Table of contents for 45 - 2016 in Inside Soap UK

“THERE’SA CHANCE THAT ROBERT MAYHAVE LEFT HIMSELF EXPOSED…” Robert’s carefully laid plans look set to be blown apart by Diane this week, as she storms over to Home Farm for a gun-toting showdown with arch-nemesis Chrissie! During the heated exchange, Diane manages to extract a confession from shell-shocked lady of the manor Chrissie – and it begins to look as though Robert’s scheme to ruin the White family has a determined new boss… “Diane is on the warpath – she’s very upset!” admits Ryan Hawley, who plays Robert. “The reason Robert hasn’t been as upfront with Diane as he should have been is that she’s too honest – she’d be straight in to say something. Robert and Aaron have been trying to expose the Whites sneakily and stealthily, so didn’t…

RORY IS THE SECOND ACTOR TO PLAY HIM… It’s always a risk when a soap decides to bring back a former character with a new face, and Rory admits he felt the pressure before his first episode was aired. “This is my first TV job, so to be honest I was very nervous about my debut episode,” shares the actor. “All of the fans loved Andrew Still [who previously played Joel], and I’ve done a lot of research into how he portrayed him because I have big shoes to fill! “Luckily, the response has been so positive that it’s blown me away,” adds Rory. “It was very kind of people to message and let me know what they thought, and now I’m hoping I can do the role justice –…

“WITHOUT GIVING TOO MUCH AWAY, MASOOD LEAVES FOR THE RIGHT REASONS…” There are sad times for the residents of Albert Square this week, as Masood decides to leave Walford. The bloke has only very recently returned home after prematurely terminating his world tour, and it seemed as if Masood could have had a fresh future in the Square when he fell for glamorous salon owner Belinda. However, it turns out his heart might still lie elsewhere as he makes up his mind to depart again… “Masood makes quite a low-key exit, in a way,” reveals Nitin Ganatra, who plays him. “But it’s all very moving and heartfelt, as well as funny and intimate. And I think that is exactly how it should be – full of heart and love.” Understandably,…

“MICHAEL FINDS THE TICKETS - HE FINALLY HAS PHELAN BANGED TO RIGHTS” Michael teams up with Anna to bring down dodgy Phelan this week – and makes a shocking discovery which proves he’s been right about the schemer all along! Michael can’t believe it when he goes on an errand to his ex Eileen’s house, and overhears Phelan discussing his plans to run off to Mexico with the profits of his scam. But as the stakes get higher, will Michael regret taking on the bad-boy builder? “Michael is hiding upstairs when he overhears Phelan on the phone,” shares Les Dennis, who plays him. “He goes from there to speak to Anna, because he knows what she’s said about Phelan. But Michael doesn’t get the response he’s after, because Anna is…

It looks as if Frank has finally got his girl when he takes Megan out for a slap-up meal this week – but a person from his past threatens to ruin it all. Megan has rejected the ex-con over and over again, and even recruited Bailey to help her swerve persistent Frank’s regular advances. But all his grafting has finally started to pay off, and he decides to ask Megan to join him on a date. Unfortunately, her former flame Jai isn’t best pleased to see Frank and Megan spending time together, as he has serious reservations about baby Eliza being in the company of someone who’s only just got out of the nick! And of course, Megan is still wary of Frank’s criminal record too, so she braces herself…

Elly unwittingly fuels Angus’ schoolboy crush on her this week, after she rescues him from a potentially dangerous situation! Angus has been hanging out with a bad crowd at his new school, and Elly warns him to be careful. But when she gets a late-night call from drunk Angus, she and Tyler race to pick him up from a bar – leading Angus to believe she has feelings for him… “Elly knows that Angus has a crush on her, but she has never led him on,” explains Jodi Anasta, who plays her. “Despite her sometimes questionable behaviour, Elly does have a moral compass – especially when it comes to things like this.” Not wanting Angus to get into trouble, Elly hides his midnight plight from Karl and Susan, preferring to…

Craig opens himself up to a heap of trouble this week, after he allows Faye and her boyfriend Seb to enjoy some alone time at No 5. Faye’s budding romance with the teen bad boy has been going from strength to strength, even though she knows he is a petty criminal. Craig is less than impressed when the penny drops about Seb’s dodgy dealings – but with the cheeky charmer proving to be a thief of hearts as well as goods, Faye could be getting in over her head. However, when Craig challenges Seb, the rotter laughs in his face and then cancels his date with Faye – before telling her that Craig threatened him! Under pressure from Seb not to be a killjoy like her mate, Faye steals Phelan’s…

THE BARTONS EMMERDALE THE PROBLEM John Barton’s demise and the exit of daughters Holly and Hannah left Moira and son Adam as the only Bartons in the village. Plus, Moira was poised to change her name to Dingle. THE SOLUTION It turned out John wasn’t the only recipient of the farm hunk family genes, as brother James and his three boys – tearaway Ross, saintly Pete and nerdy Finn – arrived. THE STORIES James bought a stake in Butler’s Farm to keep it from being sold, but his past with Moira made things tricky – especially as he, not John, was secretly Adam’s biological dad! Ross quickly became infamous for his criminal ways, Pete started dating Cain’s daughter Debbie, while Finn was the light relief. FAMILY FORTUNES The Barton boys…

EASTENDERS Phil Mitchell has spent 2016 in and out of hospital and on and off the wagon – with his liver paying the price. Next week, there’s a dramatic development in his quest to find a replacement organ, but Phil faces a stark choice that could change things forever. How will his family react as they are forced to confront a harsh reality? HOME AND AWAY VJ proposes! NEIGHBOURS Tanaka tragedy… HOLLYOAKS Ste’s custody crisis WAR… AND PEACE? The Nazirs once led a quiet(ish) life, but not any more! Next week, Zeedan’s birthday descends into chaos - will this be the final nail in the family coffin? HOPE FOR HOPE? Carly has been happy with Marlon, but next week, a spanner is thrown into the works! Can she salvage things…

Here s your first look at the all-new Barlow dynasty – as Coronation Street breathes fresh life into the soap’s original family. The ranks of Ken’s brood were boosted by the recent return of errant son Peter. But this week, Ken’s rabble-rousing grandson Adam roars back into Weatherfield, too – and the clan are further surprised by the sudden reappearance of Ken’s estranged son Daniel, who has been secretly visiting his dad in hospital. Throw wicked Tracy into this new mix and you have the perfect recipe for drama. So watch out Weatherfield, the Barlows are ready to take over the Street! It’s something Corrie producer Kate Oates is looking forward to… “I’m super-excited!” she grins. “The reason I wanted to bring the Barlow boys back…

“THE COPS HAVE A COMPELLING CASE - MOTIVE AND A MURDER WEAPON” Weatherfield police charge Maria with murder this week – after seizing what they believe is the weapon she used to bump off Caz! The drama kicks off when Johnny and Jenny find the bloodied scissors from Maria’s hairdressing bag in the factory bin, where Aidan tried to dispose of them. Unaware that his son is trying to help Maria, Johnny calls the police and hands over the scissors, believing he can help them get to the bottom of what happened to Caz. But what he doesn’t realise is that Caz’s ‘murder’ is a twisted plot by the lady herself to punish Maria for rejecting her… “Caz has well and truly stitched Maria up,” sighs our Corrie insider.…

“THERE’S NOTHING DAVID CAN DO TO FIGHT BACK - HE PUT PEOPLE’S LIVES AT RISK” Furious Gary whacks David in the face this week – after he learns the truth about the blaze that left his mum Anna scarred for life! Viewers know it was David’s reckless actions that caused the car crash and subsequent explosion, but Gary has been led to believe it was nothing more than a tragic accident. So when Sarah admits the horrifying truth of the matter, it’s no wonder Gary sees red… “The fact is that David packed his car with petrol on purpose, and that’s what led to it exploding,” our cobbles insider reminds us. “So after Sarah spills the beans about David’s revenge plot against Clayton, and that he was intent on doing…

“RODNEY HAS LIVED THROUGH NICOLA AND BERNICE FIGHTING OVER A FELLA BEFORE” Jealous Nicola hits the roof this week – when she catches husband Jimmy and sister Bernice together in a state of undress! The furious woman is already suspicious that Bernice has her eye on her man after she and Jimmy keep trying to get Nicola to go on a spa break for the weekend. So imagine her horror when she arrives home to find Bernice and Jimmy together in her home wearing very few clothes! It would be enough to make wives much saner than Nicola flip their lid… “As far as Nicola is concerned, Bernice has form when it comes to stealing her men,” sniffs our Dales insider. “Nico doesn’t forgive easily, and is convinced that lonely…

Further tensions are mounting within the Mitchell clan this week, as isolated Roxy feels increasingly hostile towards both Phil and Ronnie. Although the squad claim to be all about the importance of family, they’re more fragmented than they’ve ever been, and an incredibly lonely Roxy feels pushed out by them all. Following the trouble she got herself into when dabbling with drugs, Roxy is lucky to have anything to do with Amy, as Jack would certainly have put a stop to that if it wasn’t for Roxy’s doting older sister Ronnie. However, Roxy still isn’t spending as much time with her girl as she’d like to – and it seems impossible she could ever compete with Ronnie and Jack, who are spoiling her daughter with lavish birthday parties and dream…

Pierce’s jealousy resurfaces this week, when Rhona is sent flowers that Pierce suspects are from Paddy! Rhona’s fella is already feeling threatened after Paddy advises him on how to help her without painkillers, but he’s even more rattled as Rhona reveals some flowers that she’s received from ‘P’. Though she assumes they’re from Pierce, he has no knowledge of them and reckons Paddy is the culprit! Meanwhile, Rhona thanks Paddy for his generosity when he makes her an intriguing offer – before she receives more flowers! As Pierce’s jealousy builds, has Paddy overstepped the mark? Also this week… Liv gives Brenda a novel idea on how to raise some money for new Christmas lights for the church.…

Valerie is left traumatised this week, after she becomes a victim of ‘upskirting’. The Mill receptionist is understandably horrified following the incident – involving a surreptitious photo being taken up an oblivious target’s skirt – which occurs while Valerie is visiting the campus surgery. As the seedy snapper legs it, she doesn’t know where to turn, and when Zara later finds her sobbing in the staff room, Valerie is reluctant to admit what’s happened. Instead she claims the attack was experienced by a friend – but should she come clean and report the unsavoury matter to the police? Also this week… Sid continues to struggle, and a disastrous date has a steamy ending for Ayesha and Tyler.…

Love & marriage “Masood was dominated by Zainab, but he was no pushover. When they decided to divorce, it was a great moment, the two of them standing in their kitchen holding hands – and it got a ‘doof doof’!” Bad for business “When Masood bought The Argee Bhajee, he wanted to get affirmation from his family. The highlight of that plotline was Masood’s emasculation, but it was a lovely story about a man trying to make a name for himself.” All Chryed out! “When Syed fell in love with Christian, Masood was oblivious – that story was really about Zainab’s issues. Masood’s reaction was quite moderate. He just didn’t want to be lied to.” Ladies’ man “Masood has always been lucky with the ladies! I think the relationship which…

“THINGS GO SOUR WHEN OB FINDS OUT GRACE IS CLARE’S SISTER!” It’s always nice when a familiar face returns to soap, so we were delighted when we heard that Sam ‘OB’ O’Brien would be popping back to Hollyoaks for a while. Sadly, he’s not back under the happiest of circumstances, since the entire Osborne family has disappeared off the face of the earth, along with OB’s good pal Tom! But while it’s drama-a-go-go on screen, star Darren Jeffries tells us that he’s having an absolute ball reprising the role of OB after eight years away from the show… “It’s nice to be able to finally answer the question that I’ve been asked for so many years, which is: ‘Are you ever going back to Hollyoaks?’” chuckles the actor, as he…

As another group of celebrities enter the jungle and brace themselves for up to three weeks of chowing down on the private parts of animals in order to earn food, it’s all change over on the I’m A Celeb sister show. The new presenting line-up consists of comedian Chris Ramsey, previous winners Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash, and reigning queen of the jungle Vicky Pattison – and they won’t be sitting idly by while this year’s campers take on the challenges… What advice would you give to this year’s contestants? Vicky You need to be brave, and you need to have courage… Stacey Stamina. Vicky You know what? Be kind. It’s so often overlooked in this industry where you expect people to be cut-throat, but in…

WANT TO BAG YOURSELF 20 QUID? Tell us what you think Jenny is saying to Johnny in this scene from Corrie - we’ll print the caption that makes us laugh the most, and send the cash to the winner! TO ENTER Post your idea to the Soapbox address, email your entry to soapbubble@ insidesoap.co.uk  or put it on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ insidesoap The winning entry will be announced in two weeks’ time!…

“ADAM IS A WOMANISER - IT’S IN MY CONTRACT!” It’s fair to say that the last time we saw him, Adam Barlow’s most memorable contribution to Weatherfield was his Liam Gallagheresque barnet. However, as the son of Mike Baldwin and Ken’s daughter Susan, there’s great potential for this young buck, which is why Corrie has decided to bring him, and actor Sam Robertson, back… Tell us about Adam’s first scene back, Sam. He arrives in a burgundy Jag, rolls up to the spot where his dad Mike died and lights up a cigar, as you do when you are a flash 28-year-old! Then he goes into Underworld, and gets comfy in the office till he’s rudely interrupted by the Connors. There’s a little face-off between them,…

“POOR LEE SPENDS HIS BIRTHDAY MORNING TRYING TO WORK OUT A WAYFORWARD” Desperate Lee continues deceiving bride Whitney this week, as she pushes him to snap up their dream flat. Whit has been on a mission to get them their own home in Stratford, away from interfering mother-in-law Linda. So she’s excited after going to view the perfect place, and is hoping a deposit will secure it. What Whitney doesn’t know is that Lee hasn’t got the readies to make her dreams a reality – but is he about to take a foolish step to please his wife? “What is desperately sad is that Whitney loves Lee and would understand if he told her the truth,” says our EastEnders source. “But Lee’s pride is stopping him from coming clean. He’s…

There’s a familiar face rocking up in Walford this week, as Derek Harkinson – previously lodger and pal of Pauline and Martin Fowler – returns to the Square. Dad’s Army star Ian Lavender will reprise the role of Derek, whom he originally played from 2001 to 2005. “It was a lovely surprise to be back and I had a great time,” says the actor. “It was brilliant to work with some old friends again, especially those who I only briefly got to work with before.” Ian will be back as Derek this week, then will make several appearances throughout the festive period. But what brings him to Walford again? During his time on the Square, he was close mates with childhood friend Pauline Fowler, and became…

This is your first look at legendary Dallas star Linda Gray as Marnie’s glamorous mother, Tabitha Maxwell-Brown, in Hollyoaks ! Although she won’t arrive in the village for another week, soap fans will get a sneak peek at Tabby this Tuesday, when Marnie phones her mum to break the news she’s back together with her cheating ex-hubby Mac. And it’s clear Tabby’s not at all happy about her daughter’s bombshell… As our snaps show, Tabby is at her luxurious home in the Hollywood Hills when her daughter calls – and doesn’t she look amazing? We can certainly see where the Nightingales get their good genes! However, Tabby’s stress levels are through the roof following Marnie’s big news, and she vows to jump on…

Roy is delighted when his old friend Brian Packham shows up on the cobbles this week – but struggles to disguise his worry as Cathy tells Brian all about their forthcoming wedding. The last time we saw Brian he had managed to finally win back Julie Carp, and the couple left Weatherfield so they could embark on a round-the-world trip of a lifetime! Unfortunately, things didn’t work out between the pair – and the former head teacher also decided it was time for a change of career. Brian went on to become an environmental health officer, and his new job soon leads him to the Bistro, where he informs Robert he’s had a complaint from a customer. The fella then scoffs down a free meal, before telling Robert that he…

Rita discovers that Gemma has been sleeping in the kebab shop this week, so kindly tells her new friend that she can move into her place! Gemma is embarrassed after Chesney catches her in Prima Doner with a bag of clothes – so she hides out with all her worldly goods in the Rovers. As Gemma contemplates what to do next, Rita tells her she can move in with her, and even buys her a new dress and shoes for her upcoming awards ceremony. How will the unlikely duo fare as housemates? Also this week… Robert is furious that the Bistro has been reported to the council.…

Celine confronts Cameron with the footage of him starting the Halloween fire this week – but luckily for Cameron, she unwittingly reveals a dark secret that the villain is able to use to his own advantage! The village is still reeling in the aftermath of the deadly inferno, with killer Cameron adding two more victims to his list when Nico and Joe both perished in the blaze. He’s sure that nobody noticed him throw the lethal fire stick into the maze – and he’s left poor Jesse convinced that he’s the one to blame for all the destruction. Unfortunately, Cam didn’t quite have his wits about him when he set the maze alight – as everything was caught on camera! The video is now in Celine’s possession, and while it’s…

After weeks of trying to deny how they really feel about each other, Phoebe and Justin finally manage to get it together this week! Poor Phoebe is still in the doldrums following her terrifying kidnap at the hands of Simmo last week, so Justin takes it upon himself to cheer her up. And when he surprises her in Salt with a romantic serenade, Phoebe’s heart melts… “Phoebe can’t deny that she has strong and deep feelings for Justin,” reveals actress Isabella Giovinazzo, who plays her. “They’re just drawn to each other.” After performing a duet on stage together, the couple share a smooch on the balcony of the restaurant – and it’s clear to see that they’re totally loved up. However, the fact remains that Justin and his family are…

“KERRY THINKS SHE IS INVINCIBLE – SHE CAN WORM HER WAY OUT” While Inside Soap was gutted to see Kerry split from Dan recently, there’s no denying that the mischief she’s got herself into since the break-up has been hilarious to watch. This is clearly a woman with no shame whatsoever, and we love the fact that you can never predict what she’s going to do next. This week, Kerry presses the self-destruct button once more by sleeping with potential factory client George – only to come into work the next day and find him f lirting with Priya! But as Kerry’s jealousy takes over and she does something she soon regrets, actress Laura Norton tells us that she loves the chaos her character causes… “It’s so much more interesting…

I’ve been hoovering up all sorts of things recently, and I tend to concentrate a lot on drama. I loved The Night Of, and Stranger Things – which I’m sure everyone is talking about – is just a phenomenal piece of television. My favourite comedy at the moment is Silicon Valley . I cannot wait for the new series to appear, I think it’s absolute genius. It’s so tightly written and the characters are fantastic. It’s such rich territory because they’re all just fabulous nerds. I’m a nerd myself, and I spend a lot of my time around similar kinds of people! I watch and rewatch a lot of films. It’s hard to pinpoint just one, but when Larry [Ben’s Yonderland co-star Laurence Rickard] and I write we…

Dane’s life isn’t quite working out as he hoped in this new four-part sitcom: he’s still living at home, despite his parents’ attempts to gently push him out, he hates his job and he feels overshadowed by his perfect cousin Christian. “It’s about family, dreams and escaping the mundane,” explains comedian Dane Baptiste, who writes and stars in the show. “Audiences are quite savvy now with sitcoms, so I do break the fourth wall a lot in this series, and there’s a lot of nostalgia for sitcoms that have influenced me.” That nostalgia can manifest itself in the form of brief fantasy sequences, which Dane tells us were enjoyable to film but also quite complicated to set up. “They were fun but exhausting to do!” he shares. “I wrote it…