Table of contents for 18 - 2017 in Inside Soap UK

“It seems Steven’s dark side is back!” It’s brilliant when you get those initial glimpses of a grade-A soap psycho. But to be fair, this is hardly EastEnders’ Steven’s first time exhibiting odd behaviour. He once pretended to be dead mum Cindy (not as in dressing up in her clothes and a blonde wig – although I would have tuned in for that!) and shot Jane in the stomach. And it seems Steven’s dark side is returning, as this week, he’s borderline stalking Lauren at her new job – plus, we’ve already witnessed the hole-in-the-condom trick that he’s pulled. But would Lauren really be better off with her new admirer Josh, who is also pursuing her in quite a strong fashion? We speak to Eddie Eyre, aka ‘Photocopier Guy’ on…

Just when we thought poor Bethany’s ordeal couldn’t get any worse, news reaches us that more horror awaits her. Corrie viewers were horrified when Sarah’s daughter was coerced into sleeping with one of Nathan’s vile friends, Neil. But as rumours suggest that Bethany will be forced into sex with more of Nathan’s pals, is there no way back for her now? “Bethany is going to a dark place,” sighs actor Christopher Harper, who plays Nathan. “Neil was just the beginning…” From the look of our photos, the vulnerable teen may end up homeless, as future episodes see her slumped on a piece of cardboard under a bridge. Bethany clearly feels she has no one to turn to – but will her loved ones realise that before she’s pulled further into…

Leaving a job you love is always tough – but Philippa and Alec’s last day on set was full of laughter thanks to a special guest! “We were filming in Salt, and all of a sudden Jake Speer [Oscar] popped out of the storeroom with a little French moustache on and a champagne bottle,” reveals Philippa. “He surprised us for our last scene, which was special because Alec and I were there for Jake’s last scene. We didn’t think we’d have anyone from that generation around as we left, so it was a lovely day.”…

“Whitney has a lot on her mind – but Woody is easy to talk to” Woody might be pulling more than just pints at the Queen Vic this week, if the sparks between him and Whitney are anything to go by! It’s a difficult week for Whitney, and when Woody proves to be her knight in shining armour, she realises that he’s a good guy after all. But will they act on their chemistry? “After the breakdown of Whitney’s marriage to Lee, Woody could be just the fella she needs to put a spring back in her step,” reckons our Square snitch. “He’s fun, friendly and good-looking – and not the sort of guy who’d add anything too serious or complicated to her life right now. “Having said that, Whitney…

Megan and Frank take their relationship up a level this week, as they get ready to move in together. Megan has seemingly fallen hook, line and sinker for loveable rogue Frank, but while she’s smitten, she’s clearly still a little distracted by her ex-partner Jai. And as Jai’s friendship with troubled new friend Nell continues to blossom, Megan refuses to give the pair her blessing. Does she have a point? And even if she does, why can’t Megan allow Jai to move on in the same way she has?…

FAIR CITY Rose continues to forget things this week, and is determined to hide her memory loss. But as Miriam starts to notice, will she take action? Elsewhere, Renee and Heather are devastated when Farrah announces she won’t have a memorial. Also, Emmet makes a scene at Katy’s vigil. RIVER CITY Annie begs Rick to free Faith this week – but after he threatens her, she decides to go to the flat herself. Can she help Faith escape? Meanwhile, Bob and Kim’s insemination kit arrives, but an accident could threaten their plans… Also, Alasdair takes drastic action to pay Jules’ rent. THE ARCHERS Matt meets Brian’s horse-racing friend, Latif, this week, and is keen to talk up his latest venture. But Latif knows all about Matt’s dodgy past… Elsewhere, Bill…

PRETTY IN PINK Lauren was wearing a beautiful pink shirt when she went to her job interview. It’s different from her usual look and I’d love to buy it myself. Where’s the top from? | Dawn Lauren’s ‘True Decadence Lace All Over Ruffle Blouse’ is from ASOS and it’ll cost you £48. It’s fab – you can dress it up or down! MAD AND BAD When Zoe and Tony were having a chat about the old days in Hollyoaks, they mentioned a feud between Kathy Barnes and the Ashworth family. What’s the story there? | Aaron This was triggered when daughter Sarah rekindled her relationship with Rhys Ashworth – whom Kathy had previously slept with and blackmailed into dumping Sarah! Kathy made strange calls to the Ashworths, vandalised their house…

While genuine romance continues to evade poor Tegan, Jess tells us that she’s getting plenty of male attention away from work. “Me and Andrew [Hayden-Smith, who plays DS Armstrong] live together and Jimmy [Essex, aka Adam] always comes over with his dog Stevie,” she reveals. “Last night we were all eating fajitas together and watching telly, which is a standard night for us. That’s our routine, so I have two absolutely gorgeous men and the dog – lucky me!”…

“ Will Beck [Dylan] would make a great doctor – I think he even read medicine in the past. He has the intellect, and it feels as though he could be a doctor tomorrow if he wanted.” “If I was sick, I’d pick Crystal Yu [who plays Lily] to look after me, as she’s a very caring person. She’s super-smiley and friendly in real life – she’s totally different from Lily.” “When Lee Mead [Lofty] was on the show, he was by far the clumsiest person on set. I reckon he was able to bring a lot of his real-life clumsiness to his character.” “ Charles Venn [Jacob] fancies himself as a bit of an action hero. If ever there’s a scrap in resus, Jacob will be your bodyguard! Although…

R.I.P. HAYLEY It was a bumper year for tissue companies, as sales of Kleenex went through the roof thanks to all the tragic deaths taking place in soapland! By far the most heart-wrenching goodbye was when Corrie’s Hayley decided to take her own life after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. The nation wept as she slipped away with hubby Roy by her side – but it was just the start. Emmerdale’s Donna Windsor , Neighbours’ Kate Ramsay and Carmel Valentine in Hollyoaks would all meet their ends before long… TWINCEST! Soap stories don t come much crazier than the bonkers Hollyoaks plot in which Dodger was revealed to have fathered a child with twin sister Sienna ! Having been separated at birth, neither Dodger nor Sienna knew the other…

£19.99 Quiz It may give you cold shoulders, but you’ll look fierce in this fiery floral version! £14 George @ Asda Copy Kirsty-Leigh’s outfit with this mint-green top, complete with bird pendant. £18 Boohoo Lust over the gingham trend in this pretty pink print. £28 Miss Selfridge If there’s one print to be seen in this season, it has to be paisley.…

Obviously I do watch all the Housewives shows – I love watching The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills, and the new Dallas one as well. Apart from that, I love historical programmes and things that will stretch my mind – anything about England or the Royal Family, I’m interested in! Growing up, I watched things like Dad’s Army , Open All Hours, Some Mothers Do ’Ave ’Em, I was very much into comedy. And I loved those great family game shows, the ones hosted by Bruce Forsyth and Michael Barrymore. I feel like we’re really missing those now. One of my favourite films is Elizabeth . I’m a big Cate Blanchett lover, and that movie is a very, very powerful…

BULLSEYE! Corrie has a history of employing fine young actresses who go on to become some of TV’s brightest stars – think Sarah Lancashire or Suranne Jones . We think we’ve spotted another in 21-year-old Lucy Fallon , who has handled the child-grooming storyline with incredible skill. It’s a tough watch, but made compelling by Lucy’s performance. We won’t be able to take Harriet seriously the next time she recites The Lord’s Prayer. “Lead us not into temptation” is a concept she appears to be struggling with. “Don’t worry about the fare. Whatever has gone on, you need help, love. Do you want me to come in with you?” Our Hero Of The Week is the taxi driver who took traumatised Rhona to the police. Baby Oliver has…

IS IT CINDY’S FAULT? Having Cindy as a mum really screwed up Steven. Thanks to her bed-hopping antics, Steven was raised by his uncle/stepdad (sound familiar, Louie?). Cindy later hired a hit man to kill hubby Ian, then went on the run with Steven. Ian won custody in the end, but the damage was done. IS IT IAN’S FAULT? When it comes to trapping women, Steven had a bad example in his stepdad. To stop her from jilting him, Ian lied to bride Mel Healy that his daughter Lucy had cancer – prompting Mel to ditch him on their wedding day. That proved to Steven that no lie is too big to hang on to your loved ones. IS IT WICKSY’S FAULT? Life might have been different for Steven had…

Terrified Shona is set to be the victim of a horrific and vicious assault that could leave her fighting for her life. Our Street spies spotted actress Julia Goulding filming the hard-hitting scenes, which show her character being set upon by two thugs… “Shona is left bloodied and beaten with nasty injuries to her head and face,” reports our cobbles spy. “These brutes aren’t messing around – they mean to do Shona serious harm.” Prior to the attack, Shona is walking along minding her own business while on the phone – so it might turn out that she’s the victim of a random mugging. However, given that Shona has links to various dodgy types, we wouldn’t bet against someone she knows being responsible. Firstly, Shona is mum to killer Clayton,…

Robert and Aaron will go through hell and back as they fight to save their romance – but a happy ending is on the way. “At the end of this month, there’ll be a big hour-long episode where their relationship is hanging in the balance,” shares Dales boss Iain MacLeod. “But will Robert and Aaron still be together in the long term? The answer is yes! “We’ve not storylined it yet, but we deliberately didn’t make their first wedding ‘official’ because only an idiot would rule out the possibility of having two ‘Robron’ weddings!” he adds. “We’ll definitely be getting an official romantic wedding that is everything people want it to be.” JUSTICE FOR RHONA Traumatised Rhona didn’t name Pierce as her rapist when she reported…

“I’ll have to dig out some of me old paperbacks for Ken – I’m a big fan of Dean Koontz. As long as he doesn't mind the willies being put up him.” Nothing would surprise us about Ken, even after all these years. “There is definitely something weird about that Leah. I, like, just know it. I’m psychopathic about these things.” We love Rosie – she knows all the words. She’s like a walking Dictaphone. “Me and Viv used to love a bit of role play. I tried it with Brenda once. She has this fantasy about Gomez the Russian spy, but I couldn’t get to grips with the accent.” How do you role play a Russian spy? A couple of vodkas and a lethal injection? “I could start by…

Sid’s first shift as a rapid response doctor starts slowly this week – but when he’s summoned to a full-scale emergency, he’s so keen to get involved that he ends up leaving both himself and his team in danger! His police colleague Rob is keen to impress on him that it’s not all about heroics, but there’s no telling Sid that after the crew are called to a gas explosion. Ignoring all safety protocols as he wades in, is Sid set to regret his foolish actions?…

“Maria has a plan to ‘unfriend’ Eva – she can’t bear being so two-faced!” To say that Maria Connor hasn’t had much luck with men is putting it mildly. Her marriage to Liam ended in his tragic death – oh, and he was cheating on her with sister-in-law Carla at the time. Her next fella, Tony Gordon, was revealed as Liam’s killer; then there was the time she tried to settle down with gay best mate Marcus. So, you’d think Maria would have learned a thing or two by now, but no – here she is agreeing to be secret lover Aidan’s mistress! And even actress Samia Longchambon, who plays her, is exasperated at her alter ego’s decision… “I think Maria is crazy!” laughs the star, who married her former…

“ When I first found out that I’d got the role of Josh , I had to have a trim – I had long hair and a beard from Game Of Thrones. I’m happy with my short hair – but I’m not a fan of shaving every day!” “ Gillian Taylforth [Kathy] is the first cast member I met – I bumped into her on the day of my initial costume fitting. She was so warm and full of energy, and I knew this would be a good job.” “ My first line was , ‘I think you just saved my life!’. It was that first scene at the offices in Canary Wharf, when Josh meets Lauren by the photocopier – and she thinks he’s the photocopier guy!” “ I…

“Rhona doesn’t know where Pierce is – that’s part of the terror” Pierce raping Rhona on their wedding day will surely go down as one of the most harrowing moments in Emmerdale history. Some viewers have argued that the episode was too strong to be aired before the watershed, while others say that the powerful storytelling that followed was worth the risk. Actress Zoe Henry, who plays Rhona, joins us for the debate… “I was quite shocked when I read the scripts,” admits the 43-year-old star, who’s been playing Rhona on and off since 2001. “Knowing it’s a seven o’clock show, we were surprised that things reached the point they did – and I did air my concerns. I have kids, so I get it. “A lot of people were…

Jaime I play Barbara during the 50s and 60s – the Carry On years. It’s funny as about 15 years ago I was sat behind Barbara at an awards thing, and she heard me laugh – I have a bit of a giggle – and she went, “Oh! Oh, you should play me”. And finally, here I am! It’s been great to have Barbara on set as she’s been so helpful and open, although at times it was weird. I was singing a song – which is new to me – and I had Sam as Barbara watching me and Barbara herself watching me. Quite scary! Samantha I play Barbara during the 90s, a time when Barbara was at a bit of a low ebb. I actually have a lot…

This is exactly what Michelle needed when she was with Steve – an extra eye, preferably installed in the back of her head! But this isn’t some new way for the women of Weatherfield to keep track of their cheating partners. This is Kym Marsh preparing to be immortalised in wax as part of the popular Coronation Street display at Madame Tussauds Blackpool – as the expert sculptors matched her eye colour and hair colour, and took down every possible measurement! “It’s an honour to have my own figure, especially as it’s being placed with Corrie royalty,” coos Kym. “It’s been fascinating to be involved in the process.”…

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MAYBE IT’S JUST because summer holidays still feel like a long way off, but we’ve relished our weekly dose of escapism courtesy of Giles Coren and Monica Galetti. In this series they’ve been to some of the most unusual hotels in the world to find out why they’re so special: they’ve watched giraffes join the guests for breakfast , witnessed one of the most high-tech uniform control systems in existence, and even learned the correct way to pin back a top-quality curtain! In this week’s final episode, they are off to chill out in an Arctic ice hotel……

TOP KNOTCH In The Club’s Sacha Dhawan will play the lead in BBC2 film The Boy With The Topknot , based on Sathnam Sanghera’s memoir of growing up in 1980s Wolverhampton. MORSE LOAD Filming is under way on series five of ITV detective drama Endeavour , which will run for six episodes. The drama moves into 1968, and Morse has now passed his sergeant’s exams. TIME TO RHYME Would you like to be a contestant on Len Goodman’s new BBC1 family game show Partners In Rhyme ? If you’re over 18, fun-loving and reckon you can identify a pug in a mug, call 0141 440 6758 or email PIRcasting@pandatv.co.uk for an application form by 21 May.…

Will Leanne finally manage to restore peace between the warring men in her life? Here she is in an upcoming scene with sister Toyah, as they visit the seaside with partners Nick and Peter, plus baby Oliver’s dad, Steve and young Simon. For the first time in a long while, the fellas appear to be breathing the same air without tearing strips off one another! But as the ladies gossip and the blokes enjoy a kick about, how long will it be before old tensions surface? We know that the day concludes with Nick in a perilous situation as he is sucked into a pool of quicksand – so will building bridges with Peter and Steve help his cause when Nick finds himself in need of rescue? Or is the…

Bye-bye, Billy? EastEnders star Perry Fenwick has played Billy for nearly two decades, but never takes it for granted. “I’m not sure if I’ll still be there for my 20th year,” he admits. “It’s up to the bosses to offer me a new contract.” Worth her Salt Dr Sam Nicholls is heading home to Casualty for more drama with ex-husband Dylan! Actress Charlotte Salt is reprising the role, and begins filming at the end of this month. Soap swap! Former Ramsay Street star Blair McDonough , who played Stuart Parker, has signed up for a guest role in Home and Away. Details remain a mystery……

Emma seems to think that her new-found devotion to the big man upstairs might protect her from punishment for killing her fiancé James. But she’s not yet managed to abandon her wicked ways – as her meddling in Adam’s life this week proves! And Emmerdale producer Iain MacLeod admits Emma’s religious tendencies won’t make her less dangerous… “Emma is serious about her religion, and sees it as a way to absolve herself,” he shares. “But she’s not averse to committing a small sin to cover up the bigger one. The religious conversion Emma has experienced is very earnest in her mind – but while vicar Harriet believes in turning the other cheek and loving thy neighbour, Emma’s interpretation is a lot more Old Testament!”…

This week, Tyler thinks he’s figured out who was behind the crash at the hostel – and angrily confronts the suspected culprit! But as he knocks 10 bells out of troublesome T-Bone, has Tyler got the right guy? “T-Bone had previously threatened Piper and prank-called her, and now he has disappeared,” explains Travis Burns, who plays Tyler. “In Tyler’s mind, that makes him guilty, and he thinks he owes it to Piper to sort the problem.” Determined to make T-Bone pay for hurting Piper, Tyler tracks down the lad – and the situation soon turns violent. “The two of them exchange heated words, and Tyler loses his temper,” confirms Travis. “They grapple and punches fly – it doesn’t end well! It lands Tyler in a heap of trouble.” Of course,…

After weeks of defending himself to Jac, Matteo is forced to confront his past this week – when his wife Nina turns up at the hospital! The drama unfolds after an old acquaintance of Matteo’s arrives on Darwin ward and threatens to expose all of his secrets. Initially the flummoxed surgeon attempts to have his ‘friend’ transferred – but when Nina makes an appearance, Matteo’s life begins to unravel. How will Jac react when she finally meets her lover’s missus – and is it over for good between the pair?…

RHONA’S RAPE TERROR We hoped Rhona would see Pierce’s true colours before they tied the knot – but to our horror, evil Pierce took his behaviour to the extreme and brutally attacked his wife on their wedding day… Rhona’s rape was very upsetting, but also incredibly moving. The episodes were sensitively done and really well written, and it was an excellent performance from Zoe Henry. Rape within marriage is still a very ‘secretive’ crime even today, and hopefully Rhona’s terrible story will encourage abused women to come forward and report it. | Debbi, Spondon We all know that Pierce is a master manipulator, but I was taken aback when he had the nerve to blame Rhona for the attack! Of course, I don’t blame her for being so terrified, but…

ADAM He might be a Romeo with no morals, but at least Adam is up front about who he is. Maria could do with a bit of fun after her jail nightmare – and if she dated Adam, she’d be able to let her hair down. Better yet, when she tires of him, Adam’s so shallow that it’d only take him five seconds to recover and move on. DAVID It might have been a joke to them, but we think David and Maria are quite an interesting combination. They have a long history, which means neither would be shocked at the other’s faults. They are widowed with young children, and while Maria would ground David, his eccentric personality would enliven her world. They’d be a great team! BRIAN If Maria…

When it comes to a soap love triangle, things rarely end well for the other woman – and no one knows this better than Hollyoaks’ Tegan, who tragically lost the love of her life before they had the chance to become a proper couple! She’s been alone for far too long, and while it’s great to see the quirky nurse putting herself out there again, she’s worth far more than being slimy Nick’s bit on the side. “I don’t know how he has become such a Lothario – Ben Ryan-Davies [aka Nick] certainly isn’t!” jokes Jess Ellis, who plays Tegan. “It’s never a good sign when you’re not someone’s first choice, so I’d definitely tell Tegan to stay well away. She and Nick got chatting at the traffic-light party, then…

VANESSA Rhona’s mate and chief hater of Pierce is surely her go-to girl right now. But has their friendship been damaged beyond all repair, thanks to his cruel pre-wedding meddling? PADDY What we wouldn’t give to see Rhona’s ex-husband Paddy become her white knight now. But will the humiliation of marrying Pierce keep Rhona from confiding in Paddy? MARLON Marlon was the only person who Rhona looked even close to telling about Pierce’s attack. Their love for son Leo and his safety could be what prompts her to break her silence… LISA Having also been the victim of sexual assault, Lisa would know how Rhona is feeling. There isn’t anyone better equipped to help her navigate this awful time.…

“It’s actually been like genuine grief since he’s gone – it’s been incredibly weird,” Casualty star George Rainsford (Ethan) tells us, as Inside Soap probes him about Cal’s shock death on screen last Saturday night. “Richard [Winsor, who played Cal] and I joined the show at the same time – we auditioned together, we did our screen tests together, and we got on straight away. So it does feel like I’ve lost a brother – it’s been a really difficult adjustment.” Casualty viewers are no doubt still reeling from Cal’s tragic demise, which happened after brute Scott Ellison stabbed him outside the ED – and they’re not the only ones. As we pick up the drama this week,…

Miles ahead! THE SOAPIES GO ON THE RUN FOR CHARITY… Cs may as as they come, but his real-life alter ego Chris Harper was the hero of the hour at the recent London Marathon, completing the course in just three hours and 38 minutes – and raising £5,000 for the NSPCC at the same time. Brilliant! He wasn’t the only soapie to get up and running for a good cause, either – Walford’s Adam Woodyatt took a leaf out of character Ian Beale’s book by shedding some weight to run the race for charity. Having trained since February, Adam was joined by son Sam as they raised over £6,500 to aid The Air Ambulance Service and Children’s Air Ambulance – after Sam was rescued by the service following a bad road…

Some cinematic classics are about to get a little extra Lemon flavour, as Keith and his pal Paddy McGuiness present a series of abridged, affectionate remakes of much-loved films. We can look forward to their unique take on Ghostbusters and Return Of The Jedi in upcoming weeks, but first the duo will be doing Dirty Dancing . We caught up with Paddy and Keith to find out what inspired the series… Was this something you’ve always wanted to do? Keith When we did Let’s Dance For Comic Relief in 2009 [as Johnny and Baby], that’s when we came up with the idea of doing half-hour versions of films, and we wrote a version of Dirty Dancing and pitched it…

After Jamala’s spectacular win in Stockholm last year, Ukraine gets the honour of hosting this year’s Eurovision Song Contest , which begins with two qualifying rounds. The UK has an automatic ticket to the final, which means we don’t have to worry about competing in this bit – but we do get to see what we’ll be up against, and we get to vote in Tuesday’s heat. Scott Mills and Mel Giedroyc will be on commentary duty again, so we grabbed Scott for a chat. “What a lot of people don’t realise is that it goes on for a full seven days before the final,” he reveals. “So I’ll probably arrive in Kiev on Friday, then on Saturday they have a huge opening ceremony with a red…

CORONATION STREET Anna s anguish! THE WINDASS WOMAN HAS A WOEFUL WEEK… You’d think that Anna would deserve a break after all she’s gone through, but obviously the soap gods have other ideas! Next week, Anna makes a big discovery about Faye – and let’s just say that she’s ‘Phelan’ angry… That isn’t Anna’s only problem, though. She’s also desperate to keep her distance from Kevin – but what is it about the fella that makes her uneasy? HOLLYOAKS Mac attack! Marnie and James have been thick as thieves plotting against Mac, but things spiral out of control next week – as Mac’s health takes a grave turn. Have the sly mother and son gone too far? EMMERDALE All is lost Hope ? Marlon prepares to pop the question to…