Table of contents for 17 - 2020 in Inside Soap UK

“Bravo to Corrie for such a brave plot…” We’ve had a lot of reaction to the story around Asha on Corrie this week, with many people (including Tanisha Gorey herself, who plays the schoolgirl) having their own experiences, or knowing people who’ve gone through something similar. This is where soaps can be so much more powerful than perhaps reading a poster on a wall, or getting a good talking-to about rights and wrongs from a teacher. To see someone like Asha going through this terrible experience – especially when so brilliantly portrayed by rising star Tanisha – and witnessing the impact it has on her friends and family, really brings it all home. With soaps crossing the generations, it’s equally a useful insight for older viewers into the pressures of…

58% SHARON Sharon returning to the heart of the Square proved irresistable... “Sharon, definitely! She’s the rightful new owner as she has lots of history with her mum and dad there.” …says Karen “It has to be Queen Sharon! She’s the only person who will ever fill Peggy shoes in my opinion.” …says Kelly “Sharon needs her son and her pub back – her roots are in the Vic, and a new start there with little Kayden might be just the way for her to rebuild her life.” …says Esther 16% KAT AND THE SLATERS Kat has the credentials, and with her family arond her there would there would never be a dull moment… “I actually think Jean and Kat would be a great combination – I’d definitely want to…

Isaac gets one step closer to figuring out the truth about his parentage this week, when Patrick drops a big hint that he is his biological father! Although Patrick has been in on the secret for the past couple of months, his wife Sheree has insisted that they continue to keep the facts hidden from their son. But following Patrick’s faux pas, Isaac wants answers – so he confronts his mother and demands the truth… “Isaac wants his mum’s love, so sees Patrick as a threat!” “Isaac begins to suspect that this man could be his father, but he needs to hear it from his mum,” shares Stevie Basaula, who plays Isaac. “It just doesn’t fit straight for Isaac, so he goes on a quest to find the missing pieces.…

“The kids… their little faces. That’s what stopped me. They need their dad. That’s me!” It was very positive move by Hollyoaks to have suicidal Darren come to this realisation on his own. Bravo. “I’ve just been to yoga, and now I’m going to stuff my face with fried chicken.” Ruby Allen is an inspiration. “What if nobody comes?” “You think you’ve seen it all, don’t ya? Speakers that listen to you. Cars that drive you… And then this. A gravy fountain emerges. It truly is an age of wonders.” Western civilisation has peaked. “They are old people and there’s free food. Of course they’ll come.” This is the same spirit that used to have Blanche crash strangers’ funerals. “When you put this engagement ring on my finger, it felt…

There’s a shock in store for Chas this week, as she learns the true extent of Paddy’s anxiety over baby Eve. Poor Paddy has been struggling ever since he left Eve unattended at the hospital, and has tried not to let his daughter out of his sight since. But when Aaron, Bear and Pollard finally tell Chas exactly what Paddy has been going through, she’s left horrified that she didn’t see the signs sooner. Now that Chas knows the truth, can she help Paddy through this?…

Oh no, Asha! What have you done? It’s so sad that the youngester felt she needed to flash that guy, just to keep him interested. Surely Asha shouldn’t even be thinking about boys at her age? Jules, Dorset It’s good that Coronation Street is raising awareness of the dangers of peer pressure and of sending nudes. In this age of technology, it just goes to show how careful you should be. You can always trust Corrie to look into these big issues. Eve, London I’ve always throught that we don’t see enough of Dev and his family, so I’m pleased that the brilliant Tanisha Gorey [aka Asha] is taking centre stage with this story. She might be one of the youngest members of the cast, but ultimately she’s one of…

“ I love working at the Dingles’ house, as I feel most comfortable there – it’s like my home! I also love Brenda’s café because it’s in a separate part of the studio, and it’s nice to walk over there and work with people you wouldn’t often have scenes with. Home Farm is cool too – it’s very different from the Dingles’.” “I like the family scenes, as they can often be emotional. It’s great to do stuff with James Hooton and Karen Blick [Sam and Lydia], or Steve Halliwell [aka Zak], or Lucy Pargeter and Dominic Brunt [Chas and Paddy]. It’s such a nice little family, and it all comes more naturally with them.” “The most fun scenes to film are with people like Tony Audenshaw [Bob], because he’s…

“The siege has affected Marilyn terribly, and the ongoing consequences are quite serious – even though she tries to adopt her usual bright outlook,” explains Emily Symons, aka Marilyn, as she chats to us on the phone from Sydney. “Marilyn’s quite traumatised by what she went through, and it brings up a lot of questions for her about how to live her life, what she values, and how she wants to move forward.” One thing that the terrible siege at the hospital – which saw the tragic death of Mason – has already left Marilyn with is a growing bond with Summer Bay newcomer Ari. The pair were both witness to the awful events, and Ari comforted Marilyn while they were being held hostage – so she is currently paying…

WIT AND WISDOM “I can’t get an F!” Sonia “Typical Jackson, you are. A snap of the fingers and there you are, flat on your back!” Pauline “If I were you, I’d give up. It don’t matter what sex they are, you manage to scare them off!” Stacey “Life’s just one big laugh for you, innit?” Sonia THE KEY RELATIONSHIPS JAMIE MITCHELL He was her first love, and everything seems to have been a crushing disappointment for Sonia since Jamie was splatted by Martin’s speeding car. However, let’s not forget that ‘saint’ Jamie cheated on Sonia with both Janine Butcher and Zoe Slater. MARTIN FOWLER An ill-advised bunk-up in the allotment shed left Sonia and Martin bonded forever through their daughter, Bex. They later married, split up, and have recently…

It’s a good job the brothers got to spend some quality time together in India, as they’re not able to see each other right now. In fact, Adam and Scott haven’t even had the chance to meet their new nephew Roman yet! Ryan and his fiancée Lucy Mecklenburgh welcomed their baby son at the beginning of March, but the government rules to stay at home mean he’s yet to meet the family. “I want to introduce my brothers to my little boy – that’s top of my list when we come out of isolation,” says Ryan. “Just being around family, and showing off my little newborn son to everyone who hasn’t met him, it’s something we’re all excited for.”…

BOBBY “In an ideal world, it would be nice for someone like Bobby to tame Dotty,” considers star Milly. “Realistically, though, would that work? I think they are just so different…” VINNY “I really love Dotty’s friendship with Vinny,” grins Milly. “It’s great for her to have a platonic bond with someone who she can get up to mischief with!” PETER “Peter could be a good match – as long as he behaves himself, as we know he can be a bit of a ladies’ man,” chuckles Milly. “And Dotty definitely won’t be willing to stand for that kind of thing!”…

Coronation Street will welcome a fresh face to the cobbles as soon as the UK’s lockdown is lifted, with the news that Benidorm star Tony Maudsley – aka Kenneth DuBeke – is joining the soap! He’ll play the son of former character Archie Shuttleworth, who viewers may remember as the kindly undertaker who had a crush on Audrey Roberts. “I can indeed confirm the news is true!” wrote Tony on Twitter. “I’m chuffed to be staying at my ITV home and heading to Weatherfield. As a long-time fan of Corrie, I’m thrilled to be joining the cast of my favourite show. Here’s to an exciting new chapter!” The actor is expected to commence filming once it’s safe for the Coronation Street cast to return to set – but what brings…

On the up! Channel 5 has increased its current transmission of Neighbours and Home and Away by an extra episode a week. The Aussie soaps will now broadcast on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays until further notice. Holby heroes! After Casualty and Holby bosses announced that both shows would be donating medical supplies to the NHS, the BBC was pleased to supply two working ventilators to the new Nightingale hospital in London, treating coronavirus patients. Bravo! Back on the beat! Fans of The Bill will be pleased to learn that video-on-demand service UKTV Play has secured the rights to air the popular police drama. Series one to five will begin streaming on 1 May at 10am. Breaking bad! Hollyoaks’ drug-dealing story is set to get a whole lot darker with the…

This week’s confrontation between Isaac and Sheree marks a pivotal moment in their relationship – and actor Stevie confesses that it was a huge scene for him to film. “I knew it was coming, and I was dreading it a little bit,” he confesses. “I was excited by it, but I was quite nervous too because I knew it was going to be a big moment for Isaac. It’s also a chance to see a side of Isaac that we haven’t seen yet – he comes across as this bad boy, but deep down he’s really quite sensitive. “It helped to be working with Suzette [Llewellyn, who plays Sheree], as she’s amazing,” adds Steve. “It’s great to work with someone who you have a good relationship with outside of work,…

Connie faces a tricky situation this week, when Charlie is brought into the ED as a patient. Charlie, who recently walked out on his job, has been found drunk and collapsed in a local park, and Connie is saddened to see what a mess her friend has become as he continues to struggle with the losss of his beloved wife, Duffy. After Charlie confides in Connie that he’s been sleeping rough, as his home holds too many memories, she offers him the spare room at her house. But will Charlie let Connie help him back on to his feet?…

Bella grows closer to her new pal Nikau this week – and he helps her to make an important decision about her future! It’s clear there’s a real spark between Bella and Nik – and when Bella confides in him about the pressure she’s under at school, Nik gives her some good advice that makes her see things from a whole new perspective. With that in mind, Bella announces the she wants to enroll in TAFE (technical and further education) to study photography! Is Nikau a good influence on her?…

With Pat Butcher adjusting to life after prison, Frank suggests a little jaunt to France. (This being back when EastEnders could afford to regularly film overseas.) Grant, Sharon, Phil and Kathy join them for a trip to the Calais hypermarkets to fill a van with beer and cheese – “But none of that foreign muck,” insists Grant – while the Butchers continue to Paris. Frank is keen to track down his 19-year-old daughter Diane, who he’s not seen for two years, but his jaw hits the floor when Diane opens the door to her dad – heavily pregnant! Back on the Square, brace yourself for one of the greatest showdowns in soap history. Arthur has something to confess to Pauline. Our advice? Make sure the frying pan is out of…

MOIRA’S MUGS I’ve been forever admiring Moira Barton’s cups which she keeps at Butlers Farm in Emmerdale. Do you know where I can get some of these from, Alice? | Alicia, Nottingham Moira’s beautiful crockery is part of the Denby Halo collection. The mugs are £15 each or, if you want the whole shebang, the 12-piece dinner set is £168. Available at John Lewis and on Amazon. A FACE FROM THE PAST In today’s Doctors, I’m sure I recognised the woman who played pregnant Chloe. Has the actress ever been in another soap before? | Natalia, Boston Yes, Natalia! The actress’ name is Bianca Hendrickse-Spendlove and she played Texas Longford in Hollyoaks for three years. Her  first major story was when Texas’ sister, India, was murdered by serial killer…

“If you’d told me a year ago that I’d be making Ian Beale squirm to the point where he doesn’t know what to do with himself, I’d have said, ‘Oh my goodness, shut up!’” laughs Milly Zero, when Inside Soap catches up with the actress behind mischievous minx Dotty. “Adam Woodyatt [who plays Ian] is the only actor to have been on EastEnders for the entire time, so to get one up on his character has been a surreal experience!” The first thing that we tell Milly when she joins us on the phone is how much we love her work as Dotty. Nasty Nick Cotton’s daughter is a chip off the old block – yet with the vulnerability and heart that Milly brings to the role, it’s easy to…

Emily’s son, Henry, is growing up fast – and the Home and Away star tells us that he’s a frequent visitor to the Summer Bay set. “Henry loves coming to work with me, he’s obsessed with microphones – more into them than anything else!” laughs Emily. “He loves to go and talk to the man on the sound desk and press all the buttons. He’s a bit too young to watch Home and Away, he’s only four, but he doesn’t think it’s unusual to see me on the telly – he reckons it’s quite normal. I think he’ll end up in front of the camera one day!”…

1 Adam Peter Rickitt was born on 29 May 1978 in Crewe, to parents Jill and Peter. He has three older brothers – Tim, Mark and Sam – and went to boarding school in Cumbria. Before acting, Adam was a child model. “I thought I was lucky as I had a family who supported me, and I got into showbiz straight after school, while I knew lots of people struggling.” 2 Adam suffered from bulimia as a teen, when his weight hit just six stone. It began after a rugby injury resulted in a hospital stay where he picked up a virus. The eating disorder developed when he had to put weight back on. “I got over the physical side of being sick in 18 months,” says Adam. “But the…

When the going gets tough, be positive like Sair, with our pick of these inspiring slogan tees… £8.99 New Look Don’t dwell on the past, look and feel great in this lush tee. £10.99 Shein ‘When you can’t find the sunshine, be the sunshine…’ We couldn’t agree more! £8.99 New Look Spread positive vibes in this coral message t-shirt. £20 kindred.teemill.com Support the NHS and say thank you with this charity tee. All proceeds from sales go directly to NHS Charities Together. £8.49 Shein Be kind to yourself, and one another, with this sweet pink tee. £19.99 DLSB Stay home in this bright and bold top, with 30% of sales donated to the NHS Covid-19 Charity.…

I absolutely inhaled Succession! As I’m often quite late to these things, I consumed the entire thing in one go. It’s a lesson in how to write a show that is full of absolutely reprehensible people who compel you to become invested in their story. I thought it was an amazing piece. I think that the latest series of Curb Your Enthusiasm is classic, first-rate TV. I used to watch it obsessively, so it was one of those shows where I had to stop watching because I’d seen all of the old episodes so many times! But I’ve enjoyed the new series so much. It’s vintage Curb, and I’m absolutely loving it. As a prodigious re-watcher of stuff, I’m always in a cycle of Parks & Recreation, the British or…

After a decade on the air, spy drama Strike Back reaches its epic conclusion this week. Alin Sumarwata – who played Vanessa Villante in Neighbours – tells us what the chances are of her Strike Back character, Gracie Novin, surviving till the final credits… “There is a long-running rumour among the Strike Back producers that every character has a bullet to their name!” chuckles Alin. “And now that Section 20 is blacklisted, two soldiers down, with limited access to resources, it’s not looking so safe for Novin…” And Novin certainly has a big slice of the action in this finale. “She goes on a rampage in a casino!” grins Alin. “And Coltrane and Wyatt find themselves on horseback. There’s a desperate dash for some serious cash, the obligatory huge explosions,…

CASUALTY Connie Beauchamp.......... Amanda Mealing Rosa Cadenas......................... Jacey Sallés Faith Cadogan...................... Kirsty Mitchell Charlie Fairhead.............. Derek Thompson Noel Garcia.......................... Tony Marshall Ethan Hardy.................... George Rainsford David Hide................................ Jason Durr Jan Jenning............................... Di Botcher Dylan Keogh........................... William Beck Fenisha Khatri........................ Olivia D’Lima Marty Kirkby................ Shaheen Jafargholi Jade Lovall.......................... Gabriella Leon Lev Malinowski........................... Uriel Emil Rash Masum........................... Neet Mohan Jacob Masters....................... Charles Venn Robyn Miller................ Amanda Henderson Will Noble................................. Jack Nolan Lavendar Spark...................... Sian Webber Ruby Spark................................ Maddy Hill CORONATION STREET Dev Alahan........................ Jimmi Harkishin Aggie Bailey......................... Lorna Laidlaw Eddison Bailey....... Trevor Michael Georges James Bailey..................... Nathan Graham Michael Bailey....................... Ryan Russell Adam Barlow...................... Sam Robertson Amy Barlow.......................... Elle Mulvaney Ken Barlow......................... William Roache Peter Barlow....................... Chris Gascoyne Sarah Barlow........................... Tina O’Brien Simon Barlow.............................. Alex Bain Leanne Battersby................... Jane Danson Toyah Battersby....................…

EMMERDALE Boys will be boys! ARTHUR’S PROBLEM WITH ARCHIE LEADS TO BIG TROUBLE… It’s hardly been a case of happy families for Arthur and Archie since Laurel got together with Jai. The blended family hasn’t exactly gelled, but while Arthur’s bullying of Archie led to a few bruised limbs and a couple of bruised egos, things are set to take a more dangerous turn next week – when a joyous family celebration sees simmering tensions boil over… CORRIE Happy ever after? Sarah and Adam return from their honeymoon all ready to begin married life next week, but it seems there’s one thing from their past neither of them can leave behind… DOCTORS Ruhma’s job shock! NEIGHBOURS Will Elly plead guilty? CASUALTY Marty’s secret fears… EASTENDERS Family fortunes! As well as…

BULLSEYE! Hands up if you were in total awe of steely Dr Ash, as she managed the fallout from Vinny’s horror house party like an absolute boss? And we’re meant to be scared of Suki? Actress Gurlaine Kaur Garcha, who plays Ash, is one of the most natural actors EastEnders has cast in years – and the same goes for the Panesar family in general, come to mention it. Every scene leaves us wanting more! It was ever so brief, but we felt every ounce of Shirley’s crushing disappointment when Phil said he wanted to get back with Sharon. Even after all these years, their chemistry gives us goosebumps. There were moments when Hollyoaks’ ‘county lines’ episode looked like a gorgeous advert for just jolly-well getting out and doing some…

No one could have predicted the full effect that Covid-19 would have on everyday life, least of all our favourite soaps! But when Corrie bosses realised filming would need to be shut down, they acted fast to finish off as many episodes as they could… “The show will still be on screen for months to come, and that is down to everyone’s incredible work in the last few weeks leading up to lockdown,” explained producer Lindsay Williams in a special blog post. “On the last a hot new look Friday before we halted production, we actually filmed seven scenes in just a few hours, with some amazing work by the cast who had learned their lines a few hours earlier. It really went to the wire, but we got everything…

“I’ve been watching old episodes of EastEnders during the afternoons, and I think a great character to bring back would be Hattie Tavernier. She used to work for Ian. What if they had a drunken bunk-up back in the day, and she returned with his grown-up child?” …suggests reader Pablo from Leeds “ Lydia’s sister is well-cast in Emmerdale – she really looks like her. She seems meek, but what if she was Lydia’s exact opposite, and just as cruel and mean as Lydia is sweet and caring?” …says reader Alex “When Ken moves back from Stillwaters, why doesn’t he move in with Rita? Christmas proved she needs some company. They’d be a very funny ‘odd couple’ – constantly annoyed by the other’s weird habits!” …reckons reader Jane “With Elly…

Humiliated Asha faces more misery this week, when she becomes the target of a vicious hate campaign. It all kicks off after her furious dad, Dev, goes to the police and the school to report those whom he believes are responsible for sharing naked pictures of his 14-year-old daughter on a messaging app. Asha is in her own personal hell as it is, now that everyone has seen the topless pictures that were posted in their party-chat group. So, after she begins to receive threatening texts because Dev went to the authorities, the teenager completely loses it. “Asha was already coping with public humiliation – now she’s being bullied, too,” shares our Weatherfield insider. “Dev is only trying to protect her in a situation where he feels completely helpless and…

There’s some good news for Ken this week, when son Daniel returns from his stay at a Scottish grief retreat. Daniel was persuaded to go there as it became nightmarishly clear that he was drowning in his grief at losing wife Sinead. Supported by Sinead’s Auntie Beth, who looked after baby Bertie while his dad was in therapy, Daniel has made it through the programme and is much improved. While there’s still a way to go, Daniel tells his dad that spending time processing and dealing with his heartbreak and despair has done him good. Before Daniel left, he was flailing – drinking too much, trying to replace Sinead with Bethany, and banishing his wife’s memory from his world. Now, he is coping better and wants to establish some firm…

“I work a lot with the other paramedics in the show, and we are constantly in fits of laughter,” grins Olivia. “Di [Botcher, aka Jan] and I have nicknames for each other, and Uriel Emil [Lev], has been a great help. Our real relationship is an extreme version of what’s on screen – I’m always talking and singing and annoying him, and he’s a man of few words. “Playing a paramedic and being out and about is amazing, I feel very, very lucky,” she adds. “Every day is different – and the on-location food is so good!”…

Phil Mitchell could do a lot worse than keeping Dotty on as his new apprentice at the Arches – and Milly had her eye on the vacancy for a new mechanic at his garage a long while before her character did… “I knew Dotty was studying engineering at uni, so I did think, ‘How long is it going to be until I get that job?’” laughs the 20-year-old. “I love it. I think it fits Dotty so well – we haven’t seen a female mechanic at the Arches in years. Dotty will tell Phil how it is! “It’s funny, Steve [McFadden, who plays Phil] said to me that a mechanic wouldn’t have the big fake nails that I have,” adds Milly. “So I said to him, ‘Yeah – but Dotty…

NEVER HAS THERE BEEN A MORE prudent time to stay at home, and of all the shows vying for our attention at the moment, this insight into the life of zoo owner Joe Exotic (spoiler alert: not his real name) has to be the most bizarre. While the dark underbelly of big-cat breeding is the initial focus, it turns into a tale of rivalry, violence and deception. For us, it’s the interspersion of Joe’s self-penned country songs and accompanying idiosyncratic homemade videos – not to mention the cast of bonkers real-life characters which surrounds him – that makes it so bingeworthy……

NEW STAR WAR Disney+ is celebrating ‘Star Wars Day’ (4 May) with the conclusion of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and the debut of new eight-part documentary series Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian. HARDY COVERS Actor Tom Hardy is back on CBeebies with a selection of brand-new stories to settle the nation’s children before bedtime. He’ll read five tales this week, with the first one – Hug Me by Simone Ciraolo – this Monday at 6.50pm. WELCOME MATT Comedian Matt Lucas is to front a new Harry Hill-penned series, starting this Sunday on Channel 4. Reasons To Be Cheerful With Matt Lucas is a six-part show which Matt will host from home. He’ll be joined by other housebound celebrities, as well as members of the public.…