Table of contents for 20 - 2018 in Inside Soap UK

“Are you excited for the Royal wedding?” Are you all excited about the Royal wedding? Well, sadly I’m a bit disappointed in it. If a wedding doesn’t have the potential for some jiltings, adultery revelations, paternity shocks, or just a good old punch-up at the altar, I kinda lose interest. In fact, the only shock left to be revealed at the wedding is the design of Meghan’s frock – so we thought we’d help her out, just in case she’s having a last-minute panic (you never know, she might be!), with a bit of soapie inspiration. Turn to p50 to see the potential gowns we’ve picked out for her. And if she emerges from that horse-drawn carriage on Saturday sporting ‘The Rita’, I’m taking full credit for her choice! Elsewhere…

Casualty’s Alicia will face one of the darkest times of her life in the coming weeks, when she’s raped by her colleague Eddie. The shocking events will unfold after the pair get chatting in the pub – but when Alicia wakes up in Eddie’s bed the next morning, she has no memory of consenting to have sex with him. As the realisation dawns on her that she’s been raped, Alicia will struggle to face Eddie at work every day. So will she find the strength to speak out? And will her colleagues believe her version of events if she does find someone to confide in?…

Good golly, Holly! Holly Willoughby is always so faultless on This Morning – but the star is already getting butterflies ahead of her Corrie cameo with co-presenter Phillip Schofield! “I’m so nervous,” she confessed. “I’m not very good at this sort of thing.” Rate this! Corrie has silenced critics by topping the ratings with Aidan’s controversial suicide storyline, while Ofcom dismissed complaints received in relation to David’s rape story. Great news for Street fans. Soap swap? Former Home and Away star Debra Lawrance – best known for playing foster-mum Pippa Ross – is rumoured to be joining Neighbours! Debra’s online CV implies she’ll be playing Elly’s mum Liz, though show bosses are yet to confirm. Interesting!…

“No one likes a loser, Bill. Are you a man or one of them metrosexuals? You need to sweep Honey off her feet. Passion… Flowers… And I can do you a deal on a nice little bottle of oh-de-toilet.” That’s ‘eau de toilette’ Mo, love. French for toilet water. “You’re bossy. I’m knackered. Of course we look like we’re married.” No sex and lots of nagging – it’s almost as if they’ve been married for years, not weeks! “My mum has OCD as well – the proper kind. For her it’s light switches – flick, flick, flick, flick, like a strobe. I call it the OC Disco. Sometimes I take the bulbs out to wind her up. It’s dead funny.” We love Corrie. Always so respectful of issue-based health storylines.…

Bea’s work and home lives end up colliding in dramatic fashion this week, when her alcoholic dad is brought into the ED. Dougie chooses to give a false name to begin with, as he’s keen not to embarrass his daughter. However, once she learns what’s happened, Bea races to the hospital – and the truth about the pair’s connection is revealed. While his symptoms suggest otherwise, Dougie insists that he hasn’t been drinking – but will Bea choose to believe her poorly father’s version of events?…

Alfie has an important date to get to this week – but is his pal Yasmine the lucky lady? After Alfie tells Tom about his plan with “you know who”, Tom assumes he means Yasmine – and lets slip to her that Alfie is plotting a surprise. So imagine her absolute horror when Alfie races past her in the village with a bunch of flowers, ignoring her completely! So, as Alfie arrives at the folly and produces two wedding rings, what exactly does he have planned?…

Shayne Ward’s portrayal of suicidal Aidan was powerful, compelling and utterly heartbreaking. So many of Aidan’s family and friends are asking why they didn’t see the signs, but I know from personal experience that people hide their true feelings so well and, in many cases, nothing anyone can say or do will change the outcome. I really hope this story will encourage more men and their families to discuss male suicide, and save some lives. | Ann, Runcorn When a person commits suicide, they don’t just decide randomly that they’ll end their own life. Sometimes for the person suffering in silence, unfortunately suicide is the only one way out – and they may not want their family to read the signs. | Mitchell, Abingdon Eva was so convincingly grief-stricken at…

When Gary first arrived in Weatherfield, he and next-door neighbour David were arch-rivals. Fast forward a decade, and Gary identifies his former foe as a man in need of a friend… “Gary can recognise himself in David,” reveals Mikey. “When I first started at Corrie, David and Gary were billed as the new Mike Baldwin and Ken Barlow in the feuding stakes. It hasn’t helped that Gary’s going out with David’s sister and got someone else pregnant – but Gary can see David is suffering. “He thinks David is going through PTSD, which Gary’s been through too. Gary feels guilty, and wants to redeem himself to the Platts. But the main thing is he feels for David’s kids. That’s why he wants to help him.”…

DS Jamie Winter is in the strange position of being both a newcomer and an established presence in Midsomer Murders – although he’s been on-screen since 2016, ITV’s scheduling of the drama means that we’re only just approaching the end of his first series as DCI John Barnaby’s right-hand man. To mark the occasion, Inside TV talked to actor Nick Hendrix about arriving in Midsomer, chatting to celebrity guest stars – and the unfortunate time when life imitated art… Hi, Nick! It’s taken a while for your first full series to finish airing, hasn’t it? It has! It’s a strange sort of flattery in a way because ITV treasures the Midsomer episodes – they’re such a big ratings hit that they hold on to them, like…

CASUALTY Connie Beauchamp............ Amanda Mealing Gemma Dean........................ Rebecca Ryan Iain Dean....................... Michael Stevenson Lisa ‘Duffy’ Duffin................... Cathy Shipton Charlie Fairhead................. Derek Thompson Noel Garcia............................ Tony Marshall Elle Gardner............................. Jaye Griffiths Ethan Hardy...................... George Rainsford David Hide.................................. Jason Durr Jan Jennings............................... Di Botcher Dylan Keogh............................ William Beck Bea Kinsella............................. Michelle Fox Jacob Masters......................... Charles Venn Rash Masum............................. Neet Mohan Robyn Miller.................. Amanda Henderson Alicia Munroe.................. Chelsea Halfpenny Sam Nicholls........................... Charlotte Salt Louise Tyler............................. Azuka Oforka CORONATION STREET Dev Alahan....................... Jimmi Harkishin Angie Appleton................. Victoria Ekanoye Jude Appleton..................... Paddy Wallace Adam Barlow...................... Sam Robertson Ken Barlow......................... William Roache Peter Barlow....................... Chris Gascoyne Simon Barlow.............................. Alex Bain Tracy Barlow............................... Kate Ford Leanne Battersby................... Jane Danson Toyah Battersby................... Georgia Taylor Chesney Brown......................... Sam Aston Mary Cole................................... Patti Clare Carla Connor............................. Alison King Jenny Connor...............…

Just when we thought that the revelations from Charity’s past couldn’t be any more harrowing, she told Harriet that her secret baby had died – and then implied that she had long since buried him. But is she telling the truth? Emmerdale bosses recently announced that they are going to explore Charity’s backstory in much more detail through a special flashback episode – and now star Emma Atkins tells us that another huge shock is in store… “Charity and Vanessa actually narrate Charity’s past [with actress Mia Proctor playing the role of her teenage self] and for the first time ever, the audience will get to see what it was like,” revealed Emma, during an appearance on This Morning. “At the end of the episode the audience is left with…

“I’m sure I saw a spark between Emmerdale’s Graham and Debbie the other day. If they got together, it would be sensational – and knock that Joe right off his pedestal!” …reckons Chris from Southampton “I thought Gail’s moving monologue about Aidan was the best thing in Corrie for years. I think Gail deserves a story that’s not about another hopeless husband for a change, and for her status as a Corrie icon to be recognised!” …insists Russell from Leeds “ Neighbours’ Clive recently went to visit his daughter and her wife in New Zealand after they had a baby – wouldn’t it be great to see them on Ramsay Street? I wonder what they…

But is she at risk? Josh may have fooled the locals into thinking that he fancies Alya – but really their relationship is serving as an insurance policy for him in case David ever speaks out about his attack. However, when she sees one too many fraught exchanges between Josh and Shona this week, her mind starts whirring – especially when Shona warns her that Josh isn’t the guy she thinks he is. Will Alya’s growing suspicions lead her to make a startling realisation about her new man? And could it put her in danger if she does?…

Royal wedding excitement reaches fever pitch in Walford this week – but there’s conflict at the Vic, when Mick tells Linda he wants to show the FA Cup Final instead! Of course, as the world’s biggest royalist, Linda isn’t happy with that – and insists to Mick that the boozer will be a football-free zone for the whole day! Some of the Vic’s regular punters express their disappointment, since they’re looking forward to seeing Chelsea take on Manchester United at Wembley – but Linda is laying down the law, and this looks as though it’s one battle Mick won’t win! Can he find a compromise before full-time, or will he and his fellow footy fans have to put up with watching the entirety of Harry and Meghan’s special day instead?…

PAUL’S PAL In Neighbours, Paul said that the lady who ran the compliance training for the hotel had worked at Lassiters before. Is she a proper past character? | Joy, Chester She is indeed! Caroline Perkins worked as a receptionist in 2012 – and indulged in some very shady antics with Paul! She later tried to sue him for harassment. RAINIE’S MEN In EastEnders when Max and Rainie moved in with Jack, Max made a comment about Rainie wanting to get back into Jack’s bed. When was she there in the first place? | David Just like her big sister Tanya, Rainie has quite a penchant for the Branning brothers! Back in 2011, while Rainie was housesitting for Tanya, she and Jack got drunk together – and ended up having…

“ Lauren McQueen who plays Lily, would be my lady in waiting! She went to my school in Liverpool and she’s gorgeous! I love her to bits!” “ Lysette Anthony cracks me up – she’d be my jester. Me and her are worlds apart, but we have a laugh. She’s bonkers, but she’s brilliant, and I love her.” “ I think flatulence is quite bad! I’d definitely ban that! I’m not going to name names, but one of my co-stars is a bit trumpy on set!” “ I would have Nick Pickard as my king! I can’t not pick him – he’s a total legend, isn’t he?”…

CORRIE’S ROSIE Hel is looking swell with her blossoming baby bump! So take the star’s lead by rocking maternity chic and being a yummy mummy too… £25 Dorothy Perkins Just like her alter ego, Helen knows sophistication when she sees it – and this bag has it in abundance. £19 Asos Look as blooming gorgeous as Helen with this sunny floral maxi dress. £5.95 Boots Feeling the heat carrying your little one? Keep your locks out of the way with these comfortable hair ties. £45 Daisy Jewellery Feel the love with these stunning 18-carat gold-plated heart studs. £19.50 M&S Being pregnant doesn’t mean you have to wear flat shoes. Follow Helen’s lead with these kitten heels.…

If my wife is busy making dinner or I’m at home on my own, I love to watch old episodes of Top Of The Pops. It’s on BBC4 and I record them all – I go in to have a look and find that I’ve got 20 of them on there! I just love them for a trip down memory lane – I really enjoy those. This is from way back, but I’ve watched Happy Valley on catch-up and thought it was really, really good. I was just blown away by it! Sarah Lancashire is such a wonderful actress that it was like watching a documentary – it didn’t feel like it was a drama at all. I’ve also got into Key & Peele through my daughters – they watch…

IN LUCY-JO HUDSON (Unknown, Hollyoaks ) It s been reported that former Coronation Street star Lucy-Jo Hudson (Katy Harris) is joining Hollyoaks as a major new character with a big connection to a regular villager. The news comes shortly after the announcement that Lucy-Jo and Corrie’s Alan Halsall (Tyrone) are divorcing, with the actress saying: “We remain friends and devoted mummy and daddy to our daughter Sienna.” Soon CHARLES LAWSON (Jim McDonald, Corrie ) IN back Jim McDonald to Coronation is heading Street – so he is! – and series producer Kate Oates promises big drama ahead now that Jim is released from prison. “Jim is going to be coming back with a lot of resentment – from his point of view, he’s been…

What’s it been like, playing out such a dramatic storyline? It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced in my life. It’s a privilege to be part of a story raising awareness about knife crime – it’s such an important issue to tackle. We’ve been working really closely with the Ben Kinsella Trust [the charity launched by ex-EastEnders star Brooke Kinsella after her brother was fatally stabbed in 2008]. Is there anything you’ve learned from the story? Just the scale of the problem. I’ve been keeping an eye on the reality of knife crime – and seeing how much of an issue it is is shocking. How does it feel for this to be your exit story? I’m really proud. I was excited when I was first told the idea. Hopefully it…

Rape victim Bethany is gradually getting her life back on track, but her happiness looks set to be sabotaged with the news that Weatherfield newcomer Kayla is not all she seems. Reports claim that the Speed Daal waitress, who’s already narked Bethany by taking a shine to Craig, is actually the daughter of Neil Clifton – the police sergeant who raped Bethany when she was being groomed by nasty Nathan Curtis! “Part of Neil’s defence at his trial was that he had children of his own, and a daughter close to Bethany’s age,” our cobbles source reminds us. “If Kayla really is the girl in question, she’ll know that her father was sent to prison for what he did to Bethany. But why is she keeping her true identity a…

It’s been a huge year for Michael, as Ross’ acid attack storyline has given him plenty of drama to play out. So it was no surprise that the star was on the long list for the Best Actor prize at this year’s British Soap Awards. But he was gobsmacked when he learned he’d made it on to the shortlist – alongside the Street’s Jack P Shepherd (David) and Connor McIntyre (Phelan), as well as Hollyoaks’ Theo Graham (Hunter), and Dales cast mate Ryan Hawley (Robert). “Wow, thank you guys for getting me through to the shortlist,” tweeted Michael. “Some fierce competition to be up against. If I could hug and squeeze every one of you, I would. If I win, I will! Thank you.”…

Olivia gets carried away on a girls’ night out this week, and drunkenly invites Jasmine to move into the Beach House! Having bonded over their romantic woes, the pair ask Leah, Roo and Marilyn to join them for cocktails at Salt. But as the drinks flow, Olivia gets increasingly tipsy – and when her ex-boyfriend Hunter arrives at the bar, she can’t resist giving her old flame a dressing-down! Jasmine praises Olivia for standing up for herself, and it’s then that Olivia blurts out that Jasmine should move in with her and Irene! It seems like such a good idea at the time – but when Olivia wakes the next morning with a monster hangover, she realises that it may have been sensible to clear it with Irene first… So…

FAIR CITY Most of Carrigstown is baying for blood this week, forcing Decco and Kerri-Ann to think about leaving. But will they? Elsewhere, Dolores provides Aoife with a shoulder to cry on, while Orla is over the moon when Paul gives her keys to his house. Also, Robbie gets drunk. RIVER CITY Theresa’s nerves are shot to bits, as her blackmailer continues to harass her this week. That is until she discovers their identity… Meanwhile, Caitlin tries to forget about Gabriel, but finds it hard to resist him! Plus, Frankie’s use of diet pills is a cause for concern. THE ARCHERS Freddie is faced with a big dilemma this week, when he rumbles his sister’s secret. Will he agree to keep quiet? Across the village, Jill is on the hunt…

“Gary just can’t stop himself from going after Phelan!” “Gary is the one person who has never had the wool pulled over his eyes about Phelan,” Mikey North reminds us, as his determined alter ego finally tracks down his nemesis in Wales this week (see p8). “Phelan has fooled a lot of people, so it’s great that Gary and the Windasses are set to be a part of his finale – it’s like the story is coming full circle.” The Gary who bravely risks life and limb in a determined bid to save his nearest and dearest from the scourge of Phelan’s evil deeds, is a changed man from the mixed-up ex-soldier who arrived on the Street back in 2008. But as Mikey settles down with us to chat about…

There’s a new boss in charge of Holby City ED’s paramedics this week – and she’s not someone Sam or Iain want to mess with! We catch up with Casualty’s Di Botcher to find out more about her fearsome alter ego Jan… What can you tell us about Jan? The first words that come to mind are human bulldog! She’s determined, tenacious and single-minded – but she’s loyal as well. She doesn’t suffer fools gladly. She’s not sentimental, she’s too practical for that, but she’s got a big heart. I like her very much. What is she like as a boss? She’s there to come down hard on her team, but it’s like a family. You can criticise your own family, but if anybody else does,…

1 Daniel Benedict Miller was born to parents Vincent and Andrea on 2 January 1991 in Stockport in Greater Manchester. As with so many of our favourite soap stars, he first came to our attention in the long-running BBC children’s drama Grange Hill, in which he played pupil Kyle Brown during the 2007 season. 2 Danny and the Miller clan – his parents, sister Lucy and brother Paul – appeared on All Star Family Fortunes back in 2011, where secrets from the actor’s past came to light. When he was just five years old, Danny played the part of an angel in his school Nativity play – but his mother revealed that “he was a little devil in the classroom,” and that she and Danny’s dad “were…

It seems it’s not just Nancy that Darren needs to watch out for when his affair with Mandy is revealed in Hollyoaks! Real-life alter ego Ashley Taylor Dawson has explained his sons have not been happy with him and his telly exploits… “My three boys were in the living room when Hollyoaks was on,” recalls the star. “It was a scene where Darren kisses Mandy, and their little faces just dropped. The youngest one just smiled at me – he obviously thought it was hilarious – but the eldest one came up and proper smacked me! He went straight over to his mummy and said, ‘You can’t do that!’” It seems all has been forgiven, though – as Ashley and the boys were jumping for joy on the inflatables at…

1 Science Of Skin Solution Stretch Mark Defence Designed for pregnant women, this hydrating, anti-stretch mark formula works to soothe and moisturise you and your bump. 2 Love Boo Splendidly Soothing Bath Soak A deeply relaxing blend of water lily and mallow with chamomile and arnica to soothe achy muscles. 3 Epionce Ultra Shield Lotion SPF50 This quick-absorbing sunscreen protects skin from damaging UVA and UVB radiation – and prevents inflammation and signs of ageing. 4 Mama Mio Gorgeous Glow 3-Step Set Get that gorgeous pregnancy glow with a little help from Mama Mio’s facial skincare set, consisting of facial wash, eye serum and day and night cream.…

CONSENTING ADULTS Sheridan Smith is to star in new four-part drama Adult Material for Channel 4. It explores the porn industry from the perspective of a woman working in it, and power and consent issues. NUN THE WISER Miriam Margolyes will be in two episodes of BBC1’s Call The Midwife as forthright Sister Mildred. Other new additions in this eighth series include Waterloo Road’s Georgie Glen. CRIME AND CRIME AGAIN BBC1’s glossy crime drama McMafia will be returning for a second series – the first was one of BBC iPlayer’s most popular dramas ever. No casting details have yet been confirmed for series two, but we’ll keep you posted……

JACK OF ALL TRADES! North meets East meets West in upcoming BBC period drama Gentleman Jack, as ex-Corrie actress Suranne Jones (Karen McDonald) will play landowner and diarist Anne Lister – alongside Timothy West (Walford’s Stan Carter) in the role as Anne’s father, Jeremy. The eight-part drama tells the tale of formidable Anne’s battles in her hometown of Halifax – in matters of business and matters of the heart. GOODBYE, CATHY Former Home and Away star Cathy Godbold has died aged 43. The actress sadly lost her decade-long fight with brain cancer after previously learning that it was terminal – her death mirroring that of her Summer Bay alter ego Meg Bowman, who famously passed away in her lover Blake’s arms on the beach while they watched the sun set.…

BULLSEYE! In a Hits & Misses first, our Bullseye spot goes to a member of a soap’s backstage team: Corrie boss Kate Oates. The episodes after Aidan’s suicide were very special indeed. We admired how David’s rape storyline ran parallel with the Connor tragedy; encouraging those in similar situations to seek help. Real lives will have been saved by the show – and for that, Kate and her team deserve ultimate praise. You’d be forgiven for failing to keep up with Joe and Debbie’s roller-coaster romance. From love to loathing, loathing to love – via an acid attack, CPR and, erm, building model aeroplanes. It’s a miracle they even know what day it is. If you’d told us last year that Adam…