Table of contents for 29 - 2020 in Inside Soap UK

Don’t you love it when a soap blindsides you with something you didn’t see coming? Take this week, for example… “Don’t you love it when a soap blindsides you?” Everything is lined up for Yasmeen’s trial – including the fact that Geoff seems to be slowly but surely getting back into her head. There’s also a visitor to Yasmeen who delivers some information that appears to influence her – yet is this lady friend or foe? Meanwhile, on the outside we have Sally intent on exposing Geoff. So, as the day of the trial arrives, the scene is set for a classic, tense soap courtroom drama, with us desperate to know who’ll crack first, or what shock witnesess or information the hearing might throw up… then Yasmeen drops to the…

We can’t see Steve and Leanne’s partners turning to each other romantically if their respective other halves end up ditching them – but it’s not as if Tracy and Nick haven’t hooked up before! Back in 2010, following Tracy’s release from prison, she made a beeline for Nick after going out of her way to nark his mother, Gail, whom Tracy had just done time with. It didn’t take much to tempt Nick into Tracy’s bed, so the idea that they might take solace in one another isn’t entirely out of the realms of possibility……

Hi, Karen! Would you be daunted if Lydia did test positive for Huntington’s? It’d be a double-edged sword, as it would be a fantastic story to get my teeth into, but it’d be a huge challenge. On the other hand, Sam and Lydia are a wonderful couple – they bring out the best in each other. They can have fun, but there’s a heart to them, so it’d be lovely for them to have a bit of happiness. How is it being back at work post-lockdown? I thought I’d be more daunted going back, I thought I wouldn’t enjoy it as much, but actually it’s more rewarding because I know how difficult the challenges have been for the production team. Emmerdale being back up and running is an amazing achievement.…

Blackmailer Andrea finally gets the better of wicked in-law Kim this week – by revealing the shocking truth about Jamie. Kim is stunned to discover that her son was behind the wheel when Moira Dingle was knocked down and left for dead, and immediately goes into cover-up mode. “This isn’t Kim’s first time at the criminal cover-up rodeo – she knows they need to act fast!” But with Kim desperate to protect Jamie, Andrea moves into the ultimate position of power at Home Farm. That means Jamie and Kim must now do whatever she says. “Kim Tate is normally the one holding all the cards and taking great delight in wielding her power, so this is her worst nightmare,” explains our Dales insider. “She loathes Andrea, although now she has…

Hi, Sally! Why did Abi decide not to see the twins before the move to Australia? Abi doesn’t want to say goodbye again. She did it before and didn’t get over that for a long time – it was really, really difficult. Abi does want to see the twins, but she just knows it is going to open up all the wounds. She feels that they said goodbye, and do they need the upheaval of seeing her again? However, it is mainly self-preservation, she doesn’t think she can go through it again. Will Abi and Kev go the distance as a couple? Their relationship can’t last, in my opinion. The lack of excitement could be an issue – Kevin has bitten off more than he can chew with Abi. There…

Emmerdale’s Rhona Goskirk is a survivor – a warrior, in fact. From beating addiction, navigating her son Leo’s disability, and overcoming an extremely abusive relationship, the village vet has carried out more surgery on her own life than all the cattle in Yorkshire. And actress Zoe Henry loves her for it… “What I admire most about Rhona is her sense of fun, and her inner strength – she’s a lioness,” beams the star, as she joins Inside Soap for a chat while sitting in her garden with husband Jeff Hordley, who plays Cain in the show. “Yes, I’ve felt exhausted by some of her storylines, but I don’t wish any of them hadn’t happened; nor that I’d put in any less effort – I feel tired anyway, being a mother…

Previous to landing her role on Corrie, Kimberly appeared in Hollyoaks earlier this year as Maxine’s landlady. And she tells us her BFF is ex-Hollyoaks star Jess Ellis, who played the late Tegan Lomax. “I went to drama school with Jess,” she reveals. “We’ve been mates for a long time – I’ve spoken to her three times already today! I’d be her mate regardless of her being in the same industry, though, as she’s just a great person. “We’re both now reaching our career goals, and we can support each other,” adds Kimberly, who made Jess’ British Soap Awards dress in 2018. “It’s nice for me to have someone who’s been in the soap world to guide and advise me.”…

“When I went into Casualty, I wanted to make sure that Ffion looked as little like Paula as she could – which is why my hair is now red!” Stirling tells us. “Well actually, it’s a wig, as I’m quite severely allergic to hair dye. It’s a real bummer, because I love colouring my hair! “I think that transformation is useful for me both visually and physically,” she adds. “It’s important for the audience as well – I don’t want them to constantly feel as if they’re looking at somebody they were watching on the telly yesterday!”…

Viewers might just recognise the woman who comes to see Yasmeen this week, as she’s played by actress Paula Wilcox – who portrayed Laurel’s mother Hilary Potts in Emmerdale! The 70-year-old star has quite the acting resume, well known for her roles in a string of comedy TV shows – including Girlfriends, Mount Pleasant, Boomers and Man About The House. But she has also previously appeared in Corrie back in 1969, as Janice Langton, sister of Deirdre’s first hubby Ray. Her final appeareance as Emmerdale’s Hilary came in 2008, with the character killed off screen in 2015.…

Emmerdale bosses are in the process of casting a new love interest for Aaron! Reports claim that he’s set to confront a familiar face after an old-school friend – who Aaron used to bully for being gay – comes back into his life… “Aaron wasn’t always the Aaron that fans have grown to love – as a teenager, he was completely different,” our Dales spy reminds us. “The arrival of this man will force Aaron to acknowledge what happened between them at school, and sparks could fly.” The show’s bosses are remaining tight-lipped on whether that will indeed be the case, but after finally letting go of Robert, is Aaron due some happiness again? Meanwhile, star Danny Miller (Aaron) is to walk 40 miles from his home in Manchester…

There’s bad news for Hollyoaks fans, as the soap will be taking a five-week break after this Monday and Tuesday’s episodes have aired, due to filming being halted by Covid-19. But the good news is that there’s still plenty of drama to enjoy! Like all our other UK soaps, Hollyoaks was forced to stop production at the end of March when the country went into lockdown. Filming has recently resumed at the show’s studios in Liverpool – however, the episodes that had been filmed prior to lockdown have sadly now run out. “This is the scenario no one at Hollyoaks wanted,” admits our Chester sneak. “But fans can rest assured that cast and crew are working overtime to make sure the break is as minimal as possible, and that Hollyoaks…

As Neighbours’ first transgender regular, Georgie is delighted at the visibility her role gives to trans people – and she’s happy that the show is following Mackenzie’s story through her gender-confirmation surgery and beyond… “It’s something that isn’t told very often, as it is such a personal subject for trans people,” reveals the actress. “It’s not something you want to go into great detail about. I think it’s very important to extinguish the misinformation that is out there so the stigma is taken away, because there is a faction of the community that has very strong opinions about trans people and surgery – when in fact they don’t realise the reasons why it is so important.”…

When planning a proposal, some men reach for the words of the great poets – Keats or Wordsworth – while others lovingly craft a sonnet all of their own. Phil Mitchell, ever the man of the people, opts for the timeless: “Well, d’ya wanna marry me or don’tcha?” Ah, the romance! Kathy rightly points out the salient fact that Phil is married already, and demands something a little more respectful. “Kaffy, I’m not drunk and I’m not shouting,” says Phil, in a brief break from drinking and shouting. “Will you marry me?” Kathy smiles. “Course I will!” she grins, to the sound of Grant, Nigel and Debbie cheering from across the Square. Now, all the happy couple need is a lovely, drama-free engagement party in the Vic……

I take my hat off to the Neighbours writers – the Dee and Andrea storyline really is the gift that keeps on giving! Andrea swapping places with Dee so she could get out of jail was so far-fetched and camp, yet utterly watchable. It’s my favourite plot of the year so far! Margot I don’t know how actress Madeleine West does it, but the way she switches between playing Dee and Andrea is just seamless. While it’s lovely to have Dee and Toadie back together, I can see why Andrea would be a much more fun character for Madeleine to play. I’d gladly watch Andrea plotting for the rest of 2020! Adam, Ipswich What more can Neighbours possibly put poor Toadie through? The bloke deserves a bit of happiness, not…

If there’s one soap character we’d love to hang out with right now, it’s former Walford resident Kim Fox-Hubbard. With all the doom and gloom we’ve been subjected to recently, we can think of nothing we’d love more than to have a proper giggle with the Square’s funniest lady. Luckily for us, this week’s Secrets From The Square will reunite former EastEnders star Tameka Empson (Kim) with her on-screen sister Diane Parish (Denise), a year after Kim left Walford, as Diane explains when we sit down for a natter about what to expect from this week’s show… “The thing I most enjoyed was seeing my buddy again after lockdown – it’s been such a long time, so it was so good to see her,” she grins. “Obviously we’ve been in…

After months of dancing around their feelings, Kyle and Roxy at last agree to be an exclusive couple this week! When they tell Sheila their news, she’s far from happy – but is that the only thing on her mind? Chris Milligan (who plays Kyle) tells us more… Hi, Chris! How does Sheila react when Kyle reveals he’s in a relationship with Roxy? Sheila behaves strangely, but Kyle just thinks it’s his gran grieving – that she’s trying to get involved in Kyle’s life because she’s lost Gary. So Kyle’s not hard on her, he leaves it be. If Sheila remained against Kyle’s relationship with Roxy, do you think he’d call it off ? I reckon that Kyle would go with what’s right. He would definitely pick Roxy, because that’s…

Dancing queen! COULD CORRIE STAR MAUREEN BE HEADING TO STRICTLY? Many celebrities dream of tripping the light fantastic on the hallowed dance floor of Strictly – but the Street’s Maureen Lipman (Evelyn) reckons she can think of nothing worse than facing those critical judges! “I’ve been asked to do Strictly before, but I couldn’t do it,” revealed Maureen, recently. “I’d cry, and there’s too much crying on TV already, isn’t there?” The actress also says that, despite having been in the acting business for many years, she was a bag of nerves on her first day at Coronation Street. “I didn’t know how the cast would react to me,” she confessed to Prima magazine. “There’s always that feeling when you join something new that the regulars will be cheesed off…

AGNES Madeline Appiah “The moment Mama arrives in London, she’s ready for Agnes! Mother-and-daughter-in-law relationships can be interesting, but the two of them grow closer over Agnes taking an active part in the community – they find a common ground there.” VALENTINE Jimmy Akingbola “Valentine is a mummy’s boy, and it’s his dream come true to have the family all together again. But he’s a bit upset when he realises that he’s got a battle on his hands for his mum’s affections, in the form of his nephew, Kobna…” KIRSTY Kellie Shirley “Kirsty’s catering business idea doesn’t quite go to plan, but it was fun to film – mainly because I can’t cook! To play a character who’s so creative in the kitchen, when I can’t even do frozen chips,…

Actress, comedian – and current Celebrity MasterChef contender – Crissy Rock tells us her fave TV shows… What has been your favourite drama that you’ve seen recently? The Nest – it’s the best drama I’ve seen for a long time. It was really beautifully shot, and I was always like, “Oh, my gosh, what’s happening here?” It was real edge-of-your-chair telly. And what about comedy-wise? I love The Big Bang Theory, even though that’s finished now. Sheldon is my favourite character in that. And I like that comedy with Brenda Blethyn in the café… Kate & Koji!› Is there a former character you’d like to play again? Janey York from Benidorm. That role was like a phoenix from the ashes for me. I loved being a part of the series…

CORONATION STREET Wedded miss! THE BAILEYS’ BIG ANNIVERSARY HITS A STUMBLING BLOCK… The realities of the current situation reach Coronation Street next week. As the Baileys prepare to celebrate 30 years of married bliss, they soon realise that their plans for a big celebration will have to be rather curtailed. And with Aggie working as a nurse at Weatherfield General, her job on the front line could pose another problem for the pair. Will Aggie and Ed manage to find a way to mark their milestone anniversary? NEIGHBOURS Farewell Elly! fter everything she’s been through A over the past few months, Elly decides that the time has come to leave Erinsborough next week. So will she and Shaun get a happy ending? EMMERDALE Funny business! here are new jobs up…

Harriet faces the ultimate test of her faith this week, when Malone begs her to leave her church, her family and her parishioners behind in order to start a new life with him. “She’s shocked,” admits Katherine Dow Blyton, who plays her. “Back when she left the police force, it was partly because of Malone. While there was a deep connection, he was married so she never realised anything could come of it. So his request knocks her for six.” The passion between them is overwhelming Harriet, but she fights her feelings as she tries to do the right thing. Meanwhile, the two men in her life are locked in a violent battle in the garage. How will she feel if one of them gets killed? “Depends who it is!”…

Former lovers Steve and Leanne will feel drawn to each other in the coming months, as they pull together for their poorly son, Oliver. The pair face every mother and father’s worst nightmare after learning that the young lad has mitochondrial disease – a life-limiting illness for which there is no cure. However, as his parents naturally unite in the wake of devastating news, how far will they go to take comfort in each other – and will they push away their partners, Tracy and Nick, in the process? “The story really becomes about Steve and Leanne’s difficult journey to accepting their son’s condition, and also the impact it has on their relationships with other loved ones,” explains Weatherfield boss Iain MacLeod. “This story will draw them closer together, to…

Soap switch! Paul Robinson could pop up in Walford – if Neighbours’ Stefan Dennis has his way. “I would love to be in EastEnders – something gritty,” he confessed recently. McDonald makeover? Ex-Corrie star Nick Cochrane – who played Steve’s twin Andy – has shared fears his old role may be recast. “I dread getting a call,” he admits. What a cop out! A slip-up in an audition for The Bill led Ross Kemp to later bag the role of Walford’s Grant Mitchell. Ross missed out on the police drama after a malfunction with some handcuffs!…

“You have no idea what I am going through, because you are not a mother – and never will be!” There’s brutal, then there’s Battersby brutal. “Are you on a promise?” “I’ll smack you across the head, that’s a promise!” We don’t condone violence. Except when Evelyn is dishing it out. “The hunchback fella… Can you still say ‘hunchback’? You’d have a pretty hard time describing Quasimodo if you can’t.” Cathy’s trying her best to be woke, but still snoozing. “I’m sorry you didn’t get to see a night heron.” “Well, it wasn’t totally wasted. There was a magnificent woodcock nestled in the bushes.” We do not want to think about Bob’s nestling woodcock, thank you very much. “When we were on holiday when we were kids, he was giving…

Usually at this time of the year, a raft of twinkle-toed celebs are in training for when Strictly Come Dancing waltzes back onto our screens. As we reported last week, the show will go ahead this year, albeit with a few big changes – but former champ Joe is confident the BBC can make it work. “I imagine it will happen in one way or another,” says the star, who lifted the glitterball in 2017 with dance partner, Katya Jones. “I think they’re mooting the idea of contestants living all together, so they could do that and compete without a studio audience. Strictly is the sort of show we need right now to cheer people up, it’d feel like we are getting back to some semblance of normality.”…

“You just want to grab the people you haven’t seen for ages and give them a hug!” admits Weatherfield newcomer Kimberly Hart-Simpson, aka Nicky, as we ask her what her recent post-lockdown return to filming has been like. “But actually, when you get going, you don’t really think about the distancing much, it’s just naturally there. We’ve been talking quite a lot about how someone in Nicky’s line of work deals with social distancing, though, as I’m genuinely intrigued. Luckily, it’s not an issue between her and Daniel at the moment.” Kimberly has made no secret of the fact that landing a role in Corrie has been her life’s ambition, so when the chance to play sex-worker Nicky came up, it was a dream come true. We sat down with…

1 Floral Street Wonderland Peony Eau de Parfum Each Floral Street fragrance comes packaged in a pulp carton made from recyclable paper – a first in the world of fragrance. 2 Lush Refillable Lipstick Case / Lush Lipstick Refill This make-up packaging won’t end up in a landfill, as the refillable lipstick case is made from partially recycled aluminium and brass. 3 Make Beauty Nude Palette Not only does this product offer gorgeous eyeshadows, blush and highlighter, the palette is made from recycled cardboard and metal. 4 Eco Warrior Deeply Nourishing Shampoo Bar The soaps and packaging from this brand are ecofriendly and biodegradable – eliminating the need for excessive plastic usage.…

CASUALTY Connie Beauchamp.......... Amanda Mealing Rosa Cadenas......................... Jacey Sallés Faith Cadogan...................... Kirsty Mitchell Charlie Fairhead.............. Derek Thompson Noel Garcia.......................... Tony Marshall Ethan Hardy.................... George Rainsford David Hide................................ Jason Durr Jan Jenning............................... Di Botcher Dylan Keogh.......................... William Beck Fenisha Khatri........................ Olivia D’Lima Marty Kirkby................ Shaheen Jafargholi Jade Lovall.......................... Gabriella Leon Lev Malinowski........................... Uriel Emil Rash Masum........................... Neet Mohan Jacob Masters....................... Charles Venn Robyn Miller................ Amanda Henderson Will Noble................................. Jack Nolan CORONATION STREET Aadi Alahan......................... Adam Hussain Asha Alahan......................... Tanisha Gorey Dev Alahan........................ Jimmi Harkishin Izzy Armstrong............... Cherylee Houston Aggie Bailey......................... Lorna Laidlaw Eddison Bailey....... Trevor Michael Georges James Bailey..................... Nathan Graham Michael Bailey....................... Ryan Russell Adam Barlow...................... Sam Robertson Amy Barlow.......................... Elle Mulvaney Ken Barlow......................... William Roache Peter Barlow....................... Chris Gascoyne Sarah Barlow........................... Tina O’Brien Simon Barlow.............................. Alex Bain Leanne Battersby...................…

BULLSEYE ! We knew that the secret to overcoming the restrictions placed on our soaps would be good writing and great actors – and Corrie has those in abundance right now. In the socially distanced scenes we’ve spotted, the drama hasn’t felt compromised at all – especially with stars Jane Danson and Ben Price leading the way. Heartbreaking as Leanne’s turmoil is to watch, we’re in awe of how natural they make it feel. We’re impressed how, by a quirk of scheduling, actress Belinda Owusu managed to claim the cliffhanger ending in both classic EastEnders from 2010, and current Holby City straight after! We’re totally here for a Roy, Evelyn and Arthur love triangle – and don’t mind who ends up in the middle of it. Respect to Nina for…