Table of contents for 42 - 2021 in Inside Soap UK

“Her ample bosom likely caused all this trouble” The wait is over! Super Soap Week is here at last – when Emmerdale and Corrie splash that sponsor cash from Costa and the Co-op, sign up every stunt crew north of Sandbach Services, and plunge their most popular cast into perfectly preposterous peril. Now, while Emmerdale has been decently bonkers ever since they crashed a Boeing into Annie Sudgen, some people complain that these big stunts are too far removed from the homely origins of Coronation Street – which they think only ever involved two old bats bickering over the price of nut brittle. However, they’re forgetting that it was as early as 1967 when Corrie first collapsed the viaduct on to an unsuspecting Ena Sharples. In fact, the shock of…

Dev faces the worst day of his life, when the Alahans are caught up in a horror car crash – and he must choose which of his twins to rescue from their burning vehicle. “How will Dev explain his decision to help Asha?” The family are on a camping trip when they get lost on a country road in the middle of a storm, and a tree blocks their way. As they bicker over what to do, an out-of-control prison van comes careering towards them as drug-dealer Harvey Gaskell makes a bid for freedom. As the van swerves and smashes into their car, the three Alahans’ lives change forever. “Dev comes round to realise his children are badly hurt, the car is on fire, and they need to get out…

For Jane, these episodes meant battling the elements while trying to give her very best performance… “It was quite exciting in terms of special effects, even though it was freezing!” she laughs. “The brutal rain machine gave a different feeling to the scenes – we felt like the weather is another character this week.” Jane’s been part of many big Street dramas over the years, so how did this one stack up? “We’ve had fires, boat accidents, car crashes, a tram crash, explosions, but this is really different because this is a chain of events where one thing leads onto another,” she explains. “I can’t wait to watch it as a viewer. Everyone says it’s looking great, so I can’t wait to see it!”…

We’re talking cliff edges, a river and giant maze” Who dares wins” is the phrase we would normally associate with a survival challenge. However, in a blockbuster week of epic drama, one Emmerdale villager is set to lose everything – as killer Meena claims her next victim! At the start of the week, it’s game on for two teams of intrepid adventurers competing in a battle of wits and athleticism set by organisers Priya and Ellis. With team captains Ben and Billy rallying the troops, players Manpreet, Charles, Victoria, David, Meena, Andrea, Charity and Mack compete to overcome a series of daring activities –including abseiling and white-water rafting – before racing through a giant maze where a prize awaits whoever reaches the centre first. The group naively believes that scaling…

Corrie legend Sally Dyvenor has been announced as the first contestant for Dancing On Ice. The actress behind Sally Metcalfe will be following in the footsteps of co-stars Jane Danson (Leanne), Samia Longchambon (Maria), Lisa George (Beth) and Antony Cotton (Sean), who’ve competed before. “It’s a massive challenge, it really is,” Sally told Lorraine Kelly. “I’m not getting any younger. I’ve just got to take every opportunity I get so that when I’m old, I can say, ‘You know what? I gave it a go’.” Speaking of soap legends and reality shows, ex-EastEnder Shane Richie (Alfie) has put money on Jake Wood (Max) joining the next season of I’m A Celebrity. “I dropped Jake a text, and he didn’t reply, so he could be in isolation,” grins Shane. “But you…

FAIR CITY Carol warns Tommy to do whatever Ritchie wants following the firebomb this week, and it’s not long before Carol’s past is dragged up on social media. Elsewhere, Dolores makes amends after the explosion. Plus, Lucy Mallon returns to Carrigstown! But why is she back? RIVER CITY Karen offers to help Alex sell Candlerooms – but when Alex takes an ominous phone call, doubt is cast on her true intentions. Meanwhile, Stevie finally meets his father, Sam Spiller. How will the pair get along? And Roisin asks Bob to spend the day with her, for old time’s sake… THE ARCHERS A new recruit struggles with first-day nerves at Berrow this week, and things take an unexpected turn because of Martyn Gibson… Elsewhere, Shula has some good news – at…

It’s the question on everyone’s lips: “So, Linda Sykes, what first attracted you to wealthy factory boss Mike Baldwin?” – as the bold brunette arrives at his door, bottle of whisky in hand and a shoulder ready to cry on. Well, more than a shoulder, but we’ll get to that… Linda gets wind that there’s trouble at t’mill after Alma finally gives up on Mike, feeling she’s being asked to dance to his tune despite him being the one who cheated. And Linda wastes time making her move. Of course, Mike being Mike, he’s wary for… ooh, maybe half an episode before he gives in. But – Mike also being Mike – he wants to call the shots. Linda is perturbed when he insists she gets the bus to work…

PRETTY PLAID Please help – Cindy in Hollyoaks had on a really pretty check skirt, and I really want one like hers! Do you have any suggestions? Maisie, Stafford Our top pick would be the ‘Grey Check Mini  Skirt’ from River Island – which is half-price! Or check out the ‘Check Pleated Mini Skirt’ from Superdry, which comes in four different colours. TELL ME MORE, SANDY! So Dotty’s mum, Sandy, is back in EastEnders, but what’s her history on the show? I barely remember! Aggie Let’s have a recap! When Nick arrived in Walford with Dotty for the first time in 2008, he explained to Dot that Sandy had died in a car accident. In reality, Sandy was an alcoholic  and Nick took Dotty away. Fast-forward  two years and Sandy…

There’s a new wide boy marking his territory in Walford this week, as Aaron Munroe – brother to Dana and son to Harvey – joins his family on Albert Square. Meanwhile, for newcomer Charlie Wernham – who fans will remember as troublesome Robbie Roscoe in Hollyoaks – there was a family reunion of sorts to be enjoyed off camera too, as the star was reconciled with EastEnders legend Gillian Taylforth (aka Kathy) who played his mum Sandy in the teen soap! “Gilly called me as soon as she found out,” grins 27-year-old Charlie, who has also enjoyed success with television hits such as Bad Education, Ashes To Ashes and The Inbetweeners. “We had a really good catch-up, and we’ve had a few scenes together. Our characters talk a bit; obviously…

The pride of Walford turned out to run this year’s London Marathon and raised a boat-load of cash for their chosen charities! Seasoned marathon pro Tanya Franks (Rainie) posed with co-stars Toby Alexander-Smith (Gray) and Stevie Basaula (Isaac) just before heading to the starting line. This year, Tanya ran alongside Dame Barbara Windsor’s widower Scott Mitchell for Alzheimer’s Research UK. Like the late Dame Barbara, Tanya’s stepdad Derek lives with Alzheimer’s, which means the cause is close to her heart. Meanwhile, co-star Stevie ran in aid of The Samaritans, and clocked an impressive time of four hours and five minutes. “Big love to the audiences that came out and gave us all energy. It was electric!” he posted on his Instagram page. Meanwhile, Toby proved he’s the opposite of killer…

CORRIE’S ROSIE & ABI Go all-out for a big occasion, like these soapies, and have all eyes on you as the ‘lady in red’……

Frankie Drake Mysteries Alibi Set in 1920s Toronto, sassy detective Frankie and her business partner Trudie, of the city’s only all-female PI agency, solve crimes in an age of gangsters and speakeasies. Agatha Raisin Sky Max Ashley Jensen stars as the eponymous Agatha, a modern-day PR whizz based in the Cotswolds, who finds herself caught up in one deathly drama after another. Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries Drama Another 1920s detective, Phryne Fisher sashays her way through the jazz clubs of Melbourne, fighting injustice with her pearl-handled pistol.…

Bev Callard and Jordan North’s warm and funny friendship in last year’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! was a joy to behold. So no wonder that, when it came to organising Bev’s forthcoming vow renewal with husband Jon McEwan, her new BFF was the perfect person for the job! In this new five-part series, Corrie star Bev and BBC Radio 1 DJ Jordan set about planning the marital proceedings in Spain – with entertaining consequences… Hello both! So how did you feel about the idea of Jordan organising your vow renewal, Bev? Bev Well, we had the best time – it was just brilliant! Jordan We travelled from the top of Spain to the bottom, so we’d just sit in the car and talk for hours on…

CASUALTY Matthew Afolami..................... Osi Okerafor Faith Cadogan....................... Kirsty Mitchell Iain Dean....................... Michael Stevenson Charlie Fairhead............... Derek Thompson Teddy Gowan............................ Milo Clarke Ethan Hardy..................... George Rainsford David Hide................................. Jason Durr Jan Jenning................................ Di Botcher Dylan Keogh............................ William Beck Marty Kirkby................. Shaheen Jafargholi Rashid ‘Rash’ Masum.............. Neet Mohan Jacob Masters........................ Charles Venn Robyn Miller................ Amanda Henderson Tina Mollett............................. Adele James Stevie Nash.......................... Elinor Lawless CORONATION STREET Aadi Alahan.......................... Adam Hussain Asha Alahan......................... Tanisha Gorey Dev Alahan........................ Jimmi Harkishin Izzy Armstrong................ Cherylee Houston Aggie Bailey.......................... Lorna Laidlaw Edison Bailey......... Trevor Michael Georges James Bailey...................... Nathan Graham Michael Bailey........................ Ryan Russell Ronnie Bailey......................... Vinta Morgan Adam Barlow.................. Samuel Robertson Carla Barlow.............................. Alison King Ken Barlow......................... William Roache Peter Barlow....................... Chris Gascoyne Sarah Barlow............................ Tina O’Brien Simon Barlow............................... Alex Bain Leanne Battersby.................... Jane Danson Toyah…

DVD ENDEAVOR – SERIES 8 Still struggling after the turmoil of his past year, and the death of his lover, Endeavor Morse finds himself back in the thick of it – and with no chance of light duties at Oxford CID! This trio of demanding cases includes the investigation of a bomb in a college, the murder of a cab driver, and a bus journey straight into terror… Starring Shaun Evans and Roger Allam. DVD CODE 404 – SERIES 2 DI Roy Carver and DI John Major are back for more comedy capers, as a 20-year-old cold case throws the pair straight into action. With Major having a lot of personal struggles, it looks like the dynamic duo are in for even more trouble than ever… Starring Stephen Graham and…

There’s exciting news for Emmerdale fans, as TV hunk Ben Richards has been cast in a mysterious role – and fan favourite Kerry Wyatt is on her way back. The Footballers’ Wives and Hollyoaks star couldn’t contain his excitement after landing a part in the show and was thrilled to be reunited with good pal Lisa Riley (Mandy). The duo are firm friends after starring in panto together, and caught up at Lisa’s house ahead of Ben’s debut. “Ben’s a top signing for Emmerdale – but everyone is keeping tight-lipped about his character,” whispers our Dales insider. “It looks as if he’ll be on screens around Christmas time. Given how much drama happens in the village at Christmas, it’ll be intriguing to see where Ben fits into it all.” Viewers…

“There really is no cure for idiocy, is there?” Of Meena’s many fine qualities, our favourite is how she sees the truth of things. “Hello. I’m cheaper than I look.” We’re officially adopting this as our chat-up line “When was the last time I raised merry hell, did something shocking, had sex with someone I shouldn’t?” See you on the dance floor, Diane – once this paracetamol kicks in. “Do you know what propaganda is? When a cockney has a good look at something.” He’s here all week, ladies and gentlemen. “Arts graduates kept this country going during the lockdown. Who do you think was delivering all those pizzas?” And writing Coronation Street in their spare time! “I’m here to start work on that sinkhole at No 8.” “That’s no…

BIG SCREEN ENTERTAINMENT Hats off to Neighbours for their film festival! I would have loved to buy a ticket for that event. The ‘Ode To Toad’ was a triumph, and finally Melanie and Toadie are back together. And all that mixed with the horror of Isla’s kidnap – it was an episode to watch! Maria, Kent GOOD RIDDANCE! I must admit I won’t miss Sheree now she has departed Albert Square. She did Isaac more harm than good by trying to control him and hide his schizophrenia. And selling the salon from under Patrick and Denise just before she left was so wicked! Tess, St Leonards-on-Sea It’s safe to say that Sheree really didn’t end her time in Walford on a high note… CHANGING FACE It seems impossible for a…

After 21 years of sparking her own special brand of chaos, we’ll argue that the crashing velocity of white-water rapids – and even the cold-blooded wrath of killer Meena – have nothing on Emmerdale’s ever-reliable disaster-magnet, Charity Dingle. There are very few dramas that Charity is still to face, yet bosses couldn’t resist hurling her into the mix of the show’s epic week (see p14). And it’s not just Charity’s appetite for danger that we’ve come to enjoy so much; she makes us laugh, she makes us cry – and most importantly, she makes us care. So, as 46-year-old actress and village megastar Emma Atkins enters into a third decade of playing Charity, she joins Inside Soap for a trip down memory lane – and a look to the future……

It’s not just Dana’s nose that Aaron’s arrival will put out of joint, as he makes a play for Tiffany – and threatens to sabotage a reunion for her and Keegan! “Aaron comes into a situation where there’s potential for a love triangle,” explains Charlie. “He’s the sort of person who would enjoy the fact there’s an ex on the scene, as he’s a bit of a wind-up and he does things just to get a kick out of them. Tiff is a great character, and Maisie Smith is brilliant, so I think it’s a good idea to get the two of them flirting! “Obviously, I’m on Aaron’s side and will say they make a good match,” adds Charlie. “But I think it’ll be very different from what Keegan and…

Family values Priya Sharma was born on 7 July 1986 (making her seven years younger than actress Fiona), and arrived in the village with the rest of her family in 2009. She’s little sister to Nikhil and Jai, and absolutely adored by her father Rishi. Shattered dreams Before arriving in the village, Priya dreamed of making it big in fashion, setting up her own business. She was mortified when it was a financial disaster and her family had to bail her out – leaving brother Nikhil feeling she was sponging from them. Dancing Queen! Priya made quite a first impression – getting drunk and dancing on Ashley Thomas’ car bonnet. When she returned in 2011 (with Fiona taking the role from Effie Woods, right), it seemed her wild days were…

It’s great to see new mum Louisa Lytton (EastEnders’ Ruby) finally out and about with her newborn daughter Aura this month, after suffering a nasty bout of Covid. Poor Louisa was laid low by the virus soon after giving birth to Aura and is still feeling the effects. So, when she, fiancé Ben Bhanvra and baby Aura managed to get out for their first family walk, Louisa wanted to document the moment online. “Made it out of the house today,” posted the actress. “It’s official, the Instagram picture opportunity days are gone. This is as good as it gets. Washing my hair was the biggest achievement of September.” Speaking of the impact of Covid on her life, Louisa spoke about how she still can’t taste anything, but was making sure…

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This new single drama tells the 2009 story of when IT servers at the University of East Anglia’s Climatic Research Unit were hacked, with hundreds of the department’s emails posted online – entirely out of context – destroying decades of work on climate change research, as well as the reputation of respected Prof Philip Jones. The film stars Jason Watkins as Phil and Victoria Hamilton as his wife and supporter, Ruth – and the pair believe that now is the perfect time for this tale to be brought back to viewers’ collective consciousness… “The timing couldn’t be better with the now-overwhelming evidence that climate change is happening,” shares Jason. “I think those who were sceptical now realise it needs to be addressed.” “Yes, this is absolutely the right time for…

EASTENDERS STACEY HEADS HOME – WITH A SHOCK FOR JEAN AND MARTIN… Back with a bang! Following Ruby’s arrest, it was only a matter of time before Walford nick set free wronged Stacey – and next week, EastEnders viewers can look forward to her blistering return! As you would expect, with Stacey back in the mix, the Slaters are on full gas for some good old-fashioned family mischief. Meanwhile, Martin is inevitably prompted to wonder what the future holds for him and Stace, now that Ruby is out of the picture… EMMERDALE Gabby’s great escape! It’s taken Gabby… oh, a cool nine months to realise that life with Kim is not the future she wants for her child. Yet, as she plans to flee, baby Tate-Thomas has other ideas… CORRIE…

The drowning drama is going to have viewers on the edge of their seats, but there’s another reason that Jenny and Johnny are down that sinkhole. Executive producer Iain MacLeod wanted to bring a specific flavour of Corrie to the high-octane week, and the Connors are key… “As a Corrie fan, you feel as though you need something that is going to warm the cockles of your heart,” explains Iain. “You get a dose of that old-fashioned Corrie comedy from Jenny and Johnny’s side of things. Certain stories lend themselves naturally to this scale of story, whereas others are more grounded in humour. Coronation Street’s always been brilliant at welding those things together, and we want this week to be as surprising as possible.”…

Work has begun on the big soap drama that’ll be lighting up screens in December with filming on Christmas episodes starting. Corrie’s Jennie McAlpine (Fiz) says fans have plenty to look forward to after getting a cheeky peek at the scripts. She wouldn’t divulge the details but “it’s a bit dramatic”, Jennie promised. “It’s very juicy!” Meanwhile, Albert Square has been transformed into a Winter Walford-land with twinkly lights and a huge Christmas tree. “It’s classic old-school EastEnders,” teases Emma Barton, who plays Honey. Over in Hollyoaks, Katie McGlynn (Becky) has been extra-busy filming Christmas episodes and practicing her Strictly routines. Meanwhile, former Holby fave Oliver Valentine (James Anderson) will be returning to the ward and sticking around for the festive plots.…

The return of Liam has led EastEnders fans to wonder whether his on-off love Cindy might be on her way to join him. The young couple fled Walford together and set up a new life in Germany, but now Liam is in Walford, desperate for cash, and Cindy’s on the phone begging for money. This week, Liam ignores her calls and her brother Peter complains that she’s been hassling him too, and he wants to know why. Liam’s playing his cards close to his chest – but given that Cindy Jnr inherited her mother’s talent of manipulation, there’s no doubt a big drama behind it… It seems unlikely that Mimi Keene would reprise her role as Cindy Jnr, thanks to her starring role in the hit Netflix drama Sex Education,…

Ruhma steps in to support her teammate Johnny this week, a new member of the cleaning staff at St Phil’s. He’s a kind and diligent member of the team who takes his maternity ward tasks very seriously – keeping midwife Ruhma in the loop at all times! So she’s taken back when Johnny behaves out of character by confronting the teenage son of one of her patients – Dan. His Mum Trisha is on the ward for monitoring, and – frustrated by Trisha’s request for his support – he lashes out at Ruhma. Johnny immediately steps in to stand up for his close colleague, but Ruhma is forced to take him to task. Mortified by the rebuff, Johnny attempts to make amends by going in search of Dan after he…

SUKI VS ALBERT SQUARE Nasty Suki dished out a slap to end all slaps to poor Honey in EastEnders. And our readers have let us know just how much they hate Suki for her reign of terror over one innocent kiss… Honey in EastEnders is being horribly bullied and tormented by bitter Suki – she should tell her to stick her job! Honey won’t have any trouble finding new employment as everyone in the Square walks into a new job within about 10 minutes. Colin, London I think Suki needs to cool her jets! It was just one kiss, people make mistakes all the time, especially in Walford. Just forget about it, move on and leave Honey alone! Georgina After watching all of the kiss aftermath play out, I think…

Big congratulations to birthday girl Jessie Wallace (EastEnders’ Kat), who was showered with gifts and affection by friends, family and fans when she turned 50 last month. The EastEnders icon thanked her loved ones for their funny 50th cards, celebration balloons and some proper posh pressies. Among Jessie’s birthday haul was a hamper from London’s Fortnum & Mason sent by her close pal and co-star Shona McGarty (who plays Whitney). “Happy birthday, my darling friend. Love you always,” celebrated the actress. Meanwhile, Jessie was tickled when the ‘50’ balloons twisted around to show a wildly different number. “I don’t mind being 20 again!” joked the star. Happy Birthday, Jessie – you truly are 50 and fabulous!…

As series 12 of Taskmaster continues, we give one of its five players, comedian Desiree Burch, the added challenge of telling us about her top TV picks… What’s been your favourite show that you’ve watched recently? I’ve been tuning into Mae Martin’s Feel Good, which is beautiful – and, at times, extraordinarily difficult. And I’ve been bingeing a lot of RuPaul’s Drag Race, which is top-shelf reality TV as far as I’m concerned. I’ve also been watching lots of true-crime stuff on Netflix – terrible things that you shouldn’t put inside your skull. Which comedies  tend to capture your attention? Well, I have to give Guz Khan – my fellow competitor on Taskmaster – a huge amount of credit for Man Like Mobeen. That is an excellent sitcom: just beautifully…