Table of contents for 25 - 2016 in Inside Soap UK

It’s that time of year where we ask you to name your favourite stars and stories – but I’m afraid I have to apologise to you all. You see, having put together the voting lists for the Inside Soap Awards 2016, I’ve found it almost impossible to choose who my winners might be – so I don’t envy you making your own choices! But make a choice you must. So either fill in the form on p49 or hit up the Inside Soap website – it’s your chance to tell your favourite stars just how much they mean to you. Also, look out for a load of exciting features in the coming weeks to tie in with the Awards – there are some soapie treats on their way!…

JENNY BRADLEY She kept Tracy hostage ahead of Carla’s wedding, and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of tormenting . Tracy good on her promise of revenge? LEANNE TILSLEY Leanne and newly single Robert made a good team when they worked at the Bistro - and Tracy knows it! Will her jealousy spark a new feud? AMY BARLOW Tracy adores her daughter - but Amy is so over her mum these days. Might Amy have inherited Tracy’s evil tendencies, and end up using them against her?…

MICHELLE FOWLER & BABY VICKI The mother of all ‘Who’s the daddy?’ storylines was this EastEnders classic in 1985. Michelle was just 16 when she became pregnant, but refused to reveal the dad’s identity – no wonder, given that it was her mate Sharon’s father, Den Watts! It wasn’t until Den was presumed dead in 1989 that Michelle confessed all. CHARITY DINGLE & BABY NOAH Emmerdale’s Charity was serving time for killing her husband Chris Tate when she had Noah in 2004. Nine months earlier, she’d slept with both Cain and Marlon, as well as Chris – but when a DNA test revealed the newborn’s father was Chris, Charity initially allowed him to be adopted by Chris’ sister Zoe in return for her release from jail. HEATHER TROTT & BABY…

Andy’s guilt at his role in Hannah and Oscar’s deaths finally gets too much this week – as he heads to the police station to hand himself in! The town is in mourning following the devastating blast, which not only killed Hannah and Oscar, but left Ricky and Maddy undergoing life-saving operations. The locals think Tank is the only one to blame, but viewers know that it was his brawl with Andy that led to gas canisters toppling over and sparking the explosion… After Tank is arrested, however, Andy can no longer deal with his guilt over the situation, and confesses to cop Kat that he’s just as much to blame as Tank is! Given the admission of culpability, Kat has no choice but to charge him with two counts…

There’s a familiar face in the ED this week, when nurse Duffy pops back for a visit! She’s working upstairs on the maternity ward as an agency nurse, and is called upon when Elle needs someone to help with a tricky pregnancy case she’s looking after (see p42). Charlie is delighted to meet up with his friend, but nevertheless surprised to see her at Holby again – as the last thing he heard, she was back in New Zealand with her husband and kids. Duffy assures him that she’s only returned for a flying visit – but is there something Charlie’s old mate is not telling him? Also this week… Iain is in for a rude awakening when he tries to ditch Rita, and love finally blossoms for…

BARN FIRE Horror ensued after Andy Sugden set dad Jack’s barn alight, hoping the insurance money would help them out. But his mum Sarah was in there with her lover Richie – and perished. SUGDEN HOUSE FIRE Victoria tried to force the truth about her mum’s death from Jack by threatening to set fire to their house. But the petrol she had splashed about the place ignited… HELICOPTER CRASH Chrissie’s revenge on Robert involved torching his car – but nearby gas canisters went up too, and took out a helicopter overhead! The crash left Debbie and Kyle in danger, and ended up killing Val and Ruby. SHOW HOME COLLAPSE A gas explosion caused the collapse of the home the King family were unveiling at the King’s River development. Dawn…

“IT BREAKS MY HEART WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS EPISODE!” Beginning a new job is always a daunting task, but doctor Elle Gardner has had a rockier start to her career at Holby City ED than most. After discovering some missing painkillers in Charlie’s locker and grassing him up to hospital bigwig Hanssen, she’s found herself public enemy number one in the department – and as she’s since learned, it’s a lonely situation to be in! It may all be make-believe, but as we sit down for a natter with actress Jaye Griffiths, who plays the outcast, she tells us that she’s been feeling Elle’s pain in real life, too… “Oh, it’s horrible – even though it’s all just pretend!” she wails. “Everybody hates me. You should see what people…

“When I first joined, I was totally in awe of Bonnie Sveen, who plays Ricky. I did a lot of research when I got the role of Evie, and I just loved watching Bonnie as an actor. I like the way she works.” “I’ve learned so much from working with Ada Nicodemou, who plays Leah. She’s so professional and has a very good work ethic, and she knows how to get the job done in a very real manner. She’s been at Home and Away for a long time, so she knows what she’s doing.” “I think it would be a lot of fun to do some more scenes with Shane Withington [John Palmer]. I’d love to do some comedic storylines with him, as he’s a very funny guy. Maybe…

The soap community were among the hundreds who took to the streets of Manchester to remember those killed in the shocking Orlando nightclub shootings recently. Supporting the candlelit vigil was Manchester Pride patron and Corrie star Antony Cotton (Sean) and Jennie McAlpine (Fiz), who were pictured holding remembrance candles as they stood in solidarity with the world’s LGBT community. Also honouring those who lost their lives in the horrific massacre was former cobbles star Julie Hesmondhalgh (Hayley Cropper) – who gave a speech at the formal ceremony – and Hollyoaks’ Annie Wallace (Sally), who tweeted her support for the memorial with “a time to reflect and show our love across the pond at this time of tragedy.”…

Take a breezy approach to summer dressing with a denim shirt - go cropped like Tisha or work double denim like Jen. Here’s the best of blue this season… Keep your cool this summer with a cropped tie-front. Do denim differently with this lovely two-tone design from Zara. Add a subtle pop of colour and go all-out girlie with an embroidered butterfly shirt. Have star style all day long with this print design from Glamorous. With an oversized fit, this dip-dye example from MOTO is the perfect mix of blues.…

THE SUMMER MONTHS CAN BE a lean time for drama, so we’re glad to have this lavish period piece to indulge in each week. Focusing on a tumultuous period of French history, it follows King Louis XIV as he tries to establish himself as a ruler to be both revered and feared, while many around him are scheming to get the king under their thumb. We’re also grateful to the BBC for Inside Versailles, which follows each episode, where historians Kate Williams and Greg Jenner reveal how much of what we’ve just seen was accurate and how much was dramatic licence……

1 SATURDAY DVD CSI: CYBER - COMPLETE SEASON 01 From the creative team behind CSI: Crime Scene Investigation comes this gripping drama focusing on the FBI Cyber division. Based in Washington DC, it’s tasked with looking into all manner of online crimes. Starring Patricia Arquette and James Van Der Beek. WIN! For the chance to win a copy, tell us who Holby City’s James Anderson plays: A) Sacha, B) Oliver, or C) Adrian. Text ISWIN1, a space, then A, B, or C and your name & address to 87080 (50p). Or see below for postal entries. 2 SUNDAY DVD PRIDE & PREJUDICE & ZOMBIES Jane Austen’s classic tale is invaded by hordes of flesh-eating zombies as a plague falls upon 19th-century England. With feisty martial arts expert Elizabeth Bennet (Lily…

KILL MILL? What has happened to my fave show Doctors? It isn’t on at the moment, and looking through your TV guide for next week, I can’t find it on then either. Where’s it gone? Dom, London Bad news I’m afraid, Dom. Because of the football, Wimbledon and Olympics, Doctors is due to be off our screens until Tues 30 August. Sob! But don’t worry, there are still plenty of other soaps to watch if you don’t like sport… MARK MY WORDS! I definitely recognised the chap who played Izzy’s lawyer in Corrie, but I don’t know where from. What’s he been in? Jackie, via email The actor is Mark Monero, who played Steve Elliot in EastEnders from 1991 to 1996. He…

BULLSEYE! It was Izzy’s big day in court as she explained to the magistrate why she uses cannabis for pain relief – and boy did we sit up and listen. Cherylee Houston’s passionate performance clearly came straight from the heart, and has opened our eyes to the daily agony endured by all those who suffer from Izzy’s condition. Strong and important stuff. Yaaaawn! Even Rover struggles to keep awake through the remorselessly repetitive Steve and Michelle saga. Talk about messing with Sylvie’s head. The Carters left her in the care of someone who had a completely different face the last time she saw him! Kate’s caller ID for Caz is tellingly non-committal. Not a smiley photo or emoji in sight – just a shadow man representing the woman she’s agreed…

“THE MINUTE JACK SEES SAM, HE KNOWS IT’S GOING TO BE A NIGHTMARE” Sam Mitchell comes marching back into the Square for mum Peggy’s funeral this week – but is soon dropping bombshells of her own on the family and her ex, Jack. The minx has been living in Portugal for years, happy to be far away from Walford and her troubled history there. But Peggy’s death forces Sam to come home to mourn – and her return soon stirs up problems for Jack. After all, the pair once had a fling and share a son, Richard, whom Sam has opted to bring along for the ride… “Sam can’t help but cause trouble wherever she goes – it’s in her nature,” mutters our Square insider. “The minute Jack sees her…

As Corrie viewers are gripped by the hot plots shaking up the Street this summer, a real-life crisis is unfolding on the cobbles! Rumour has it that the set is being terrorised by a flock of seagulls, who have been accused of skylarking at the expense of star Kym Marsh, aka Michelle… “So there I am rehearsing, minding my own business, and a bird does a plop on my head!” announced the red-faced actress on Twitter. “It was so embarrassing.” Reports have since emerged that the cast are too scared to venture outside the studio, amid fears that the birds could strike at any moment. Filming is said to have been interrupted a couple of weeks ago by the unruly flying squad, after they swooped down…

Izzy’s illegal drug use rebounds on her this week, as the court sentences her to two months in prison! “Izzy’s outburst during the trial didn’t do her any favours,” sighs our Corrie insider. “Maybe if she’d shown some remorse, the judge would have gone easier on her – but in spite of the law, she’s adamant that she’s done nothing wrong!” While Izzy seems optimistic prior to the sentencing, she prepares for the worst by talking Anna and Gary through the childcare rota she’s drawn up for Jake in case she’s put away. But after Izzy drops off her son with Anna, the seriousness of the situation hits her, and she breaks down. As Gary does what he can to comfort her, emotional Izzy kisses him – and he kisses…

Dominic struggles to hide his scepticism this week, when an elderly patient named Mary claims that she can communicate with the dead! However, when Mary informs him that she’s received a message from Dom’s late colleague Arthur, he’s forced to sit up and listen… Meanwhile, the Holby gang are worried for Dom when they realise he hasn’t properly cried since Arthur passed away. It falls to Hanssen to try to help him, and together they complete the model ship that Arthur never got round to finishing before he died. Will the exercise help Dom to accept his emotions – and can the cynic in him accept that his friend will always be with him in spirit? Also this week… Fletch realises that Raf has the hots for Naomi.…

“THE SHOW HAS BEEN MY LIFE SINCE I WAS 16 YEARS OLD!” It’s with a heavy heart that Jason Grimshaw bids goodbye to the cobbles this week, after he decides to go travelling in Thailand. With his father Tony having recently passed away, and falsely labelled a murderer, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out why poor Jason wants a change of scenery. But for Ryan Thomas – who has been playing Eileen’s eldest son since 2000 – leaving Corrie is a decision he never thought he’d consider… “It’s the toughest choice that I’ve ever made,” confesses the 32-year-old star, as we join him for lunch at the soap’s studios in Manchester. “The show has been my life since I was about 16 years old, and it has become…

“ADAM IS A VERY HONEST GUY, BUT NANCY CAN’T SEE THAT AT FIRST” When Maxine wished for a new man recently, she wasn’t really expecting one to walk through the door that same day! Adam’s easy confidence instantly charmed Maxine, and viewers as well – which is a credit to the performance of Hollyoaks newbie Jimmy Essex, considering he was feeling far less sure of himself… “Watching the omnibus on a Sunday with a takeaway was always a guilty pleasure of mine, so it was a bit daunting when I read the scripts – I’ve followed Maxine, Darren and Nancy for a long time!” confesses the actor. “I was a bit nervous when meeting Nikki [Sanderson, aka Maxine], but now we’re always taking the mick out of each other, which…

Mums were definitely a hot topic this week, as a variety of soap mamas were spotted out and about with their kids at various events. Corrie beauties Kym Marsh (Michelle) and Kate Ford (Tracy) both attended the launch of the Sky Kids Café event in London, accompanied by Kym’s five-year-old daughter Polly, and Kate’s eight-year-old son, Otis. Also treating her children to a VIP day out was EastEnders’ Diane Parish (Denise), who visited the penguin colony at Sea Life London with her little ladies. And her costar Gillian Taylforth (Kathy) was with her son Harrison, and some very cute pups, celebrity go-kart racing at Daytona Sandown Park in Surrey. We don’t know who are more adorable - the kids or the puppies!…

There’s never a dull day in soap, and the past 12 months have been no exception! The pressure is on to pick your favourites as voting for the Inside Soap Awards 2016 officially opens – and, as always, there’s plenty of drama and big names to choose from. Walford was heartbroken at the passing of legendary Peggy, and stunned by the revelation that little Bobby is a cold-hearted killer! Corrie’s Callum caused quite a stir when the violent bully was knocked clean out of his granny-annexe grave as Carla attempted to mow down Tracy in her car. Emmerdale village hall was left a pile of rubble after a helicopter crashed down on to Pete and Debbie’s wedding, while Aaron was devastated when his abusive dad Gordon…

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PRIVATE LESSONS Jack Whitehall, David Suchet and Eva Longoria have signed up for BBC2’s comedy Decline And Fall, based on Evelyn Waugh’s 1928 novel about a posh boy who is forced to take up teaching. DIFFERENT STROKES Luther’s Nikki Amuka-Bird and Life In Squares’ Phoebe Fox will star in BBC2 drama NW. Based on Zadie Smith’s book, it follows two childhood friends whose lives go in contrasting directions. OPEN CASE ITV crime series Unforgotten has started filming its second series. Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar will return as the show’s lead detectives, with former Corrie star Charlie Condou (Marcus) also starring.…

ARIES 21 MARCH - 20 APRIL   While you’re a kind and caring individual, you’ll be in two minds about offering someone a helping hand this week. Consider your options - but remember that you may need support one day, too. TAURUS 21 APRIL - 21 MAY   You like to reach for the sky, Taurus - but some people may try to dampen your ambition this week. Attempt to maintain your positive mental attitude, and your hard work will soon be rewarded. GEMINI 22 MAY - 21 JUNE   New situations can be scary, but they can also be exciting! This week, you’ll find yourself experiencing something completely different - try to embrace it, as it might lead to something even better. CANCER 22 JUNE - 23 JULY  …

TEEN BRIDE Teenage Sam shocked the nation – and horrified her family – in 1991, when she eloped to Gretna Green with boyfriend Ricky Butcher. The marriage soured after just a year, as Sam discovered that life with Ricky wasn’t exciting enough for her tastes. SUMMER FLING In 1995, Grant and Phil were horrified to find Sam in bed with their archenemy David Wicks while on holiday in Spain. She returned to Walford and tried to wreck the relationship between Ricky and his new love Bianca – not realising Bianca was David’s daughter. ALL CHANGE A new-look Sam returned home in 2002 (Kim Medcalf claimed the role from Danniella Westbrook) and later took control of the Mitchell empire while Phil was in prison. She married gangster Andy Hunter, who turned…

FAIR CITY Caoimhe is rushed to hospital this week, as her baby has to be delivered by emergency Caesarean section. While the newborn is placed in an incubator and the doctors try to stabilise Caoimhe, Damien faces a difficult choice… Elsewhere, Mondo spins a story to get Decco out of the wedding fair, and Oisín is impressed when he sits in on Paul’s meeting. RIVER CITY Patrick is shocked to learn of Alasdair’s hidden past this week, as his pal is accused of paedophilia! Alasdair states that he was exonerated by a jury, but it nevertheless triggers painful memories for Patrick… Meanwhile, AJ’s anniversary plans are spoiled when he learns of Annie’s feelings for Alex. Also, Drew is surprised when a classmate shows an interest in him. THE ARCHERS Pat…

Emmerdale can never have enough Bartons as far as we’re concerned – so would Ryan ever fancy a role in the Dales alongside his real-life sibling Adam Thomas, aka Moira’s son Adam? “How can I ever go to Emmerdale when I’m in the best soap now?” jokes the actor. “I can’t leave the best show to go to another one that isn’t as good! “The one thing I would love to do is work with my brother, and maybe the opportunity will come at some point,” continues Ryan. “But I’ve told Adam, ‘Don’t leave Emmerdale any time soon, or I’ll never get a job’. He’s too good, and much better than I am!”…

The Euros may wreak havoc on our regular TV schedules, but Jimmy is one soap star we’ll actually be seeing more of, thanks to the matches… “I’m in the Coca-Cola advert that’s on now alongside the Euros,” shares the actor. “I auditioned for it last year, and before I knew if, they’d flown me out to Madrid. We hired out the stadium and had about 2,000 extras, so it was epic! I’m not a massive football fan, but I do enjoy the spirit and energy of big events like this. “I had the first of my auditions for Hollyoaks about three weeks after I’d finished filming the spot, and now it keeps coming on during our ad breaks,” continues Jimmy. “People have been tweeting me about it, which is fun,…

“I HAD TO FILM A FEW SCENES AS IF EVIE HAD KILLED CHARLOTTE!” If there was an award for the unluckiest person in soap, surely Summer Bay’s Evie MacGuire would be odds-on favourite to win right now. Within the space of a week, she lost her twin brother and her aunt as the result of the devastating explosion at the caravan park. Add that to the fact that her sister Denny was murdered, her mum died of cancer and her dad perished when the local hospital blew up, and it’s pretty clear the poor thing is cursed! As we sit down for a chat with Philippa Northeast – who plays unfortunate Evie – she agrees that her alter ego has had a terrible run of it. And she herself was…

Meanwhile, in other kiddie news, Kelvin Fletcher – who plays Emmerdale’s Andy – is certainly on a roll this year (and we’re not just talking about his winning sweepstake at the Ascot races!). Having married Eliza Marsland last year, it seems he’s set to become a daddy for the first time. We at Inside Soap were most surprised to see the Dales hunk’s wife sporting this baby bump recently, as the couple have kept the pregnancy under wraps until now.…

We haven’t seen Diego on screen for a while. Where has he been? …asks Jessica from Truro Well, you know, he’s been at the McQueens’ basically, keeping Myra happy! I’ve had some time off from the show, so I’ve been down in London visiting friends and family, but I think on screen Diego has just been busy in the sack with Myra. He must be exhausted! Poor Diego doesn’t really have many friends. Who’d make a good pal for him? …asks Lewis, via email I think Joe Roscoe is a stand-up guy, and he’s very honest, just like Diego is. So the two of them would make a good friendship couple. Joe is dating Mercedes, so if he and Diego were hanging out, it would bring the McQueen family together…

There’s someone new at the top of the food chain in Wentworth at the start of the latest series, and for once we’re not talking about who’s top dog among the inmates. Previous governor Joan ‘The Freak’ Ferguson opted to go out in a blaze (not a blaze of glory, but certainly a blaze) by killing Jess Warner and setting H Block on fire to hide the evidence. So now the former deputy governor, Vera Bennett, has taken over. It’s a job that most of us wouldn’t want to go anywhere near, but Vera is determined to prove that she’s got what it takes to run Australia’s most infamous prison. Inside TV sat down for a chat with Kate Atkinson, who plays her, to find out if Vera is really…

“WE TRIED TO COPY TOP GEAR IN GERMANY, BUT WE DIDN’T HAVE THE BIG BUDGET - IT WAS A LITTLE DISASTER!” Top Gear presenter Sabine Schmitz is happy that she now gets to work on the real thing “THEY’RE GOOD LADS, THERE’S NO EGOS. THERE’S A LOT BUT OF TESTOSTERONE NO EGOS!” , Matthew McNulty tells us why he wasn’t intimidated when joining the cast of The Musketeers “I COULD NEVER HAVE HAD A JOB LIKE THIS IN MY LIFE! I HARDLY PASSED WHAT THEY CALL GCSEs NOW.” New Blood’s Anna Chancellor had to dig deep to play the head of the Serious Fraud Office “I SHARED A SIX-MAN ROOM. IT’S A LONG TIME SINCE I’VE SHARED WITH ANYONEOTHER THAN MY HUSBAND!” Alex Polizzi tries out a communal eco-lodge this…

WE LOVE GRACE! The moment Hollyoaks fans had been waiting for arrived this week, as Grace found out about Sienna’s affair with Trevor – and seriously lost the plot! Her poor hubby must be spinning in his grave… Grace Black is the best character in soap right now! She had me utterly gripped throughout Trevor’s funeral as she tried to work out who he’d been cheating on her with. But she also made me cry when she delivered that heartfelt eulogy about how much Trevor meant to her. What a woman! Yvette, Bromsgrove I loved that moment in the church when it dawned on Grace that Sienna had been sleeping with her husband. I was really cheering her on at that point! My money would definitely…

EASTENDERS REST IN PEACE?   likely There’s big drama at Peggy’s funeral… The Mitchells come together to say a sad goodbye to their matriarch next week – but as you’d expect from this lot, it’s not a quiet farewell. With family members missing, huge bombshells dropped, and secrets and lies flying everywhere, we reckon that Peggy would have been proud of her final fling… EMMERDALE GIVE ’EM BELLE! The whole village might be against her, but Belle is still adamant that Dr Bailey is the man she’s meant to be with - and goes to desperate lengths to prove it… CORRIE MICHAEL VS PHELAN! Michael is back on the Street next week, so how will he feel about Phelan having his feet under Eileen’s table? And is he the man…