Table of contents for 51/52 - 2017 in Inside Soap UK

“Willmott-Brown is power-mad – but that doesn’t faze Kathy” Evil James Willmott-Brown makes a last-ditch attempt to manipulate Kathy this Christmas – as his daughter Fi works to expose him. Having tried and failed to persuade Kathy’s sons Ben and Ian that Kathy lied about being raped, Willmott-Brown makes a move to confront her again. He’s adamant that he can twist the events of that awful night in 1988 and convince Kathy that she consented, but he’s underestimated the formidable woman. Can Kathy turn the tables and get Willmott-Brown right where she wants him? “It’s psychological warfare – and Kathy is ready for battle!” declares our EastEnders snoop. “Willmott-Brown is used to everyone around him dutifully going along with his every whim. He’s power-mad and deeply disturbed, but that doesn’t…

“It becomes clear that this is not going the way Phelan wants” It looks as if the game may be up for Phelan this Christmas, when Luke’s investigation into Andy’s disappearance pays off. But as a violent argument climaxes in a car chase, which man will prevail? Phelan has already done what he can to throw inquisitive Luke off the scent, and even blackmailed Andy’s friend Matt into convincing Luke that their missing pal is actually backpacking in Belize! However, when suspicious Luke arranges to meet Matt for another grilling, he’s horrified to learn that this tale of Andy’s whereabouts is all a pack of lies, courtesy of Phelan. So, ready to expose the true story, Luke decides to pay his foe a visit at the site where poor Andy…

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“Tom’s betrayal is enormous – it will break Debbie’s heart!” Tom’s double-dealing becomes clear this fortnight, as we learn the truth about the man with whom Debbie is mixing business and pleasure! Emmerdale viewers know that wealthy Tom is somehow connected to the huge development project to demolish the Dingle homestead and put an access road to a golf course in its place. So far Debbie has remained in the dark – but when she unwittingly signs a document for one of her fella’s big business deals, will the penny finally drop as to what his grand plan has been all along? “Tom’s betrayal is enormous – it will break Debbie’s heart, every part of it,” shares Charley Webb, who plays her. “The deceit is too much. I don’t think…

“We do laugh – a lot!” chuckles star Sam Giles (Bernice), as she and Nicola Wheeler (Nicola) sit side by side in make-up, both a vision of 1920s glamour while they prepare for our shoot. “Just recently we’ve been cracking up at Nick Miles [Jimmy] having to wear that big furry coat,” chips in Nicola. “We say Nick is going through the menopause because he’s always boiling hot – we’re in hysterics as he’s roasting!” We can tell from their banter that both actresses have a ball working together – and although Bernice and Nicola are two of the more eccentric villagers, stars Sam and Nicola are very down to earth and love a gossip. So, we don’t waste any time quizzing them on their lives in the Dales… When…

Forget about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s engagement – the best royal news this Christmas is that Queen Carla Connor has returned to reign over the cobbles. Her mysterious visit will be greeted with delight from some and trepidation from others – and of course, there’s a deep, dark secret hanging over Carla which can only be trusted with one loyal adviser. It means plenty of drama for actress Alison King, who is delighted to be wearing her Corrie crown again… Hi, Alison – welcome back! Was it easy to become Carla once more? It was like pulling on an old pair of stiletto boots! My first two scenes back were on location with Shayne Ward [Aidan] and the crew, who are like family to me.…

Christmas is always a good time to settle down in front of a new take on a classic story, and this year is no exception. Over the holidays we’re being treated to a new three-part retelling of the novel Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, adapted for TV by Call The Midwife’s Heidi Thomas. Originally published in 1868, Little Women is the story of four sisters making the tricky journey from childhood to womanhood, while their father is away fighting in the American Civil War. There have been several big-screen adaptations over the years, but this BBC version boasts plenty of star power in the form of Angela Lansbury, who stars as the sisters’ Aunt March, and Michael Gambon, who appears as…

Hedge fund manager Alex Godman is the son of Russian exiles, but was educated and raised in Britain and has done everything in his power to turn his back on their chequered past. However, his background may be hard to escape from in this new eight-part drama… “He and his girlfriend Rebecca are all about ethical finance, and he’s built up a business from scratch,” explains James Norton, who plays Alex. “What I’ve really enjoyed exploring is that he’s got this contradiction – he’s Russian and he identifies with his Russian roots, but he’s also aware that they’re tied up in this mafia past. He’s very adamant that he’s making a life in England, and yet he spends his evenings taking Systema [Russian martial art] classes and reading Dostoyevsky –…

PHIL & DENISE EASTENDERS It’s insane that we’ve been denied the hilarity of seeing Denise and Phil raise their son together – and the joy of watching Sharon have to endure it! So here’s a satnav, to help baby Ray’s unlikely parents guide him home. RANA CORRIE Here’s a defibrillator for nurse Rana to store at home. She’s going to need it to jump-start poor Zeedan’s broken heart when he finds out about her affair with Kate. BERNICE EMMERDALE For Bernice, a nun’s habit. We’d rather see her confined to a convent than shack up with bath-dodging loser Daz. KAREN EASTENDERS Karen could do with a bit of a lift this Christmas, so here’s the gift of a bra that actually fits. The sight of her bra straps trailing down…

All hell breaks loose in Walford this fortnight, as unhinged Max sets the wheels in motion for the Square’s most catastrophic Christmas to date! His dealings with Willmott-Brown exposed, he has nothing left to lose after he comes to the cold-blooded conclusion that he’ll have to murder Ian and Phil. Only Stacey is prepared to throw Max a lifeline – and as she agrees to let him stay with her at the Fowlers’, the stage is set for some highly charged scenes between the former lovers. Meanwhile, the damning voicemail that Jane Beale left Stacey informing her of Max’s treachery resurfaces with a vengeance – signalling horrific consequences for the Branning clan… “The build-up to Christmas is some of the most action-packed stuff I’ve ever seen,” grins actor Jake Wood,…

“Mick stands to lose everything if this plot goes wrong…” Mick’s involvement with Aidan is set to have catastrophic consequences for the Carter family this Christmas – after the crook plants a gun at the Queen Vic! As the festivities kick off in Walford, Linda is determined to make her family’s last week in the pub their best one ever. But as the landlady throws herself into planning her vow renewal ceremony, she has no idea her hubby’s foolish actions could be about to cost them everything… “Mick may think he’s pulled the plug on any involvement in Aidan’s big job – yet he couldn’t be further from the truth!” exclaims our Walford spy. “Aidan really isn’t a man you say no to, and he’s furious that Mick has backed…

Carla Connor comes back to surprise her family this Christmas – but will secrets, lies and rifts threaten to destroy the clan’s festivities? She and father Johnny enjoy spoiling everybody as they gather to celebrate the festive season, but brooding Aidan is miffed that Carla won’t invest in the factory. Will she have a change of heart? “Carla has put Underworld in the past, while Aidan thinks it could be their future,” explains our Corrie spy. “Johnny backs up his son – he wants to retire, but he believes in Aidan and knows it could all work out. It’s a case of whether Carla is willing to give her brother another chance, and stay to see him take it.” Elsewhere, Michelle is overjoyed to reunite with Carla – even if…

As Christmas Day dawns, it’s set to be one Robert Sugden will never forget. Haunted by his duplicitous past and the mess he’s made of his mixed-up life, Robert wakes up in a succession of different scenarios, where nothing is quite as it should be. This strange and special episode will change him forever – but what are the chances he’ll be a better man by Boxing Day? “Robert’s Christmas Day episode is very different from the normal Emmerdale episodes, stylistically – it’s all a bit surreal,” explains Ryan Hawley, who plays him. “There are three acts to it, with a conclusion based on what Robert has learnt throughout the course of the episode. It contains a lot of elements that people might recognise from things like Groundhog Day and…

“Aaron is worried about Alex leaving him all by himself…” Troubled Aaron has to decide where his future lies with Dr Alex this Christmas, as their relationship gathers pace. After their shock kiss in front of Aaron’s ex Robert, Alex believes that they could have something going – that is, until things start getting passionate and Aaron freaks out when Alex goes to remove his top. Aaron realises that the handsome medic will see his self-inflicted scars – but can he risk rejection and confide in his beau? “It’s a very difficult thing for Aaron,” explains Danny Miller, who plays him. “He’s reluctant to go to Alex’s place at all, and it’s nothing to do with Robert. He knows he’ll have to explain his self-harming – and whether he’s embarrassed…

“Grace is a ballsy girl – but she’s petrified by what happens…” Grace’s criminal connections bring trouble to the village this Christmas, as two thugs cause carnage at the Magic Bean – and Grace and Esther are forced to take cover! Although Grace couldn’t get enough of dodgy dealings back in her heyday, the menacing matriarch has been mostly sticking to the straight and narrow as of late. However, it looks as if the gangster may have reverted to her old ways and messed with the wrong people… “Grace is a ballsy girl, but she’s petrified by what happens,” gasps our Hollyoaks insider. “Even she isn’t tough enough to take on two balaclava-clad heavies when they’re carrying baseball bats! She really doesn’t want to place Esther in danger either, so…

“Connie has started wearing a wig as her hair is falling out” Ethan blurts out Connie’s cancer secret to all of her colleagues – after she collapses in the middle of resus in the lead-up to Christmas! Despite the fact that she’s still weak from her chemotherapy, Connie is determined to get on a plane to New York so she can spend the season with her daughter Grace. But when Hanssen orders her into work to cover absences, it sets off a chain of events that will see Connie’s secret come out… “Connie was foolish to think she could keep her cancer diagnosis quiet,” admits our Casualty insider. “It’s clear that there’s something seriously wrong with her – she’s started wearing a wig to cover up the fact that her…

“I’ll wear a onesie to the pub on Christmas Day!”LORRAINE STANLEY Karen Will the Taylor family have a happy Christmas this year? Overall I think they have a good time, yeah. They generally make do with what they’ve got, because there’s always someone worse off. They’re a happy family – they are used to making the best of things. What’s Christmas Day like in the Taylor household? You don’t actually get to see that on screen. It would have been interesting to find out if they have turkey nuggets for their Christmas dinner! Karen does spend a lot of the episodes around that time in a tiger-print onesie and a Santa hat, though – and she ends up in the Nativity… What are your own plans for the Christmas…

Forgive us for being shallow, but we’re desperate to know who Carla Connor’s next conquest will be. Carla has already left a trail of broken hearts behind her, yet she seems happy on her own right now. However, her real-life alter ego Alison admits Carla isn’t immune to the charms of one Weatherfield fella… “There is someone she has a little fling with,” teases the star. “But Carla is a bit like a cat with a mouse, playing with him. It’s something to do, it’s not a big romance – and she also has another agenda for setting her sights on him.” Call us soap psychics, but we reckon that her fling will be someone connected with her ex-husband Peter. After all, despite his devotion to Toyah, there will undoubtedly…

If you saw Peter Pan Goes Wrong on BBC1 this time last year, you’ll know that Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society’s Christmas production was an endless avalanche of disaster. However, we haven’t seen the last of the amateur players, as they return this year to give us their take on Dickens. Inside TV caught up with co-writers and stars Henry Lewis and Jonathan Sayer from the Mischief Theatre Company, to find out how Cornley have managed it. “Cornley are very much not welcomed back!” confirms Jonathan. “They’ve been blacklisted from television and the BBC have gone with a professional cast that involves a Sir in the lead role – but Cornley find a way of getting in and taking over…” Following on from David Suchet’s heroic turn…

The day of Aidan’s big job dawns this fortnight – and judging by these pictures, it looks as though Mick is in! While the rest of Walford sleep off their New Year’s Eve hangovers, Aidan and his cronies – Phil, Vincent, Mick and Keanu – are getting ready to pull off the con of the century. And with everyone now fully on board with the plan, what could go wrong? “I think a lot of the gang are in too deep!” reckons Danny Walters, who plays Keanu. “My character in particular hasn’t experienced this sort of job before, and he’s out of his depth. There are a lot of things that could go wrong – and someone could end up paying the price.” Following their secret meeting at The Albert,…

“It’s time for Karen to swallow her pride and ask for help” Poor Karen is at her wits’ end as 25 December arrives, with not a penny left to pay for the happy festive period she’s been hoping for. But could her sister Kandice save the Taylors from their worst Christmas nightmare? Karen’s woes begin when she discovers stolen phones hidden away by her young sons Riley and Chatham. While she initially plans on returning the phones to their rightful owners, her financial dire straits over the festive period force her to ask Keegan to sell them instead… “Karen can’t bear the thought of her beloved brood missing out,” sighs our Walford snoop. “She’s been to hell and back over the past few weeks, thanks to the loan shark she…

“Billy knows that there must be consequences for his actions” Billy’s shock confession that he killed Susan Barlow has deadly consequences this fortnight, as her twin brother Peter drives him to a cliff top, hell-bent on throwing him over the edge! Billy has been prompted to admit to Peter that he was to blame for Susan’s death while believing he was about to die himself, from injuries caused by a fight he and Peter were caught up in. He may since have recovered from those wounds, but now that Peter knows Billy’s role in the tragic loss of his sister, the local vicar’s life is hanging in the balance all over again… “Billy believes this is the end,” shares our Corrie sneak. “Telling Peter what happened to Susan came about…

Roy Cropper rushes back from a trip when he hears Carla is home – as he knows exactly what’s going on with her. Carla has kept everyone in the dark about her secret, but Roy knows all too well what she’s facing. It does strike people as odd when Carla refuses to knock back red wine as usual and instead sticks to soft drinks – though Roy is relieved to see her being sensible. So later, when he joins the Connors’ New Year’s Eve gathering and finds Carla with a Mojito in hand, he completely loses it. Carla begs Roy not to judge her – because she’s actually drinking lemonade and pretending it’s a cocktail. He’s satisfied, but says she needs to be close to the people who love her…

“Daniel has the power – but he realises that he’s gone too far” The gloves are off in the battle for Sinead’s heart as the locals see in 2018 – with Daniel plotting to ruin her wedding to Chesney! Having been framed for beating up his love rival, Daniel is determined to prove his innocence – so when he uncovers CCTV footage showing what really happened in the ginnel, he’s delighted. But what does he plan to do with it? “Daniel tells Chesney, ‘I’ve got footage of you hitting yourself with a brick!’” chuckles Rob Mallard, who plays Daniel. “Sinead is in the Bistro for her hen do, and she thinks she’s about to watch a DVD of her and Chesney’s best bits. Basically Daniel has all the power –…

Tom has never really been the sort of guy to go off the rails” Tom Cunningham gets an 18th birthday present he wasn’t expecting this festive fortnight – when he finds out that he’s a millionaire! The young lad was tragically orphaned when he was just four years old, after his parents Gordon and Helen were killed in a car crash. Tom always knew he was in line to inherit their cash when he officially became an adult – but never in his wildest dreams did he think it would be this much… “Tom actually doesn’t have the best birthday, to be honest,” explains Ellis Hollins, who’s played the lad since 2003. “He receives a letter about his inheritance, and sees he’s got £1,000 – it’s not that he’s ungrateful,…

Christmas cheer is in short supply for some of our Hollyoaks favourites this year. With lonely Darcy exiled by her loved ones, Ellie wracked with guilt over her dad Mac’s departure, and Sami vowing to avenge his father’s death, it’s going to take more than a cheap present to perk up this lot! So we decided to treat Sophie Porley (Ellie), Rishi Nair (Sami) and Aisling Jarrett-Gavin (Darcy) to the coolest night out on the tiles, as we whisked them back to the 70s for a Christmas party they’ll never forget… What’s it been like going back in time to the days of flares and foxy mamas? Rishi Very different! I like dressing down rather than dressing up on a night out, so I’m usually wearing…

“VICTORIA IS A PERFECT SHOW FOR A CHRISTMAS SPECIAL” JENNA If ever there were a series that was destined to have a Christmas special, it’s Victoria . After all, this period in history is when many of our festive traditions were established: decorations, crackers and even presents are all things that were first popularised by the Victorians. It’s no surprise then that the cast have been looking forward to a Christmas episode for a long time… “Just seeing the windows frosted up on the set is nice, and the costumes have got all cosy,” enthuses David Oakes, who plays Prince Ernest. “There’s going to be a Christmas tree and all the decorations – it’s going to be the Victorian Christmas…

It wouldn’t be Christmas without an animated tale that’s fun for all the family – and following on from the success of short films such as The Gruffalo , The Gruffalo’s Child , Room On The Broom and Stick Man , Magic Light Pictures have produced another adaptation of a children’s book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. The Highway Rat is the story of a hungry rat (voiced by David Tennant), whose insatiable cravings for sweet treats inspire him to take to the roads to rob travellers of their food – that’s until a rather crafty duck manages to get the better of him. “I’d told the Magic Light guys a few…

Nella Oortman doesn’t quite get the welcome she’s expecting when she arrives in Amsterdam as the new wife of merchant Johannes Brandt – her husband is away, and she’s greeted instead by his chilly sister Marin. When Johannes finally returns, he presents his new wife with a beautiful cabinet fashioned to look like their home. Nella employs the services of a miniaturist to furnish it, but the miniaturist (who she hasn’t met) keeps supplying her with pieces she hasn’t asked for, which seem to eerily mirror events within the household. The original novel by Jessie Burton has sold over a million copies, and here Anya Taylor-Joy and Romola Garai, who play Nella and Marin, reveal why The Miniaturist is the big drama for Christmas… What attracted both of you to…