Inside Soap UK 26 - 2022

“A wave of violence is crashing across soapland” It’s funny how similar soap storylines can swing into alignment across the shows in unexpected ways. At the moment, both Corrie and Emmerdale seem keen to frighten viewers away from standing for positions on the local council. Only terror and trauma follows! It was Hotten Council business, in a roundabout way, that took the Dales’ Nicola on her fateful trip to town recently. And in Weatherfield, Councillor Maria finds herself the target of internet trolls due to something-or-other involving the bins. It’s always about the bins. Nicola and Maria’s travails are just part of a wave of violence crashing across soapland – and our front cover – at the moment. Front and centre, however, is EastEnders (a show with a fresh spring…

The grand opening of Peggy’s ends in bloodshed this week, after two armed men storm the place – and shots ring out Kat and Sharon are both in the building when the thugs arrive, along with Shirley, who’s there to sabotage their big night. However, as Sam rocks up and defiantly tries to take control, things get a whole lot worse… “We can reveal that someone gets shot, though we can’t tell you who!” teases our Walford insider. “The situation soon becomes very dangerous indeed, as the four women find themselves in a life-and-death situation. But can they put all their differences aside and work together to save the injured party? Or will someone end up paying with their life?” Sabotage! As the week gets under way, Kat and Sharon…

E20 EASTENDERS It’s not the first time the Walford nightspot has been the scene of terror during opening night. In 1999, Steve Owen killed Saskia Duncan in the office. And in 2018, Phil Mitchell went on the rampage with a baseball bat after Hunter Owen slept with his precious daughter, Louise – and sent Phil a video of it! KING’S RIVER SHOWHOME EMMERDALE The grand unveiling of the Kings’ new river development was quite literally an explosive event – as a blast ripped through the show building, killing locals Dawn Woods and Noreen Bell, as well as a very unlucky estate agent! THE LOFT HOLLYOAKS Hollyoaks’ premiere nightclub planned a big post-Covid relaunch in June 2021. But after wicked Fergus Collins tampered with the venue’s sign in an act of…

Nicola struggles in the aftermath of being attacked this week, as she’s gripped by a terrible anxiety and becomes too scared to leave the house. When she hears an intruder outside her front door, Nicola’s convinced that her tormentors have tracked her down to the village – but as she violently lashes out, will an innocent bystander be the victim of her pent-up fear and rage? “Poor Nicola is confused and embarrassed after being attacked by a gang of teenage girls, and is not processing it very well,” reveals Nicola Wheeler, who plays her. “Initially, she sees home as her safe haven and isn’t keen on going out, which everyone assumes is because she’s recovering from her injuries, as she took quite a beating. Nicola is in shock, though pretending…

When Nicola prangs David’s car, the troubled bloke spies an easy opportunity to alleviate his financial worries by fleecing his friend. Following the crash, he fakes a neck injury and blames it on the crash, hoping the insurance company coughs up some cash so that he can ease his money woes. With bride-to-be Victoria making plans for a lavish wedding, her future husband continues to hide the extent of his money troubles as he worries how he’s going to afford the upcoming nuptials. Vic has no reason to think David is lying, but Brenda is suspicious he’s trying to pull a fast one, and makes him feel bad for adding to vulnerable Nicola’s stress. Then a conversation with Priya leads to Victoria finding out that her fiancé hasn’t been completely…

Maria is left seriously scared for her family’s safety this week, after she’s targeted by vile online trolls! It all started when Maria launched her new recycling scheme, which came under fire from local refuse collectors who would be forced to work longer hours under the new initiative. After a rap video of her went viral, Maria was appalled – yet there’s far worse to come once a deep-fake porn clip of her leaks… “It’s awful – Maria is absolutely mortified,” reveals Samia Longchambon, who plays her. “She tries to hide the original rap video from her son, Liam, then she gets a call to say that he’s been in a fight with another boy at school. It’s not until she gets home that he tells her about the new…