Table of contents for 39 - 2016 in Inside Soap UK

I’m a huge fan of a soap comeback. Okay, maybe there have been times certain people should have been left in the past (I won’t name names, I think we all know who they are!), but if it’s done properly, a good comeback takes the character everyone loves, and adds a new twist that is able to spur on a whole new set of stories. There are two returnees we report on in this issue that I know are going to be great. First, this week sees the return of Jude Cunningham, Hollyoaks’ original super-bitch. And from her first scene back, where she shuts down current village vixen Marnie, Jude proves she’s still got it! Davinia Taylor, who plays her, tells us on p42 why she was delighted to return…

As the Beale clan try to rebuild their lives, there’s still the looming threat of Max Branning’s anticipated return! An EastEnders spokesperson has confirmed that while star Jake Wood is definitely set for a comeback, there’s no firm date in place. So how long do Ian and Jane have before Max comes looking for revenge? “Max lost a whole year of his life when the Beales let him go to prison for Lucy’s murder,” our Square spy reminds us. “Upon his release, Max posted a chilling letter warning Ian that he’ll never forget. So he’s out there, ready to strike back…”…

The rumours are true – Street bosses have confirmed that Toyah Battersby is returning to Weatherfield! But the big question is: what brings her back? Could sister Leanne’s current precarious predicament prompt Toyah to make a mercy dash to her sister’s side? “I’m thrilled to be rejoining my old friends on the cobbles, and hugely excited to be given the chance to explore Toyah 13 years on,” shares the actress, who first played Toyah from 1997 to 2003. “Coronation Street has always had a special place in my heart, and I’m delighted to be working with my good friend Jane Danson [aka Toyah’s sibling Leanne] – and bringing the Battersby sisters back together!” It’s no secret that Leanne has recently been in contact with Toyah while she’s struggled with her…

Actor Jonny Labey, who starred as Paul, agreed to play dead for his exit story – helping to make the Cokers’ grief even more real. “When Pam saw Paul for the last time in his coffin, my whole insides were shaking,” confesses Lin. “Jonny is such a good kid, and all I could think as we were shooting that scene was that it was him lying in there! “I saw Jonny recently, as it happens. He’s just done the most wonderful play in the Edinburgh Festival [Verge Of Strife, in which he played WWI poet Rupert Brooke] and had great reviews, so I know he will be all right.”…

With so many EastEnders stars due to be leaving the soap, the good news is that pregnant actress Kellie Bright – who plays Vic landlady Linda Carter – isn’t giving up work for good. The star will depart the show later this year to give birth to her second child, but has every intention of making a return to her Albert Square family. “I’ll be on maternity leave for six months,” said the 40-year-old mum in a recent interview. “EastEnders were very flexible, and left it entirely up to me. I didn’t want to be away forever, but I also wanted enough time at home to enjoy my baby.”…

“I’M SO PLEASED WITH HOW LES AND PAM GO…” It feels like the dawn of a new era in the Square, with incoming boss Sean O’Connor instigating a massive cast shake-up (see p23 for an update on that). Much to our sadness, Inside Soap faves Pam and Les Coker were among the first characters to be written out as part of the new regime. But as we sit down for one last natter with star Lin Blakley, who plays Pam, she tells us there are no hard feelings… “I think when any new executive producer takes over a show, they want to do it their way, and I respect that,” shares the actress, who joined EastEnders back in 2014. “Roger [Sloman, who plays Les] and I thought we’d only be…

“I GET PEOPLE IN THE STREET WARNING ME!” Duped Eileen comes closer than ever to rumbling wicked Phelan this week, when she spots something amiss in his development plans. But will Phelan talk his way out of this tight spot? Sue Cleaver, who plays the oblivious Street resident, reckons Eileen may be too blinded by her own ego to see what’s right in front of her… “Oh, Eileen now believes she is a very successful businesswoman – and she’s running away with her fantasy!” laughs the star. “She feels like she’s finally found her role in life and is relevant for the first time. She even leaves Streetcars, as she reckons she doesn’t have time to be messing about dealing with arguments over biscuits any more! Also, she’s in love…

Sarah arrived in January 1993 to enrol at Summer Bay High after her local school closed down. Her father was struggling to look after her, so she moved in with Alf and Ailsa. Bookworm Sarah raised a few eyebrows when she hooked up with bad boy Tug O’Neale! The pair had many ups and downs, but eventually went on to marry off-screen. Tug wasn’t the only bad boy to catch her eye – she had a secret romance with Irene’s jailbird son Nathan, which only ended when he robbed the school! Sarah had a lovely friendship with high school pal Angel Brooks – and Angel even gave her daggy pal a makeover in an attempt to turn her into a sex siren! After leaving the Bay to go to uni,…

I recently went back and watched the first series of Happy Valley , and I just thought it was nearly perfect, really. I thought what Sally Wainwright had created was amazing, and there were incredible performances from Sarah Lancashire and James Norton, and I’m looking forward to catching up on series two! I’ve been loving Stranger Things on Netflix. I love cinema, so all of the different references and homages to 80s cinema in it are brilliant. Gaten Matarazzo, who plays Dustin, is hilarious and fantastic – I really want to see him do lots more stuff! I’m really excited that they’ve commissioned two more series of Catastrophe . I think what Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney have done with that is brilliant and…

1 SATURDAY Show CINDERELLA AT THE LONDON PALLADIUM Don’t miss your chance to win a family ticket to see this enchanting rags-to-riches fairy tale! The spectacular show will grace the West End from 10 December to 15 January, with a cast that includes Julian Clary, Paul O’Grady and Amanda Holden. WIN! For the chance to win a family ticket*, tell us who in Neighbours has been in a panto of Cinderella: A) Stefan Dennis, B) Tim Kano, or C) Ben Hall. Text ISWIN1, a space, then A, B, or C and your name & address to 87080 (50p). Or see below for postal entries. 2 SUNDAY DVD THE WALKING DEAD - THE COMPLETE SIXTH SEASON Andrew Lincoln is back as protagonist Rick Grimes, who leads the survivors through the fresh…

ARIES 21 MARCH - 20 APRIL   You may be the king or queen of your own castle, but don’t be throwing your weight people’s you cross paths with a fiery friend, don’t go and get lippy about their home… TAURUS 21 APRIL - 21 MAY   You may have done something that would make others’ hair curl - and this week, you could get caught out in an indiscretion. But you don’t have to justify yourself - it’s your life, nobody else’s… GEMINI 22 MAY - 21 JUNE   There is never a stone left unturned when you’re on the hunt for the truth. Sometimes, though, ignorance is bliss, so try to take comfort in the fact that what you don’t know can’t hurt you… CANCER 22 JUNE -…

If Dan learns the truth about Kerry and Ross, star Liam is certain that his character’s relationships with the pair will never be the same again… “I think Dan has reached a point with Kerry where there is only so much he can forgive,” sighs Liam. “And the fact that the baby could be Ross’ is massive! Of all the people, Ross is someone who Dan has to work with every day, pretending to be his pal – when actually, Ross has been very sly all along. That is something that Dan won’t be able to take.”…

TRASH LANDING! Teenager Toyah arrives on the Street with mum Janice, stepsister Leanne and her stepdad Les. The Battersbys are dubbed the neighbours from hell! ABDUCTED! After running away to London to find her biological father, Toyah is kidnapped by a stranger named Neil Flynn, who pretends he is her dad. SPIDEY SENSE! After developing a crush on Emily Bishop’s nephew, Spider Nugent, Toyah finally bags her man as the pair watch the 1999 solar eclipse together! RAPE HELL! Poor Toyah is the victim of a brutal sexual assault, in which she is beaten and left for dead in the ginnel. Her pal Phil Simmonds is later revealed as her attacker. MARIA-GATE! Toyah enjoys a fling with her university tutor John Arnley – until he has an affair with her…

Gary and Sarah finally give into their mutual attraction this week, when the pair agree to go on a date! The two of them have been spending a lot of time together recently, thanks to Gary keeping a close eye on Sarah’s daughter Bethany and helping her speak out about the bullying ordeal she has been facing at school. However, Gary has also been very worried about Bethany’s rigorous exercise routine, and this week it looks as if Bethany is showing no signs of slowing down – as Gary and Izzy notice her pushing herself on a run. Gary has already shared his worries about Bethany’s fitness regime with Sarah, and Sarah took action by cancelling the lass’ gym membership. But after Izzy tells Sarah all about the teen’s lunch-hour…

FAIR CITY Captive Katy continues her hunger strike this week – but her tormentor responds by keeping her in complete darkness. Fearing she’ll never be found, the poor lass starts to unravel… Elsewhere, Angela suspects Deegan is cheating on her after she smells perfume on his shirt. But is there another explanation? Also, Dermot tells Carol he has just months to live. RIVER CITY Jenny feels obliged to give Dr Nick a bed for the night this week, and the pair end up having sex. However, Jenny is gutted when Nick tells her it was just a fling. Meanwhile, Molly is petrified when she startles a burglar – but later thrilled when she receives a surprise visit from son Bob, who she wants back home. Also, Scarlett turns to selling…

AFTER YEARS OF running a funeral parlour, Lin hopes that Pam and Les can nail the coffin shut on their business and enjoy a bit of life. “I’d love for the two of them to have a bungalow by the seaside,” muses the actress. “I can see them walking along the seafront arm in arm with an ice cream, growing old gracefully together, perhaps with a visit from Ben every now and again. “Les would potter – he’d need to take it easy because of his heart,” continues Lin. “But I think Pam would have an allotment. She’d grow vegetables and supply one of the market stalls with fruit and veg!”…

“JUDE PLANS TO FLEECE ALL OF THE RESIDENTS – IT’S FANTASTIC!” Here at Inside Soap, we love a soap bad girl – so we were doing backflips when we heard original Hollyoaks super-bitch Jude Cunningham was making a long-awaited return to the village. The last time we saw Cindy’s big sister was 18 long years ago, when she was forced to flee the country after a jewellery heist went wrong. But while we soon discover this leopard hasn’t changed its spots, star Davinia Taylor admits her life is a million miles away from her days of Hollyoaks fame… “I’ve been a full-time mum for so long that I forgot I can do anything else!” laughs the actress, who has four kids. “It’s fabulous to have the character back. I’ve been…

DAVID & GRAEME CORONATION STREET BEZZIE MATES Delinquent David’s stint in a youth offenders institution wasn’t all bad. He found a kindred spirit in arsonist Graeme Proctor, who shared ‘Dave’s’ eccentric world view and twisted sense of humour. FRENEMIES It all went wrong when Graeme fell in love with Tina, David’s ex. Knowing it would get ugly, Graeme chained David to a radiator before telling him – provoking ‘Dave’ to do his best Hulk impression and yank the thing off the wall. Things got even worse when David accidentally ran over Graeme and left him fighting for his life! MAKE UP OR BREAK UP? A truce was called, and David moved on with Kylie. And Graeme binned off Tina anyway, after falling for her mate Xin. MARTIN & KUSH EASTENDERS…

Did you know from the very start that you were going to be playing Carla’s dad? …asks Sam from London Well Sam, the answer is that I did and I didn’t! I did a reading at my very first meeting, and then they asked me to read it as if I knew I was Carla’s dad. That was quite a bombshell! But at that time, Coronation Street wasn’t sure whether they were going to go with that story – until on my first day, I heard it was happening. That was amazing to learn and I didn’t tell anybody. Me and Alison [King, who plays Carla] didn’t even really talk about it! Who else would you like to see in the factory? …asks Lisa from Basildon I love Dolly-Rose Campbell,…

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JESSICA CUNNINGHAM Jessica reckons people think of her as a female Jim Carrey due to her animated facial expressions and hyperactive personality. We think that ‘Jessica’ could actually be national treasure Suranne Jones earning herself another Bafta. KARTHIK NAGESAN Karthik has plans to be prime minister one day, but he wants to become a billionaire first. He’s a larger-than-life character who approaches the first task with great enthusiasm, but how long before he starts to grate on his teammates? OLIVER NOHL-OSER Poor Oliver is immediately the butt of several of Lord Sugar’s jokes when it’s revealed that he owns a sausage-making business. His teammates don’t seem to take him any more seriously, but maybe Ollie will prove them all wrong… PAUL SULLIVAN Admitting While we in ’re the sworn first…

Enthusiastic cooks from across the nation hope to wow chef Michael Caines and food writer Prue Leith in this new series. In each episode, two people set up a restaurant in their home for one night, where Michael, Prue and their rival contestants from that region will come for a three-course meal, scoring them on each dish and knocking points off for food that comes out late… “Viewers might see the show as a sort of Come Dine With Me meets MasterChef,” Michael tells Inside TV. “I like to think it fits within the sort of intensity of something like MasterChef, but it’s also a team sport: two people working together, be it siblings or friends or a couple, bringing their passion for food together.” Being in the contestants’ homes…

TEST OF FRIENDS Sherlock’s Louise Brealey and The Fall’s Aisling Franciosi are to star in new BBC3 drama Clique, about two university friends who are drawn into a group of alpha girls, led by a charismatic lecturer. TOP TALENT Good news for Simon Cowell fans: Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor will be staying on ITV until at least 2019, after the supremo signed a new three-year deal with the broadcaster. IN BLOOM Channel 4 have confirmed that their offbeat comedy Flowers will be returning for a second series. The sitcom, starring Julian Barratt, Olivia Colman and writer Will Sharpe, will film six more episodes in 2017.…

THE TEMPTATION OF TODD After months of being a thorn in Phelan’s side, Corrie’s Todd shocked us all by teaming up with the villain! But has he actually gone to the dark side, or is it all a ploy? Either way, you love it… I really thought Todd had turned over a new leaf – how wrong I was! No sooner had he cruelly deceived Billy, he’s then joining forces with nasty crooks Phelan and Vinny in their scam. Todd is a clever and devious lad, but he’s in deep water. I hope he knows what he’s getting himself into! John, Liverpool It’s a real shame that Todd has split from Billy. For a while there it looked like he had reformed into an upstanding citizen!…

We have to say that we’re shocked by Ste’s behaviour this week – and star Kieron Richardson, who plays him, tells us that this is the start of another emotional roller coaster for his alter ego. “I didn’t even get told it was happening – I had to read it in the script!” he tells us. “I didn’t want Ste to come out of rehab and just move on to another story – so while he’s not necessarily going back on drugs, there are definitely consequences that arise from everything he’s been through…”…

There are some hilarious hijinks on the horizon for Beth and Mary, if these sneaky snaps are anything to go by! Corrie viewers will know that bigamist Beth is being forced to do community service as punishment for her crime – and here she is donning a fluorescent orange bib while cleaning up litter in the local area. However, when Mary appears on the scene, the women swap outfits – with Beth scarpering and Mary taking her place on the clean-up crew! “Beth has never been one to play by the rules, so it’s not a huge surprise that she’s trying to wriggle out of her punishment,” chuckles our Street source. “Having said that, she might have a good reason for pulling the switch. But if Beth and Mary are…

It’s another week, and another departure from EastEnders , as the soap’s big cast shake-up continues! Once again it’s the Carter clan who are set to lose a major player, with actress Annette Badland – who plays wicked Aunt Babe – the latest star to be written out of the show. The crafty character follows in the footsteps of Buster, Lee, Claudette and Kyle – not to mention Masood, the Cokers and the Mitchell sisters. However, the good news is that bosses are leaving the door open for Babe’s return… “Prior to living in the Vic, Aunt Babe was seen coming and going from the Square with her own life away from Walford,” explains an EastEnders spokesperson. “So while she won’t be a permanent resident, Babe will…

Brave Valerie goes to drastic lengths this week, having discovered that the company she recently began working for is up to no good. She sets out to expose the fact that many of the staff employed by her new agency have failed vocab tests, putting patients at risk – but after police officer Rob and his boss Addison learn of the manner in which she’s gathered evidence, Valerie is placed in an awkward position as she attempts to protect her reputation. Can she extricate herself away from her crooked employers before being dragged into the potential scandal? Also this week… Rob and Karen prepare to welcome their first foster-child, while Jimmi and Al swap diets.…

BEST ACTOR JACK P SHEPHERD David Platt, Coronation Street DANNY DYER Mick Carter, EastEnders STEVE McFADDEN Phil Mitchell, EastEnders DANNY MILLER Aaron Dingle, Emmerdale BEST ACTRESS PAULA LANE Kylie Platt, Coronation Street TINA O’BRIEN Sarah Platt, Coronation Street LACEY TURNER Stacey Fowler, EastEnders LUCY PARGETER Chas Dingle, Emmerdale BEST BAD GIRL KATE FORD Tracy Barlow, Coronation Street ANNETTE BADLAND ‘Aunt’ Babe Smith, EastEnders EMMA ATKINS Charity Dingle, Emmerdale PERSEPHONE SWALES-DAWSON Nico Bradley, Hollyoaks BEST BAD BOY CONNOR McINTYRE Pat Phelan, Coronation Street ELIOT CARRINGTON Bobby Beale, EastEnders JEFF HORDLEY Cain Dingle, Emmerdale GREG WOOD Trevor Royle, Hollyoaks FUNNIEST FEMALE PATTI CLARE Mary Taylor, Coronation Street TAMEKA EMPSON Kim Fox-Hubbard, EastEnders LAURA NORTON Kerry Wyatt, Emmerdale NICOLE BARBER-LANE Myra McQueen, Hollyoaks FUNNIEST MALE JOE DUTTINE Tim Metcalfe, Coronation Street SIMON GREGSON…

Flawed Cindy still makes plenty of mistakes, and although she’s placed Jude on a pedestal, she understands her rights and wrongs better than ruthless Jude ever has. So will she support her sister’s scam? “Cindy doesn’t know about any of it!” reveals actress Steph Waring, who plays Cindy. “She’s on board for a bit when she finds out, but her morals shine through, and she tells Jude that she can’t do this. “There’s also a really lovely moment when Cindy tries to persuade her to stay,” continues the star. “And I don’t want Davinia to go anywhere either! I’m going to be very upset when she does leave.”…

Very few Home and Away stars get to return to the show more than 20 years after their character moved away from the Bay. But that’s what’s happened to Laura Vazquez, who was on the show from 1993 to 1994 – and is now working on the other side of the camera! Laura, who played Alf Stewart’s teenage foster-daughter Sarah Thompson, may have left her alter ego behind long ago, but she’s currently working on the show as a hair and make-up artist… “I was booked to work here on a freelance basis to begin with, so I would pop in every now and then,” she explains, as she joins Inside Soap for a long-overdue catch-up. “Then one of the full-time make-up artists left, so I…

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OKAY, SO PERHAPS YOU DIDN’T WASTE your childhood shut away in the dark playing Horace Goes Skiing on a ZX Spectrum. Perhaps you don’t have the same sense of nostalgia when it comes to video games. But that shouldn’t matter, because this series is a genuinely joyous viewing experience, even if it’s all new to you. Games expert Ellie Gibson’s potted histories are fun, but the real value comes from watching the guest celebs flailing over a fairly straightforward challenge and screaming incoherently, which is definitely our experience of playing video games.…

“I WAS TEACHING INDIRA TO PLAY POKÉMON GO AND THERE WAS A PIKACHU ON ROB’S FACE.” Paranoid star Dino Fetscher on chilling out between takes with Indira Varma and Robert Glenister “IN INDIAN SUMMERS I HAD TO CARRY A TRAY AND THE CAST WERE ALL LAUGHING AT ME.” National Treasure star Julie Walters on being forever associated with the ‘Two Soups’ sketch “PEOPLE GET CONSCRIPTED ON THIS SHOW TO SAY, ‘ALL I WANT IS TO GET TO BLACKPOOL’. I WANT TO GO PAST IT!” Judge Rinder is hoping he’ll get to stay in Strictly Come Dancing for the long haul “I WOULD GIVE EVERYONE THE DAY OFF WORK, MAINLY BECAUSE I FEEL IT WOULD MAKE ME REALLY POPULAR.” Victoria star Jenna Coleman reveals what she would do if she were…

BROKEN DART I’m sure I recognised the lady who headed the rival darts team that competed against the Vic ladies in EastEnders. What else has she been in? Fiona, Brighton Geraldine Clough was played by Gwyneth Strong, who’s best known for her role as Rodney’s missus Cassandra in classic show Only Fools And Horses . FLOWER POWER Kim in EastEnders was wearing a gorgeous yellow, floral print summer dress last week. I’d love one for my upcoming holiday! Where can I get it? Pamela, via email Kim’s ‘Tropical Placement Cami Dress’ is originally from Oasis, although it’s currently sold out on their website. However, you can pick it up on asos.com  for a very reasonable £31.50. WED ALERT In Hollyoaks the other day, Cindy reckoned that she’d…

BULLSEYE! Roy’s Rolls is a much cheerier place now that Cathy’s nephew Alex is a permanent fixture behind the counter. Liam Bairstow is a fantastic actor with superb comic timing, and his delivery of Alex’s random sarcasm is close to rivalling that of Weatherfield’s king of comedy, Steve McDonald. Loving your work, Liam! We can’t imagine what Rhona sees in Pierce. Tracy, love. Whatever Frank has done, no girl in her right mind turns down a life-size Barbie 4x4. Big mistake! Our always hotly contested award for Best Supporting Amphibian of the Week goes to the Emmerdale frog who hopped out of Tracy’s skirt. Perhaps it fancied her open-toad shoes. There is a special place in adultery hell reserved for Sharif and Sonia, who had the nerve to get jiggy…