Inside Soap UK 41 - 2018

“You can’t beat the old favourites!” Now, for all that I love new characters – they’re the lifeblood of soaps, and when a fresh face really takes off it does give your show a whole new lease of life – sometimes, you just can’t beat the old favouites. Your heart will warm when you see this week’s episodes, as not only is Dot back from her extended trip to Ireland, but she’s looking up her old friend, Dr Legg. It’s wonderful to watch these two veterans, June Brown and Leonard Fenton – who have a combined age of 183, let’s not forget – back together and firing on all cylinders, when the pair rekindle their friendship in what will prove to be an emotional new storyline. Great stuff! Talking of…

Another week of hell sees Sinead turn to an unlikely confidant as she faces a terrible choice about the future of her pregnancy – former arch-enemy Ken. The Barlow patriarch finds poor Sinead in a terrible state, and she ends up blurting out the heartbreaking truth. This shocking moment comes after Sinead is suspended from work for taking a phone call to get her biopsy results. With her life in turmoil, and Daniel still blissfully unaware, Sinead needs a shoulder to cry on. “Sinead’s tragic news hits Ken like a ton of bricks,” whispers our Weatherfield insider. “He’s devastated to hear that she’s so ill, and the implications cervical cancer will have on the baby she and Daniel are expecting. They’ve been at odds in the past, but now Ken…

While Sinead has been having a nightmare, actress Katie McGlynn has been living the dream in Canada! She’s been visiting the country alongside on-screen auntie Lisa George (aka Beth) to meet and greet the Street’s devoted Canadian fans. The duo’s whistle-stop tour included shows in Winnipeg, Kelowna, Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton. One cheeky fan showed Lisa a tattoo of her on-screen BFF Tracy Barlow positioned on her backside. Now that’s what we call a serious tribute!…

Frantic Victoria finds herself in big trouble this week – when the private investigator looking for Adam attacks her. She hires PI Glen to track down her missing husband, having finally discovered that he didn’t kill evil Emma Barton. Victoria doesn’t care what it costs to find Adam, all she wants is a reunion with the man she loves. However, Victoria soon finds herself in a very dangerous situation… “Victoria finds herself in the middle of nowhere with this sinister guy!” “It’s panic stations for Victoria!” admits Isabel Hodgins, who plays the desperate wife. “It’s all a bit sinister. Victoria thinks, ‘Oh no, I’m alone with this guy who’s not very nice. He’s a lot bigger than me, so he can definitely overpower me or cause me some damage!’” Following…

He might be incognito in the show, but in real life Adam Thomas – aka Adam Barton – has had some choice words for his screen missus. Fun-loving Adam took to Twitter on the night of Victoria’s first kiss with Matty to make his displeasure known by tweeting, ‘Nooooooooo’ and ‘Bitch’! It seems as if Adam has some unfinished business in the Dales – but we’d like to see Vic and Matty in a serious relationship before Adam returns. Imagine the fireworks when the brothers come face to face!…

“Hayley is trapped in a cycle of depression, drink and guilt…” Tortured Hayley is pushed to the edge this week – the edge of a tower block balcony! Will she jump off to try to escape her pain? It’s been clear for a long while now that the mum-to-be is struggling to cope with the idea of giving birth to her first child. But as she contemplates her bleak future, Hayley’s pain becomes too much to bear. “The one person who Hayley has come to trust and rely on is Jean,” our Walford insider reminds us. “The kindly woman has tried her best to prepare Hayley for her impending motherhood, and in a bid to encourage her, she makes a list of things that need to be bought before the…