Table of contents for 11 - 2017 in Inside Soap UK

“We love a good natter with soap producers” As much as we love talking to the stars, one of our favourite times of the year is when we get the chance to have a good natter with the people who know everything about the characters, the plots and the secrets regarding what’s happening next – the producers of the soaps. So we were delighted when Corrie’s Kate Oates got on the phone to talk all things Weatherfield. An old mate of Inside Soap’s from her days at Emmerdale, Kate loves her work and talks about it at length to anyone who’ll listen – so much so that she’s ended up filling six whole pages of this magazine with her goss on Weatherfield life. Elsewhere in this issue, we catch up…

In Emmerdale she was kind-hearted Rachel, but Gemma Oaten is turning bad for a new role in Holby . The 32-year-old shared a pic of herself in her costume for the part of agency nurse Sydney Summers, who has a connection to Holby stalwart Fletch. Sydney is convinced he has money that’s rightfully hers – and is fiercely determined to get her hands on it! “I had the time of my life filming Holby,” Gemma tells Inside Soap. “Working with Alex Walkinshaw [Fletch] was a great experience – I learnt so much from him, not to mention the Jemma Redgrave [Bernie]. It was also an added bonus to play a bit glam, and I loved my nurse’s uniform… not a Rachel hoody in…

Lauren and Steven may be in the doldrums this week, but at least Max is finally making a bit of an effort to get on board with their relationship! It’s no secret that Max isn’t the Beales’ biggest fan – what with them having sat back and let him take the wrap for Lucy’s murder and all – and he hasn’t exactly been supportive of his eldest daughter’s latest romance. So imagine Lauren’s shock when her dad admits that he’s actually ready to build bridges with Steven! With that in mind, Max arranges to go for a drink with his daughter’s fella in a bid to get to know him better. However, when he doesn’t turn up, Steven is left disappointed and worries that Max has changed his mind about…

Steve begs Leanne to give peace a chance this week – but will Nick’s shock kiss with Michelle ruin any plans for a harmonious future? Having put Steve’s name on little Oli’s birth certificate, Leanne has to decide how his access arrangements will work – something easier said than done when Nick resents Steve’s presence in their family life. However, Nick is carrying a burden of his own. Devastated that Leanne chose to name Steve as the father, Nick was seduced into a snog by vengeful Michelle. Although he stopped before things went too far, his guilt weighs heavily on him, as does the knowledge that Michelle could ruin everything. So, with conflicting emotions on all sides, it’s not an easy meeting when Leanne and Nick arrive at the Rovers…

“I’m stuck in the house with a guy who thinks a fun night is a bar of chocolate and a box-set.” Eh? What exactly is your problem with that, Lauren? “Rhona will see sense if it kills me.” So says Vanessa, swearing to open her friend’s eyes to the truth about Pierce. We fear the worst. “First I find out that my dad’s gay, and then I find out that he’s not my dad. So, yes, you could say it’s been difficult.” Chrissie feels her life has been a struggle recently. “If you start to get twinges, I can recommend an excellent masseur. It’s Stan, at the butcher’s on Inkerman Street. Butcher by day… masseur by night! But then, I suppose flesh is flesh. Dead, or alive.” Mary knows just…

BEX’S BULLYING! Bex has been suffering in silence for weeks thanks to those nasty school bullies. She’s been desperate to keep her nose clean, but if she doesn’t speak up soon, she could be headed for big trouble… Why doesn’t Bex just tell the truth, like Martin says? It’s so frustrating! She’s done nothing wrong, yet she’s the one facing a criminal record trying to protect a bunch of girls that treat her like dirt. They don’t deserve to have a friend like her anyway, so she should just grass them up. Nicholas, Swansea Bullying happens every day and often, like poor Bex, it’s the victim who gets the blame. I was disappointed to see how quickly Martin gave up on her. If he spoke to his daughter, he might…

“ Alex Fletcher [Diane] is like my auntie in real life, too. If I’ve ever got something going on, I know that I can pick up the phone to her and she’ll be there with her wisdom.” “I love a good natter with Steph Waring [Cindy]! We live quite close to one another, and since I joined the show we have become really good mates. So she’s my go-to gossip girl.” “ Jess Ellis [who plays Tegan] is just naturally hilarious, and always makes me laugh. Healey [Goldie] is really funny, too – she’s hilarious without realising it!” “ Kieron Richardson [who plays Ste] always throws amazing parties – he got S Club 7 to perform at his 30th birthday! Well, there were only three of them, but that still…

Shortly after Kate took charge, it was announced that Corrie will be broadcasting a sixth weekly episode from late 2017. It’ll mean almost 26 extra hours of Coronation Street a year, along with new characters and new sets – and Kate can’t wait! “I’m very excited!” she tells us. “More days of filming and more stories is always a daunting prospect, but it’s one I know we can fulfil. I’ve felt chilled out about it, having come from Emmerdale, where we’d had that schedule for a long time.” Plans for the new sets – with a whole extra street including a police station – have recently been submitted for official approval, and small clues to the new development are already visible on…

Soap stars are known for their famous alter egos, so it’s only right their little ones took a turn at playing their favourite character to celebrate World Book Day. The Thomas kids – Tina O’Brien and Ryan Thomas’ daughter Scarlett , plus Adam Thomas’ son Teddy – pulled out all the stops as DC Comics’ Harley Quinn and astronaut Tim Peake, while Corrie’s Sally Ann Matthews , aka Jenny, proved dress-up isn’t just for kids!…

“IT’S NICE TO VISIT AN OLD FRIEND ,THAT’S WHAT IT FEELS LIKE” We always look forward to a new series of Vera – partly because we love its complicated whodunnits and beautiful scenery, but also because it means having the chance to chat to actress Brenda Blethyn. Grinning mischievously and howling with laughter as she shares anecdotes from filming, she couldn’t be more different from her on-screen persona as DCI Vera Stanhope – though she tells us it’s not too difficult to slip back into her alter ego when the time comes to begin a new series. “Ahead of filming, I’m working on it for a few weeks beforehand,” shares Brenda. “I go through the scripts, and sometimes…

FORGET ME NOT Critically acclaimed crime drama Unforgotten will be returning to ITV for a third series next year, so Cassie and Sunny will have another complex historical case to unravel. FIELDS OF VISION Jack Dee and Our Girl ’s Kerry Godliman are to star in new comedy Bad Move for ITV. They will play a married couple who decide a fresh start is in order and move to the countryside. MATCHMAKING Iconic dating show Blind Date is being revived on Channel 5, so if you’re single and in the mood for romance, email BlindDate@sotelevision.co.uk for more information.…

“I’m very intrigued by Faith’s late ex-husband Shadrach,” grins the actress. “They were married for nearly 25 years, and he died in 2010. But I do wonder what he was like as a young man, and how he and Faith got together, what sparked their relationship. “Obviously they rubbed along for a little while together – so what prompted Faith’s devastating decision to leave him and her children Chas and Cain behind? That’s obviously caused both kids huge pain, so I would really like to find out how it all came about…”…

What are all the stylish women of Weatherfield accessorising with this year? Why, a delightful prison ankle tag, of course! Our spies caught Samia Longchambon filming scenes in the eye-catching outfit recently, with Maria looking as if she’s dressed for a night out. But as well as sporting the tag she has to wear while she’s on parole, the other interesting element in the pics is her ex-lover Aidan following her down the street, looking as if he’s desperate to talk to her as she steadfastly ignores him. Although it seemed Maria had put the affair with Aidan behind her, after Aidan refused to leave girlfriend Eva for her, Corrie producer Kate Oates has told Inside Soap there’s more to come between the pair (see p48). And Aidan may have…

Forget pretending to give birth – Amanda admits she was more terrified of facing the judges in Let’s Sing And Dance For Comic Relief! She performed Uptown Funk alongside Casualty co-star Tony Marshall (Noel) and Holby City’s Chizzy Akudolu (Mo) last Saturday night, and told Inside Soap that she was way out of her comfort zone… “Chizzy works in London, and Tony and I work in Cardiff, so it’s not been easy to rehearse,” she confessed, when we spoke to her shortly before the performance. “I’ve done musicals before, but nothing like this. I’m no Bruno Mars!”…

Mac’s guilt concerning his son Nathan’s death finally comes to the surface this week, as he suffers an attack of nerves during the Dog In The Pond’s relaunch celebrations… The guilty father and his former mistress Lisa have been sneakily hiding their deadly affair from the rest of the grieving Nightingales, but are so far unaware that vengeful Marnie already knows exactly how, and why, her son fell to his death! Although Marnie swore she’d have revenge on her cheating hubby, this week she appears to be playing the dutiful wife once again as the Nightingales prepare for the pub’s reopening. But Lisa is quick to remind Mac of what they’ve done, and he’s left feeling sick to the stomach as he prepares to give his speech. After some encouragement…

FAIR CITY Hayley thinks she has the upper hand this week, after spying Niamh and Marcus kissing. But when she threatens to tell Paul, she realises Marcus is more powerful than she thought… Also, Emmet attends one of Miriam’s meetings and finds his ex there! Will he stick around? RIVER CITY Ex-jailbird Amber faces a deadly fate this week, when Belinda produces a gas canister! With Alex and DI Donald, Lenny takes matters into his own hands, and it’s a race against the clock to find Amber… Meanwhile, Lorna receives shock news about Greig. THE ARCHERS Brian gives Lilian a wide berth this week, worried her dealings with Justin could cost him business. And with meetings lined up with Justin, Brian finds himself out of his comfort zone… Elsewhere, Tom…

WONDER WALL I’ve always been a fan of Linda’s flamingo bits and bobs in EastEnders, but I’ve also just spotted some funky flamingo wallpaper in Chloe’s living room in Coronation Street that I’d love to get! Where’s it from? Sherry, Aberdeen The ‘New Contemporary Flamingos’ wallpaper is from www.naken.co.uk . It’s £76 for a 10.5m roll – which is clearly Chloe’s budget more than ours! BED BUDDIES Corrie’s Peter recently told Leanne that he once ended up in bed with Steve himself! How on earth did that happen? Morgan, Jersey In 2014, Peter went on a drunken bender after finding out his wife Carla was pregnant – and that his mistress Tina could have been up the duff as well! Steve found him when he answered his…

“I really like filming at Chesney’s house . I love the set because of the decorations, and it’s always brilliant fun being with Sam Aston [Chesney], Lisa George [Beth] and Andy Whyment [Kirk].” “I’d have to say Lisa, who plays my Auntie Beth, is my favourite person to work with . I love the relationship on screen, and Lisa’s nothing like Beth in real life. We get on really well – we’re like two peas in a pod.” “My favourite story has been Beth and Kirk’s wedding . I got to dress up in a weird Bananarama outfit – and I like it when Sinead goes clubbing because she’s just so funny!” “David Platt is my favourite character on the show . He makes me laugh because he’s so evil…

“What was it like to film Rebecca’s arrival?” There’s been drama galore for 28-year-old Emily since her flirty alter ego Rebecca rocked up in the Dales last October. Here, the actress lifts the lid on village life… “Rebecca arrived in a helicopter – what was that like to film?” It was a lot of fun, but sadly, I didn’t get to go up in the helicopter – there was a man pretending to be me, and wearing a , landed in it! I’m sad I didn’t get to do the whole thing, but I also think I’d have panicked that I’d do something wrong and we’d have had to film the whole scene again! “Rebecca’s style is very glam! Is your own style anything like hers?” Not really. Rebecca’s style…

MURDER most horrid! Poor Matthew Rose – the lovely lad wouldn’t hurt a fly, yet he found himself caught up in one of the most infamous murders in EastEnders history! It was a case of wrong place, wrong time for Matthew, who witnessed boss Steve Owen whack his crazed ex-girlfriend Saskia Duncan over the head with an ashtray, then was roped into helping Steve bury the body in Epping Forest! And it wasn’t the only violent act in Walford that year. Phil was gunning for Grant after finding out that his brother had slept with Kathy – and the ensuing fight saw their car plunge into the Thames… New docs on the block Casualty fans were excited about the launch of the medical drama’s sister show, Holby City, which would…

Unforgotten is one of the best detective dramas . It has really good stories and the leading actors are pretty special – Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar. I also like Spy In The Wild, any Attenborough programmes and Rick Stein’s Long Weekends. My wife introduced me to River , which is another great crime series . It’s full of intrigue, and it’s about a detective haunted by ghosts. I can’t stop watching it. My favourite films are The Lord Of The Rings – ever since I first read the books and The Hobbit, I’ve been hooked on the Tolkien trilogy and the whole myth that surrounds them. I would love to do a food programme in the same vein that David Attenborough…

After a successful first series, chef Rosemary Shrager and Great British Bake Off champ John Whaite have re-opened their residential cookery school. Each week, four competitive cooks will face a series of challenges set by Rosemary and John, with a cash prize going to the most improved cook at the end of the week. But will they meet Rosemary’s high standards? We caught up with her to find out. Hi, Rosemary! What’s changed this year on Chopping Block ? I think this series was slightly better because we changed the format a little – first, I do a demonstration of a technique which gives them an insight into how to do something. So in a way, it’s more like going on a cookery…

SHOW ROMEO & JULIET William Shakespeare’s classic play is brought to life in this brand-new production of love and violence set against an epic Northern landscape. Starring former Dales star Natalie Anderson (Alicia Metcalfe), this powerful portrayal is on at the Quarry Theatre at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds till 25 March – to buy tickets, visit www.wyp.org.uk CD DAYDREAMS  by Alice Martineau BOOK A SONG FOR TOMORROW by Alice Peterson This CD and book form the story of Alice Martineau – a woman with cystic fibrosis who lived beyond expectations and released her debut album Daydreams. Win ! For the chance to win a copy of the CD and book, tell us who Alice Barlow played in Hollyoaks: A) Rae Wilson or B) Sarah Barnes. Text ISWIN1…

BULLSEYE! As Ken Barlow , he’s been at the centre of Corrie for 57 years now, but Bill Roache’s performance can still rock you back on your heels. It’s been a big week for Ken, as he raged about how each of his children and grandchildren have disappointed him. We love this bitter and furious Ken – but suspect the other Barlows might not feel the same way! We like the idea of Shirley actually choosing to go to prison – spotting a chance to finally get some peace and quiet for a change! Meanwhile – all praise to EastEnders for the beautifully written and acted scene where Sylvie recalled her brutal treatment at the hands of her mum. Bravo to all. It was kind of…

She knew his past, and she knew what he did to her sister, but Toyah still believed she had tamed Peter Barlow. However, as Georgia Taylor tells us, her alter ego is worried that something is amiss even before Ken delivers his news this week… Hi Georgia! This week begins with Toyah finding money hidden away at her and Peter’s flat. Is that when she starts suspecting him? She is instantly suspicious as it’s a strange thing to hide from your partner – especially as it’s in a hot chocolate container at the back of the cupboard! If she’d found some woman’s underwear in Peter’s car or an empty booze bottle, that’s self-explanatory, but this is random. What’s niggling her is the fact that Peter’s not being open and transparent.…

“Will Denise muddle her life further via another fling with Kush?” It looks as if Denise and Kush could end up in each other’s arms again this week, as the sexual tension between them gets too great to ignore! The pair had an affair last year, which ended after Denise learned that she was pregnant with Phil’s baby. But as she and Kush spend more and more time together, they find each other harder to resist… “Let’s not forget that when Denise first discovered she was pregnant, she assumed the baby was Kush’s,” our Walford insider reminds us. “It was only after the doctor explained she was already several months gone that the penny dropped for Denise. The realisation that she was carrying Phil’s baby put paid to any chance…

EastEnders newest star Lisa Faulkner has revealed she had no intention of joining the Albert Square saga when producers first asked her to play newcomer Fi Browning. “It came completely out of the blue,” reveals the actress, who has forged a second career as a chef since winning Celebrity MasterChef in 2010. “I was expecting to do my book publicity, I had recipes to write, I was cooking on telly, and the [EastEnders] producers phoned up and asked if I could go and meet them. “Sean [O’Connor, EastEnders’ executive producer] just sold this character to me – he was good at pitching her and the show.” And Lisa is currently settling in on Albert Square, with her first scenes expected to air in a few weeks. “I started…

To the rescue? When Martin name-dropped Sonia during Bex’s recent dramas, it didn’t go unnoticed on social media. With Sonia working away while Natalie Cassidy is on maternity leave, does it mean Sonia is set to make a mercy dash to her daughter’s side? Kym's new contract ! Following incredible performances as Michelle, star Kym Marsh has accepted a new contract with Corrie, it has been confirmed. Congrats! Ghost of a chance Michelle Collins isn’t convinced by the idea of Cindy Beale making a spiritual return to Walford. “I don’t know whether people would buy it,” she told The Sun. “I think I would spoil Cindy if I go back.”…

Emmerdale boss Iain MacLeod recently teased a “sexy and dangerous” affair between two characters who we’d least expect to fall for one another. So, could Cain and Harriet be the pair he’s referring to? You don’t get more chalk and cheese than the village bad boy and the local vicar – and after their showdown this week, a fling would certainly come as a shock! Will the thrill of Cain’s criminality tempt Harriet to the dark side? And will her feistiness get his juices flowing? We’ll be keeping an eye on these two……

“Never in a million years would I wear the outfits Scott does!” We’ll admit that it’s taken us a while to warm to Scott from Hollyoaks – which we feel bad about, given that actor Ross Adams, who plays him, is such a joy to chat to in real life. But as we quiz Ross on the reaction he’s had to his character since he joined the soap almost two years ago, he does admit that he can see why people didn’t fall in love with Scott immediately… “When Scott arrived, he was a very different character from the one he is now,” explains Ross, as he takes a break from filming in the freezing-cold village to chat to us. “We saw a more bitchy and edgy side to him…

She was the golden girl at the NTAs when she scooped the Newcomer gong, and Corrie’s Faye Brookes (Kate) was once again star of the show as she performed a musical duet at The Mirror Ball, which raises money for Manchester communities. Joined by boyfriend Gareth Gates , who played the guitar, Faye took to the stage at the Lowry Hotel with an acoustic version of Swept Away from US drama Nashville. Dressed in a gold gown, the Street beauty said: “Nashville is my favourite programme. I’ve adored country music since I was little and I’d love to be on that show – though obviously I’m very happy on Corrie at the moment!” HEARTFELT THANKS Jennie McAlpine (Fiz) has thanked fans for their support following the sad news of her…

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THIS SERIES RECREATING the voyage of Captain Bligh and his men after the Mutiny on the Bounty has us glued. The attention to detail in matching the original journey as closely as possible has really paid off: the claustrophobia of living in a 23ft boat is palpable, and the storms are documented so evocatively that we have taken to donning a sou’wester just to watch it. It’s hard to imagine why anyone would voluntarily put themselves through this , but we’re willing them to succeed because the whole thing is true testament to the power of human endurance.…

We hope you’ve got your cards and flowers ready because Mother’s Day is fast approaching! This year, the team at This Morning are preparing to give some mums a day to remember – and they’ll be doing so with a little help from Mr Peter Andre… “I get to travel the country meeting some fantastic mothers who really deserve the treats and experiences I’ll be surprising them with,” reveals Peter. “It’s called ‘Mum’s Wildest Dreams’, and while many women put their own dreams on hold to raise children, I’ll be helping some mums finally achieve those dreams! I can’t say much, but it’s heartwarming to see how these families adore each other.” Working on these surprises has, of course, caused Peter to reflect on his own…