Chris Harper Interview: "It's been life-changing"

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog June 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)


Coronation Street's Chris Harper, who plays evil Nathan Curtis, has been interviewed by OK magazine. He's pictured above with his wife, Emily Bowker.

Talking about Coronation Street's grooming storyline, he was asked if he had always keen to tackle the big storyline.

He said:  "Yes. Emily spotted very early on what a big storyline it could be, and Corrie were very keen to do it right. I think they underestimated how welcomed it was going to be by charities and survivor committees. It’s been more successful than they could have ever hoped.

"As an actor you love a manipulative character, but it’s great to be part of something that’s highlighting what some people go through. I did feel a big responsibility taking on a role like this, especially at the beginning. It’s been life-changing and the most important storyline I’ve ever done."

"Just the other day I was standing on a platform and one of the train guards shared his story of abuse with me. I’ve had lumps in my throat over the response. Some people are just so excited because they love Corrie, and then other people are on the verge of tears because they’re saying it’s happened to them or they’re worried about their niece or family member. I wasn’t ready for that. It’s been overwhelming. It’s incredible to have three or four people a day come up to you and saw how important what you’re doing is."

Read our blogger Ruth's post: In Defence of the Grooming Story

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

Kate Oates on Corrie set expansion and 6th episode

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog May 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)


At the Corrie press day in Manchester yesterday, producer Kate Oates spoke about the future of the show. As we know, it's undergoing historic changes with an extra episode each week coming later this year and expansion of the Coronation Street set.

Speaking about the extra episode, which will take Corrie up to six episodes each week, Kate said that they don't yet know what night it will be shown, or the exact date it will start. All that she could reveal is what we already know, that the 6th episode will begin "in the autumn."

Kate said: "Nothing is yet confirmed and scheduling are working on it at ITV towers, they’ll tell us soon."

And on the expansion of the Coronation Street set, she said she was very excited. "When someone walks down Coronation Street, they'll be able to turn a corner and walk onto another street. It’ll be like the Trueman show.

"We're starting to build imminently and there will be a few months of construction. Building works are going on now where we work so we have to be careful how we storyline at the moment and what we can show. It's exciting."

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

So Adam took a photograph... how will he use it?

(This post was originally posted by Ruth Owen on the Coronation Street Blog in June 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)


To whom will Adam show his photograph first? It could be that his first choice is Aidan - the man who has just accepted Eva’s proposal in public in The Rovers, and who, therefore is engaged to Eva, but claims, at least to Maria, that he prefers Maria.

Adam slept with Maria a while back, and that  was quite handy for Maria, as she used him to make Aidan jealous.

The fall-out will be massive. It will be humongous and it might even rival the never-to-be-forgotten triangle of Mike, Deirdre and Ken.

Eva, who has been on Aidan’s case marriage and wedding-wise, for ages, instead of dreaming about wedding dresses, bridesmaids’ dresses and a Christmas fairy lit wedding; well, let’s just say there will be blood.

‘When you going to tell Eva?’ asks Maria, in the romantic backdrop of bins down the ginnel. (Here in Sheffield, it's gennel. Just sayin')

                         

Oh, but Aidan has it all worked out. He needs to break it off with Eva gently, to tell her he’s not ready, and he won’t mention Maria, yet. That way, in Aidan’s brain, there will be no affairs, no recriminations and when he and Maria do go public, it will look for all the world like it is a new relationship.

‘As long as we’re together in the end,’ says Maria, having swallowed all that Aidan said. ‘I told you, I’ve made my choice. I don’t want to lie any more’ he reassures her 

But they haven’t bargained for being caught and what’s more, as yet. they have no idea that they have been caught been.

What exactly is Adam doing? Apart from strutting around, insulting people and taking photographs of illicit affairs? He doesn’t seem to be working and Ken seems to be off his case. He and Aidan clearly despise each other – which is great for drama.

Adam will relish the power that the photograph gives him. Who knows what he’ll do? Bribery, perhaps? A ‘request’ for part ownership of the factory? Hush money? Whatever it is, it should be good.

By Ruth Owen, twitter: @Ruth1722

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

Video: Lucy Fallon and Childline on Grooming Storyline

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog June 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)


Watch Coronation Street's Lucy Fallon, who plays Bethany Platt, in the latest Childline video talking about the grooming story line.

You can watch the video below.

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

Gray O'Brien: "Coronation Street Was Bonkers"

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog June 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)


Gray O'Brien will be best known to us Coronation Street fans as Tony Gordon.

But he's now appearing in the new ITV drama The Loch which will be on our screens this Sunday.. It's a six-part murder mystery, filmed at Loch Ness, Glencoe and Glasgow last summer, centres on a serial killer stalking a remote Highland town.

In a good, long interview with The Herald Scotland, Gray says this about his time on Coronation Street.

“Coronation Street was a game-changer for me. You know how big that character was. It was absolutely bonkers.”

But after he left Corrie when  Tony Gordon was killed off in 2010, Grey found himself in resting actor limbo. “For the first six months I didn’t even think about work because I knew the phone wasn’t going to ring,” he recalls.

“Then the next six months it didn’t ring either and going into the second year it still wasn’t ringing. When it gets to five and six years you are thinking: ‘What is going on?’ People feel they can’t touch you because you are just too well known as that character.”

The Loch begins on STV, Sunday, at 9pm. Find out more about it here.

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

Corrie Canada sneak previews for July 3 - 7

Without further ado here is a brief sneak preview of what you'll see on  next week's Corrie in Canada.

Daniel walks a dangerous path. Aidan discovers someone knows about he and Maria. Will he finally come clean to Eva? Billy and Todd meet Summer just before Drew dies. Sarah runs away with Nathan but things are not quite as she expected. Kevin does some research. Anna and Faye row about Seb. Tim has words. Zeedan wants to out Brian and Cathy to Roy. Kevin and Erica get cozy.





For more detail and photos check out the Moosejaw Mercury at Corrie.net.

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

Remembering Coronation Street's Alf Roberts

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog June 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)

What a lovely bit of dialogue this week on Coronation Street when Alf Roberts got a mention from Audrey. He liked her ankles and her clavicle, apparently!

Anyway, Alf was a real gent of the Street.  He was married to Renee and they ran the corner shop.

After Renee's death, Alf continued running the corner shop with shop assistant Deirdre. She stood against him - and won his seat - in the local election to become independent councillor.

But it was in his role as Mayor of Weatherfield that we'll remember Alf fondly.  Audrey also has memories of being married to the Mayor and all the perks it brought - not least having a fling with Alf's chauffeur!

Alf passed away on New Year's Day 1999. He was found slumped in a chair after Gail's New Year's party.

Gone, but never forgotten!

Brian Mosley,who played Alf, also starred in the seminal film Get Carter with Michael Caine.

Read our blogger Llifon's tribute to Alf Roberts

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

Marry me, Mariachi! Coronation Street Mariachi Bands

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog June 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)


Tonight in Coronation Street we'll see Eva propose to Aidan with the backing of a mariachi band behind her.   You can read the full preview for tonight here.

Note that the band pictured above - The Mariachis, are not the band who are appearing on the show tonight, however.

But it's not the first time Coronation Street and mariachi bands have joined forces.

Here's Marry You by Bruno Mars played by The Mariachis on the cobbles.



Also, back in 2015 a Corrie fan proposed on the set of Coronation Street and when his girlfriend said yes, The Mariachis mariachi band stuck up a tune. 

Corrie fan Tom had the help of a production team to propose live on the show to his girlfriend Klaire outside the Rovers Return on the Coronation Street set. You can watch it below.


Whether Eva and the mariachi music will work its wonders on Aidan tonight remains to be seen!

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

9 of Eva's Most Fabulous Frocks on Coronation Street

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog June 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)


In tonight's Coronation Street we'll see desperate Eva propose to boyfriend Aidan in the Rovers with a full mariachi band behind her.  She's not one for understatement, is Eva, and never has been.

Let's have a look back a t9 of her most fantastic frocks from Coronation Street

1. The minute you walk in the joint... Eva on the karaoke in that fabulous red frock.

2. Proving her Corrie credentials with a spot of leopard print.  (All screengrabs below from tartydoris.com)

3. At the Jubilee Street Party as Madonna. If you've got it, stick it in a cone bra and flaunt it.

4. If you're going to have a showdown in the back room of the Rovers Return, do it in style and knock 'em dead. She does like wearing a red frock, does Eva.

5. Stylish and sophisticated and very pretty in pink.

6. Looking ravishing in yet another red frock,

7. This time in pink frills.

8. Another salmon pink frock that Rob Donovan's got his eye on.

10. And finally, another red frock too.

And of course, last week's black PVC outfit too. 

Looking back over these pictures of Eva dolled up made me realise what an absolute goddess she is. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that Eva's a Corrie icon. Ooh, a feel another blog post coming on.

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter