Conversation Street podcast episode 8 for Canadian Corrie

Gemma and Michael's podcast for the episodes in Canada that aired up to last night can be heard here. Don't worry, they don't do spoilers so you won't hear anything you don't want to!

 You can also subscribe to them on iTunes, Like them on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter (@conversationstr).


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Corrie picture of the day: "The Deirdre Barlow OMG" face

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog October 2012, reposted to this blog with permission.)

I just can't wait, I really can't wait, for tonight's Coronation Street.  Deirdre finds out where Ken's been nipping off to in his best suit and tie. And when she discovers he's been wining with Wendy, she's not best pleased, as you can see.

The Coronatin Street Blog has got a little competition going on twitter. There's no prize so don't ring in, but if you can tweet a picture of yourself doing the above Deirdre Barlow OMG face, please do so and they'll retweet the best ones! 

Better still, get a friend to pretend be Rita and if you send us a REALLY FAB pic of you and your mate looking like Deirdre and Rita to them via twitter. Oh, go on.

They're on twitter @corostreetblog



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What's your take on Marcus and Maria?

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog October 2012, reposted to this blog with permission.)


Marcus is gay, always has been, always will be, says Charlie Condou who plays the smitten Mr Dent on Coronation Street.  So what's the point of him kissing Maria? I'm not enjoying this storyline, in fact I think it might be my least favourite story on Corrie right now. 

I like Marcus, a lot. In fact, I think we should meet his family and he should be given more of a background. Let us see him grow on the Street within the confines of the cobbles.  Let him have some excitement, some drama. Kissing Maria in the kitchen isn't it. 

If I had my way, and I know I don't but bear with me while I dream.  I think Marcus should dump Aiden, meet another fella and fall in love and get wed, adopt kids.  He should patch things up with Sean who could be the best man at Marcus' wedding.

But never mind what I think about Marcus and Maria - what's your take on it?



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Maria's breast cancer story on Coronation Street

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog October 2012, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Macmillan cancer support are working with Coronation Street on Maria Connor's breast cancer scare storyline.

For full information have a look at the Macmillan website.

Macmillan have also set up a special #corriecancer discussion on twitter for those who want to get involved.

Samia Ghadie, who plays Maria Connor, tweeted:

The storyline this week was tough but really rewarding with @charliecondou. If you need cancer support go 2 #corriecancer



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Coronation Street Blog Exclusive: Ken Barlow - the musical

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog August 2012, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Matthew Strachan

Earlier today we blogged about award winning composer and singer-songwriter Matthew Strachan who is performing an evening of his songs at the St James Theatre Studio, London on Saturday 24 November. And Matthew will also be debuting selections from a new oratorio based on the life of Coronation Street’s Ken Barlow.

Hang on a minute...

...an oratorio based on the life of our Ken?

But this is an award winning composer who has an illustrious musical career including composing the award-winning soundtrack to the international hit TV show Who Wants to be a Millionaire?  He has a piano and vocal album of his songs called 25 Year Songbook just released by Nono Records and you can find out more about him on his website at matthewstrachan.co.uk

So why's he gone all musical about Ken the Corrie stud muffin?  Well, we wanted to know and so we asked him.  Here's our interview with Matthew Strachan who explains all.

Q. What is an oratorio?
A. It's sort of like an opera but not staged. More of a concert with a story, soloists and a chorus.

Q. Is the piece a comic work or something with more depth?
A. It's a bit tongue in cheek I suppose. But there'll be big dramatic bits. Especially when Mike Baldwin turns up.

Q. What does Ken mean to you? He must have made a big impact on you to inspire an oratorio.
A. He means the voice of reason in Weatherfield.

Q. Are you/were you a fan of Coronation Street?
A. I used to watch it every Monday and Wednesday with my mother.

Q. What aspect of Ken most fascinates you? He is, after all, both an intellectual and a ladies' man.
A. He's got a lot of turbulent history for such a mild man. He knows all about Shakespeare. He knows a lot about Rita Sullivan too...

Q. Is the oratorio based on the facts of Ken's life as we know them from Corrie, or are there imagined elements in it?
A. There's dream sequences in it but I'm aiming to stay true to Ken's history.

Q. Where does the oratorio fit in with the rest of your output?
A. I'm hoping I'll be a celebrated composer after this. Something like a modern day Handel.

Q. As a role model, what can Ken show us about life?
A. He's taught us to overcome setbacks, stay the course, be yourself against all odds and to look after your hair.

Q. Ideally, who would play Ken if your oratorio was performed?
A. I'm thinking Dmitri Hvorostovsky for Ken and Jonas Kaufmann for Mike Baldwin. We're talking to them. They're not talking back though.

Q. What other subjects do you write about?
A. I've written about murderers, the media, social networking, loneliness and Monica Lewinsky. Stuff you can dance to. I have also written about three straightforward love songs.

Well, Corrie fans, there you have it. A Ken Barlow oratorio from a world-cass composer. If anyone goes to see this and would like to blog about it for us afterwards, do please let us know!

Find out more about Matthew Strachan at his website 


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Award-winning composer creates Ken Barlow oratorio

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog July 2012, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Award-winning composer and singer-songwriter Matthew Strachan is to perform an evening of his songs, including numbers written in Nashville and from his stage musicals, at the St James Theatre Studio, London on Saturday 24 November. 

Why are we blogging this?  

Well, Matthew will also be debuting selections from a new oratorio based on the life of Coronation Street’s Ken Barlow.  An oratorio is a large-scale musical composition on a sacred or semisacred subject, for solo voices, chorus, and orchestra.  If anyone goes to hear this and would like to blog a review afterwards for us, do please let me know.

Strachan has composed music for film and TV, written songs for Nashville and for musical theatre. His best known music is the soundtrack to the international hit TV show, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire for which he is being inducted into the ASCAP Hall of Fame this year. His third musical, About Bill, premiered in London in 2011 and he is currently working on music and lyrics for a further stage show. His latest album, 25 Year Songbook, was released in 2012 by Nono Records.

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Corrie war between Michelle and Tracy

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog September 2012, reposted to this blog with permission.)
Finally, finally, I'm starting to have empathy with Michelle Connor on Coronation Street. Of course, it's because she's taken against Tracy (haven't we all?) and therefore Michelle is fighting Tracy for us so we don't have to get off our sofas and do it ourselves. And besides which, we're real people and Tracy's in the telly.

In the war between Michelle and Tracy, Michelle's become the back street voice of reason when it comes to looking after Ryan and trying to get him out of toxic Tracy's talons. But will anyone listen to Michelle?

Ryan's only gone and moved in at Sally's because Tracy didn't want him living with her at the Barlow's, although Ryan's too thick to notice Tracy didn't want him there. And he still doesn't realise that Tracy's only snogging him on the soft furnishings to wind up Steve.

Anyway, I'm loving this storyline and am fully on Michelle's side.  A tweet I read this week from @Amanda13Jane also suggested the Michelle and Ryan mother and son dynamic was reminiscent of Elsie and Dennis Tanner back in the day.

With thanks to @fatbrenda on twitter for tweeting this wonderful pic of Michelle in her rollers from the Corrie salon catfight this week.


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Corrie Canada Weekly Awards: Oct. 8 - 12

Hit the mark award: Tracy does get some good zingers in at Michelle's expense and she's doing a very good job of pushing a wedge between Michelle and Ryan.

Blast from the Past award: Dennis was put in mind of his mam while watching Michelle and Tracy squabble on the street.

Interfering Idiot award: Brian keeps pushing Ken and Wendy together, hoping to keep Ken on board and he doesn't realize how damaging it could be.

Lloyd might be acting like a stalker and Owen is certainly playing My Little Shadow but Kirsty's dad takes the gold award, lurking around corners, snatching the baby for a little control game, and cowing his wife so much that she went back home with him, knowing she'd have to face the music.

Sibling Rivalry award: Nick spends money on Max that David doesn't have. Ouch.

Covering your bases award: Kirsty sidelined Tyrone by leaving his name off the birth certificate. Gotcha!

Suck Up Award: Transatlantic star: Norris plied Mary with compliments, flattery and chocolate but he didn't get the other ticket.

Making up for past wrongs: Mary really was generous to the Croppers and she knew she had stuff to make up for.

 Too Cool for School award: Ace pic of Lloyd (Craig Charles) when he was young!

Soap Opera Phrase of Doom: Deirdre: "I think there's life in the old dog yet"
Wendy "What could possibly go wrong!" (aaaaghh!)

Pants on Fire award: Ken's already lying to Dierdre about Governor's meetings when he's actually seeing Wendy.
Lloyd lies that he's not seen Jenna. With her in the back room and her jacket over the sofa.
Lloyd was pretending to be oh so sophisticated for Jenna.




It's All About Me award: Mandy thinks Jenna is making friends with Lloyd to get at her. I don't think so. I think she's genuinely curious.

Be Careful What you Ask for: Kirsty feels like she's got no life as a stay at home mum. Tyrone fixed that. You work, I'll stay home with the baby! Sorted!

True Blue Friendship award: Gold Star: Marcus is Maria's rock.
Silver Star: Fiz is really concerned for Ty.

Fashion award: I loved Fiz's coat!

 Lines of the week:
Tracy about Michelle (after the story of Steve kissing a "trannie" "Lots of men have a type!" (zing!)
Brian "Mother always said I was a diplomat" (she was wrong)
Tracy "I might be a few years older than Ryan..." Michelle "What you countin' in, dog years?" (oh nice one)
Dennis after the "big fight" "It's times like this I can't help thinking about me mam!" (Ken laughs and nods...awwwwww)
Lloyd to Eileen "Of course you'd never have a barney outdoors in front of the neighbours" (Koff)
Tina "I didn't know you were scared of needles" Tommy "I'm not. It's just pointless" (he didn't even intend on the pun)
Lloyd "I'm kind of master of my own destiny" (don't make me laugh!)
Deirdre to Ken re the Board "It'll keep you out of mischief as well" (will it, now?)
Lloyd "Some hangovers are worth it!" Mary's competition winning line "Good job we brought our trunks!" (elephants!) Kirsty re her father "I hated him so much and now I've turned into him." Kirsty to Tyrone "You have NO legal right to my daughter!" Mary "Last time I flew they had to make an emergency landing on account of my screaming. Mother was mortified. We were only going to Inverness" (Now that's the kind of Mary-speak we like!)

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Sunday Comments - October 14

I can't blame Tyrone for wanting to keep Ruby away from Kirsty. She's so volatile and though she loves that baby, you know she does, Tyrone just doesn't know what she could do when the red mist lowers. Kevin needs a pop upside the head too, ignoramus indeed. He's got a short memory. When he had all that time off with Jack, Ty didn't have Tommy to help him and did it all on his own.

Now Kirsty's mother has turned up and she's left the hard case Ed. I found myself riveted to the screen when she was telling Kirsty how she came to leave him and watching Kirsty's reactions. Wow, some really good scenes! It really was done well. A Damon Rochfort script never disappoints. Kirsty's mom is in place so Ty figures he can go back to work, which concerns Fiz. Mom's full of regrets and Kirsty clearly has suffered the worst. Maybe her explanations of why she stayed can make Kirsty realize what Tyrone's going through. She still needs to go to councilling. If her mother ever finds out what's going on, maybe she'll march her daughter straight there to prevent a catastophe.

Bad decision letting Mom stay at Number 9, though because Dad turns up and that will be worse. I do wonder why he waited a few days after she left to come round, though. You're just asking for trouble in spite of Tyrone needing to have someone there to keep an eye on Kirsty. He says he can protect her and he can try but I don't think he's a fighter.

Kirsty's dad is the real stalker, lurking around corners and stealing babies from back yards to make his point. It's weird seeing him, though, because he used to be one of the previous Peter Barlows back in the early 80s. Did he just want to see the baby when he showed up the second time? Maybe, but he saw his wife too, and it turned into a big control issue as usual. He snatched the baby just because he could, just to scare them. To prove he's in charge. He said it wasn't fun finding his nearest and dearest snatched from him. But the difference is that his wife walked away of her own free will. And confronted with the force that his her husband, Alison caved. Even when he protested that he's no bully, he lunged for Kisty the minute she was trying to stall him from taking her mother home. Alison could only leave in the first place when he was out of the house and she didn't have to see or talk to him. Unfortunately this happens all too often.

And Kirsty turned it all around on Tyrone and blamed him and he's bruised again. She's got to see that she needs help, and soon. Kirsty laid a real bombshell on Tyrone. I wonder if she did it just in case or if she's lying about it? I wouldn't put it past her to do it as insurance against just this sort of thing. She knew he was at the end of his rope before he took the baby for a walk so she made a pre-emptive strike. Kirsty took Ty's legal rights away. She might be upset he wants to leave her but she's also a calculating b*tch as well. She didn't know for sure but did it for insurance. So now, He isn't on the birth certificate so he has no legal rights. But Fiz reckons he should still talk to a solicitor, and yes, he should. Kevin managed to get a DNA test on Jack without Molly knowing, surely Tyrone can do the same thing. It's lovely that Fiz is so kind to Tyrone and so supportive. She's a lot gentler about it than Tina is. Tina just shouts the odds but Fiz quietly dishes out sympathy and concern.

Kirsty moaned about feeling like she's got no life, staying at home with the baby so Tyrone fixed that. He sent her back to work and he decided to stay home. That's going to really put Kevin on the spot, though. He can't rehire Tommy either because Tommy's still in plaster. Tyrone has made his decision. Kevin doesn't like it but he doesn't understand. Fiz understands but doesn't like it either and she's worried sick.

Brian is going to be the instigator for a lot of problems between Ken and Deirdre now he's managed to keep Ken on the same board as Wendy. Deirdre is noticing Ken dressing up and supervising his ties but she doesn't know it's to see Wendy. He's already lying to her! It seems like it's going to be all business between the two of them but Deirdre won't believe it when she finds out. And she will, you know. And then she'll assume the worst. Will she push Ken into an affair? Wouldn't it be nice for a change if that didn't happen? He and Wendy got caught up and resolved the past.

Ryan ...Tracy... boring. Michelle wants rent from Ryan. Proper thing. Ryan wants his girlfriend and his mom to be friends. Never gonna happen. Fight on the cobbles with the women in huge curlers, both of whom normally have dead straight hair. It was only a bit of pushing and shouting, nothing like rolling around in dressing gowns. Nobody even ended up tearing a curler out of the other one's head! And the only good part of it was Kylie watching it with delight. The gloves are off and the blinders are down. Tracy is banned from the flat.

I'm so sick of Ryan and Tracy. I really am. If Ryan's supposed to be falling for her, he's not convincing me. If he could speak more clearly and act the part better, I might buy into it. Tracy is doing a very good job of pushing Ryan and Michelle apart and is really REALLY enjoying the aggro. That's what it's all about with her. Change the record. Tracy has succeeded in getting Ryan thrown out of the flat but he was a bit shocked that she wouldn't let him move straight in, using Ken as an excuse. He used a sob story and managed to find a crash pad with Sally and Sophie. And wow, that cocaine addiction, one of the hardest to kick, seems to have mysteriously disappeared.

Lloyd managed to talk Jenna into having a meal with him after making an appointment with her at the clinic using a false name. Still stalking. I can understand him wanting to know his daughter and how else is he going to get her to talk to him but maybe he should be waiting for her to come to him. She probably would given time but since it's a soap, we need to move things along i guess. I love that Eileen has been such a good support to him.  Lloyd entertained Jenna at the Bistro, making it seem like he's far more sophisticated than he is but she wasn't impressed. I thought she clocked him straight away but she was just skeptical. Turns out they're both hotpot and beer types of people. That cracked the ice between then so it looks like it's going to be ok.  They started to get to know each other. Lloyd and Jenna are getting on like a house on fire but she's still hateful towards her mother for not telling her about Lloyd all these years. You can understand why she is so upset.


So the surrogacy medical treatment begins. Apparently all these extra hormones can bring on PMS like a son of a bitch. As if Tina needs any more reason to be stroppy and Izzy is normally pretty prickly on her own too. Gary and Tommy might want to buy body armour. Maybe Tyrone can lend them some! Owen keeps sticking his face in the middle of it, is he scared he's not going to get his money's worth? Izzy's the only one that really knows how to handle him.
 

Mary's won two flights across the pond and Norris is practically peeing himself to get invited along with her. I don't know why though, after all, the last holiday they took together turned into a nightmare on the moors. Lately, though, he seems to be fonder of her and he tried everything from chocolate to sycophantish flattery. She enjoyed stringing him along, didn't she? Mary even said she would have taken Norris if she had been the one to go but she gave the tickets to Roy and Hayley instead! She does have some stuff to make up for.

Maria is terrified she's got breast cancer and Marcus is her rock. She told him what she couldn't tell Jason. I know they just did this with Sally but that's exactly why I think it will probably end up being a scare.

David feels bad that Nick bought Max's football boots. If Gail had bought them, probably David wouldn't have felt so bad but he didn't hold it against Nick for too long, once Nick realized and apologized. But it's nice that an uncle can buy things for a nephew. I wonder if Kylie is going to start taking advantage though. I really hope they don't throw Kylie and Nick together. Kylie really does love David but I can see him getting jealous.

Michelle's outfits are starting to resemble Liz MacDonald's. Eileen's birthday soon. It's been quite a year hasn't it? She met Paul on her birthday last year when she got her head caught in the railings.



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Corrie Extras - Maureen and Joel

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog October 2012, reposted to this blog with permission.)

If you've ever wondered what it's like to be an extra on Coronation Street, then wonder no more.

Canadian Coronation Street fan Christine Warren who runs the Coronation Street Fun Pages, has secured interviews with some of the extras on Corrie and has kindly given us permission here on the Coronation Street Blog to feature and link to each one when they are uploaded to her site.

This week it's husbad and wife team Maureen Seaberg and Joel David who work on Corrie as extras.

Check out the interview here.

See also: Interview with Corrie extra Darran Burr
See also: Interview with Corrie extra Christine Quigley



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Alan Halsall talks about Kirsty and Tyrone

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog September 2012, reposted to this blog with permission.)

There's a good interview with Alan Halsall, who plays Coronation Street's Tyrone Dobbs, on Digital Spy today.  Alan reveals the Kirsty and Tyrone abuse storyline will get worse, just when you think it couldn't get much darker.

Alan praises his Corrie cast member Natalie Gumede, who plays Kirsty, and says he has received feedback from men in the same situation as Tyrone. 

He says: "I suppose we are only telling a story at the end of the day, but if we can help just one person to come out and speak about what's happened to them, then it can only be a good thing."



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Fab Photo - Cobble Catfights

(This post was originally posted by Sunny Jim
on the Coronation Street Blog September 2012, reposted to this blog with permission.)

It's time for this week's fab Coronation Street photo. I'd been looking forward to the fight between Michelle and Tracy this week but although their get up in curlers and hairdressing gowns gave the scene a suitable air of the absurd, the fight itself was little more than a bit of pushing and shoving. So here are some pictures of some far better squabbles on the cobbles.

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Sneak Previews for next week's Canadian Corrie, Oct. 15 - 19

Without further ado, here's a brief run down of next week's Coronation Street on Canadian Screens:

Maria gets her test results and relief has a surprising outcome. Feelings are exposed but are they for the wrong people? Lloyd tries to play peacemaker and gets a new roomie. Kirsty goes back to work at the factory but things are simmering back at home. Mary convinces Anna to have a Spanish night at the cafe, pulling custom from the Bistro so Gail's idea strikes back at their morning clientele.

David's fed up and Kylie has ambitions. Ken and Wendy discuss the past. Deirdre discovers Ken's lie and faces her rival. Sally and Michelle clash over Ryan staying at Sal's and Sally ends up involving all the factory workers in a walk out. Will Michelle back down? Gloria takes competition to the next level.
For more detail and photos, see the Moosejaw Mercury at Corrie.net

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State of the Street - September 2012

The end of the month brings us another look at the state of things on Coronation Street. We've had a new baby born and her little life is already filled with drama, poor mite. It's been one of the better storylines for me, very well written and acted all around.

The surrogacy storyline has taken a few loop-de-loops and leaps and it's actually feeling like it's dragging a bit but these things take time. I wonder what extra hormones are going to do to the already stroppy personalities of both Izzy and Tina! Pity the blokes!

This, that and a few other things are expanded upon over here.


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Corrie Originals - Doris Speed MBE as Annie Walker

First appeared: 9th December 1960

Last appeared: 12th October 1983

Doris Speed played the role of snobbish Rovers landlady Annie Walker between 1960 and 1983.

Born in Manchester in 1899, she debuted on stage at the age of three. Both her parents were involved in the variety world which they also steeped Speed in. For most of her acting life she was involved in the theatre and even left the profession for a job as a clerk. She returned to acting late in life and made her TV debut in Armchair Theatre in 1957.

In 1960, she was given the role of 51 year old megalomaniac pub landlady Annie Walker in new drama serial Coronation Street – a role created specifically by Tony Warren with Speed in mind, remembering her days on the BBC’s Children’s Hour. Debuting in the very first episode, Annie Walker would remain a lynchpin on the cobbles for over twenty years, looking down her nose at her customers with her scathing remarks. Yet, she was a much loved and respected member of the community. And Doris Speed was also of a similar personality to Annie – cast members had respect for her and many of the younger cast were terrified of her and her stern looks. For nearly 23 years, Annie’s storylines included her marriage to Jack and his death in 1970; taking in Lucille Hewitt as a ward in 1964; running for council in 1965 but losing to Len Fairclough; becoming Alf Roberts’ mayoress in 1973; being confronted by burglars and the experience led to her falling down the stairs; an on-going rivalry with Nellie Harvey; celebrating 40 years behind the Rovers bar; being romanced by Gerald Price and Arthur Harvey; and storylines involving the Rovers and her staff Betty Turpin, Bet Lynch and Fred Gee.

By the early 1980s, Doris Speed was one of the few remaining members of the original cast still in the programme. In 1983, she was admitted to hospital and shortly afterwards it was revealed in the press that Speed was 15 years older than what she had always claimed – not 69 but 84. But I can honestly say that she looked smashing for an 84 year old. Soon after her house was burgled and the experience led her to have a nervous breakdown and she left the programme. But as Speed refused to return to film an exit storyline, Annie was written out as having decided to retire and stay with daughter Joan in Derby and passing on the license to son Billy who returned to the street and announced that his mother wouldn’t be returning. Annie’s presence continued in the Rovers with a photo of her on the mantelpiece, replacing that of Jack’s. Annie wasn’t officially killed off but since Speed’s death in 1994, every reference towards Annie has been worded as if she has died. For nearly 23 years, Doris Speed appeared in a total of 1737 episodes and during the 1960s was the member of cast who appeared most, and during the 1970s was second only to Len Fairclough with the most appearances. In 2012, she was ‘used’ in the exit storyline for Betty Williams (Betty Driver who played Betty had died) where it was revealed that she had given the Rovers to Betty in her will but Betty never accepted. This was an error as Annie never owned the Rovers but ran the tenancy.

Speed moved from her home to a nursing home in Bury near Manchester where she spent the rest of her days. She appeared on a tribute programme to co-star Margot Bryant (Minnie Caldwell) in 1988 and was a special guest on Happy Birthday Coronation Street! in 1990, which was a show celebrating Corrie’s pearl anniversary. Doris made her final TV appearance as a special guest on Classic Coronation Street in 1993, a show celebrating the best of Corrie. At 94, she was hard of hearing and was accompanied by Kenneth Farrington (who used to play her on-screen son Billy). She died the following year in Bury aged 95.

Doris was unmarried and lived with her mother Ada until the latter’s death in 1973, aged 97. Unlike the Tory Annie Walker, Doris was a staunch Labour supporter. She was awarded an MBE in 1977 for her role as Annie.

Did you ever see or meet Doris Speed? Do you have any pieces of trivia about her?

Research from Wikipedia, Corriepedia, Corrie Net, IMDB and "40 years of Coronation Street" by Daran Little.

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