Inside Soap UK 37 - 2021

“What greater fear does a parent have?” Every week, no page of Inside Soap receives deeper thought than our cover. It’s our ‘front window’, and the choices we make have a significant effect on our sales – and our continued employment! One cover star we know works well is the ‘damsel in distress’ –a beloved, sympathetic female character who is battling some terrible misfortune. This week our star is Corrie’s Kelly. But there hangs a question… Is she a sympathetic character? After all, we’ve just seen her slap Nina, and fail to stop Corey from killing Seb. However, I think anyone out there who is the mother, father or otherwise cares for a young daughter will feel for Kelly. After all, what greater fear does a parent have than of…

Lives are on the line in Albert Square this week, as an explosion rips through the Mitchell house – with Phil, Janine and the kids all trapped inside the inferno! While Phil lies unconscious downstairs – after being beaten to a pulp by Shirley and her baseball bat – Janine, Scarlett and Tommy are cornered in an upstairs bedroom, unable to escape after Tommy throws away the key! And as the smoke rises and the flames rage outside the door, the three of them are terrified… “Wherever Janine goes, drama follows!” “Wherever Janine goes, drama follows!” declares Charlie Brooks, who plays her. “But when she realises there’s a fire, she’s panicked – underneath it all, she does have a heart, and her maternal instincts kick in for sure. Her only…

We always knew that Janine’s return was going to be explosive – but even Inside Soap couldn’t predict that she was going to cause this much devastation! And Charlie tells us that she had the time of her life filming these dramatic scenes… “Big episodes like that are always challenging in the most brilliant way,” she grins. “It was so hot – we were in a heatwave, so it was literally scorching! It’s as if EastEnders goes on tour a little bit; we’re in a big warehouse, so there’s a real sense of excitement. We’re creating a really big story, so it’s always fun to shoot those big episodes. “My time playing Janine over the last 20 years has always been exciting,” adds Charlie. “And it’s always challenging for me…

It’s all systems go for pregnant Linda this week, as her contractions start – just as Jack turns up to quiz her about her baby’s dad! Poor Linda is in no state to answer any questions when Jack arrives unannounced at the Vic, demanding to know if his brother Max is the biological father of her child. So as Linda tries desperately to keep it together while her contractions grow stronger, will she finally crack and reveal the truth? “There’s only one person that Linda would less like to have by her side as she goes into labour, and that’s Max himself!” splutters our Square spy. “Jack’s a detective, so he’s no stranger to asking his suspects probing questions – and he also knows a guilty face when he sees…

There are ugly scenes on Main Street this week, as furious Rhona ends up in an altercation with Brenda over Cathy’s appalling behaviour! It’s after Cathy finally comes clean to April, and admits that she was the one who started the online campaign of hate against her, that the devastating chain of events kicks off. And as Rhona angrily accosts Cathy in the village, Brenda steps in to defend her stepdaughter – with shocking consequences… “It sounds really awful when you say that Rhona pushes Brenda to the floor!” gasps Zoe Henry, who plays the vexed vet. “Rhona’s fuming – she’s chasing Cathy up the street, and Brenda intervenes. It’s definitely not intentional, but there’s a scuffle. Brenda ends up falling on the floor and says that Rhona pushed her…

Hello, Zoe! What was it like filming these scenes? Lesley Dunlop [who plays Brenda] and I isolated, and did Covid tests so we could actually do this tussle together. I literally hugged her for a whole day, I was so excited to touch someone! What makes this story so relevant right now? I’m a parent of teenagers, so it’s a worry for me. I’m constantly checking in with my kids that they’re not badly behaved, and that no one is behaving badly to them. When I was a kid, if I was being bullied at school, I got home, shut the door, and it ended there. But now it doesn’t; it’s in your bedroom at 3am, because it’s constant. I think that’s why it’s been such an important story to…