled Playlisters. The show, destined for Saturday nights, offers a prize of up to £10,000 for those who can name the artist and title of songs ranging from the 60s to the present day.…

MALCOLM HEBDEN (Norris Cole, Corrie ) IN More than 25 years after first joining the cast of Coronation Street, Malcolm will be back on the cobbles as Norris next year. The actor has been off our screens for the past 12 months after suffering a heart attack – he was put in an induced coma as the emergency services fought to keep him alive. “I didn’t realise how bad it was,” he admits. “I was dying. The cardiac team simply saved my life. They operated and took a chance.” We’re thrilled he’s well enough to return to work, and can’t wait to see Norris back in action! May DAISY WOOD-DAVIS (Phoebe Crowhurst, Holby City ) IN We’ve known her best for playing Chester’s Kim Butterfield for…