Table of contents for 44 - 2016 in Inside Soap UK

This week’s Inside Soap is jam-packed with stuff. Sometimes I just don’t know how we fit it all in! I was very excited by our sneak pics of Denise and Phil having what looks like a heart-to-heart – will she reveal all on her big baby secret? We peruse the possibilities on p10. Meanwhile, Corrie’s Phelan story appears to be reaching its climax, and the con is well and truly on as he heads to the airport – but can he really get away with the scheme and his neighbours’ cash? See p19. As well as goss, we’ve got some great chats with soap favourites. Catherine Tyldesley tells us why she would give Corrie’s Eva a stiff talking-to, Walford’s Jamie Borthwick gives us the inside story on Jay’s latest troubles…

The mystery of Ronnie and Roxy’s explosive exit from Albert Square is becoming more tantalising with each passing week! The latest rumour to emerge is that the Mitchell sisters will plummet to a watery grave in dramatic scenes involving a swimming pool this New Year’s Eve. However, an EastEnders spokesperson has put a cat among the pigeons… “We know how much our audience hate to have future storylines spoilt, so we do not comment on speculation,” said the spokesperson. “However, knowing that there is huge excitement about the departure of Ronnie and Roxy, we are filming various different endings to keep this plot under wraps.” Meanwhile, former Walford fave Dame Barbara Windsor (Peggy Mitchell) has reportedly slammed the decision to write the sisters out of the show. “It wasn’t the…

I’LL BE BACK! Claudette Hubbard will soon be leaving the Square - but star Ellen Thomas says she isn’t going for good… “[The bosses said], ‘If we weren’t interested in her coming back, we’d have killed her off!’ So she could return in six months - something like that.” SO WILL I! And the good news from Holby City is that boss Henrik Hanssen isn’t departing the medical drama for good, either! The hospital CEO recently left for Sweden after facing up to his depression - but show chiefs have since revealed on Twitter that he’ll return soon. Hooray! MULE TIDE! EastEnders has been busy filming scenes for this year’s Christmas episodes - involving the Mitchell sisters, Stacey and Martin, some sheep and a donkey! It sounds as if the…

Zara and Daniel are the focus of hot gossip at The Mill this week, after their arrest for enjoying a spot of afternoon delight al fresco makes the papers. But while Daniel escapes the worst of it, Zara’s patients start cancelling appointments on account of her supposed loose morals. Even more unfairly, she’s targeted by online trolls, while her man is virtually congratulated by the students at his university lecture! However, when a dodgy patient drops his trousers in front of Zara and makes suggestive comments, it’s clear that urgent action is required. What might the solution be? Also this week… Ayesha’s latest date with Tyler proves disastrous, and Sid considers his future in medicine.…

“I DON’T LIKE THE DRAMATIC STUFF – I GET SO INVOLVED!” When Sonya first mooted the idea of being a surrogate for her best mates Steph and Mark, we couldn’t help but think that she was stark raving bonkers! Of course, it was a generous thing to do, and she would be making their dreams come true – but the couple have only been together for five minutes, and their relationship isn’t exactly rock solid at the moment. This week, the saga takes another turn when Steph finds out that her eggs are no longer viable – prompting Sonya to impulsively offer up hers! And as we get on the phone to Australia for a chat with actress Eve Morey, who plays Sonya, she admits that she’s been struggling to…

MOTHER! The Sugdens may be her stepfamily, but Diane regards them as her own. She fought hard to rebuild the clan after Jack’s death, and has always looked out for Andy and Victoria. She’s even stayed loyal to scheming Robert! She’s supported daughter Bernice through her many romantic disasters, and accepted and loved nephew Paul even after she discovered he was Rodney’s son. And now that she knows there is something fishy going on where Andy’s disappearance is concerned, there will be no stopping this super-mum getting to the truth… SURVIVOR! As well as beating cancer twice, Diane was badly injured in the Kings River show home explosion – and after she recovered from her injuries, the only long-lasting effect was a new-found lust for life! Most recently, traumatised Chas…

If you weren’t an actor, what would you be doing? …asks Miriam, via email I’m passionate about taking pictures, especially portrait photography – so I think I’d be a photographer. I’ve always loved taking pictures, but never really did any proper training. I just read a lot of books and taught myself about it. I like it because it’s creative but also a little bit technical – there’s something nerdy about it! How much did you enjoy being a part of the ‘Super Soap Week’ episodes? …asks Maya from Torquay It was a real buzz. Everybody loved working on them because the writing wasn’t like normal, and we used different cameras – the episodes were presented in a new way, which was fantastic. Everyone really stepped up, and the stunts…

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He’s achieved the seemingly impossible and made slideshow presentations not just entertaining, but the cornerstone of a successful comedy series. Dave Gorman returns this week with more episodes of the show where he takes a slightly baffled look at the modern world – and he can’t quite believe he’s on series four already… “It’s ridiculous, the idea that there are four series,” Dave tells Inside TV. “I feel a real sense of privilege because I don’t know another comic who has a show which is sort of what they do live, only on telly, so I feel really, really lucky to have that!” In the opening episode of this new series, Dave will be examining the idea of guilty pleasures, which is a concept he finds fundamentally flawed. “One of…

BULLSEYE! We take our hats off to Corrie’s Debbie Rush, who is doing a fantastic job at portraying the horrific effects of Anna’s injuries. Her pain looks and sounds so authentic that you almost feel it. Meanwhile, we’re incensed by the audacity of David Platt, who’s walking around like he hasn’t burned someone half to death and almost killed his own daughter. At least say you’re sorry, lad! “I shouldn’t be a widow! I shouldn’t have lost Holly! And I shouldn’t be a man down because James fell off a bridge!” Yes, Moira, it’s all about you. That James was so bloody selfish. Big news from Walford! Kathy has a new coat. And that colour looks lovely on her. You don’t need…

DENISE’S ELDEST COULD BE IN LINE FOR A RETURN… With Libby now in the know about her mum’s pregnancy, surely it can only be a matter of time before Denise’s other daughter, Chelsea, finds out she’s going to have a new little brother or sister. EastEnders doesn’t exactly shy away from bringing back former characters to suit the storyline, with Ryan Malloy recently making a couple of appearances for his sister Whitney’s plot. Could a return for Chelsea be in the works? From what we know, she’s living in Spain and is still in contact with Libby. Provided Denise doesn’t go into early labour and have her baby this Christmas (we bet you £5), the due date is at the end of January. So perhaps we’ll hear from Chelsea then,…

Fans of Samantha were intrigued recently when they suspected she was joining rival soap Emmerdale. After Sam tweeted actor John Bowe (Lawrence) to praise the show’s recent car pile-up episodes, the actor’s reply of “Great to have you on board” left fans convinced Sam was set for a Dales role – with one even suggesting she could be a cousin of Chrissie White! Sadly, Sam set the record straight. “No, not joining,” she tweeted. “Just respect from another soap member.” Bit of a shame, if you ask us!…

Bethany has already had one hell of a year – battling bullies and struggling with diet pills. So how will she cope now she knows that Gary is her mum’s new fella? “I don’t think Bethany would want to cause trouble for Sarah,” reckons Lucy. “She knows how much her family has been through, and she doesn’t want to hurt anyone. But I think having Gary around a lot as her mum’s boyfriend is going to cause problems. “Bethany will try to push her own feelings aside, but she’s vulnerable and lonely,” adds the star. “Her confidence has been chipped away. And even though she’s grown up a lot lately, I think if Gary and Sarah stay together, it might send Bethany off the rails…”…

Emmerdale’s recent car crash is set to have horrifying repercussions for survivor Rhona, when her painkiller addiction comes back to haunt her! The story looks likely to have huge consequences for her relationship with control freak Pierce, who has a few skeletons in his closet… “Obviously Rhona has a history with painkillers, so her road to recovery might be tricky,” explains actress Zoe Henry, who plays her. “Pierce knows of her past, but hasn’t experienced it – so it’s going to be difficult for him to understand. “Of course, the irritating fact is that Paddy was very good at dealing with Rhona when she was on pills,” adds the star. “He’s understanding and knowledgeable, whereas Pierce is saying, ‘Hold on a minute – this is my job’! He’s…

Maxine’s snooping leads her to a big surprise this week – when she stumbles across an engagement ring belonging to Adam! For a while it seemed the couple might never get it together, but Adam eventually realised he wanted Maxine despite all of her baggage, and decided to give their relationship a shot. Things appear to be going swimmingly – but when Maxine finds the engagement ring among Adam’s belongings, she can’t help but worry that her fella is jumping the gun a little! Worried Maxine confides in Neeta that it’s all feels like too much, too soon – though that doesn’t stop her from trying on the ring for size! Unfortunately, it turns out to be a snug fit, and Adam is furious when he returns to find the…

FAIR CITY Debbie’s whole world crumbles this week, when a chilling discovery about Tommy rocks her to the core. But what has Debbie found out? Elsewhere, Katy tries to establish a relationship with her captor, and edges closer to escaping… Plus, Caoimhe wants to live life to the full – and arranges to go running with Jackie! How will Damien react? RIVER CITY Cassie tries to find the courage to tell Angus she’s pregnant this week – but unfortunately, he’s too busy planning their trip to the US. Will there ever be a right time to break the news? Meanwhile, Scarlett visits Jimmy in prison – and she’s shocked after he admits that he wants to get a divorce! Also, Alex’s suspicions about Belinda continue to grow… THE ARCHERS Lilian…

“JAY HAS ENDED UP LIKE THIS BECAUSE HE FEELS WORTHLESS” While deep down he’s desperate to be a decent man, Jay can’t do right for doing wrong at the moment. Up to his neck in debt to a ruthless drug dealer, the strapped-for-cash Walford fella can’t pay what he owes. With time and options running out, poor Jay is left in an impossible situation. But while there’s seemingly no end in sight to his nightmares, his woes make actor Jamie Borthwick – who plays the troubled young lad – very happy… It’s been one thing after another for Jay for months now! Are you enjoying this latest storyline? I’m very happy with the way it’s all been handled, and I’ve loved playing out this tricky period. I think it’s probably…

Life in Albert Square is many things, but it’s certainly not stylish – so we were delighted to see these three young Walford stars all scrubbed up to attend BBC Radio 1’s Teen Awards in Wembley. Dressed in a black dress and biker jacket, Tilly Keeper (Louise) beamed as she posed alongside cast mates Jamie Borthwick (Jay) and Harry Reid (Ben), who also won out in the style stakes. They didn’t steal the limelight for too long, though, as a giant Pikachu character outshone them on the red carpet and had the trio chuckling. That’s showbiz! Also starring...…

“Of course! I once worked with the French actor Jean Reno on a detective series called Jo. I had a very small part in one episode, filmed in Paris, and I had to try hard not to be star-struck because we had scenes together. I’m also sure I saw Penélope Cruz in Selfridges once. I kind of stalked her round the store, but I’m still not sure if it was her! I wouldn’t have been able to speak to her in any case!”…

Some of the world’s finest magicians are coming to the small screen in this new six-part series. Each week, six acts will perform one of their most impressive tricks in the studio, and all of the performers will be scoring each other. The winner of each round goes through to the grand final, where the overall winner will be awarded their own ITV special. We caught up with hosts Stephen Mulhern and Rochelle Humes to find out more about the show. What difference does it make that the magicians judge each other? Stephen The magicians we have on this show are already famous in the areas that they come from, so they know what to look for in each other’s tricks. Some of them have worked up to 10 years…

TWO’S COMPANY Singers Michael Ball and Alfie Boe will be joining forces for an ITV special. Ball And Boe: One Night Only will air late this year, with songs from the pair’s new album and some very special guests. THE POWER OF LOVE Vanessa Redgrave is to star in new BBC1 drama Man In An Orange Shirt. The two-part show explores two gay love stories 60 years apart, and will also star Julian Morris and David Gyasi. GIVE US A SHIRL David Walliams has signed up to host a tribute to Dame Shirley Bassey in honour of the singer’s 80th birthday next January. The one-off special will feature a few surprises and, of course, Dame Shirley belting out all the hits.…

1 SATURDAY DVD OUR GIRL - COMPLETE SERIES TWO The BBC drama returns for a second series, now starring ex-Corrie actress Michelle Keegan (Tina McIntyre). When Army medic Georgie Lane takes on a vital role overseas at a refugee camp, she soon finds herself held hostage and facing a dangerous situation. WIN! For the chance to win a copy, tell us which show Jorgie Porter was in: A) Home and Away, B) Hollyoaks, or C) Casualty. Text ISPRIZE1, a space, then A, B, or C and your name & address to 85010 (50p). Or see below for postal entries. 2 SUNDAY Book THURSDAYS IN THE PARK by Hilary Boyd Jeanie has been married for 30 years, but her husband George has become distant and cold. Feeling lost in a loveless…

DOTTY FOR IT I love Belinda’s 1950s look in EastEnders, and have started styling my hair like hers! Do you know where she gets her clothes from? Carol, Manchester We can help with one example, and it’s very fitting, given that Belinda is short of cash at the moment. Her gorgeous polka-dotted dress is only £14 – head to Asos.com  and search ‘Drape spot print midi dress’. SAM THE MAN Am I right in thinking that there’s a new actor playing Samson Dingle in Emmerdale? What a shame, the old one was such a little sweetie! Marie, via email Young actor Sam Hall is still a little sweetie, Marie – because he’s still playing Samson! He’s simply growing up before our eyes. Samson is 10, and actor Sam…

QUEEN BITCH! For a woman who was once so sweet, kind and caring, the turn of cruel Chrissie was never on Louise’s radar… “I didn’t imagine she’d become so calculated!” exclaims the actress. “I’m loving it, though. Chrissie is very fierce, isn’t she?” RETURN OF THE EX? With Andy’s family having finally learned the truth about him being framed, will he return to take his revenge on Chrissie? “That would be fun, though I don’t expect it will be any time soon, as he’s still on the run,” Louise points out. “But if he did come back to the |Dales, he’d wreak havoc!” SISTER ACT! Chrissie and Rebecca may be at war, but Louise says she and Emily Head – who plays her sibling – get on like a house…

“MAYBE DENISE WILL TAKE PITY ON PHIL AND DIVULGE THE TRUTH…” Could this be the moment that Denise tells Phil that she’s carrying his baby? Our spies spotted EastEnders stars Diane Parish and Steve McFadden, who play the pair, filming scenes that feature their characters in the midst of a very curious-looking heart-to-heart in Walford’s local graveyard. Phil looks as if he’s on death’s door as he continues to wait for a liver transplant – however, will his fight for life become even more desperate if Denise tells him he’s going to be a dad again? “Say what you want about Phil, but there is no one he loves more than his kids,” insists our Square insider. “He screwed up big time in the past with…

Cindy’s certainly not the sharpest tool in the box, but she’s determined to crack the case – so perhaps she would be better suited to the police station than the Emporium. After all, she previously teamed up with Mercedes to unveil the identity of the ‘Gloved Hand Killer’. “Yes, she found the Gloved Hand’s shrine!” laughs Steph. “Cindy is definitely the Miss Marple of the village. I think she should become a PCSO and take over Carmel Valentine’s old job, or start writing crime fiction as well as her erotic novels. Although while Cindy thinks she’s got what it takes to solve this mystery, I definitely don’t think she has the brains!”…

SNEAK PREVIEW! Here is your first look at Corrie newbie Daniel Osbourne, who will soon be reunited with his father Ken and half-brother Peter. Our sneaky snaps show stars William Roache and Chris Gascoyne filming some of their first scenes with actor Rob Mallard, who has been signed up to play Daniel. The only noticable absentee is Sam Robertson, who is reprising the role of Ken’s grandson Adam – however, he and Daniel are expected to arrive on the cobbles at the same time. “I’m excited about Sam coming back to play Adam, and Rob as Daniel is a fascinating actor to watch,” revealed head honcho Kate Oates, when we spoke to her at the recent Inside Soap Awards. “The two characters are so different.…

Isabel tells us that she isn’t exactly relishing the possibility of an on-screen pregnancy! “If Victoria ends up expecting, I did think it might be quite cute to have a little bump,” shares the actress. “But I talked to a few people at work and they were all like, ‘Oh no – it’s actually really uncomfortable!’. Apparently it makes going for a wee 10 times longer, because you have to take it all off first. So it turns out it’s a bit of a burden!”…

Michael’s suspicions about dodgy Phelan explode this week – after he hears the rotter discussing his dealings with Vinny in the Rovers. Michael has had a number of clashes with Phelan since he returned to the cobbles – and whereas most locals have swallowed Phelan’s fraudulent claims regarding his housing development, Michael remains convinced something is up. This week, Michael finds himself at Anna’s bedside when he accompanies guilt-ridden Gail to the hospital. And having heard all about Anna’s own dark history with Phelan, he shares his qualms about the villain. Of course, Anna is currently more concerned with her life-changing injuries than whatever Phelan is planning, but Michael is like a dog with a bone –and becomes even more convinced that something fishy is going on when he overhears…

“AS FAR AS EVA IS CONCERNED, AIDAN IS PRINCE CHARMING!” While we can all see Aidan for the cheating cad he is, Eva is adamant she’s finally found her prince. For the past few weeks – ever since his and Maria’s saucy sofa session – Aidan has been walking on eggshells, desperate to keep his deception a secret. And all the while, his girlfriend has remained unaware, busy plotting her and Aidan’s future together. Heartbreak is on the cards, and unwitting Eva speeds that awful prospect along this week by naively reuniting Aidan and Maria as Maria struggles with the drama over Caz’s disappearance. And while Eva believes she’s being a loyal pal, actress Catherine Tyldesley, who plays her, is outraged on her behalf… “I reckon Maria deserves a kick…

“I love filming on the Albert Square set – summer or winter, it’s always a nice place to be. My other favourite place is No 55, where Jay lives. It feels like home when I’m there with our nice family group. When we get together, it’s great.” “One of my favourite stories was Billy’s stag do before he married Honey back in 2006. He woke up in a bed shop after having his clothes stolen. I wasn’t in the show then, but watched it and thought it was hilarious!” “My favourite person to work with is Harry Reid [Ben]. There are times when we just can’t stop laughing. We always have fun on set, but we know when to draw the line and get on with our work…” “I’ve always…

“GOLDIE DOESN’T MIND GETTING INTO TROUBLE WITH THE LAW” Chelsee Healey is no stranger to our screens thanks to her memorable roles in Waterloo Road and Casualty – and after she took a short break from TV, we were delighted when Hollyoaks announced that she’d be joining their cast to play Goldie McQueen. After months of waiting for her to make her explosive entrance into the village, the day has finally arrived as Myra discovers her cousin kipping in Mercedes’ bed! Her character is a McQueen by name and by nature, and star Chelsee can’t wait for her fiery alter ego to make her debut… Are you looking forward to showing off your first episodes? Yes, they’re finally here! Once I started filming I knew it was going to be…

“My favourite stunt was when myself and Nigel Le Vaillant [who played Dr Julian Chapman] had to jump out of a helicopter. The devil in me said yes after they offered us full training with the RAF, but Nigel was furious that I’d agreed because he didn’t want to do it. He did in the end, though!” “Kate Winslet appeared in the show when she was about 17, and was fantastic. She worked very hard, but when she was on camera she was like a swan – effortless. I loved my scenes with her because she was really humble and had a brilliant sense of humour.” “The trickiest procedure I’ve ever had to perform was on location at a hospital in Bristol – with Nigel again! Duffy and Julian dealt…

Corrie’s Shayne Ward (Aidan) and former Hollyoaks star Sophie Austin (Lindsey Roscoe) were spotted looking loved-up and excited at The Baby Show in London - and judging by Sophie’s growing bump, we think the couple were wise to be stocking up on some baby essentials sooner rather than later! Also spotted at the show was Sophie’s old co-star Ayden Callaghan (Joe) alongside his wife Sarah-Jane Honeywell and their adorable tot Phoenix. But these stars weren’t the only ones busy with family matters recently… PARR TREKKING! He’s known as the bad boy always doing all kinds of wrong in the Dales, but Michael Parr (Ross) proved how he differs from his alter ego as he climbed Mount Everest for the Spectrum Everest Base Camp Challenge 2016 for charity. Taking on the…

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THE FIRST SERIES of this workplace drama was a compelling look at the little fibs we tell every day that come back to haunt us - and moving to a different location with a new cast hasn’t dented its charm for this second run. Each episode is a self-contained story, which makes it easy to jump in (although there are ongoing plot strands that reward you for watching it all), and the quality of the ensemble cast gives us a reason to come back each week. This time, warehouse worker Wendy (Rebekah Staton) is driven to desperation when her violent ex jeopardises her new relationship.…

Two men who were arrested, but not charged, on allegations of child sex abuse are brutally attacked within days of each other. DI Will Wagstaffe (known to his colleagues as ‘Staffe’) is on the case, but it’s not the only one he’s working on in this two-hour drama: he’s also privately investigating the unresolved murder of his parents. “He’s a bit young to be in the role that he’s in,” reveals Tom Riley, who plays Staffe. “He’s there because he’s incredibly good at his job, but what drives him is the death of his parents when he was a kid. As a result he’s slightly led by his emotions, so in places he can be a bit childish.” The story takes place during August, with London in the grip of…

“IT’S SO WEIRD TO COME BACK AND SUDDENLY ALL THE RELATIONSHIPS ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.” The Flash star Jesse L Martin on the show’s world-changing ‘Flashpoint’ storyline “I WATCHED THELMA AND LOUISE TO PREPARE! TWO FRIENDS OUT ON A JOURNEY TOGETHER, A MIXTURE ” OF PERIL AND COMEDY… Crazyhead’s Cara Theobald drew inspiration from an unlikely source… “SEASON SIX, WE HAD TO USE SOME FAKERY BUT FOR SEASON SEVEN I HAD ENOUGH TIME TO GROW MY OWN HAIR OUT.” That’s all Thomas Payne’s own hair and beard as Jesus on The Walking Dead “SINGING IS THE WORST THING EVER. I LITERALLY WANT TO CRY IF I HAVE TO SING IN PUBLIC!” Dark Angel’s Joanne Froggatt didn’t enjoy having to croon in character…

PLEASE REMEMBER, ASHLEY! Emmerdale’s huge multi-car pile-up on the Hotten bypass certainly moved many an Inside Soap reader to write or email. The big question is: will Emma get away with causing so much tragedy? All I can say about Emmerdale is… just amazing! Everyone involved in the show deserves a big pat on the back. I was on the edge of my seat during the Friday episode, willing Aaron not to die. But I didn’t want James or Rhona to, either. But what I hope most is that Ashley remembers seeing Emma on the bridge. Kirsty, Brandon Why is Emma Barton still nursing? The woman has been deranged since she first arrived in Emmerdale. Something serious needs to be done before more people…

ARIES 21 MARCH - 20 APRIL   You’ll be given a chance to redeem yourself this week - and you should take it. You know in your heart of hearts that you’ve done wrong by someone in the recent past, and this is your chance to put things right. TAURUS 21 APRIL - 21 MAY   You’ll be a model of calm and resolve this week, as those all around you succumb to pressure! Maintain that and step in to sort out the problems that will arise - people will remember your steady influence. GEMINI 22 MAY - 21 JUNE   Eek! The countdown to Christmas is on. As much as it’s difficult to believe that 2016 is on the way out, this week will be a timely reminder -…