Table of contents for 2 - 2017 in Inside Soap UK

Was there ever a more outrageous soap death than Ronnie and Roxy’s New Year plunge? Well yes, there probably was –being squashed to a cube by a car crusher is pretty far out, as Fatboy would certainly confirm (well, he would if he had lived to tell the tale!). Love it or loathe it, Ronnie and Roxy’s deaths have certainly had a big impact on viewers – you have your say on our Soapbox column over on p94. It continues to cause shock waves in Walford this week, as Jack buries the sisters, and tries to look to the future with little Amy and Ricky (who surely have already bagged the award for this year’s cutest soap kids, and it’s only January). Let’s hope Corrie’s Eileen stays away from the…

EastEnders’ Christmas Eve cliffhanger saw jaws hit the floor as Michelle Fowler made a shock return to Walford – so what has brought her home after all these years? Till now, there have been no clues as to why Pauline and Arthur’s golden girl has swapped America for Albert Square, but all will be revealed soon when the skeletons come tumbling out of her closet… “Michelle has come back to Walford with a big secret that she feels she can’t share,” reveals EastEnders’ executive producer, Sean O’Connor. “There is a reason she wants to be there with her best friend Sharon, because she has something to say and is terrified about saying it.” It’s rather fitting that Michelle is harbouring a huge secret, given that her EastEnders comeback…

Strict Sally imposes a sex ban on Tim this week, to try to improve relations with her hubby. But the fella has his own ideas, and suggests ways they can spend more time together – like riding a tandem bike! While his wife is convinced that communication is the key to enjoying a healthy marriage, it’s no surprise that Tim is narked by Sal’s extreme idea of ruling out any fun between the sheets. So foolishly attempting to get one up on his wife, cheeky Tim reacts by imposing a talking ban between the pair. Before long, he hits on a better way forward – a shared hobby for the couple to enjoy. However, it soon becomes clear that Tim has a sneaky ulterior motive for this notion – when…

NICOLA HAS A WHOLE NEW VOCATION IN THE DALES… There’s no doubt that her alter ego’s factory job is going to be good news for the Kings, but what has the impact been on actress Nicola? Having worked in the posh sets at Home Farm when her character ran the estate, she’s used to living the high life. So what’s it like to be a factory girl instead? “I’d love to say it’s great fun, but I think we’re all in agreement that it’s horrendous!” laughs Nicola. “You’re surrounded by sweets and they are sweets to eat, but they’re out of date! And everybody always says they hate wearing the hats!” However, it’s not all bad as she’s had the chance to do scenes with Dales favourites she doesn’t interact…

“THIS STORY WILL KEEP PEOPLE GUESSING RIGHT TO THE VERY END” When Inside Soap first heard that Dee Bliss was heading back to Ramsay Street – 13 years after she supposedly died in a freak accident on the day of her wedding to Toadie – we let out a whoop of excitement. Dee’s disappearance remains one of the most intriguing mysteries in soap, and we still have so many unanswered questions about what happened to her. If she really died, why was her body never found? And if she was alive, where has she been for more than a decade? But as we sit down for a chat with actress Madeleine West, who is finally reprising the role of Dee after all this time, she promises us we won’t be…

1 “Amanda Mealing [Connie] is great to watch in terms of how she deals with the medical stuff. She always says, ‘Wrong, but strong’ – so even if you’re doing things completely wrong, just go confidently with it and it will look right!” 2 “I was really in awe of Derek Thompson, who plays Charlie, when I first joined the show. I did an episode of Casualty when I was about 10 years old, and he was here then! I think everybody is a bit in awe of Charlie Fairhead, though.” 3 “At the moment, most of the scenes that I am in are alongside Richard Winsor [who plays Cal] and George Rainsford [aka Ethan] – so the three of us usually spend our time together on set just gossiping…

Would you have liked to have seen a fist fight between Dan and Jimmy over Nicola? …asks Darius from Hampshire No, I think a proper fight would be too much for those characters – they’d probably end up crying because they’re not tough enough! There always needs to be a bit of slapstick between those two, so arm-wrestling seems to be enough. But if they did have a ruck, then Dan would probably win by kicking Jimmy between the legs when he’s not looking! Do you have a favourite prop in Dan’s house? …asks Rosie from London Well, if I feel a bit fat, I put a cushion in front of my belly – but that’s it really! We have a lot of food on the set. I’ve just been…

“I DON’T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HER AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. SHE’S JUST THERE SOMEWHERE, LOAFING ABOUT WITH THE BONE SAW.” Sherlock’s Louise Brealey on how playing Molly has become second nature “IF SOMEONE THINKS I’M GREAT AND SOMEONE THINKS I’M TERRIBLE THEY’RE BOTH RIGHT - IT’S THEIR OPINION!” Unforgotten’s Sanjeev Bhaskar on seeing people’s thoughts on Twitter “I’VE TRIED TO TEACH HIM FRENCH IT’S A NIGHTMARE. HE SOUNDS SO AGGRESSIVE WHEN HE SPEAKS IT!” Death In Paradise’s Joséphine Jobert on co-star Tobi Bakare’s language skills “EVERYTHING LOOKS VERY REAL ON SET. THE TOILETS AREN T REAL, BUT UNFORTUNATELY SOMEONE DIDN’T KNOW THAT.” Will Mellor recounts an accident that occured during the filming of No Offence…

BULLSEYE! We’re loving every single second of Toyah being back, and actress Georgia Taylor is rocking her return like she’s never been away. Having said that, we’re not sure that she’s fully embracing Toyah’s steamy snogging sessions with Peter Barlow. If it were us, we’d be getting properly stuck in! When they’re in bed together, Brenda pretends that Bob is Davy Jones from The Monkees. Well, it’s better than pretending he’s Davy Jones from Pirates Of The Caribbean. Fasten your seatbelts for Danny Dyer barking “EL! Listen! Sweet’eart! EL!” down the phone to Linda for the next six months. “When have I ever asked you for anything?” cried Whitney, after learning of Lee’s money troubles. Erm, well… There was that hefty flat deposit. Your big fat wedding. The blooming Carter…

Finn’s hopes of winning back Kasim are brutally crushed this week – as his ex-lover delivers a devastating blow. It all kicks off when Kasim discovers that Finn’s new man, Nathan, is a male escort who has been paid to be part of their bizarre love triangle. What he doesn’t realise is that poor Finn had no idea that pal Tracy had hired Nathan’s services to help him get over Kasim. It’s humiliating for Finn as he catches Tracy paying Nathan and realises that the whole relationship was a lie, but while his pride is hurt, his heart isn’t. He still cares for Kasim and wants to reunite with him – however, an ill-judged decision to hire Nathan himself to try to make Kasim jealous backfires. It doesn’t take long…

“EVA KNOWS ABOUT PETER ANDTOYAHBUT LEANNE IS IN THE DARK” SNEAK PREVIEW! Poor Toyah seems destined to have her heart broken by womanising Peter Barlow, if these sneaky snaps are anything to go by! Our Corrie spies spotted actor Chris Gascoyne filming some upcoming scenes, which see his alter ego Peter looking very cosy with a pretty brunette. But is he really doing the dirty on Toyah? “This is Peter Barlow we’re talking about!” despairs our Weatherfield insider. “This wouldn’t be the first time that he declared his undying love for a woman, before hopping straight into bed with another!” Peter and Toyah have been secretly seeing each other, while desperately trying to keep their relationship under wraps from Leanne. But will their romance have hit the rocks by the…

If Kim was seeking reinforcement in her fight to stop Denise giving up her baby, it may just have turned up – in the form of the Fox sisters’ mum, Emerald! The steely matriarch turns up in time for the birth of her grandchild, when Denise delivers Phil Mitchell’s baby. Will it be a happy reunion for the women, though, given that Denise is set to give away her newborn? “The feisty Fox girls have a great rapport with one another, but there could be fireworks too,” grins our Square insider. “Emerald was not exactly a model parent when her daughters were growing up, with Denise left to bring up Kim by herself most of the time. So, she’s not going to welcome any interference from her mum with regards…

FAIR CITY Renee is distraught this week, as Heather’s life hangs in the balance. And while relations between Renee and Farrah disintegrate, Ciaran frets about Heather blabbing his secret if she ever wakes up. Is she in danger? Meanwhile, Niamh puts the pressure on Dermot, who comes to a shocking decision. Plus, Nora and Ray cotton on to Carol and Sash’s matchmaking. RIVER CITY Pete plays with fire this week, when he continues to date both Caitlin and Scarlett. But his lies begin to unravel – after Drew realises the truth! Is Pete’s cheating about to be made public? Elsewhere, there’s tension between Robbie and Gary following their recent health scare. Also, Amber wonders if her dad Lenny’s memory loss is permanent. THE ARCHERS Lilian and Justin grow suspicious of…

Since she first left Neighbours in 2003, Madeleine has gone on to have a very successful TV career in Australia – but it’s a wonder she can find time to do anything, as she’s now a mum to six kids! “I’m a very hands-on mum – I’m not very good at delegating to nannies or babysitters, I like to do it all myself,” she reveals. “My eldest daughter is 10, so I took her to the Neighbours set, and now she’s obsessed with it all. She’s been googling Dee! I think she’s looking forward to me being in a show she’s allowed to watch, as a lot of the other dramas I’ve done weren’t PG-rated!”…

ADAM THOMAS ADAM BARTON EMMERDALE He’s been a fan favourite on Emmerdale for almost a decade, but Adam’s talents were revealed to a whole new audience last year when he reached the final of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!. The star’s loveable personality – not to mention his topless jungle showers – unsurprisingly had viewers voting in their thousands! Adam’s much-admired physique was homed after an intense training regime that he embarked on alongside his twin brother Scott, who starred in last year’s series of Love Island, and his brother Ryan, better known as Corrie’s Jason Grimshaw. “It’s been a long 12 weeks, but one I’ll never forget,” he said after completing the training. “It’s taught me a lot in the gym as well as a lot…

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WE DON’T WANT TO DWELL too much on the similarities between this and a certain other ITV period drama, but so far The Halcyon is doing a fine job of filling the Downton-shaped hole in our lives. What the show captures brilliantly is a sense of uncertainty - both through the hotel being under new management, and the staff and guests bracing themselves for news from the war. We’re particularly enjoying the brittle relationship between owner Lady Hamilton and manager Richard Garland - dare we hope things between them might thaw a little before the series is over?…

1 SATURDAY Blu-ray WAR DOGS Get ready for a jaw-dropping comedy – starring Oscar nominee Jonah Hill, and Miles Teller. Looking to earn money, two friends exploit a US government initiative that allows businesses to bid on US military contracts. As expected, the duo soon find themselves in over their heads… WIN! For the chance to win a copy, tell us which show Maddy Hill was in: A) Holby, B) Home and Away, or C) EastEnders. 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 DEAR CHARLIE by N. D Gomes Inspired by the author’s experience, this novel tells the story of a school shooting. Handling the subject with care and sensibility, Dear…

GUARDIAN ANGEL I recognised the car park lady who came to Lee’s rescue in EastEnders – what has she been in before? Joe, via email Actress Sally Rogers has been in a host of TV shows, including Cold Feet and The Syndicate . She’s probably best known for playing Sergeant Jo Masters in The Bill from 2005 to 2010. ZIP IT, CHAS! Chas in Emmerdale was wearing a nice red shirt with a zip down the front recently. Do you know where it’s from? Katherine, Manchester I do – I have the same top in black! The long sleeve zip top is from Dorothy Perkins, and it’s available in a host of different colours. There are more sizes left…

Clueless Eileen makes the biggest mistake of her life this week – as she prepares to marry Phelan. Little does she realise that while she’s waiting at the register office, her groom is poised to commit murder. So is Eileen making the biggest mistake of her life becoming Mrs Phelan? We grilled star Sue Cleaver to find out… Hi Sue, is Eileen bonkers? Why has she become so intent on marrying Pat? Well, she nearly lost him, didn’t she? Seeing him in the hospital like that made her realise that he has looked after her more than anyone else in her life – he’s ideal. So the development debacle hasn’t rung alarm bells? No, because she believes that Phelan hasn’t done anything wrong! Vinny did the dirty on him and…

Steve’s mum Liz understands the trauma her son and Michelle are enduring. In 1992, Liz lost a child of her her own, after her daughter Katie was born prematurely. At the time, Liz was beside herself with worry about teenager Steve, who she feared had been killed by a local gang he had become involved with. Buckling under the stress, Liz was rushed to hospital in early labour. Her daughter Katie was born too tiny to survive, and died soon afterwards. This tragedy prompted guilt-ridden Steve to hand himself into the police and report the gang.…

Here is your first look at Weatherfield returnee Rosie Webster – back in the UK with her sister Sophie. But in a shock turn of events, wild child Rosie will pucker up to Brian! What’s going on? “The look on Brian’s face suggests he’s as shocked we are!” notes our cobbles insider. “Rosie is known for using her charms to get what she wants, and Brian doesn’t know what to do!” The reality TV star’s homecoming looks far from the glamorous affair we anticipated, as our snaps show her trudging through a muddy allotment! It seems as if Brian is putting her and Sophie to work for the day – but why? Corrie boss Kate Oates previously teased that Rosie would be the source of much trouble for Sophie, who…

Aunt Babe has her own way of trying to ease her family’s cash flow problem this week – by illegally selling alcohol to people before hours! The Vic has been given permission to open early to serve breakfast, but they don’t have a license to serve booze until later on in the day. However, crafty Babe is using a huge metal teapot to sneak beer to the punters alongside their fry-ups! This is just the latest in a string of scams Babe has pulled to try to steal trade away from the café and get customers into the pub instead. The patrons are delighted – but it doesn’t take long for Tina to clock what her wicked aunt is up to… As everyone at the Vic prepares for their Burns…

PHIL Should Phil find out that he’s the dad, we will be surprised if he doesn’t stake his claim. But given the tears, trauma and tragedy to befall his clan over the years, baby Fox-Mitchell would stand a better chance adopted by a family of hedgehogs! Parent points: 1/5 KIM Kim’s main maternal talent is sourcing matching outfits for her and little Pearl! Kim’s heart is in the right place, though, and her little niece or nephew would want for nothing living with her and Vincent – but is it fair to bring the child up right under Denise’s nose? Parent points: 3/5 DENISE Wise Denise is practically mother to half the Square. She’s the first person you’d call in a crisis, and the last you’d expect to abandon one…

Raf and Essie continue to enjoy a ‘no strings attached’ fling this week – but their fun proves quite short-lived after Sacha returns to work and rumbles their romance! The drama unfolds as Essie’s ex arrives for his shift, and is uncharacteristically grumpy with his colleagues. Raf and Essie’s closeness doesn’t go unnoticed by Sacha, who ends up confronting them both after he assumes that they’re in a proper relationship. But when Sacha later collapses with severe pain, will the team discover the real reason behind his mood? And what’s next for Raf and Essie once Sacha knows the truth? Also this week… Matteo continues to woo Jac, and Fletch receives a surprise……

“NICOLA IS TECHNICALLY BLACKMAILING THE SHARMAS!” There’s hell to pay for arsonist Rakesh and the Sharmas this week, when Nicola stumbles upon the truth about the fire which left her paralysed. They’ve so far managed to keep his scam under wraps, having given Nicola compensation money and pretended that it was from the insurance payout. But since then, Nicola has faced a terribly difficult road back to health, and remains unable to move her right arm. So when the troubled Dales woman inadvertently discovers that the insurance company never paid Rakesh a penny, she is furious – and Nicola Wheeler, who plays her, says her character is out for revenge. “Nicola sees the insurance guy at the pub and goes over to say thank you for the payout,” she explains.…

“The Lovedays’ flat is my favourite place to work because it’s always such a fun place to be! I have a really tight relationship with Duayne [Boachie, aka Zack], Rachel [Adedeji, who plays Lisa] and Jacqui [Boatswain, aka Simone]. It doesn’t feel like work as you’re having a great time!” “My favourite character? I think that’s easy – I love Scott! He’s so funny and every time I see him on screen, I’m in hysterics. What Ross [Adams, who plays him] does is brilliant because he’s over the top, but believable.” “I really enjoyed the build-up of the Lovedays’ missing child story. When we came in, everyone thought that we were a lovely, wholesome family – but the secret was drip-fed and it eventually came out. And it was fantastic…

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I absolutely loved Planet Earth II – that’s just a dream job, isn’t it? I mean, you’ve got to have patience to be a wildlife cameraman, and also I think David Attenborough’s voice lends itself to that kind of thing a lot better than mine would, but it’s amazing. Westworld on Sky Atlantic was really cool. It kind of starts slowly, however the concept and the idea was very good – I’ve not seen the original from the 70s, but I’d like to. Oh, and I really got into Victoria, because my mate Jenna Coleman played Queen Victoria in it! She was awesome. One of my favourite films is City Of God . I couldn’t watch it over and over again because…

UP, UP AND AWAY Sir Bradley Wiggins has signed up for Channel 4’s high-risk winter sports contest The Jump. He’ll be joined by other stars including TOWIE’s Lydia Bright and ex-footballer Robbie Fowler. TOP HONOURS Happy Valley and The Night Manager are up for the Best Drama award at this year’s NTAs. And will Ant & Dec win the Best TV Presenter award for the 16th year? We’ll find out on 25 January. MARRY GO ROUND Sky1’s Don’t Tell The Bride is looking for participants for its latest series. If you’re tying the knot this year and don’t mind the possibility of a few surprises on the big day, apply by email to dttb@applyfortheshow.com…

DROWN AND OUT After months of rumours about how Ronnie and Roxy would bow out of Walford, a dramatic New Year’s Day episode ended with them both dead in a swimming pool! And they will be sorely missed… I am still in utter shock, and completely heartbroken over Ronnie and Roxy’s exit from EastEnders. What a grim start to 2017! After all the tragedy they have overcome, it’s so sad that their lives had to end this way. That final image of their bodies floating in the water was so haunting. Tracey, Wilmslow I know many people are unhappy about Ronnie and Roxy’s deaths, but I have to admit that I was utterly gripped from start to finish during their final episode. It was interesting to see a wedding that…

ARIES 21 MARCH - 20 APRIL Your adventurous spirit can come into its own this week, as a series of emotional possibilities present themselves. There could be fun and games in store, but be careful not to get too carried away. TAURUS 21 APRIL - 21 MAY Don’t be too quick to jump in with an answer just now, as you could come across as a bit of a know-it-all. Patience is a virtue, so take your time with others who may be in a much more reticent mood. GEMINI 22 MAY - 21 JUNE You’re not your usual lively self as you struggle to find your feet in 2017. It’s a passing phase, so keep your nose to the grindstone where work is concerned and wait for those clouds…

Although life in Emmerdale village is never dull, we have missed the extra chaos brought to us by Debbie Dingle. Finally, she’s back where she belongs next week – and we’re delighted to report that there’s a heap of trouble following her! Cain and Charity are alarmed to learn that their daughter is on the run – but who is she running from? And why? EASTENDERS Couple in crisis! HOME AND AWAY VJ gets plastered… NEIGHBOURS Steph cheats? HOLLYOAKS CAMERON SLAYS AGAIN? Killer Campbell has been wreaking havoc for a long time - but next week, his evil lies really unravel. Forced into a corner, crazy Cameron lashes out… CORRIE DANGER FOR SIMON! Peter and Nick’s bitter feud spells disaster for one unlucky resident next week, as Simon gets caught…