Table of contents for 32 - 2017 in Inside Soap UK

“The soaps are just full of surprises!” Well, aren’t the soaps just full of surprises these days? The shocks keep coming. We’ve got EastEnders’ Max working with Fi over the spreadsheets and under the bedsheets (see the latest on that on p10 – poor Carmel). And I’m still reeling from the fact that Michelle and Robert’s stalker in Corrie has turned out to be that nice man Will (see our sneak preview pic on p13 – it’s definitely not over for Michelle!). Meanwhile, we’ve got Emmerdale keeping the outcome of Leyla and Pete’s very stylish wedding totally hush-hush, but we do have a few hints for you as to how the big day might end in our chat with Anthony Quinlan – aka ‘Pete the cheat’ – over on p38.…

Max’s blackmail backfires? With Carmel falling further under Max’s spell, tortured Steven crumbles as he struggles with his future father-in-law’s demands. Max knows Steven is lying about having a brain tumour in order to trap Lauren into marriage, and he’s using that to force Steven to do his dirty work. But as Steven buckles under the pressure, the troubled fella concludes that he’s better off telling Lauren the truth! Will he make good on his vow to be honest with his fiancée – or will Max get to him first?…

Coronation Street viewers were stunned to discover that Michelle’s ex-boyfriend, Will, is the person targeting her! For weeks, she and Robert have thought that his former drug dealer, Rich, was behind the spate of break-ins and vandalism at their home and at the Bistro – not to mention Michelle being drugged and locked in the boot of her own car! However, viewers now know that Will is the true culprit after he was seen disposing of the keys to Michelle’s motor down a drain. Why is he stalking her? “Michelle ended her brief fling with Will to go back to Steve – so he must have been pretty miffed to find her shacked up with Robert when her marriage ended,” reckons our Weatherfield mole. “Up until now, Will…

Cop a load of this! Life as a soap star could have been very different for Tristan Gemmill (Coronation Street’s Robert), given that he used to live Down Under. “I auditioned for the part of a policeman in Home and Away,” reveals the actor. “I didn’t get it, so that’s why I’m here now!” Blast from the past! Former Brookie actress Susan Twist – who played Rosie Banks from 1985 to 1996 – has landed a role in Corrie. She’ll appear in one episode as an old friend of Nicola. Hello handsome! There s a hot new fella on his way to Hollyoaks village. Sami is the half-brother of Yasmine and Farrah Maalik, and will seek work at James’ law firm. But the job hunt is all part of an ulterior…

“I really hope Stacey and Martin have a nondramatic birth of their child. They are one of the nicest, most realistic couples in soap! I know drama is needed somehow, but with everything they’ve been through together, I think they deserve some proper happiness – not more heartache.” …suggests reader Sarah from Shefford “Now that Luke is back in Hollyoaks , I’d like to see his sister Zara too. She was a really sparky character and she’d soon put most of the jumped-up village girls in their place.” …hopes reader Helen from Preston “As Corrie is getting new characters when it goes six episodes a week, how about an Eastern European family? It would make interesting plots, and people from that part of…

FAIR CITY Carol and Robbie are surprised to see Gerry this week – unaware Trigger has blackmailed him into killing Robbie! Elsewhere, Kerri-Ann stresses out over her gynaecological appointment, and Oisin panics when Charlotte crashes his meeting with Abbie… RIVER CITY Amber prepares for Charlotte’s birthday party this week, as Lydia and Lenny unite over concerns about their granddaughter’s behaviour. Meanwhile, AJ feels sorry for cash-strapped Pete, and gives him a gift that Caitlin misinterprets… Also, Annie feeds DCI Grant false information about local criminals. THE ARCHERS This week, Phoebe fears her morning-after pill may not have worked, so Lily picks her up a pregnancy test. What will the girls say when Roy walks in on them? Elsewhere, after persuasion from Shula, Alistair decides to tell Anisha about his past.…

JOE CARTER Wicked Joe intended to take control of Underworld after being entrusted with it by Mike Baldwin. He roped in Karen McDonald to help him run the business into the ground and then seize power. Joe planned to get a mate to rob the factory of a load of stock – but Karen’s guilt got the better of her. Jonathan Wrather, who played Joe, is now better known as the Dales’ Pierce. DANNY BALDWIN Mike’s son tried to rob him of Underworld as Mike battled Alzheimer’s disease. Danny manipulated his dad into handing over assets – but he hadn’t reckoned on Mike’s secret will being found. LIAM CONNOR Liam spotted a business opportunity when he overheard Adam bemoaning the problems between him and half-brother Danny. With the help of…

“Who’d be Ben’s prince? Hmm…. Bearing in mind that Ben loves dance, as well as geezer-ish people, I reckon he’d go for someone like Channing Tatum .” “ Ben’s court jester would have to be Lee Evans , because I’m a massive fan of his. It’s very sad Lee’s retired, but thankfully I got to see his last show.” “Ben’s national anthem would be something like Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend by Marilyn Monroe . And no, I’m not singing it for you!” “Louise could be Ben’s prime minister because she’s intelligent and conniving, isn’t she? She could grow into the role, and Ben could tell her to shut up if she ever got out of line!”…

The ladies of the cobbles were out in force to attend the opening of the new Ultimate Performance personal training facility in Manchester – but these gorgeous girls already look pretty fabulous to us! Leading the pack was Tina O’Brien (Sarah), who showed off her toned pins in a floral playsuit – and with her wedding to personal trainer Adam Crofts approaching, it’s no wonder she’s looking super-svelte. Joining lovely Tina at the event were her Weatherfield co-stars Katie McGlynn (Sinead), Brooke Vincent (Sophie) and Sair Khan (Alya), together with former cast mate Tisha Merry (Steph Britton) – all showing off their strength as they held up one of the team’s fitness instructors. That’s what you’d call survival of the fittest! BLUE TUNE He’s just returned to our screens as…

I was really into the Tom Hardy series Taboo . I thought it had everything! And I love Peaky Blinders as well, so I’m looking forward to that coming back. And Narcos on Netflix – I always say I’m too busy, but I found three hours a day to watch that! Comedy-wise, I like Have I Got News For You . Because I’ve got three young kids, I sometimes fall asleep before Question Time, so at least here you can laugh and get a bit of your fix of what’s going on politically. My favourite films make me sound like a mad Scot, or a Mel Gibson fan! I love Trainspotting, I had a big poster of that in my room at uni. Braveheart…

BERRY GOOD Mary Berry has signed up to a new cookery contest for BBC1, currently titled Britain’s Best Cook . Claudia Winkleman will host the show, which will feature Mary and a second judge, who is yet to be cast. GOING NOWHERE Rob Beckett is to star in a self-written comedy pilot for BBC1. In Static he’ll play a twentysomething who moves back to his parents’ – only to find they’ve sold their house and moved to a caravan park in Margate. GOOD AS NEW BBC2’s The Repair Shop is looking for damaged heirlooms for a Christmas special and second series. If you have a treasure that needs repairing, email repair@ricochet.co.uk for more information.…

Prior to Gemma’s arrest, Gemma and Jenny fall out – and Rita looks out for the lass by suggesting that she could perhaps be Jenny’s bridesmaid… “Jenny really upsets Gemma by ridiculing her,” reveals Dolly-Rose. “She belittles Gemma for being single and not finding anyone to marry her. It makes her feel very lonely.” Dismayed that Gemma has been hurt, Rita persuades Jenny to make amends in a special way. And ahead of all the police drama, Gemma is thrilled when Jenny comes and asks her to be her bridesmaid! “The poshness of Jenny and Johnny’s wedding appeals to Gemma,” grins Dolly-Rose. “She really wants to be accepted into Rita’s family, and the fun of being a bridesmaid is something she’s never experienced.”…

If Bethany thinks that her ordeal is over, she’s very, very wrong! Our sneaky snaps show stars Lucy Fallon and Sonia Ibrahim – aka Nathan’s cohort Mel – filming horrifying scenes that feature Mel attempting to clobber Bethany at the side of a railway track. Is this the end of the line for the traumatised teen? “Mel is taking no prisoners as she hurls a wrench at Bethany’s head!” exclaims our Corrie source. “Perhaps Nathan has ordered her to silence Bethany for good, or Mel has completely lost the plot and blames her for blowing the whistle on her boyfriend. Either way, it’s not looking good for Bethany!” Mel – who helped Nathan to lure Bethany into his vile sex ring – has so far refused to help the Platts…

EastEnders recently hinted at an extremely dramatic autumn in Walford, and filming is already under way on an action-packed stunt that will place lives in deadly peril. But who’s in the firing line? Well, fresh from the bombshell that Mick kissed Whitney, Linda will have her world turned upside down – quite literally – when she and son Johnny are involved in a terrible accident. Stars Kellie Bright and Ted Reilly, who play the pair, were recently spotted filming scenes clambering out of an ambulance that’s flipped over after seemingly colliding with a lorry. Linda has a nasty cut to her head, while Johnny appears to be already injured when the crash happens – he’s hooked up to a drip and nursing a worrying-looking injury to his chest.…

“You come waltzing in with a few new clothes and a bad dye job and you want me to believe you’re not the same manky cow that tried to break up my son’s marriage?” Poor Whitney – no one can take the wind out of your sails like Shirley Carter in full flow! “She’s giving you a disco lesson in private. Don’t you think she might want to go out with you?” As Samson helps Sam see what’s right in front of his eyes with Lydia, it’s easy to forget who’s the child and who’s the parent in this relationship… “I could get you sued for assault! My cousin’s a lawyer.” “Well, I’ve got God on my side.” Long may the oneupmanship between Amy and new frenemy Summer continue. We…

RING THE CHANGES! We’ve had plenty of letters from you since announcing that Corrie’s Steve would pop the question to Leanne! It’s certainly an unexpected proposal – but could it actually lead to marital bliss? I think Steve and Leanne would make a fun couple. It’s a long time since we’ve seen either of them so happy – even if controlled crying isn’t working out for baby Oliver! It’s time for some happy news on Coronation Street. | Sylvia, Hampshire Steve McDonald proposing to Leanne in Corrie is just crazy – he must be addicted to wedding cake, seeing as he’s walked down the aisle so many times! | Darren, Stoke-on-Trent I’m actually loving Steve and Leanne together. I think they make a great comic double act – but there’s…

Amy Walsh (Tracy) has a case of big day envy. “My wedding was the best,” she chuckles. “Me and Matthew Wolfenden, [David] hate it when it’s not all about us!” “I would love a soap wedding,” laments Michelle Hardwick. “But Vanessa needs to get a flipping boyfriend first…” “I’m not really a ‘flowers and sparkle’ girl – I wore a black lace dress with black stockings to my own wedding,” explains Roxy, who married actor Arsher Ali in 2010. “But this dress is gorgeous – it’s quite classy for Leyla!” “Pete also wore blue to his last wedding,” says Anthony. “Let’s hope this one doesn’t end in disaster!” It’s quite chilly for July, so Roxy has draped a dressing gown over her bridal frock to brave the cold outside and…

“I’ve had to grow up quickly, but I don’t regret it for a second” Life has never been quiet for 17-year-old Tom Cunningham, but things have recently been looking sweet for the young lad, who’s making the most of his summer holiday. However, this week the scared schoolboy finds himself in trouble with the police, when he’s pulled over while driving Darren’s car… “Tom doesn’t know why he’s been pulled over, but he’s worried he’s over the limit because he’s eaten too many wine gums,” laughs Ellis Hollins, who plays him. “It amazes me how naive he is.” While Tom’s sweet tooth won’t cost him a prison sentence, the poor lad has no idea that he could be facing far more serious charges, as Darren has left a stash of…

“Guy is such a bastard – and a fascinating character!” When Guy Self slinked away from Holby City hospital last year, we suspected that it wouldn’t be the last we saw of him – simply because the twisted neurosurgeon is such a dynamite character. But star John Michie – who is best known for roles such as DI Robbie Ross in Taggart and Karl Munro in Coronation Street – had no such expectations after he left the show. So it was a lovely surprise when BBC bosses invited him to reprise the role just nine months later… It’s fantastic to have you back, John! How have you been? Great since I last spoke to you! I’ve gone off and done some theatre in my hometown of Edinburgh – a new…

The Our House tour will take Deena up to the end of November , after which she’ll be going straight into panto – with just a day’s rest in between! And she’ll be treading the festive boards alongside a very familiar face this year… “I’m playing the Wicked Queen in panto in Middlesbrough – and Adele Silva [who played Viv’s stepdaughter Kelly] is playing Snow White,” she grins. “It will be great to see her again – I’ve kept in touch with both Adele and Verity Rushworth [aka Viv’s daughter Donna]. We don’t speak every week, but we keep tabs on each other, so we know what’s going on! “I don’t tune into Emmerdale much any more – although if there’s something big on, like the…

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The new series of Casualty will debut on our screens on 19 August with a two-part story set in France. The episodes will see Alicia, Dylan, Louise and David head to a refugee camp to offer medical assistance, and Dylan strikes up a bond with an orphaned brother and sister. However, he soon finds himself in a tricky situation regarding the pair’s future… Meanwhile, episode three will be an extended 70-minute special as the results of Scott’s inquest are finally made public. What will that mean for Ethan? Also, award-winning actress Sharon Gless – who is best known for her role as Cagney in Cagney & Lacey – has signed up for a guest role to play Zsa Zsa Harper-Jenkinson. She’ll come in for one episode…

Recent drama for the White family in Emmerdale sadly meant that we waved goodbye to star John McArdle, who played Lawrence’s partner Ronnie. It was a heartbreaking end to their roller coaster of a love story, but John is thrilled that the overall plot made such a positive impact… “The response was really quite good, especially among the gay community,” says the 67-year-old star, who also played Billy Corkhill in Brookside. “Not being gay myself, it’s quite an accolade to get those compliments and know you’re portraying people in the right way. “Lots of older gay people have sent me messages saying, ‘We love what you’re doing and that it’s recognised’. Someone even sent me a message saying we had a gay following in China, of…

The battle to be queen of the Vic rages on this week, as Linda does everything in her power to seize back control from meddling Fi. Since arriving back home, Linda has struggled to settle in – not only are things still tense between her and Mick following his confession regarding Whitney, but Linda is far from impressed that she has to run all of her decisions about the pub past Fi… “Linda can’t bear the fact that Fi is swanning round the place like Lady Muck!” mutters our EastEnders mole. “As far as Linda is concerned, this is still her pub – and she’s the one who’s in charge!” After Linda decides to give Keanu a trial shift behind the bar (see opposite page), Fi is furious that the…

The chemistry between Ash and Tori is sizzling this week – but just as they’re about to share their first kiss, Tori pulls away! After harbouring a crush on him for so many weeks, why isn’t she just going for it? “Every girl has a crush on a bad boy at some stage, and now it’s Tori’s turn!” chuckles Penny McNamee, who plays her. “However, Tori is scared that she is imagining Ash’s feelings for her. She thinks that he couldn’t possibly like her, which is why she runs off.” It’s not only her own self-esteem that’s standing in Tori’s way – she also feels that she would be betraying her pal Kat by hooking up with her ex. “Tori feels incredibly torn and disloyal,” sighs Penny. “She’s trying to…

PROM KING I really liked the jacket Shakil wore to the prom in EastEnders a little while ago. It was black and grey with a flowery design, and I’d love to buy one to wear at an upcoming party. | Andy, Cardiff Shaki’s ‘Black And White Textured Floral Blazer’ is by Noose & Monkey, and is currently on sale at Topman at £84. Bargain, if you ask me! UNLIKELY ALLIANCE What was the deal between EastEnders’ Lisa and Peggy? The rest of the Mitchells all hate Lisa with good reason, but Lisa mentioned Peggy was nice to her – and we saw her talking to Peggy’s photo. | Karen After Phil proved Louise was his daughter, he won custody and didn’t want Lisa to have any contact. However, Peggy took…

Adam initially saw Eva as a vehicle to get his dad’s empire back It takes a pretty terrible boyfriend to make Adam Barlow look like a stand-up guy – so congratulations to Aidan for setting the bar so low that a grasping, arrogant solicitor appears trustworthy! Adam joined forces with Aidan’s wronged fiancée Eva in her plot to take him for everything, and his actions were motivated by cold, hard cash. But as they’ve grown closer, Adam has seen that Eva isn’t just a pretty face, and it’s brought out his softer side. Could he actually be falling in love? “That wasn’t Adam’s motivation at the start, but the further they get involved together, the more he’s developing feelings for Eva,” explains Sam Robertson, who plays hunky Adam. “He’s started…

“Ashley [Taylor Dawson, aka Darren] is my fave person to work with. He knows how to do family scenes because he has two kids of his own, and I consider him and the Osbornes my family.” “I hang out with Richard Linnell [Alfie] the most. Since we do so much together, I have to spend time with him whether I like it or not. So it’s a good thing that he’s such a great mate!” “Duayne Boachie [Zack] makes me laugh the most. Michael Salami [Shane] and Theo and Malique [Hunter and Prince] are hilarious, too. We all went bowling, and I was in tears!” “Matt Littler and Darren Jeffries [aka OB] definitely taught me the most. They pretty much brought me up on this show. I cried real tears…

“I’m multitasking right now – I’ve got a day off and am about to head out, so I’m getting ready while talking to you!” Harry Reid is in the middle of a jam-packed schedule when we grab him on the phone to talk about Ben’s latest dramas. But that doesn’t mean he can’t spill some beans – and, as usual, the actor is a cheery soul as he chats away. Unfortunately, Ben’s not quite so pleased this week, after Phil announces that he’s handing over ownership of the Arches to his son, but giving the car lot to Jay, whom he also considers one of his own. When it transpires that the car lot is much more valuable than the Arches, neither Ben nor Jay are happy. “There are words!”…

No story for Guy would ever be complete without a showdown between him and Jac – but stars John and Rosie Marcel, who plays her, are always left wanting more! “Rosie and I are always amazed that we don’t work together enough!” he exclaims. “It seems like the most obvious relationship to exploit. Having said that, the few scenes we do have are quite intense, and that really works well for the show. It’s very exciting as I leave again…”…

Every MasterChef contestant dreams of winning the trophy and opening their own restaurant after the competition is over, but MasterChef Australia contestant Sarah Todd’s experience was a little out of the ordinary. Inside TV caught up with Sarah to find out more… “We didn’t realise when we were shooting MasterChef Australia that it’s actually massive in India,” Sarah tells us. “I actually cooked aloo gobi, which is a traditional Indian food, on the show, so once they saw that it was like, ‘Whoa, who’s this girl cooking Indian food?’. So I thought I should come over to India and see what the fuss was about – and when I got here, I was being stopped in the airport and asked for autographs!”…

BOOK CITY OF CIRCLES  by Jess Richards Danu is a tightrope walker mourning her parents after a disease ravages the circus in which she grew up. Entrusted with a locket given to her by her mother, she returns to the city of her birth – where a fantastical journey awaits her… For the chance to win a copy, tell us which character Jess Fox plays in Hollyoaks: A) Nancy or B) Grace. Text ISPRIZE1 , a space, then A or B and your name & address to 85010 (50p). Or see below for postal entries. DVD VICEROY’S HOUSE Venture into the household of India’s final Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, during the Partition of India in 1947. As he oversees the difficult transition to independence, the Viceroy faces conflict. Stars Hugh Bonneville…

BULLSEYE! Lucy Benjamin’s portrayal of Lisa was so good that not even two trained nurses – one of whom was Sonia – spotted that she was steadily unravelling. Lucy delivered an honest and gripping performance. We hope this isn’t the last we’ve seen of her, once Lisa receives the help she needs. We really feel for Keanu in his search for work. But hang on, he’s been training as a mechanic, and there’s a garage just around the corner… Go on, Ben , give the lad a break! If you’re going to strut back into town after trying to pinch another woman’s husband – and no doubt attempt it at least once more – you might as well do it in style. Whitney , you look gawjus! We don’t know…