Inside Soap UK 30 - 2020

We’ll start to see a bit more of the current situation seep into Corrie this week, as they show the first episodes filmed entirely after lockdown – but while we’ll see nods to what’s happening in the real world, it won’t overwhelm the drama. And what drama it is… Geoff must be one of the most amazing villains we’ve had in years! “Geoff is one of the best villains in years!” That’s one of the things I love about soaps – who’d have thought when Geoff arrived, looking little more than a comedy turn who might be a love interest for Audrey, that it would end up like this? It’s been an amazing slow-burn story that has gripped the nation. And who knows? Maybe with the current situation meaning Coronation…

There’s a furious showdown on the cobbles this week, as Sarah confronts her ex-fiancé Gary – and demands to know if he killed Rick Neelan! Soon, their bitter encounter ends in terror, after the pair run into the path of an oncoming vehicle, which hits Gary and leaves him unconscious! So is the killer set to pay the ultimate price for his terrible deeds? “Gary is planning to move Rick’s body in the woods, and that’s when Sarah puts two and two together and demands to know what happened,” explains Mikey North, who plays him. “When she runs off and calls 999 to tell the police, Gary chases. He sees a car coming down the street and Sarah hasn’t moved, so he automatically sacrifices himself by pushing her out of…

How have you found returning to filming, Mikey? These were the very first three episodes that I filmed after lockdown. We have had to change things, but I don’t think it has lost any of its intention – and hopefully the scenes will be just as good as they would have been on location. The only part that was tricky was the scene where Gary has to push Sarah out of the way of the van, which we changed to adhere to the two-metre rule, so we used a dummy dressed up like Sarah! Adam’s suspicions are piqued when he arrives at the hospital. Could Adam be in danger if Gary wakes up? Yes, things are starting to unravel. I’m not sure Adam would get the same treatment that Rick…

Cornered Jamie proves that he’s a chip off the old Tate block this week, when he turns to the dark side to double-cross loathed wife, Andrea. Armed with the truth about Moira’s hit-and-run, Andrea forced Jamie to ditch Belle and play happy families with her. However, after a manipulation masterclass from Jai, Jamie decides to play Andrea at her own dastardly game… “There’s a new side to Jamie coming out – and I love it!” enthuses Alex Lincoln, who plays the embattled bloke. “Since the accident, he’s been stuck, because Andrea gave him a ladder to climb out of the hole that he’d dug himself, and now he can’t escape. But Jai helps Jamie see a different way of doing things.” It’s Kim who sends Jamie to the HOP office…

Hi, Alex! It’s really exciting to see Jamie turn villain, isn’t it? I think it’s great. He’s going to show he has the Tate edge, and that’s great fun to play. In the coming months, it gets darker and it’s brilliant. I don’t think there’s any getting away from the fact that Jamie is cut from Kim Tate cloth! He’s under pressure, but this is still a dramatic change of character… Well, Jamie has tried to stay away from the Tate way of living, but every choice he’s made has blown up in his face! He starts to feel that there’s no way out other than to be ruthless. There’s stuff coming up that I think people may potentially hate Jamie for, but they will also find it intriguing. What…

There are exciting times ahead in Weatherfield, as Inside Soap can reveal that two former characters are storming back on to Coronation Street this autumn. First up, cobbles chiefs have confirmed that they are bringing back Nick Tilsley’s former girlfriend, Natasha Blakeman – played by original actress Rachel Leskovac. Natasha left the Street nearly 10 years ago, after terminating her pregnancy with Nick’s baby and pretending she was still expecting! “On a visit to the hospital in the coming weeks, Nick is surprised to see Natasha, and the pair catch up on the news of the past decade,” whispers our Coronation Street spy. “However, Nick is reluctant to tell Leanne about the chance meeting. The couple are struggling with her son Oliver’s devastating diagnosis and, as Oliver’s stepdad, Nick will…