Table of contents for 48 - 2017 in Inside Soap UK

“Please never leave Corrie, Sarah Platt” Who would want to be Corrie’s Sarah Platt? If I was her, I’d have hotfooted it back to my old life in Milan months ago. After all, she spent those years there happily running a successful clothing business (now she’s a barmaid, but hey, that’s the fickle world of fashion for you!) – while Bethany was a carefree schoolgirl, skipping home every night and merrily eating pasta and pizza. But Sarah comes back to Weatherfield and look what happens. She’s pregnant by a drug dealer. She’s an accessory to his murder. She suffers a terrifying mental illness. Her sister-in-law and bessie mate is killed. Her daughter is groomed by an evil pervert. Her brother flees town. And worst of all, she has to watch…

Rumours are rife that Andy Sugden could be making a festive return to the Dales! Producer Iain MacLeod has recently teased that the Christmas episode of Emmerdale will feature a surprise appearance from someone – and given that the episode revolves around Robert, his brother Andy is the hot favourite to show up… “It is probably the weirdest episode that we’ve ever done, and given that we have done some pretty weird episodes, that’s saying something,” said Iain, talking of Emmerdale’s Christmas Day edition. “But I think it’s really entertaining and dramatic, and it’s got a surprise cameo in it. It is stylistically a bit weird and romantic.” We reported in last week’s Inside Soap that actor Kelvin Fletcher (Andy) had recently made a visit to the Emmerdale set with…

Surprise passion for Ste? Could a shock romance be on the cards for Hollyoaks’ enemies Ste and Ryan? The show’s latest trailer has teased the pair moving in for a snog – but what will Ryan’s girlfriend Tegan, who just happens to be Ste’s sister, have to say about it? Hair-raising! Corrie’s Tristan Gemmill has finally spoken out about his character Robert’s transition into a silver fox! “It was deliberate,” he says. “Maybe he got so worried about not saving his girlfriend’s life from a stalker that he went grey overnight.” Daddy dilemma As if learning she was pregnant wasn’t a big enough shock for the Bay’s Kat, another bombshell is on the way – as she finds out she’s further along in the pregnancy than she thought. Which…

“Hey! What if whoever topped Emma killed Lachlan as well? Perhaps they’re trying to get all the weirdos out of the village?” “You’d better stay indoors then.” Love Victoria’s put-down – but we also love Charity’s theory. That would be one busy killer! “I’ll tweet it! Shona’s showed me how. I’ve got four followers already! Mind you, they are all family.” Move over, Zoella! There’s a new major social media influencer on the block. “What do you want me to say? That I’ve had an abortion? That I’ve got acute alcoholic hepatitis? And this isn’t even the bad stuff!” We hoped Lauren would list all her most distressing plots to Josh. (“I had a fling with Jamie Lomas from Hollyoaks!”) “Robert, it’s got to go! I’ll chop it off myself…

“I knew that Luke and Phelan would cross paths” Phelan gains another thorn in his side this week, as suspicious Luke starts to wonder where his former friend Andy has disappeared to. Nobody in Weatherfield has given much thought to poor Andy since he vanished all those months ago, and not one person has tried to get in touch. But the mysterious circumstances surrounding his disappearance come to the fore this week, when Luke notices how much of Andy’s post has started to pile up at the builders’ yard flat. After he decides to track down Andy so that he can pass on his mail, Luke gets in touch with one of Andy’s old mates – and is shocked to find out that Andy never made the move to Bristol…

Devastated Kim discovers she’s had a miscarriage this week, after Sonia begs her to get checked out. The mum-to-be knows something is wrong after suffering bleeding, but doesn’t want to accept that she may have lost her unborn child. It’s tough for Kim because the pregnancy was a surprise – and she hadn’t expected to feel so elated about the thought of a brother or sister for daughter Pearl. But once the pregnancy was confirmed, Kim was over the moon – even if husband Vincent wasn’t quite so impressed. Given the struggles Kim has had with motherhood, her concerned partner worried that adding another baby into the mix would be a mistake. Kim was cross that he wasn’t enthused by the pregnancy news, but promised that she’d keep things low-key…

Bernadette begs for a job this week, so she can pay for her brothers to go on a school trip. The Taylors are mortified when the school calls up to ask why Riley and Chatham aren’t going on its excursion, and Karen is forced to admit the family isn’t able to afford the fee. Bernadette can’t bear to imagine the look of disappointment on the little lads’ faces, and quickly decides to make it her mission to find a job so she can pay for them to go. She begins by helping Martin on his market stall, then getting a paper round. But when Bernadette enquires about her wages, she’s gutted to realise that the cash won’t reach her account before the trip. Are the Taylor kids destined to miss…

Poor Robert! You can’t blame him for being so scared after everything he went through with his dad. He was fearing the worst, so to suddenly be told he’d need such a huge operation was a lot to take in. I can only imagine how he’s feeling right now. Zack, Norfolk I can’t believe Robert went weeks without thinking to get the lump checked by a professional. I hope nobody watching will ever make that mistake, because he’s proved that it’s always better to be safe than sorry! Cathy, Goole I was really worried that Robert was going to bury his head in the sand after everything the doctor told him. It’s good that he told Michelle the truth sooner rather than later, and if anyone can persuade him to…

“ Maxine would make Dodger her king , as deep down she still loves him! He was the one that got away, and he genuinely loved her as well.” “ I reckon Maxine would make Darcy her court jester . Darcy has been so mean, so Maxine would get back at her by forcing her to entertain!” “ Both Maxine’s and Minnie’s birthdays would become national holidays . Everyone would have to celebrate – and buy them presents!” “ I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor would be a good national anthem . Maxine has done a lot of surviving, bless her!” “ If Maxine had to ban anything , I think it would be lying, cheating, nasty people. Thing is, I reckon most of the village would end up leaving!”…

Well, here’s a reunion we never thought we’d see – the Beales are back together! Adam Woodyatt (Ian) and soap mum Gillian Taylforth (Kathy) were joined by his former on-screen wife Michelle Collins (Cindy), as they all attended the Children With Cancer Charity Ball at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London. The trio looked delighted to catch up – poles apart from how their alter egos left things back in 1998! But it does leave one burning question: if Kathy can come back to the Square, surely those EastEnders writers can let Cindy rise again, too?…

1 Mavala Switzerland 12 Days Of Christmas Calendar Some of Mavala’s best-selling products, including four nail polishes and six secret surprises. 2 Bloom 12 Days of Christmas EDT Advent Calendar The packaging is almost as amazing as the items within Bloom’s fragrance advent calendar! 3 Laura Ashley Royal Bloom Advent Calendar Like a trove of mini-treasures, this calendar is the perfect festive treat – with bath and beauty luxuries. 4 Ciaté London Mini Mani Month The ultimate indulgence for all nail obsessives. As well as 19 mini-paint pots, it also includes Ciaté’s best-selling mani-pedi essentials.…

AS HUGE FANS OF THE TV adaptation of Cluedo back in the 90s (not to mention the obscure US reality show Whodunnit? from a few years back), we squealed with delight when this show arrived on our screens – once again giving us a chance to pit our detective skills against a panel of crime-thriller aficionados. Sure, the acting in the video inserts is of ‘varying quality’, but Susan Calman makes an excellently inquisitive host and it’s great fun trying to beat the experts to the correct conclusion. If you’re not at home during the day, this is the sort of show BBC iPlayer was invented for.…

ONE LAST RIDE Peter Kay’s Car Share will return, thanks to popular demand. The comedian and co-star Sian Gibson will be back next year for a one-off episode revealing the end of the story for John and Kayleigh. SINGLE FILE E4 has lined up a fresh batch of single celebrities to take part in Celebs Go Dating in the new year. They include The Only Way Is Essex star Gemma Collins, comedian London Hughes, Olympic athlete Jade Jones, and Made In Chelsea’s Ollie Locke. GAME ON Richard Osman’s House Of Games will return to BBC2 next year with a run of 50 episodes. “I can promise lots more prize teasmades and driving gloves, and lots of brilliant new games,” Richard assures us.…

INSATIABLE LIAR! Things start to go very wrong for loveable loser and compulsive liar Daniel (Rupert Grint) when he tells a lie that spirals seriously out of control, in this dark comedy starring Nick Frost and Don Johnson. SURVIVAL OF THE SICKEST! Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) leads a group of survivors as they search for a safe and secure home. But are they prepared to do whatever it takes to survive? POLITICAL FIX! Sex, lies and the White House. In the final season of Shonda Rhimes’ smash-hit political drama, Olivia Pope is running the world - but for how long can she stay on top of it? THE LATEST AND BEST SHOW›STOPPERS STREAMING WEEKLY ON NOW TV. * 18+. UK only. Pass renews at £7.99pm unless cancelled. Streamed with min…

EMMERDALE Killer shocks! WHODUNNIT EMMA S MURDERER IS REVEALED AT LAST… The wait is over, the time has come – we finally discover who pushed Emma off that viaduct! However, soapland history has taught us that this story is far from done. So which villager has blood on their hands? And who will end up going down for the crime? EASTENDERS Jackson pillock! Bridge Street Market is in danger of being closed for the millionth time – and hapless Robbie finds it hard to stop it. But is his luck set to change as he gets closer to Donna? HOLLYOAKS Sienna’s Sophie sorrow! HOLBY CITY Old grudges, new faces CASUALTY Major shock for Jacob… CORRIE Street fighters! Chesney and Daniel’s bitter feud over Sinead is spiralling out of control –…

Tracy is left seething this week, after she overhears Leyla hitting on her hubby! Leyla and David have grown closer in recent weeks, and he’s been her rock since her ex-fiancé Pete cheated on her with her best mate Priya. And even though she and Pete are giving things another go, Leyla still has David in her sights… “It’s shocking that Leyla would treat Tracy like this, considering how heartbroken she was when Pete and Priya did the dirty on her!” exclaims our Dales source. “It’s true that she and David have always had a close connection, but he’s a married man now – and Leyla should know better!” Tracy’s been concerned about the amount of time her husband is spending with his ex, and it seems she’s not just…

Some of the EastEnders cast were snapped filming some intriguing scenes recently, as Mick and neighbour Keanu went head-to-head on location – with the Queen Vic’s landlord sporting puppy slippers! The pair are seen having an argument, with Mick clearly in a rush to get somewhere and Keanu standing in his way. Of course, we know that Mick is set to get involved in a dodgy deal with Phil’s old mate Aidan – so is the altercation part of this criminal activity? “Well, if you’re about to embark on some sort of scam or carry out some dangerous heist, you don’t normally do it in your puppy slippers, do you?” laughs our Walford insider. “This dodgy deal looks more like a doggy deal to us! But…

If EastEnders hadn’t given us the heads-up, we might not have recognised the all-grown-up Tiffany Butcher, pictured here – though the gold puffa jacket is a dead giveaway that she’s Bianca’s daughter! The show has announced that teenage Tiff is heading home to Walford, with original actress Maisie Smith reprising the role that made her a star. “It’s been great to be back on the EastEnders set, seeing some old faces and meeting some new ones,” beams the 16-year-old, who first joined the show in 2008. “I can’t wait to show everyone how much Tiffany has changed!” If we were a betting mag, we’d put our money on Tiff being trouble with a capital T! She was a mischievous little madam when Bianca’s clan lived on…

“Prince loves Lily, and knows they’re going to be together forever” Teen Prince McQueen gets down on bended knee this week, and asks girlfriend Lily to marry him! The lad has already proposed to Lily once, in the aftermath of the school explosion – and although she said yes, she later dismissed his grand gesture as nothing more than a joke! So will she believe that he’s genuine this time around? “Prince is really serious about marrying Lily, so he was gutted when she thought he was just joking,” sighs Malique Thompson-Dwyer, who plays the lovesick schoolboy. “But he loves her and he knows they’re going to be together forever anyway, so he decides that he’s going to propose for real.” Prince is so determined to do it by the…

“Can Nathan Wylde come back to Emmerdale , please? I always really fancied him! Perhaps he could shack up with Rebecca , to help keep her away from Robert ?” …suggests reader Anna “ Ingrid the au pair should turn out to be the Crown Princess of Norway, and whisk Keanu off to be her prince. It would be like a sex-swap Cinderella.” …dreams reader Debbie from Coventry “I think Jenny would make a brilliant landlady at the Rovers. She has such a high opinion of herself, she’d have the same airs and graces that Annie Walker had in the old days. Much more fun than boring old Toyah .” …insists reader Bob from Altrincham “Okay, Hollyoaks – this has gone on long…

Step aside Bruce Wayne – there’s a new hero in town, and his name is Norris! And this week, the residents of Weatherfield are stunned to see the Caped Crusader has descended on the factory scaffolding… Courageous Norris takes action when he spies a damsel in distress in his wife Mary. Poor Mary is in bits following the breakdown of her relationship with her long-lost family, as Jude and Angie are adamant she’s to blame for baby George’s recent health problems. This week, the Appletons sadly come to a decision about their future in Weatherfield – and it’s down to Norris to tell Mary that the clan intend to return to South Africa for good. With Mary beside herself over the move, it falls to her friends to create a…

FAIR CITY Dan causes ructions across town this week – before ultimately deciding that he needs to leave. But Robbie isn’t letting him go that easily… Elsewhere, Dean and Paul butt heads, while Doug continues to be a thorn in Miriam’s side. Also, Paul makes a massive discovery. RIVER CITY Alex sees Rick’s true colours at last this week, as Frankie finds proof that he killed her mum. But can they make him pay for his crimes? Plus, Kim has a shock when Bob and Angus throw her a baby shower, while Maggie refuses John’s offer to be an organ donor. THE ARCHERS Lilian and Justin face pressure from all sides regarding their wedding this week – and they’re forced to make a tough choice. Across the village, Elizabeth is…

BROTHERLY LOVE Rana’s brother Imran was so much fun when he turned up in Corrie – and he had a very familiar face. Where might I have seen him before? Sadie, Scunthorpe Imran is played by actor Charlie de Melo, who also played PC Jaz Jones in EastEnders ! He was the copper who arrested Keegan earlier this year. BAD REPUTATION I really felt for poor Sienna after she stole baby Daniel in Hollyoaks. But Leela said she should have known ‘the local child snatcher’ would be responsible, and mentioned Sienna once abducted Peri! What did Sienna want with her? Jack, Tunbridge Wells This was an unfortunate case of mistaken identity. When Sienna first went looking for her long-lost daughter, she intially thought it was Peri, who…

“Whichever way Rana turns, she is going to break someone’s heart” BHAVNA “We didn’t realise at the time, but Rana and Kate had their first kiss on National Coming Out Day,” grins Bhavna Limbachia (Rana), as we join her and co-star Faye Brookes (Kate) on the Corrie set to talk about their characters’ shock romance. “People did tweet us both afterwards to say they’d come out to their parents on that day – and that watching our story on TV had given them the perfect opportunity.” Rana and Kate’s feelings for each other have certainly got Corrie viewers talking, especially after tensions boiled over when they were stranded in the middle of nowhere together last week! But while Kate puts pressure on Rana to come clean…

It’ll be tough to say goodbye to Alfie, who first starred in the show in 2002. The dog featured in several storylines, including being poisoned by chemicals spilled on the land, and more recently being run over by Zak. And in true Emmerdale style, he even had his own sex scandal in 2007 – mating with Edna Birch’s pooch Tootsie! “I think audiences will be in tears because people just love Alfie the dog,” says Jane. “He has his own postcard, and he’s in the opening credits running past the fire. He’s been in the show for a long time. “People adore Alfie, and they won’t want him to go. It’s heartbreaking to think of an animal being in pain.”…

I was nervous about Max – I didn’t want Carmel to look desperate With Max’s cruel plot set to be exposed this week (see p10), it’s a relief his oblivious ‘girlfriend’ Carmel will be in the know at last. She may be a hopeless romantic who deserves to be swept off her feet, but she also deserves the truth – and is one tough cookie who’s capable of bouncing back. There are hard times ahead and Carmel will need all the support she can get. But when we catch up with Bonnie Langford – who plays her – for a chinwag at the Inside Soap Awards bash, she’s delighted to be involved in such a major storyline… “I’ve had a great time working with Jake Wood, who plays Max –…

“When did you find out that Gary Lucy was returning?” Poor Mandy is so confused when it comes to her childhood sweetheart Luke! But actress Sarah Jayne Dunn keeps a clear head as she answers your questions… “When did you find out Gary Lucy [aka Luke] would be returning to the show with you?” Well, I jumped at the chance to come back to Hollyoaks, and when I got my first script, I suddenly saw the names Mandy and Luke. I thought, ‘Hang on, there’s only one Luke – and that has to be Gary!’. I knew that the show had great storylines lined up for Mandy, but I didn’t find out about that crucial bit of information until I messaged Gary on Twitter! “What’s the most important lesson that…

Departing Emmerdale star Adam Thomas (Adam) is certainly making the most of his last few weeks on the show! First, he was snapped on a fun lads’ day out with his three-year-old son Teddy , his twin brother Scott and his co-star Danny Miller (Aaron) at the opening of French Connection in Manchester’s Royal Exchange Arcade. And later, Adam was the centre of attention at Bar Fibre in Leeds, as he marked the end of nearly a decade in the Dales. Cast mates Eden Taylor-Draper (Belle) and Isobel Steele (Liv) looked worlds away from their younger alter egos, while Joe-Warren Plant (Jacob) was loved up with his girlfriend Nicole Hadlow . The leaving do also served as a mini-reunion, with Adam joined by Bartons past and present, including dearly departed…

Comedian Ross Noble is quite partial to a bit of biking in his spare time, but in this new three-part series he’ll be putting himself through the ultimate motorcycle test: The Scottish Six Days Trial. It’s a punishing competition where riders subject themselves to 100-mile days, and has been known to defeat even some seasoned professionals. So what exactly drove Ross to sign up? We got on the phone to find out… Hi, Ross! So, tell us why you wanted to sign up for The Scottish Six Days Trial… It’s the most technically difficult motorcycle event in the world. It’s been running for over 100 years, and participants have to ride for 100 miles a day, mainly off-road, on bikes that don’t have any seats on them – so you…

Another series of The X Factor comes to an end this weekend, as the remaining contestants battle it out to take home that guaranteed recording contract. It’s hard to imagine how they must be feeling, so we spoke to somebody who knows what the run-up to an X Factor final feels like – last year’s winner, Matt Terry. “The final was when I started to think, ‘I’ve come this far, and I don’t want to finish any less than first’,” recalls Matt. “I really wanted to go out there and give it my all, so I was ready and prepared. I would say to the contestants: pick good songs and make sure you show your personality to everybody. Let the public…

BULLSEYE! Our fave romance right now is Gina and Dev in Corrie . When snooty Sally sniffed, “A bipolar shopaholic with debts up to her ears isn’t exactly everyone’s cup of tea” it just made Dev double-down on his new girl. Connie Hyde plays Gina’s mood swings – from wild enthusiasm to deep despond – to perfection. We hope Dev can weather the whirlwind, and they stay together for a long time. Oh no! We fear a new sponsorship deal might spell the end for long-serving fictional Corrie supermarket Freshco . “Hello! I’ve just had a wee on this stick . And now I’ve popped it beside your fried breakfast. What do you mean you’re not feeling hungry?” New theory! Emmerdale’s mysterious ‘ Tom’ is actually Joseph…

Bethany Platt is to move on with life following her grooming ordeal in an unexpected way – by starting a job as a lap dancer! But actress Lucy Fallon reveals the teen has her reasons… “Bethany does get a job at the strip club, and for her it’s a thing to say that she has control over what those men can do to her,” the actress told the Manchester Evening News. “They can’t touch her and they can’t do anything to her, so she takes back control of her own body and the way she views herself. In her mind she’s laughing at them.” How Bethany’s mum Sarah will react to her daughter’s new job remains to be seen. But after all that happened with Nathan, Sarah is bound to…

Mel Owen’s return to the Square isn’t far away now – and star Tamzin Outhwaite reckons we have her nine-year-old daughter Florence to thank for her hotly anticipated comeback to the soap! The mum-of-two has revealed that her girls will always come before work, so it was important to know that both Florence and Marnie, aged five, were on board with her latest career move. “When I was asked to go back to EastEnders, I spoke to my eldest child about what I should do,” says Tamzin. “And she said, ‘Can you get home every night?’. I replied that I could, so she said, ‘Well, do it!’. That clinched it.” Meanwhile, Corrie boss Kate Oates has detailed how she managed to tempt ex-cobbles star Alison King back into Carla Connor’s…

We’ve seen plenty of McQueen weddings in Hollyoaks over the years – and they’ve always been a bit wacky! Malique suspects that Prince would definitely follow in his family’s footsteps… “I don’t know what kind of wedding Prince would want, but it would be something crazy,” he chuckles. “The McQueens don’t really have a lot of money, though, so they’d just have to make use of what they’ve got in the house – maybe decorate the venue with some kitchen utensils! “I’d enjoy filming a wedding,” adds Malique. “Although saying the vows would probably make me cringe!”…

While both stars want to do this story justice, Bhavna is particularly keen to represent a young woman who’s struggling not only with her sexuality, but also with how her strict Muslim family will react to it. And given the sensitivity of the topic, Bhavna tells us that doing her research has proved tricky… “I’ve had to speak to young gay Muslim women in secret, because they’re still afraid to come out to their parents,” she reveals. “That’s when I realised that there is a lot of truth in this. “I met these women through friends, and one of them was very similar to Rana. Her family don’t know she’s gay – she’s even considering getting married to a man and moving away, just to have that freedom. There are…

We were very impressed by this recent pic you posted (below)! That’s a sit lift – but the one Davood did on Strictly was much bigger. We were filming on the lot the day that photo was taken – we were playing around and I said, “Chuck me on your shoulder!”. So when he did the same lift for his American Smooth, I just had to tweet it. Have you been giving Davood extra coaching, then? I don’t know how to ballroom dance, so I can only tell him certain things to try to give him courage and confidence. I can’t help technically in any way, shape or form! You must have been thrilled when you found out he’d be taking part in Strictly ? It was…

1993 Zoe Tate EMMERDALE While soap’s first gay man – EastEnders’ Colin Russell – appeared back in 1986, it took seven years before the genre had its first lesbian character. And forget the furore about Brookie’s lesbian kiss, it was the then still-slightly-sleepy show of Emmerdale that was first to introduce a lesbian character. Zoe , unfulfilled by the physical side of her relationship with Archie Brooks , headed to a ladies’ poetry group in Leeds and had her eyes opened. Emmerdale viewers watched avidly as Zoe gradually came to terms with her gayness, in an emotional and sensitive storyline, which the writers ensured was dealt with in a constructive and positive manner. She even ‘married’ her girlfriend Emma Nightingale in 1996 in a commitment ceremony – bringing…

I love Black-ish – it’s a US comedy that I first saw clips of on social media, and I couldn’t stop laughing . It’s about a prosperous African-American couple who are constantly put in hilarious situations around their four children, their work and day-to-day unrecognised, ignorant racism. It’s received a lot of awards. I’m not an avid Netflix viewer, but when everyone was talking about Stranger Things , I had FOMO – fear of missing out – so I just had to get on it, and it’s brilliant! The kids acting in it are amazing, and the concept is something I don’t think is far from the truth… My favourite films are Monsters, Inc and Monsters University…