Catherine Tyldesley gives birth to baby son

Catherine Tyldesley, who plays Eva Price on Coronation Street, has today given birth to her first child.

The actress and her fiancé Thomas Pitfield have welcomed a baby boy named Alfie James.

 

Many congratulations to them both.

So that's the third of the three Corrie women off on maternity leave to have given birth now.  Catherine joins the other new Corrie mums Jennie McApline (Fiz Stape) and Paula Lane (Kylie Platt).

 

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The many men of Eileen Grimshaw

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog February 2015, reposted to this blog with permission.)

With the probability that Eileen Grimshaw is going to get a new fella through this internet dating, it's time to look back at those who have been loved and lost by Eileen.   

We know that Jason's dad is Tony Stewart - and has been played by two different actors. Eileen caught Tony in bed with another girl when she was pregnant with Jason. Tony proposed to Eileen when he found out she was expecting but she turned him down.

Todd’s dad was dependable and was making plans for them as a family when Eileen got scared and legged it. She regretted it afterwards. We've never seen Todd's dad, have we?

Dennis Stringer. Dennis took Eileen to Paris for her birthday but soon broke her heart when he fell for Janice Battersby. He left Eileen and moved in with Janice but he died in a car crash shortly after.

Harry Flagg, She dated Harry briefly after Jason and his girlfriend Candice put a "lonely hearts" ad in a paper on her behalf but they've decided they are just friends.

Ed Jackson.  Ed was revealed to be Ernest Bishop’s killer from almost 30 years ago.

Phil Nail. Eileen and Gail both became attracted to reflexologist (aka Phil the foot-fiddler) Phil Nail when he started working at the Rosamund Street Medical Centre, Gail was the one who eventually won his affections.

Pat Stanaway. Pat the Irishman (no, it's not a game) turned out to be dating six other women at the same time he was seeing Eileen.

Jerry Morton. Eileen dumped him after he had no time for her.

Jesse Chadwick. Eileen let Jesse move into her home, and she put up with his annoying parrot. However, she wasn't happy when Jesse began using her newfound sister Julie as his sidekick.  She dumped after he had a big win on the horses and used the money to take his parents on holiday.

Paul Kershaw. Paul the fireman was married and his wife Lesleby had Alzheimer's Disease, early on-set dementia. Paul proposed to Eileen and said he wanted to divorce Lesley. Eileen struggled to come to terms with Paul continuing to work in the fire service following the fire at the Rovers. Paul and Eileen agree it is best that they separate and Paul gets a transfer to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

If I've missed any of Eileen's many men, do please let me know!



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Fat Brenda's Cream Horn!

(This post was originally posted by Fat Brenda on the Coronation Street Blog in March 2015, reposted with permission.)

Hiya loveys!

Roy told me he's after some organic vegetables, I said to him, “Get to Freshco, buy the cheapest ones and rub a bit of mud on ‘em!” but you know what he’s like, loveys, “That would be dishonest, Brenda; organic is more than ‘a bit of mud’, it’s an environmental issue; a health issue; it’s supporting local business…”

dirty carrot an' that!

“Roy love, I’ve only come in here for me usual," I said. "I’m not after a conser-flamin’-vation conversation! You can’t be into the environment and smoke as much as I do! I’m like a one woman polluting machine! I’m like a factory spewing out smoke into the atmos! If Lowry was still alive, he’d paint me on the horizon, all distant like, chugging away at a Dunhill while matchstick folk wandered about all ashen and grey an’ that, coughing from’t fumes! Now where’s me flamin’ cream horn!?”

Don’t get me wrong loveys, I adore Roy, he’s like an artist; a sculptor, buttering his baps with the same level of care and passion Michelangelo gave to David’s dangly bits! I don’t mean David Platt’s dangly bits - perish the thought! - I mean that statue of David what fellas see and scoff at, as if they’ve got more to offer a lass... they haven’t! Most fellas round here have got a fat belly full of Newton and Ridley’s and Prima Donner kebabs but that David, he's proper buff!

Phwoar!

Talking of David Platt, that Callum’s hanging round here in his white car thinking he’s God’s flamin’ gift! He came in the cab office and was giving it all, “Eeyar Brenda love, how’s about you and me go out one night?”

He must think I was born yesterday! I know what fellas like him want a lass like me for; he wants me to be one of them druggy horse donkey mule things that you read about what get sent abroad with a half kilo of funny white powder strapped to their gusset! 

I said to him, “Callum love, I was snorting Olbas Oil when you were still in short trousers and then I progressed onto the harder stuff, Vicks an’ that! I’ve seen what decongestant sprays can do to folk; they ruin lives! You might think yer all that with yer gorgeous physique and yer stubble like a young George Michael on’t cover of 1987’s Faith LP, but yer nowt; nowt but a pair of tight trousers and Weathy market knock-off trainers! You might think yer Max’s dad lovey but let’s be honest, that Kylie’s had more fellas than Nick Tilsley's had faces and just 'cos she says Max is yours dun’t mean he actually is! I’d get you to do a DNA test to prove it but I don’t know whether they do paternity tests for pond-life like you!”

He seemed a bit upset at that point, “… Can I just order a cab then please, Brenda?”

“Sorry about that Callum love,” I said, “I’m having a few problems with me waterworks at the moment and it’s putting me in a bit of a bad mood!”

“Oh aye, is that why yer always taking the pi-?”

“Right! That’s enough now lovey!” I snapped.

Manly stubble like what Callum's got an' that!

As usual, things aren’t good in’t cab office. Steve is still poorly and so is Michael and Eileen flamin’ Grimshaw is pulling pints at the Rovers! I say pulling pints but to be honest loveys, she’s flamin’ murdering ‘em! What she’s doing behind a bar I don’t know! She’s a face that could sour milk stout! So I’m here every hour that god sends covering her, Steve and Michael and I’ve problems of me own! I’ve joined a choir, had me moped nicked, had family up in court and that’s on top of me New Year’s resolution to learn how to play the harmonica – I’m always tempted to say mouth organ but the last time I said that, Liz McDonald said it sounds a bit rude… 

The big news in Weatherfield is the arrival of Jenny Bradley! It’s a testament to the community that we welcome folk of all ethnicities and the diversity to the area that another ginger brings is always a positive thing… Unless yer Rita! She’s worried that her flame-haired crown is gonna be taken by another - like that evil queen from that Snowy White she stands in front of the B&Q mirror Dennis put up for her and says, “Mirror Mirror on’t flamin’ wall, who’s the flamin’ gingerist of ‘em flamin’ all?” and the mirror always used to reply, “It’s you innit Reets – obvs!” That is until last week when the area’s favourite grease monkey, Kevin Webster, brought Jenny back onto the cobbles. Now the Mirror’s all, “Soz Reets, that Jenny’s back and I have to say she's looking belting!”

£9.99 from B&Q but it does have a bit of an attitude problem!

Well, Rita was furious and started going on about all the money Jenny’s had an’ that and how her dad tried to kill her before he was run over by that slow moving tram that hit him at four miles an hour! The last time I saw Rita she was dressed as an evil witch and brandishing a poisoned apple – I think it was poisoned anyway, it was from Dev’s and the quality of his fruit is always questionable! Either that or she got Norris (or Nasty, to give him his Seven Dwarves name) to spit venom at it!

I remember Jenny from way back when she worked as a papergirl at the Kabin. She used to deliver me magazine to Balaclava Terrace in the eighties and I knew she was a bad ‘un cos me Bella was always well thumbed by the time it got to me and she’d be reeking of the free Yardley Lace sample that was always mysteriously missing!

It’s nice to see that in a kind of preemptive strike, Michael has faced death BEFORE marrying Gail to try and break the curse that befalls any man who allows her to accept his ring. They're busy writing their vows now; I suggested shouting "DEAD MAN WALKING!" during the ceremony but he said it wan't appropriate or summat!

Anyhow, I’m going now cos I’ve heard there’s another Gavin knocking about and if he looks owt like the Gavin in’t Bistro I’m getting me name down first – he’s hotter than an electrical good from Barlow’s Buys that one!

If you want to tweeter me then I’m always on me hi-phone in Streetcars so say hello – here’s the linky! @fatbrenda

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Corrie Canada sneak previews for March 23 - 27

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


Gail pays off Gavin but, later,  Andy gets news that Gavin is dead! Michael nearly catches Gail out several times. Faye gets a surprise birthday party. Chesney discovers Katy's plan to take Joseph to Portugal and he's putting his foot down. Billy disappoints Sean. Emily plays peacemaker.  Eileen has a date. Zeedan and Simon make friends. David and Callum go to mediation. Bethany Platt returns to Weatherfield.


For more details and photos, visit the Moosejaw Mercury at Corrie.net



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Corrie? I'm loving it

(This post was originally posted by Tvor on the Coronation Street Blog in March 2015.)

(reposted from State of the Street with permission)

Everyone enjoys and dislikes different storylines, characters and actors. What one person loves, another finds tedious. Complaining is all easy to do. What am I loving about Corrie lately?

Loving the Gavin/Andy storyline. Lots of twists, lots of layers. I like all of the characters involved, even Michael whom a lot of you find tedious and insipid. I like that he's gentle and emotional and he's got regrets about his life. He's a nice man and Gail deserves that for once. I like that Andy is a nice man too, even though he's got himself tangled in a web of his own making. Love him and Steph as a couple. Love that David is still snarky with both Andy and Michael but also seems to have accepted them into the family.

Yep, I'm even loving the Platt story with Callum stirring things up with a very big stick. Is he believable as a drug dealer? Stereotypically, no, but there are drug dealers in all walks of life and some really are handsome and smooth. I can't wait for Kylie to get back and kick Callum's butt for trying to take Max from David.

I've enjoyed watching Steve's storyline, even when Michelle and Liz annoyed me for their treatment of him  before his diagnosis came out. It's been interesting to watch Steve try to cope and watch how everyone around him isn't sure what to say or how to treat him.

Tony and Tracy? She's not my favourite character by a long way but she's interesting to watch and she's certainly got Tony in a sticky spot at the moment. I'm hoping Liz wipes the floor with her when she finds out about the affair but Liz is also going to be hurt badly as well. I suspect that will be the end of Tony but who knows?

I like the dynamic of Sharif and is wife, Yasmeen. Kal and his kids are bit dull but I'm hoping that will change over time.

I love Tim and Sally, as do most of you.

Faye's storyline, while annoying in that teen pregnancy has been done before even if not quite this way, is being handled pretty well. It's still surprising that nobody's noticed but when there's a weight gain in someone that young, pregnancy is the last thing you think about, especially when the girl has been a "good girl" and doesn't have boys flocking around her. I also believe that Faye wouldn't have realized before now that she was pregnant because at that age, your periods are erratic and even though you're told that you can get pregnant after only having sex once, it doesn't seem real and a 12 year old wouldn't think it could actually happen to them. I am curious to find out if Anna will discover it before Faye gives birth and how. I think it would be a good twist if Tim or Sally figures it out first, or even Sophie or Izzy.  Cue more chest pounding and angst from Anna. Yeah, that's a bit annoying but the actor that is playing Faye is really good and the paring between she and the love Craig is gold.

So far, I'm enjoying the return of Jenny Bradley and intrigued as to whether she's got an agenda or not. Did she take advantage of finding Kevin's dating profile to finally make amends with Rita? If so, that's not so bad. But she also said she had a messy divorce. What was that all about? Should Kevin be afraid?

I'm looking forward to the twists and turns in the Rodwell storyline, interested to see how Faye's pregnancy plays out, and there should still be a few bumps in Steve's recovery as well.

There are always things that annoy me, things that don't interest me and things, characters and storyilnes I don't like. This blog post isn't about them. Instead of what you hate or what's annoying you, what are you loving about Corrie lately?



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In pictures: All of Gail's Coronation Street marriages

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog March 2015, reposted to this blog with permission.)

There's a wedding being planned to take place on Coronation Street tonight as Michael takes Gail up the aisle. Or does he? We don't know yet if the wedding will take place although everything is set for it to happen, Gail's got the frock and Michael's suited and booted.

It's time then to have a look back at Gail's previous weddings and the husbands she's loved and lost.

Wedding number 1. From Gail Potter to Gail Tilsley. Gail married Brian Tilsley for the first time on 28 November 1979. Brian divorced Gail after her affair with Ian Latimer as he wasn't sure whether he was really Sarah-Lou's real dad.

Wedding number 2: Gail Tilsley to Gail Tilsley. She married Brian for the second time on 24 February 1988 for the sake of the kids. Brian died after being stabbed in an alley after a night out in a club.

Wedding number 3. From Gail Tilsley to Gail Platt when she married toy-boy Martin much to her mother-in-law Ivy's chagrin. Gail and Martin's wedding took place on 27 September 1991.

Wedding number 4: From Gail Platt to Gail Hillman. Richard drove Gail round the bend and her family into the canal. It was probably never a good choice to marry the man they called 'Norman Bates with a briefcase'.

Wedding number 5: From Gail Platt to Gail McIntyre. Joe died in a watery grave after he tried to fake his own death for an insurance scam and ended up drowned in the Lake District.    Filmed at Ryecroft Hall in Audenshaw.

Wedding number 6: From Gail McIntyre to Gail Rodwell...?.  

See also: The many wives of Steve McDonald

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Gail's Hen Night High-Jinks

Let's just forget how silly it is for Gail to be getting married a sixth time. After all, Didn't Elizabeth Taylor do it more than that? (* marriages according to th'interweb). And a hen night might be a bit repetitive but in Gail's case, it really is tradition!

I loved the hen night. Sally, Audrey, Maria and sometimes Liz and Michelle joined up in feting Gail with Eileen providing the sparring partner. That long standing feud never gets old for me. Sometimes Eileen gets the upper hand and sometimes Gail does. They were both on fine form at the do but I think Gail, as the bride, did get the upper hand. Eileen ended up moaning about her single status by the end of the night and then discovered that her employers wanted to sack her!

And as a barmaid, she was pretty crap. Normally, I would enjoy her banter over the bar but Eileen does take it a bit far and she was putting people off buying drinks, insulting the customers (even if one of them  happened to be her nemesis) and defacing the decorations for the hen party. That's all very unprofessional and definitely sacking offenses.

I loved the banter over Anna Karenina even if Ken's personal copy of the book was bigger than the Gutenberg Bible. That was a bit ludicrous. Why would he imagine Audrey would want to lug a book that size around? If he wanted her to try it, why not a less intimidating paperback copy? I've seen them. They are about the size of a sandwich. Leave it to Ken to be supercilious as always but wasn't it great to see Sally surprise him with an astute analysis of the story, albeit gleaned from Google! Audrey might be better watching the movie, I think. Anna K is a good story, and a tragic romance but it's not as easy a read as modern day "chick lit" romances. 

Erica's appearance put a shadow into the works, with Gail furious to see Nick's recent cougar-lover back on the scene.  It really brings the Ivy Tilsley Brennan out in Gail!

What I loved the most, though, was Gail informing the WindStrongs that Callum was, indeed a drug dealer, citing Kylie as proof. Callum can pull the wool over Katy's eyes as much as he wants, and, let's face it, it's not a difficult job to do, but now the idea is germinating with Owen and he's far more suspicious.

Michael ended the night later on, uttering the Soap Opera Phrase of Doom, that nothing would stop him from making her his wife on Monday. We shall see. With Gavin blackmailing Andy, and threatening to expose the fraud sky high, it might be a bumpy walk up the aisle!



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Conversation Street podcast 139

Gemma and Michael's podcast for the episodes in Canada that aired (up to last night's Canadian Corrie) can be heard here.

The real Gavin shows up and he's not a happy man to discover Andy and Steph's identity theft. He's going to make them pay. Literally. We see the lad who is the father of Faye's baby. Anna's insecurity over Linda causes more ructions. Eileen proves to be the worst barmaid ever. Gail has yet another hen party. Eva Price is this week's character profile.





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Corrie Canada weekly awards for March 9 - 13

Overkill award: Ken trying to upgrade Audrey's literary tastes with Anna Karenina. Not a bad choice but couldn't he have picked up a slim paperback version? They do make them. Why on earth would he give her a doorstop of a book like that?

First Impression Fail award: Steph is right. Most blokes try to do things to impress their women. And a lot of them fail. Luke isn't lying in the same way she's been lied to in the past by men.

Lassie award: I'm pretty sure Ozzy was trying to tell Maria that Luke is a big, fat liar!

Driver (potential) fail: Tyrone is going to give Roy a driving lesson. At 5 p.m. Rush Hour. Yep, that's gonna be relaxing. Not.

I need clean pants award: Andy saw his whole life crashing in front of his eyes when Steph told him Gavin was back.

Calling Canada award: Michael doesn't want to be found naked, tied to a pole in Nova Scotia after his stag do. Trust me on this. You don't want to have much skin bared to the elements this winter in Nova Scotia. I should know!

High Noon award: Is it going to be garden spades at 20 paces across the allotment? Will Roy and Sharif be able to share peacefully? It was certainly bridal bouquets at dawn in the verbal sparring between Eileen and Gail. Wonderful stuff!

Executive Fail award: Sally's briefcase. Empty. Just for show. I love it! She tries but never quite figures it out, does she?

Lines of the week
Jason to Tony "Maybe I owe you an apology" (you think?)
Beth "It's really depressing coming home every night stinking of death" (isn't it just?)
Norris "She (his first ex-wife) bought me gray trousers, a gray shirt and a gray sweater. I looked like a walking shadow" Rita "Not the human dynamo you see before you today!"
Sally "I don't know how you behave in your home, but in mine we respect our soft furnishings" (I *heart* Sally!)
Gail "Crumble's just an excuse for custard" Michael "Who needs an excuse for custard!" (true, that!)
Sally "When am I moody?" (um.)
Gavin on cooking "Quickest way to a man's heart" Steph "If he's got one" (meaning Callum)
Roy "I'm preparing... for a high stakes game of horticultural mastermind"
Gail to Eileen "If anyone chucked flowers at you, they'd probably wilt on contact"

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Sunday Comments, March 15

Max is kicking off already, but at his age the news that Callum is his "real" dad must be confusing to him. And any time David makes him do something he doesn't want to, the hurtful "You're not my real dad" is flung. It looks at the moment like Callum is trying to buy Max's affection but then he may not really know how to be a dad. We don't know what his family situation was, just that he has a mother in his life. Felt really bad for David. Gail tried to talk to Max and Michael tried to back them up but David is in too many knots over it all.

David knows if he pushes too much he'll lose Max and he doesn't want Callum to win. Michael's suggestion of allowing Max to see Callum isn't ideal but it might be the only solution even though it's killing David to admit it. So in the end, he agrees to let Callum see Max but the first night is a test, to see if Callum will actually show up and that's only going to make Callum more likely to try to take Max away.

He did let Callum see Max, though and he did show up on time. Callum made a remark about not knowing where Max got the blonde hair from. I think a DNA test is in order, don't you?

Liz wasn't too keen on Tony and Tracy keeping a box of dodgey goods at the pub. He reckoned the lesser of two evils was to confess to the stolen goods. Liz is fed up and she could see stuff like this coming once he was in business with Tracy. She doesn't even know the half of it yet. Tony was getting stick from everyone. At least Jason apologized and he and his dad made up. Ah but later, Tracy let her gob get away with her as usual and ended up being kicked out. Then barred and she appealed to Tony who backed up Liz as he should even without the affair. Boy was she shocked and hurt.

Tracy is really winding up Liz and totally enjoying it. It is making Tony more and more uncomfortable, though, waiting for Tracy to let it all out of the closet. Tracy is having too much fun controlling him at the moment but there will come a time when she gets angry and it's all going to blow sky high. Tony can't say he wasn't warned.

Tim's first night at adult literacy was about as bad as she thought it might be. Oh look, Anna is still cleaning at the Rovers. I forgot about that. Speaking of Callum, he does seem to be resisting Katy's attempts at domestic bliss. He's more interested in sleepovers than nice home cooked meals. Steve is still seeing the therapist. Good to know.

It's funny that Eileen is so bad at being a barmaid. She's usually a hard worker and not inclined to slack off like she seems to be doing in the pub. She is treating the job like a lark and she certainly isn't holding back on her opinions like telling Audrey it's too early to drink! That part of it is true Eileen and is quite funny. I do believe that Steve and Michelle are both scared of her. She can be quite forceful when she wants to be. But then again, Steve is afraid of most women, really.

Yep, Maria caught Owen doing the tiling job but she was going to pretend she didn't find out. She's upset because he lied, Steph rightly points out that most blokes try to impress their women and usually fail miserably at it. I laughed at Ozzy trying to out Luke's lies when Maria was praising how good a job he did, or at least, that's what it seemed like. She got the truth out of Luke and joked that Ozzy told her.

Anna's doing her best to make Owen realize that she's still worthy of his attention, all made up and pretty for a quick drink. He, being an insensitive clod, tells her, after she's just finished telling him she's insecure about Linda, that Linda's not all bad. Thanks. But Linda is still around and Owen is trying to hang out with her thinking it might help thaw Izzy out a bit. Anna's not keen in being anywhere near the ex but she's damned if she's letting Owen meet her on his own, too. Katy doesn't want her father sticking his oar in, though. Later, it's all happy families, reminscing over old family photos and Anna definitely feels like the outsider and Izzy still doesn't want to be around her father. That will take some time to thaw I expect. She does have good reason, though.

Anna's really kicking off against Linda and all the "happy families" scenarios. There are definitely seeds of discontent being sowed between she and Owen and she's using Faye as an excuse but really, she's jealous and insecure.

Craig nearly let Faye's secret out of the closet, too, when he saw Anna hugging Faye after the doctor's appointment which also could have gone against Faye but didn't. I guess Anna isn't really noticing the baby bump and just thinking it's extra weight because why would she think her 12 year old who doesn't have a boyfriend is pregnant? Sally wonders if Craig is her boyfriend but she says not. Tim isn't very good at intimate dad stuff but he does try.

We've met the young lad who is the baby daddy, young Jackson who looks like a child himself. There's a school trip to France and Anna and Owen are already skint. I suppose they don't want to say no outright but at this point, Faye doesn't even want to go and can't say why!

After hearing about Jenny's fall out with Rita over money, Kevin did seem to wonder if she has any ulterior motive. He's not got the cash so he probably knows he isn't going to get ripped off. He thinks their relationship is nobody's business so he seems willing. Rita proceeded to get 50 shades of legless after the Jenny thing and later she wasn't best pleased to find out Jenny stayed over at Kevin's. She's still convinced Jenny has an agenda and even when Jenny tried to give her 300 pounds of the 1000 that Rita had given her years ago, Rita wouldn't take it. She had given it to make Jenny go away and coldly turns her back on her again. Go away. Ouch. Well, you can't blame Jenny for trying. Why didn't she try to get in touch all these years? When someone pays you off and tells you never to darken their door again, and as you mature you realize what a cow you were, would you think that person would even want to see you again? Rita regretted being cold after, though. Nice to see Sophie taking care of Rita. You forget how close Sally and Rita always were and how much Rita always thought of Sophie and Rosie.

Michael's idea of vows sound more like an audition for a maid! Ga'Andy gave him some good advice, especially that bit about honesty and he should know! Meanwhile the wedding is only days away and Gail finally has a dress. The lads are off to get suits and Steph offers to help Gail with some of her errands. Lovely lass, isn't she? Ga'Andy even admits he's quite fond of Michael and really fits in. Therefore it should be no surprise to anyone when Steph opens the door of Andy's flat to find the real Gavin there! Thought Steph was going to lose the plot!

And Gavin, he's pretty angry. Ok, he's allowed to be angry that Andy stole his identity and indeed, his life. Got a good case for Andy defrauding him as well, taking payroll in his name. And what about making up with the father that Gavin hates? But blackmail? He says he wants paying or he'll tell. He lurks in the background of the pub just to play games. He's callous and cold and won't even entertain the thought that his father wants to make up for his past. We are sympathetic with Andy and Steph but let's face it, they are in the wrong as well but caught in a hard place. If they tell Michael, they risk that the shock will kill him.

And if you're wondering how he knew where the pub was, he already had the address of the Bistro, all he had to do was go and ask there. Andy hasn't got 5000 and no way to get it but as always, opportunity presents itself and Andy decides he's got to steal the Bistro bank deposit. Oh dear.

Gail is having yet another hen do. At 56 she wonders why. At 56, I can identify. A nice ladies' lunch would suit me better. The stag night is going to be a bit subdued as well. The groom can't drink and Steve can't either. Kind of makes the rest of them feel like moderation, I would think. I enjoyed Eileen sparring with Gail in the pub, they just can't help themselves! Drawing pictures on Gail and Michael's photo might have been a bit much seeing as Eileen is bar staff, though.

Roy has finally started his cooking classes for the community centre. If he's just doing it now, after deciding about it weeks and weeks ago, what's he been doing for his community service in the meantime? Still wiping shelves and setting up tables and getting under Yasmeen's feet? Since when does Ken take it upon himself to educate the minds of the local readers of romantic fiction? It looked like he was holding the class in the centre but I thought his idea was to do it in the cafe after closing hours.

Roy has his driving lesson in the Woody. It's starting off a bit dodgey but if he's determined, he'll manage it. Meanwhile he has to find a new local source for his organic veg and that's leading into a new storyline for our Royston. An allotment. And Sharif likes the idea, too but apparently there's only one free allotment and the two of them want it. Does this mean war? Roy is certainly approaching it like a man readying for battle as only Roy can, studying all about how to grow veg! He's going to have to be well armed, it seems like Sharif fired the first shot by not picking Roy up to drive him to the interviews.

Good grief! It's one thing to recommend one of the classics to anyone, much less Audrey, but why on this green earth would Ken have offered Audrey a book the size of the Gutenberg Bible rather than a paperback version of it???? She should have kneecapped him with it! And it might be one of Emily's favourite books but I bet even she would recoil at the size of that book! Do they have study summaries in the UK that you can buy? Or Audrey could get Maria to help her look up the plot on the internet. Might be enough to bluff through.

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Which Corrie couples will stand the test of time?

(This post was originally posted by Ruth Owen on the Coronation Street Blog in February 2015, reposted with permission.)

I began to wonder about how many couples would stay together at the point where Tony was hiding in the outhouse on the unexpected return of Ken and Amy. I had, at one time thought that Liz and Tony would stay the course, each having found their match in the other. That was foolish. Tony has too much of a roving eye and Tracy seems to be irresistible to him. I can’t quite remember why Eileen and Tony split up, but I would like to bet it involved another woman or women. Eileen seems to be contemptuous of Tony and understandably so. At first, it might have been that she was a little jealous, just a little, but I’m now certain that Tony holds no interest for her.

Tony is essentially morally bankrupt. He’s a wheeler dealer in his business life and can't resist women. So he probably won’t  stick with Liz, despite his confession to Tracy that Liz was the real thing. Liz will found out about his shenanigans with Tracy and give him the elbow. That is not to say she won’t be upset, because she will. Will Jim reappear? His love for Liz seems to define him but after the Peter Barlow business, maybe his luck has finally run out. Nevertheless I hear this:  "Catch yourself on, Elizabeth. Made for each other, so we were, so what about ya?’

Now that we know that Julie is leaving, that’s that for her and Dev. After an initial doubt, I was soon convinced that they were right for each other and how lovely, especially for Julie that she would find sublimation in having two children to look after. Has Julie ever willfully done anything to hurt anyone? Her sterling actions after the bus crash go a long way to absolve her of any guilt, if she has ever fallen short.

What an inspired move it was to put Sally and Tim together. Can Sally really be that much of a snob if she shares her life with a window cleaner who can barely read or write? I really don’t think so. That said, she does certainly still have flashes of self-importance: her behaviour at the factory for instance, queening it over Alya and being obsequious to Carla. Also her reaction to the red leather sofa, only starting to like it when she knew it was expensive.  I very much hope that when Faye has her baby Sally will be a support both for Faye and for Tim.

I had very much hoped Jason and Eva would stay together, but after Jason’s accusations that Eva was sleeping with Tony, that was that, at least for now. There is still hope though. When Catherine Tyldesley has her baby and comes back after maternity leave, we could see a reunion. Please!

Fiz and Tyrone will surely stay together. Their family unit works well and it seems that both Fiz and Tyrone treat each other’s children as their own. Great for both of them to find the stability of each other after Fiz’s lucky escape from John Stape and Tyrone’s escape from Kirsty.

Sinead and Chesney have a real test coming. As if Sinead’s suffering from a very serious injury isn’t enough to test them, there is now the problem of where Joseph will be. We all know that Georgia May Foote, who plays Katy, is leaving, (but not to ‘take Hollywood, as one newspaper stated) so will Katy take Joseph with her?  Will that make Chesney reassess what is realyy important to him?

Apart from not seeing them very much together, I know I am not alone in not being convinced by the relationship between Leanne and Kal. My bet would be that they will split, as despite their words, neither of them seems particularly committed to the other.

I’m also not sure about Lloyd and Andrea, though they do seem pretty solid. Is Andrea’s star in the ascendancy? I think so …

Maybe Gail and Michael will stick together. It would be hard for Michael to escape now, and besides they are getting married soon. When the revelations about Gandy come out, Gail will no doubt be coming up with even more concerned expressions and some angry ones especially for the imposter.

Anna and Owen are nearly over, so speculation there is pointless. Beth and Kirk have just got married  and I feel it in my bones that they will stay together. Craig is very happy about his mum and Kirk getting together.

Some relationships are too early to call: Steph and Andy/Gavin, Luke and Maria, Jenny and Kevin and Alya and Gary. There is also Billy and Sean and I would be delighted for that one to work.

 And so, to Steve and Michelle. Spoilers on the front of soap magazines say emphatically that they will marry, but that there will be something dramatic happening too. Well, you cannot have a straightforward wedding on the cobbles, now can you? I still feel a little uncertain about this pairing. Michelle became very derisive in her attitude to Steve’s attempts to better himself at college. In league with Liz, both his mother and his girlfriend seemed to take great delight in mocking and ridiculing him.

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Thoroughly Modern Corrie – Weatherfield in the age of Social Media

(This post was originally posted by Martin Leay on the Coronation Street Blog in February 2015, reposted with permission.)

What really struck me about Jenny Bradley’s return is how much Weatherfield has changed since her last visit. And last Wednesday’s episode – the vehicle for her reappearance – drove the point home faster than a Ferrari that had just passed its MOT at Websters' Auto Centre.

For starters – before sharing a pudding – Kevin and Jenny found each other through an online dating site, now an extremely common way of meeting people but virtually (pardon the pun) unheard of twenty years ago.

“Anyone can look good on t’internet”, teased Tyrone but luckily for Kev, Jenny looks just like her profile picture – “which is always a bonus!” Tyrone, however, looks nothing like the David Beckham pic on his Tinder profile, or so went the pre-date banter in the Garage.

Elsewhere, Sean’s Social Media strategy to promote his homemade biryani proved somewhat counter-productive:

“Don’t get me wrong – it was a very nice biryani – but once I’d Tweeted it, Instagrammed it, done a Vine of it and Snapchatted it – the blessed thing had gone cold!”

I only use one of those sites (Twitter – and not enough) and so the zeitgeist buzzwords were largely lost on me. But it did make me ponder and then chuckle about what my Grandparents would think of all the modern references.

It’s a changing world – indeed the only constant is change – and it’s fascinating to consider how different the world of Weatherfield is now compared to how it was ten, twenty, thirty, forty and fifty years ago.

If Jenny Bradley had fallen pregnant under Rita’s roof, for example, I can’t imagine she would have announced, “I’m having a baby LOL”.

Faye’s remark about texting the truth to Anna was another reminder of this modern world we live in. In fact, wasn’t it a Facebook rumour that first alerted Craig to the fact Faye could use a friend?

Next week I reckon Nozzer will download Foursquare onto his Tablet and start competing with Emily, Rita and Mary to become Mayor of The Rovers! I’d love to see Sean give Norris a Social Media masterclass. Some digital marketing could be great for business at The Kabin.

Modern technology has certainly changed the way that I enjoy Coronation Street. Catch-up TV means I never miss an episode and with the constant flow of official posts, memes, previews and tweets, I’d know what was going on even if I did.

The advent of blogging and the Coronation Street Blog (thank you Glenda) mean I also have somewhere to share my thoughts about Corrie and a community of like-minded people from all over the world with whom I can discuss my favourite show (thank you everyone).

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I actually watched last Wednesday’s episode on my laptop while travelling to Manchester to meet my fellow Coronation Street Bloggers for the very first time. That was last Friday and we had a cracking day out.

We even met Corrie’s Digital Editor who does a great job of managing the Coronation Street website and the various social media platforms. I will share some memories of the day if I can tear myself away from Instagramming my tea!

What do you think? Is it a better experience for us Corrie fans in this cyber age of constant and instant information or do you feel that less was more? Feel free to Tweet, Instagram, Vine and Snapchat your thoughts but for those of us less au fait with social networking than Sean Tully, please also leave your comments here.

By Martin Leay

Twitter: @mpleay  

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