Table of contents for 51/52 - 2019 in Inside Soap UK

Vengeful Jade’s plot to destroy Fiz and Tyrone’s happy home is back on track this fortnight, after the unsuspecting couple ask John Stape’s secret daughter to stay with them for Christmas! Jade was forced to leave No 9 after Hope was invited to return to Bessie Street Primary School. However, when Fiz hears that Hope’s former teaching assistant is homeless, she is appalled – and refuses to let Jade sleep rough for another night… “Billy and Sean spot Jade when they are helping the homeless, and she tells them that she couldn’t afford to rent anywhere after losing her job,” explains our Corrie source. “Now that we know Jade is a snake in the grass, it will be interesting to see whether she has genuinely fallen on hard times, or…

Michelle blasts out of Weatherfield seething this fortnight – after sleazy Ray takes great pleasure in revealing that he is the new owner of the Bistro! Having taken revenge on cheating Robert by conning him out of his beloved restaurant, Michelle hopes to really stick the knife in by selling off the business altogether. For a quick sale, she reluctantly accepts a ridiculously low offer – only for her slimeball former boss to announce that he is in fact the mystery buyer… “Michelle can’t believe it – but it’s too late to do anything, because she’s already signed the papers!” despairs actress Kym Marsh, who plays her. “Ray manages to have his revenge, although Michelle isn’t going to take it lying down. She goes berserk and smashes up the Bistro,…

There’s no joy for Martin this Christmas, as disaster strikes when he and Tubbs take on another crooked moneymaking job! The two men are left reeling when things go seriously wrong following another dodgy assignment. Despite being released from his debt to Ben, Martin has been seduced by the thrill of completing these dangerous missions. But his blood runs cold when their luck runs out while driving back to Walford… “Martin is left feeling shaken, guilty and disturbed…” “This moment is a game-changer for Martin,” whispers our Square insider. “It leaves him feeling shaken, guilty and disturbed. He’s completely unrecognisable as the family man that Stacey loved and lost. Sonia and Bex are genuinely terrified about what’s going on with him – he’s in total shock and even they can’t…

It will be an unforgettable Christmas Day for Jacob and David this year, as Maya Stepney delivers a shock gift – a baby! Jacob is stunned when he opens the door to discover a newborn child on the doorstep and a note from Maya, implying that he’s the father. Viewers know that wicked Maya was heavily pregnant when she was released from prison a few weeks ago, but Jacob had no idea. So, the whole family is left reeling as they realise that this baby could belong to the traumatised teen. “The baby is in a brand-new car seat, a brand-new baby grow, brand-new clothes and looks very healthy,” shares Matthew Wolfenden, who plays David. “The baby’s been well looked after and is obviously very young – only a few…

There’s just one thing loved-up Leyla wants this Christmas – and that’s the newly single village medic, Dr Liam Cavanagh. After Bernice’s departure to Australia, Leyla is determined to grab the village’s most eligible bachelor. She’s already spent a few weeks fluttering her eyelashes at Liam as they’ve rehearsed the village panto together, but nothing has happened between them. She’s pretty certain that Liam is attracted to her too, yet she’s not sure if he’s ready for new love after Bernice’s shock decision. It can’t have been easy for Liam to deal with his ex-fiancée leaving him the day before they were due to wed – but Leyla knows that if she doesn’t make a move soon, someone else will. So, as rehearsals ramp up and the cast gets set…

David and Rosa prepare for their fake wedding this week – but as the pair exchange their vows in front of Xiomara and Ollie, will they finally realise that they love each other for real? The hospital staff are buzzing with excitement as the wedding approaches, little realising that the whole thing is one big lie concocted to make Rosa’s dying mum, Xiomara, happy! But the wedding almost doesn’t go ahead after David finds out that his future mum-in-law isn’t really sick, and Rosa calls it all off… “It’s clear to everyone that these two have real feelings for each other,” says our Casualty spy. “The only ones who can’t see it are David and Rosa! Maybe if they stopped thinking about making Xiomara happy and focussed on what they…

With Lucy Fallon – who plays Sarah’s daughter Bethany – leaving the Street in 2020, Tina admits she’s dreading the prospect… “I’m in denial – every time I’ve spoken about it, I could cry!” she wails. “I’m not prepared for Lucy going at all. I selfishly don’t want her to, but I totally understand there are other things she wants to do. She’s young and beautiful – she’s a very talented actress, and I really hope she flies. “We’ve got to the point on set where we say the same thing at the same time, and we’re always doing daft things. She’s brilliant, and such a great energy to have in the building. I’ll really miss her!”…

Simon Gregson & Kate Ford Steve & Tracy The McDonalds gained a new member earlier this year, when Steve found out that Emma was his daughter! So as the pair prepare to spend their first Christmas together – along with Steve’s wife Tracy and their daughter Amy – we assembled them all for their first photo shoot as a new family. And we found out that Simon Gregson (Steve) and Kate Ford (Tracy) really are just like an old married couple… Hi guys! How would you sum up Christmas for the McDonalds this year? Would you like to spend it with them? Simon Well, they just row, don’t they? We’d probably go round for our dinner at the McDonalds, and as soon as we’d had the food, we’d leave! Kate…

Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight brings us his own take on Charles Dickens’ famous festive tale this year, with a three-part retelling of A Christmas Carol starring Guy Pearce as Ebenezer Scrooge and Stephen Graham as Jacob Marley. It will be a very different interpretation, as Guy and Stephen reveal… Guy, how did you approach the part of Scrooge? Guy Our director, Nick Murphy, steered me away from what I felt I knew Scrooge to be – snivelling, twisted and bent, due to his past. He and Steve wanted to get away from that, to find a character with swagger. He’s a cocky businessman who on the surface isn’t so obviously damaged – it’s only when you drill down that you go, “Oh, wait, this guy’s had a rough time…

When, in 1963, it was revealed that Secretary of State for War John Profumo had had an affair with Christine Keeler, the mistress of a Soviet attaché, fears of a security breach led to his resignation (effectively ending Conservative Government in the 1960s). And while you may think you know all this, this new six-part drama tells us the tale from the viewpoint of the women involved in the scandal. Inside TV spoke to Sophie Cookson (Christine), Ellie Bamber (who plays fellow showgirl Mandy Rice-Davies) and James Norton (who stars as socialite Stephen Ward) to find out what makes this version of events different… What can you tell us about your characters? Sophie Christine had great tenacity and courage to face what she did. And she was put in an…

Brutal Gary Windass spreads horror on the cobbles this Christmas, after he pushes his whipping boy Derek to the brink of sanity and beyond – causing him to take a murderous revenge! As enraged Derek runs amok with a shotgun through Weatherfield’s Winter Wonderland, almost anyone could find themselves caught in his line of fire – with the likes of Shona and Sarah desperately running for whatever cover they can find. As shots blast out through the freezing night, it’s clear that not everyone will live to see Boxing Day… HOSTAGE SITUATION The terrifying drama kicks off when Gary is forced to confess that he’s the secret owner of Underworld, after drunken Derek reveals the true story to horrified Izzy. Furious with Derek for exposing him, Gary takes him hostage,…

For someone who is loved by so many on the Street, it’s bizarre to think of Rita on her own for Christmas. However, that is sadly what happens this fortnight, as the cobbles stalwart resolves that she doesn’t want to be a burden to any of her beloved friends and neighbours! After concluding that Gemma has her hands full looking after the quads, Rita fibs and tells her that she has plans to spend the festive period with her old friend, Mavis Wilton. However, as Rita hangs up the phone to Gemma, it’s clear that in reality she has made no arrangements to go anywhere. Meanwhile, Dev pops round to spread some festive cheer when he drops off Rita’s Christmas tree. While Rita cuts a solemn figure, decorating the spruce…

Christmas Day is a nightmare at the Queen Vic this year – when Linda goes missing after a massive drinking session. The troubled landlady knocks back a dangerous amount of booze on Christmas Eve following a falling-out with Mick and Ruby at the ‘Ball and Change’ winners’ dinner. Mick can’t believe it when she fires off some harsh words to Ruby, who is stunned by the ferocity of Linda’s anger. Grabbing Linda’s wine, Mick pours the alcohol away, and demands that his wife sort herself out. That’s when Linda flips, and later storms off into the night… “This isn’t the Linda that Mick knows and loves, she’s behaving like a monster!” says our Walford insider. “They have a massive fight and little Ollie overhears, which makes everything 10 times worse.…

The embattled Slaters face a fight to save them from homelessness this Christmas, as the Panesars use dirty tricks to get rid of them! The new landlords are determined to turf out Kat and her clan, and resort to extreme measures to destroy their plans for their family Christmas. All Kat wants is to give poorly Jean and the kids a chance to enjoy a festive celebration with all the trimmings. But thanks to Vinny and Jags, the plan is now in tatters, leaving Kat to seek help from her big-hearted neighbours. “Even Ebeneezer Beale couldn’t see the Slaters hungry and homeless at Christmas,” insists our Walford source. “When Kat and the others tell people what’s going on, everyone rallies around. Trouble is, they end up with three invites for…

Pregnant Victoria has a New Year’s celebration she will never forget, as she goes into labour just as 2020 dawns. The mum-to-be is shocked when she heads home early from a New Year’s Eve party, and her waters break in the middle of the night. She’s terrified that once the baby finally arrives, she might not feel the rush of love that so many new mothers describe. However, with the labour in progress, she has no choice but to head straight to the hospital and deliver her child. “Victoria desperately wants her baby, and she’s gone through so much to get here,” shares our Emmerdale insider. “Diane tries to reassure her through a long, painful labour – although Victoria is terrified about what’s ahead. It’s a big moment when her…

Martine’s reminded of her missing child this fortnight, when her dad Walter makes some cruel jibes about not raising her kids! It’s during Walter’s Christmas sermon that he throws shade at his daughter about the fact that she wasn’t around while Mitchell was growing up, leaving poor Martine feeling terrible. However, it’s clear that she’s determined to make things up to her son when she begs her dad to give her an opportunity to be there for Mitchell now… But as she and Mitchell spend Christmas Day together, how much longer can Martine keep her son in the dark about his long-lost twin?…

Oh, what’s occurrin’? I’m not bein’ funny or anythin’, but on Christmas Day we’ll be catching up with Gavin and Stacey (and Nessa, Smithy, Bryn, Gwen, Pam and Mick) for the first time in almost 10 years. Much has changed since we last saw them, but you’ll see that a lot is still the same. Here’s what Ruth Jones (who co-writes the series and plays Nessa), Mathew Horne (Gavin) and Joanna Page (Stacey) had to say… Why has it taken so long to get the gang back together? Ruth Well, a little thing called geography, and the fact that James [Corden] and I live on different continents! And, more than anything, we wanted to be sure that if we did bring it back that it was going to be good.…

In December 2017, we were gripped by a crime drama with a difference. Sarah Parish played that rarest of all creatures – a female anti-hero. DCI Elizabeth Bancroft was a well-respected detective who’d risen through the ranks despite having a killer secret in her past, and who was willing to do anything to keep it hidden – even taking out young DS Katherine Stevens (Faye Marsay), who’d just been handed the cold case where Bancroft herself was the killer! The first series ended with a cavalcade of cliffhangers – Elizabeth shot Katherine and not only got away with it, but was promoted! Now she’s back – yet how long can she remain undetected? Inside TV caught up with Sarah on set to find out… What’s the scenario for series two?…

It began as a spark of attraction in a backstreet garage, but that spark soon became a flame – and this Christmas, that flame becomes an explosion which is going to blow the Mitchell family apart. However, as Letitia Dean – who plays pregnant Sharon – tells us, when the festive season arrives, poor Sharon actually thinks everything is going to be all right! But little does she know, the scene is set for one of EastEnders’ most brutal Christmases ever… Well, Letitia, Sharon has had one hell of a year – does she really think that the Mitchell family Christmas is going to be a success? Doesn’t she know that she’s in an EastEnders Christmas? “Sharon is getting ready for a ‘proper Mitchell’ Christmas!” Sharon now she thinks it’s…

Terrified Chantelle tries to scupper Gray’s plans for a vow renewal this Christmas, after his explosive temper erupts yet again. Following their tragic miscarriage, the Atkins want to move forward, and hope the renewal will be the fresh start they need. But when the venue for the event falls through, Gray sees red, and Chantelle realises he hasn’t changed. Desperate to scupper the ceremony, she tries to engineer a cancellation, but Gray bulldozes her into it. Will Chantelle live to regret saying ‘I do’ for the second time? “It’s a dangerous situation that could cost Chantelle her life!” “It’s a dangerous situation that could end up costing Chantelle her life,” warns our Walford insider. “We’ve seen how brutal Gray is, and the injuries he’s inflicted on his wife. Chantelle wants…

By rights, Victoria should have brothers Robert and Andy by her side as she takes her first steps into motherhood. But with Andy still on the run and Robert banged up for life, there’s little Sugden support. Who will Victoria lean on when times inevitably get tougher? “There’s the old saying: ‘It takes a village to raise a baby’ – and luckily, Victoria has lived in Emmerdale village for a long time,” grins Isabel Hodgins, who plays her. “She still has people like Diane, Amy and Marlon around her. For any first-time mother, it’s just about finding her feet with the baby, and trying to get on with her life as a mum.” We have seen Victoria get closer to her rapist Lee’s brother Luke in recent weeks – so,…

There’s been trouble brewing at Home Farm for some months, and we now know that there will be blood soaking into those deep-pile carpets come January, when Graham will be murdered by an unseen assailant, kicking off an epic murder-mystery storyline! We’ll see the suspects gather over the festive season, as resentments fester and erupt. Will it be Kim, in the Library, with the lead piping? Marlon, in the kitchen, with some poorly reheated turkey? Or Al, with the rope, at the Outdoor Pursuits Centre? The murder drama kicks into gear on Christmas Eve, when Graham receives the results of a DNA test and broods over the contents. Although Kim has informed him that Jamie is Millie’s biological father, Graham doesn’t believe her, and has his own test done. The…

Hi, Jess! So, Nancy delivers Darren with divorce papers at Christmas! Why has she decided to do this? Nancy just wants to move forward with Kyle, and she wants to leave Darren firmly in 2019. But he’s not happy and storms around saying, “I regret leaving you!” Nancy sees a future with Kyle, though – she wants to commit to him, and she’s done with Darren! Nancy hosts a New Year’s Eve party, and reveals that she and Darren slept together… Then in typical soap fashion, she decides to do it in front of everybody! Nancy just wants to put it right, and she has quite a big thing this year about leaving mistakes in the past and looking towards the future. But Kyle’s there, and he’s devastated – he…

While there’s terror unfolding on Ramsay Street, most of the locals are spending their Christmas Day down at Lassiters, taking part in a carol concert to honour the late Sonya Rebecchi. Sonya tragically lost her battle with cancer earlier in the year, but it’s clear that her spirit still lives on as everyone gathers for the singalong, aimed at raising funds for Sonya’s Foundation. Her widower Toadie is heartened to see just how much joy his late wife is still giving to people, and it’s a beautiful day for all involved. However, by the time New Year’s Day arrives and celebrations have died down, Toadie is faced with the prospect of his first full year without his wife. Remembering the resolutions Sonya recorded last New Year, Toadie watches the video,…

With her Street character Sarah Platt set to receive several shocks this Christmas – including an unexpected marriage proposal! – it’s no wonder star Tina O’Brien can’t wait for viewers to watch the action. And when we settle down to tune in this Christmas Day, Tina will be doing the very same… “I’m so looking forward to the Corrie Christmas episodes!” beams the star, who joins us for a festive chat. “They were a huge team effort and have been so much fun to film. I’ll be watching on Christmas Day with my husband Adam [Crofts], and possibly my mum, dad and my grandma. I do hate watching myself on telly, though. Adam and my daughter Scarlett say that all I do is shout at the screen!” With all Sarah…

While all the other soaps are focussing on their big Christmas Day dramas, the Hollyoaks gang is far more excited about their New Year flashforward episode, which airs this fortnight. The hour-long special will give us some enticing glimpses into the happenings of New Year’s Eve 2020 – and the stars of our festive shoot are keen to hammer home to us that even they don’t know how their characters will end up in such jaw-dropping situations… “It was weird for us filming it, because we don’t know the ins and outs of the storyline yet,” confirms Ruby O’Donnell, who plays Peri. “There are so many challenges, and it’s quite daunting and scary – but I’m so excited to see how it all pans out, and if we pull it…

Getting married to someone you’ve only been on one date with isn’t generally a good idea – especially if he can’t even recognise you without your shoes on – but fairy tales play by different rules. Or do they? David Walliams has co-written a follow-up to the classic story that shows us what Cinders and Charming’s “happily ever after” might look like… “We wanted to question those things – kids are doing that these days, aren’t they?” points out David, who also plays the Prince in the one-off special. “We’ve made Cinderella a strident, strong woman and not a victim of her circumstances, but balanced that out with making it entertaining, so we weren’t bashing the audience over the head with it. “The thing about these stories is that you…

Fans of The Gruffalo creators Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler can enjoy a gift from the BBC and Magic Light Pictures this Christmas, with their adaptation of the The Snail And The Whale. The tale follows a snail who longs to see the world, and hitches a ride with a humpback whale, voiced by Rob Brydon. “I’m the title role!” beams the excited star. Meanwhile, Channel 4’s animation of Judith Kerr’s The Tiger Who Came To Tea, is voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch, Tamsin Greig, David Oyelowo and Clara Ross as Sophie. “My mum used to read it to me, then I could read it to myself when I was about four,” shares seven-year-old Clara. “Me and my friends used to guess what the tiger was going to eat next. I…

The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society (as portrayed by Mischief Theatre) has already been unleashed on BBC1 twice before – in 2016’s Peter Pan Goes Wrong, and in A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong the following year. Now they’re back for a full series of slapstick and expertly staged slip-ups – beginning, of course, with a Christmas special. “We want to break the fourth wall, to make you understand that you’re not supposed to be watching a real Christmas story in a house,” explains co-creator and cast member Henry Shields. “That’s why we always start with a speech to the audience, which is always a nightmare to learn!” As well as watching a self-contained story (that goes disastrously off-course) each week, we’ll also get to find out more about the Cornley players…