Table of contents for 51/52 - 2020 in Inside Soap UK

Honey and Jay share a shock kiss this fortnight, after growing closer to each other while organising the Christmas community event. Honey begins to fall apart as everything seems to go wrong ahead of the festive knees-up she’s putting together. And she loses all hope when the fridge breaks just as everyone’s about to get to work. Luckily, Jay saves the day and brings in a team of caterers, leaving Honey extremely grateful – and they end up snogging! “They get caught up with the Christmas spirit, and kiss!” reveals our EastEnders mole. “It’s a surprise to them both, and even more so when Billy walks in and catches them in the act. Billy’s horrified as he spots his ex-wife kissing Jay, who’s like a son to him. He’s lost…

Christmas Day brings Toyah the best present ever, as she and Imran foster their first child! “Baby Mason arrives on Christmas night,” says Georgia Taylor, who plays Toyah. “Toyah and Imran are in a whirlwind, but it’s a really welcome surprise.” Although worried about Leanne, Toyah thinks her sister is off to France, so gets on with motherhood… “Believing Leanne is away makes it easier for Toyah to enjoy the moment with the baby,” shares Georgia. “Not that Leanne isn’t in her thoughts, she is – but Toyah’s so caught up with Mason.” Later, she and Imran are thrilled when the authorities ask them to look after him for longer. “They’re delighted, but it’s dangerous as the longer they spend with Mason, the more attached they will get,” warns Georgia.…

Former partners Rhona and Marlon agree to spend New Year’s Eve together this fortnight – but is it just for the sake of their son Leo, or is there more to it? Athough their romance was over years ago, Rhona and Marlon have been spending more time together recently. After hearing what Laurel and Jai are going through in the wake of their termination (see below), both Rhona and Marlon have been reflecting on the joy that they’ve been brought by their own son Leo, who has Down’s syndrome, and the trio have spent lots of time together in the run-up to Christmas. It’s been a truly terrible year for Rhona, following the murder of her partner Graham at the hands of her ex-husband Pierce, and she’s no doubt keen…

Spending Christmas with your partner’s family can be daunting at the best of times – but stressed Callum is flying by the seat of his reindeer pants this year, working for the police while trying to play happy families with Ben and the Mitchells! Meanwhile, Walford stars Max Bowden and Tony Clay, who play Ben and Callum, are lapping up every twist and turn of the drama… Merry Christmas to you both! You film weeks in advance, so is it strange celebrating twice? Max We joke about that often, but this year more than ever I’m so not over Christmas. I want it to be the saving and redeeming factor of a horrible year. I’ve already watched Love Actually! Tony It’s the one time of year when you can switch…

CAIN “Cain is definitely the love of Moira’s life. This Christmas, he arranges a romantic surprise for her, and the two of them put their wedding rings back on. That means the world to Moira – and what’s most endearing is that Cain has actually tried to be romantic! The two of them just have this chemistry, this passion she never had before. I’d not been in the show long when Gavin Blyth [the show’s then producer] told us that he would be putting together Cain and Moira within a year. I was like, ‘Great, I’ve just turned up with my family, and now I’m going to have an affair!’ But Gavin saw something between them. Cain brings out a devilish side in Moira that she never had in her…

“I'd love to film a Christmas wedding!” “My birthday is on Christmas Day – and it’s the worst! People have been saying how they have been gutted to have their birthdays in lockdown, and I’m like, ‘Welcome to my world’! I did have a surprise party once – I turned up to my friend’s house, and everyone was there waiting for me. I remember I was a bit upset because everyone was talking behind my back trying to arrange it, and I felt left out of all the conversations – it was worth it in the end, though! “This will be my first Christmas with a boyfriend. I’m dating at the minute [Jorgie’s boyfriend is businessman Ollie Piotrowski], and when you have a boyfriend on your birthday and it’s Christmas…

“IT’S A THRILL – I LOVE ABIT OF NOSTALGIC TELLY!” Back in the 80s, there was none of your million-pound prizes, nor all-expenses-paid hols. No, game-show winners could expect to take home the likes of a fondue set, an electric blanket, or a silver chequebook and pen. Now, the chance to win the latter returns, as iconic game show Blankety Blank is back on the Beeb with a festive special. A panel of six celebs will be attempting to fill in the missing words in phrases as read out by host Bradley Walsh in the hope of matching those of the contestants. And Bradley is delighted to join an illustrious list of presenters in fronting one of the UK’s best-loved shows… “To follow in the footsteps of Sir Terry Wogan,…

There’s a rare trip away for the residents of Latimer Crescent this Christmas, as Colin and Cathy invite Beth, Eric, Christine, Gordon and Ian to their luxury lodge in the Scottish Highlands for a mini-break. However, when Cathy pushes Beth too far, the neighbours’ friendship looks set to derail. Inside TV got on the blower to Arabella Weir, who plays Beth, to find out more… “As you can imagine, you start with everyone behaving as normal, and then things disintegrate!” shares the star. “There are a few surprises, too, such as one of the other characters doing something you wouldn’t expect them to do that’s quite shocking – and very funny!” While the sitcom may be enjoying a change of location in this festive special, there’s clearly no alteration in…

There’s a Nightmare Before Christmas for Ian this fortnight, as he becomes convinced that whoever tried to kill him is coming back to finish the job! There’s no doubt that Ian is at the top of the naughty list this year, having wronged practically everyone on Albert Square. But while his enemies are busy plotting over their mulled wine, Ian is cowering at home, scared for his life! “It’s very clear that at least one person in Walford wants Ian dead!” gasps our Square secret Santa. “Whoever tried to finish him off is still at large, and they could be waiting in the wings to strike again – and this time, they’ll make sure they do the job properly! Ian’s right to be very afraid.” As the festive fortnight kicks…

Denise comes face to face with a terrible reminder of her past this fortnight, after her serial killer ex-husband, Lucas Johnson, turns up out of the blue with their daughter, Chelsea. “Denise’s blood runs cold,” reveals our Square insider. “She’s paralysed with fear as memories of Lucas’ unspeakable crimes come flooding back. The look of pure horror that washes over her says it all.” Denise thought she’d seen the last of Lucas in 2016, after she rumbled his plan to escape prison with the help of his son Jordan. Lucas had already been inside for six years for multiple killings at that point, not to mention the attempted murder and subsequent abduction of Denise herself! What’s more, Chelsea lived through all of this drama – and went as far as…

From the moment Mick and Linda arrived, EastEnders has told us the pair would never cheat. So, it took a lot for show bosses to convince Kellie that her alter ego would do the dirty… “I thought, ‘OMG, Linda Carter would never do that, how will I make it work?’” she admits. “But because of Mick’s storyline running alongside it, it does work. They are intertwined stories that all play into the same thing. “Linda’s marriage to Mick is in dire straits. Once I found my way into it, and I thought about the alcoholism aspect and how she’d transferred her addiction, it was easy for me to get on board.”…

David and Shona reaffirm their love for one another this fortnight – by recreating their wedding! In contrast to last year, when David’s wife almost died, the Platts resolve to put their nightmare behind them in magical scenes… “David and Shona will always find each other again,” grins Julia Goulding, who plays her. “It’s been nice falling back in love!” But that’s not to say there aren’t hiccups along the way. At the start of the fortnight, David is under the impression that they’re over. “Shona struggles to get her feelings across,” says Julia. “She’s unable to say to David, ‘I don’t want to break up with you – I love you!’ So there’s a bit of a crossed wires.” But David is none the wiser, and the miscommunication prompts…

Billy’s hopes for peace and goodwill are dashed this fortnight, when his partner Paul ends up behind bars! The drama comes as Paul continues contact with Will – a teen who called Paul on the helpline he volunteers for. Desperate to help the seemingly terrified lad, Paul makes the mistake of going against helpline protocol to rescue Will. The next thing Billy and Summer know, Paul’s banged up for assaulting Will’s violent dad. He’s been hiding all this from his partner Billy, who’s furious that Todd knew everything and he didn’t! “Billy’s upset that Paul’s been confiding in Todd – he’s really betrayed by that,” explains Daniel Brocklebank, who plays the vicar. “He tells Paul he’s foolish for letting Todd in as much as he has. Billy knows what Todd…

There appears to be a festive reconciliation between Mack and Moira this fortnight, which leaves Cain fuming! The siblings have been on shaky ground since Mack came to the Dales, and Moira is upset when her brother announces he’s leaving. Wanting him to stay, she asks him to move into Butlers – but fails to run it past Cain first… Later, Moira finds Mack in the barn, and is touched as he tells her he wanted to see where Holly was buried. Little does she realise that he’s covering for the stolen goods he’s stashed there! But as old grudges later resurface, will Moira and Mack be in for a tense Christmas together?…

Paul explodes once again this fortnight, after Vinny learns his dad’s gambling secret. But has Paul gone too far – and will Mandy find out what’s been going on? It’s when Paul overhears Liv discussing her upcoming driving lesson that the drama begins. Paul learned about Liv suffering seizures a few weeks back, but kept quiet in return for her keeping his gambling under wraps. So when he hears about her driving lessons, he grows worried, and tries to talk her out of it, in case she has another episode while behind the wheel. So imagine his horror when he spots Liv heading off in the car with her instructor! With the teen refusing to heed his warnings, Paul feels he has no choice but to tell Aaron that his…

We all need some extra Christmas cheer in 2020, and Emmerdale’s unlikely wedding planner Paddy Kirk is here to ramp up the feel-good factor. He’s determined to throw true love Chas a secret wedding that’ll be so romantic, it’ll knock her socks off. If only Paddy weren’t one of soapland’s most feckless residents, and he hadn’t roped in equally hapless best pal Marlon to help him. Still, we’ll all be rooting for him to pull it off, but even stars Dominic Brunt and Lucy Pargeter – who play the happy couple and join us for a chat on all things Christmas – aren’t convinced! “Paddy’s insane,” laughs Dominic. “He wants to give Chas the best gift he can after two bad years with losing Grace and then their rocky relationship.…

One of the (very few) delights of 2020 was the arrival of Channel 5’s new adaptation of All Creatures Great And Small. Like the BBC series of some four decades ago, the show reinterprets James Herriot’s classic series of novels about a Yorkshire veterinary practice in the 1930s. The series became the channel’s most successful drama ever, and has been rewarded with a prestigious Christmas special! When we last saw the vets of Skeldale, crestfallen James (Nicholas Ralph) had just found out that his secret crush, Helen (Rachel Shenton), had got engaged to her long-time boyfriend, Hugh. But with the wedding set for 25 December, will James’ first Christmas in the Dales end in heartbreak? HELEN HAS A LOT GOING ON – HER EMOTIONS ARE SO COMPLEX ” RACHEL “James…

AWARD WINNERS Instead of the Lucy Beale Award being for entrepreneurs in EastEnders, I think it should be for something that celebrates Lucy’s personality. It could be for best bad girl, best bitch, or most evil family member – Bobby would have a lot people to choose from! Diane, Sunderland We asked you to tell us what you enjoyed most in the soaps in 2020, and here’s what you said… LOVERS’ TIFF It’s been great watching Carla and Peter come together over the past year in Corrie. And now seeing them slowly pulling apart from each other, when they need one another most, is heartbreaking. Jessica Something tells me that there will be a lot more drama to come from this couple… NEW YEAR WISHES… All I want by the…

So, the great and the good of soap have been celebrated – and handed weird shards of metal – at the Inside Soap Awards (check out EastEnders’ Aunt Babe hosting the ceremony at www.insidesoap.co.uk), but Hits & Misses wants to celebrate its own Stars of 2020. Stand up please, Emmerdale’s Bradley Johnson ( Vinny), Hollyoaks’ Bobby Gordon ( Toby), EastEnders’ Balvinder Sopal ( Suki) and Corrie’s Sally Carman ( Abi), for giving such entertaining perfomances this year, with that vital extra quirk and sparkle. Thanks for all the fun! “When I was your age, Noah,” said Chas “I wanted to be George Michael’s personal assistant, or work with animals.” Well, one out of two ain’t bad. “And this, young Abi, is the very pub where your mum climbed on to…

Stacey makes a move on Martin this fortnight, after a misunderstanding with a very expensive Christmas present leaves her feeling as if he’s trying to tell her something! Martin is mortified when he sees Stacey open her gift, and immediately realises there’s been a mix-up. But rather than tell Stacey what’s happened, Martin plays it cool. However, his mistake costs him big time as Stacey feels hopeful after receiving his thoughtful pressie – and makes her move… “Stacey plants a big kiss on Martin!” exclaims our Walford insider. “They’ve been out at the Vic together, and when she receives his gift, Stacey takes it as a gesture of love – but obviously Martin knows the truth. He doesn’t realise how strong Stacey’s feelings are for him until this moment, although…

Leanne faces her most difficult Christmas ever this year, as she faces up to the loss of her son, Oliver. To make things worse, Nick’s relationship with his newfound son Sam sends her spiralling further. Soon, she finds herself hiding out in her own flat, overcome with grief… “It’s barely a month since Leanne lost Oliver, so every piece of tinsel is like a punch in the stomach,” says our Corrie insider. “Nick is trying to support her, but he has his own problems.” Indeed, with Natasha moving to London for work, Sam is adamant he doesn’t want to go with her, and asks Nick if he can stay with him and Leanne. Nick gently explains it’s not a good time, but the news seems to help Leanne turn a…

Priya prepares to spend a blissful festive time with Al this fortnight – but he’s still busy texting someone else behind her back! And before Christmas is over, we will learn the identity of this alluring distraction… After hearing Al is not the biggest fan of the festive period, Priya’s determined to give her fiancé the best Christmas ever. But as she gets ready for the big day, Al steals himself away to message someone else… “Priya’s oblivious and just thinks Al’s busy,” explains Fiona Wade, who plays her. “Maybe if Priya really looks into things, she’d realise, but she’s madly in love and trusts him– she’s all in with this relationship.” Although Al seems to confirm that Priya is the only one for him when he gives her an…

The Tates are far from one big happy family this Yuletide, after Jamie gets a stern dressing-down from his irate mum, Kim! Home Farm’s Queen of Mean doesn’t mince her words as she accuses Jamie of making the family a laughing stock while she was away, and orders him to clean up his mess. Meanwhile, all Jamie wants is to spend the holidays with his daughter, Millie, prompting him to make his ex Andrea a bold proposition… “Jamie has the front to ask Andrea if she wants to get back together!” exclaims our Dales spy. “Jamie cheated on her with Belle, and has done many hideous things since, while Andrea blackmailed him over Moira’s hit-and-run – so it’ll be a Christmas miracle if they give their marriage another shot!” A…

Tom is going all out to organise his wedding to Yazz this fortnight, but with all the drama kicking off in the village, will they make it down the aisle? “You could say that Tom is a Groomzilla,” laughs Ellis Hollins, who plays him. “Everything he’s planning starts to go wrong. Tom has Mandy and Nancy running after him, yet they can’t really help because Tom’s being so specific about everything. I feel bad for poor Yazz, who has to cope with him!” Tom and Yazz get ready for their ceremony at the Dog – however, unbeknown to the young couple, there’s impending danger… “There’s a lot going on,” reveals Ellis. “And obviously in the flashforward we saw Romeo crying his eyes out at the Dog, which insinuates that something…

Romance is blossoming between Toadie and Audrey this fortnight – but Nicolette has other ideas! With Karl aware Audrey was behind the mystery $50k donation to Sonya’s foundation, Nicolette is worried that if Toadie finds out too, the secret about the stolen lottery money could come to light! Soon, she plants seeds of doubt in Karl’s mind about Audrey’s intentions… Meanwhile Sheila bumps into Clive at the hospital, and takes his reaction as proof he still has feelings for her! Is she heading for more heartache? Finally, Jay and Yashvi spot their parents having a drink together. But can Shane and Dipi mend their marriage?…

Santa Claus had better get a wriggle on if he’s planning on making a stop at Davood Ghadami’s house this year – as the star, who plays Walford’s Kush, started celebrating Christmas with his family three weeks ago! And who can blame him? Season’s greetings, Davood! We hear you’ve begun the festivities nice and early this year… Indeed we have – I love Christmas! We’ve started earlier than normal because of the year we have all had. At the end of November the tree went up, and the kids got involved with lighting up the reindeer in the front garden. With my two young daughters, we are trying to be as upbeat and festive as possible. If we start it now and try to carry it through to next year,…

“I’ve experienced a summer Christmas in Australia many times, and I’ve also experienced the British white Christmas, which I love,” grins Neighbours star Rebekah Elmaloglou, aka Terese, as she joins us to chat about all things festive. “I have very fond memories of spending Christmas in England. My mum is British, and when I was a young girl we would get to Heathrow on Christmas Eve, my aunt would pick us up, and we’d drive down to Devon. We’d go to bed and sleep all day, then when we’d get up and the fire would be on – it was magical. My grandmother would have cooked an amazing Christmas meal. I don’t know if it really was snowing when we were there, but in my memories it was always a…

It’s Christmas 1965 in Poplar, and the circus is coming to town! Former Doctor Who Peter Davison guest-stars in the festive episode as the ringmaster, as the nuns and locals prepare for a very merry Christmas. However, will everyone end up with a smile on their face? “Fred and his nephew Reggie get incredibly excited about the circus,” shares Cliff Parisi, who plays Fred. “It’s a proper circus, with the big top, tumblers, trapeze artists and horses. Fred never went when he was a child, so he wants Reggie to have the experience.” Meanwhile, Trixie is less than impressed to receive a subscription to Marriage Bureau as a Christmas gift – but will she end up with a new man? “Trixie does get to go on some blind dates with…

We give you the lowdown on Netflix’s hottest new drama, debuting on Christmas Day… So, this is based on a book series? Indeed! Author Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton novel series began publishing in 2000, with The Duke And I. The books, which are set against the backdrop of upper society in Regency England, revolve around the Bridgerton family – eight siblings and their widowed mother. Each of the stories focuses on one of the siblings finding true love. And will the TV version follow suit? Absolutely. The programme has been adapted by Shonda Rhimes, who’s best known as the creator of Grey’s Anatomy. She’s also been executive producer on How To Get Away With Murder, The Catch and Station 19, so knows a thing or two about making a hit TV…