Corrie Canada sneak previews for May 1 - 5

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

Shona discovers David's secret and lays one of her own on Gail. Rosie and Sophie play detective to find Sally's troll. Johnny's health is a concern to Kate. Faye makes arrangements to see Seb. Michelle starts work at the Bistro, much to Leanne's disapproval. All of the Barlows are still pointing fingers at each other trying to find out who attacked Ken. Bethany stays over with Nathan.


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

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

Keep Fit with Corrie: Week Five - Debbie Rush

Gemma and Michael over at Conversation Street, the Corrie podcast, have been keeping fit the Corrie way!  

 In week one, they did the Vicky Binns work out

• In week two, it was the Kym Ryder work out 
• In week three, it was the Angela Griffin work out  
• In week four, it was the Beverley Callard work out 

This week it's Debbie Rush! And so, it's over to Michael and Gemma...

"Week 5 in our Corrie keep fit journey, and you know what they say: No Pain, No Gain. Well, that's certainly true for this week's DVD - Debbie Rush's Bulge Buster Workout. Not because it's an especially gruelling workout (although it does actually leave us sore the next day!), but because it's such an uninspiring slog of a DVD to get through.

Now, this isn't a slight on the lovely Debbie. She kicks off each workout with an inspirational message to the camera, and we're sure that if she'd featured in the DVD more, we'd be a lot more positive about it. However, as soon as each of the workouts starts, she goes silent and remains so throughout, the focus moving squarely onto her trainer, Andy. Quite a bit of the time, in fact, Debbie's not even on screen - though if you're lucky, you might see a stray arm or leg sneak into the edge of the shot from time to time.

As an ex-rugby player, Andy clearly knows his stuff when it comes to getting buff; however, he sadly exudes all the personality of the Kabin paperboy. Barely cracking a smile once throughout the DVD's 1 hour 14 minute runtime, Andy is easily the least inspiring of all the trainers in our Corrie exercise DVD collection - he seems to repeat the same tired lines over and over again, and when he congratulates you for doing a great job, he couldn't sound any less genuine. A far cry indeed from bubbly warmth of Bev Callard last week, for sure.

The DVD's presentation is also lacking. The background for the workout is a brick walled rugby club, the camera never really pulling out far enough to see that much of the surroundings. We're sure some people would enjoy looking at the three massive prints of chunky rugby players that hang behind Debbie and Andy during their workout, but they didn't exactly do anything for us. The background music, too, is the blandest of the bland, and the distracting Bulge Buster logo that's constantly in the top right of the screen is completely unnecessary.

The thing is, though, like we suggested at the start of this rant - sorry, review! - we actually think that this DVD could give you the results you're after if you keep it up for long enough. Debbie herself has never looked better - a far cry from the apron-clad frumpy fishwife that is Anna Windass! The five-minute warm up that kicks off the DVD may be rather tame, but the other workouts really did get us out of breath, and we could feel the benefits of doing them the next day.  Each section is a selection of exercises one after another, then the circuit is repeated again.

The cardio circuit is eight minutes long and has you running through a set of jogs and jumps; the nine-minute leg circuit works all the areas you'd expect; the arm circuit will build those biceps and tone those triceps nicely over the course of 12 minutes; and the 15-minute bums and tums section is a decent selection of ab and glute exercises - though we did feel like we could have been worked a little harder on that one. If you're in the mood for a bit of everything, the Full Body Workout - the final section before the cool down - should have you covered, in a routine lasting 12 minutes that touches on all of the main areas of the body.

For us, though, if we're going to come back to a workout DVD over and over again, it has to be fun, and Debbie Rush's Bulge Buster Workout is just not that. If you're looking for a no-frills workout that'll get you breathless, and you aren't really fussed about the fact that this is pretty much a Corrie-themed DVD in name only, maybe you'd like to give it a shot. To be perfectly honest, though, we can't see ourselves going back to this one.

Included in the DVD box is a 14-day, 1500 calorie eating plan, endorsed by Debbie. Each day, you're given a recipe for your morning, afternoon and evening meal, as well as a snack. It's actually a pretty decent and concise menu, and if you're looking to shed the pounds, it could be a worthwhile supplement to any exercise DVD plan - after all, they do say that weight loss is 80% what you eat, 20% exercise!

To find out more about our podcast, search for Conversation Street on iTunes, or go to conversationstreet.podbean.com. If you want to follow Gemma’s blog, all about her fitness journey, and her love of food and fashion, head to www.foodfashfit.com

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

Roy's Role

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


Admittedly, when Hayley died, I feared that Roy would have no real role other than Roy's Rolls café owner and general provider of the goods for cake run, the full English and the sausage sandwich. But I don't think I should have worried. Roy has a definite role and the cobbles is all the better for his presence. (I hope by now you been able to stop laughing at this brilliant play on words or maybe...)

Roy acts as the cobbles' yardstick. Those who accept him and like him are the good people. The ones who criticise him, who are rude and offensive to him, are the morally flawed. Who can forget Tracy's insults to both Hayley and Roy and her shocking attempt to sell them her own baby, claiming that she and Roy had slept together and that, as a result, Tracy had  become pregnant.

Roy first appeared in 1995 as a resident at one of Mike Baldwin's flats  He was initially quite taken with Deirdre and became rather overprotective towards her. Over time, that initial aspect of his character was phased out and marriage with Hayley, who was once  Harold, was the making of Royston Cropper.

It is fair to say that Roy's friendships are quite diverse. One friendship that did develop was the one between him and Carla. That was a masterstroke by the writers. It was Hayley's illness that brought them together, but even after her death they remained firm friends. The fact that they were so different in every conceivable way, worked to make their friendship all the more convincing. Maybe, one reason why an understanding grew between Carla and Roy was because of their unhappy childhoods.

Despite his unhappy childhood, Roy and Hayley became foster parents. Their aim was to offer troubled children a home where they felt valued. And good work they did too, especially when they protected Wayne Hayes from his violent stepfather.

Currently, Roy is being an excellent friend to Ken. He offered Ken a refuge, a sanctuary when he needed it most. Ken is afraid of his family and feels too vulnerable to return home. No questions asked, Roy takes Ken in. Roy's lodger, Brian, is less than keen to have Ken share his space. 'How long before you're ready to  move out?' asks Brian. Roy shuts him down. 'Ken came here for respite and all you can think of is saving your own back.' Roy reiterates to Ken, 'You can stay here as long as you like.' However, Brian cannot resist and adds. 'But there's nothing like your own bed.' In contrast to Roy's offer of an indefinite stay, Brian comes across as thoughtless and selfish.

Brian also lied to Roy when he went to a concert with Cathy. Cathy and Roy? Cathy and Brian? Surely Cathy must realise the superiority of Roy over Brian.

Roy's interests, his ways, his profound love for Hayley and his genuine kindness, all serve to make Roy Cropper one of the Street's greats.

Ruth Owen, twitter: @Ruth1722

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

Why Eileen's new car will end up in carnage

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

Eileen's win of a car in a competition she can't remembering entering sent a shiver of anticipation along our sofa last night.  Because, when you give a woman a set of wheels in Weatherfield then disaster must follow - for it is the Corrie way.

Remember when Karen McDonald won a car for the Barlows on TV gameshow, Top of the Tree. That car ended up on fire and Tracy assumed that Karen had killed Amy, who had been in the car at the time.

Watch the Barlows win the car on the gameshow, here:

 
And what about Vera Duckworth?  She was driving a "cut and shut" car that had been put together by son Terry. Vera bumped the car into Judy Mallett, which ultimately resulted in Judy's death after the crash caused an embolism in Judy's leg.
 

And when Claire Peacock ended up behind the wheel of the Weatherfield Wayfarer she knocked over  Chesney's dog Schmeichel on her first day.

Are there any more examples of women behind the wheel ending in tragedy?  I wonder what lies ahead for Eileen!

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

Todd Grimshaw's personality changes

(This post was originally posted by Sophie Williams on the Coronation Street Blog in April 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)


With the cobbles recently welcoming back lots of old faces as well as new faces, the ever-growing cast makes it difficult sometimes to keep track of who's nasty, who's nice, and who's just settled in between. One of those characters for me who is a little uncertain is Todd Grimshaw.

Todd has always been my favourite Corrie character and throughout his time on Corrie, he's gone through a whole spectrum of personalities. From the too-nice-for-his-own-good teenager in 2001, to villain following his 2013 return, to somewhat nice guy now. For those of you who remember Todd as a young'un way back in the beginning will probably agree with me when I say he was an average character, never stirring trouble or causing general grief. That changed in 2004 however when his biggest storyline at that time kicked off when he began an affair with male nurse Karl Foster while engaged to Sarah Platt, who was also carrying his child. Although his moral compass flailed slightly, Todd's guilty conscience was never far behind. He felt awful for his betrayal but believed that he had to do what was right for him. This storyline ended in the tragic death of his son and Todd's ultimate exit from the Street.

Todd returned to No.11 briefly in 2011 for the Easter Special, bringing his rich boyfriend Jules with him. Todd wasn't himself as he suddenly found himself embarrassed of his hometown and his family. Rowing with Eileen, Todd's conscience eventually caught up with him and he apologised for his behaviour. This slight change in personality was a bit of a flash in the pan though because his stint back was only brief so everyone kind of forgot about it.

2013 came as a real shock for Todd fans when he returned for good but was definitely not the same man who'd left. This "new Todd" was manipulative, a liar, and just downright nasty. While we got reintroduced to Todd we learnt that he was almost sickened by other people's happiness, which ultimately led us to see him do his very best to destroy any and all happiness around him. This was first evident when Todd became dead-set on breaking up Marcus Dent and Maria Connor. Todd was purely cruel and vindictive, but this appeared to quieten down slightly when Marcus waved goodbye after having his life wrecked by Todd.

Todd found himself in a bit of a rut then; his family were disappointed in him, he had no job and no money. Jason's dad, Tony, offered him a lifeline by employing him at the builder's yard where Tony and Todd were quietly scamming their customers. However, this went sour after Todd pushed it too far and Tyrone fell through the floor of his loft conversion due to shoddy materials. Getting disowned by the Grimshaw's came as a wake up call for Todd I think. In my eyes, Todd started to learn that he couldn't blag his way through life and he needed to pull up his socks and sort himself out.

He was starting to turn a corner at the end of 2014 and he felt awful about the way he almost destroyed Jason's business, as well as losing his family. In spite of his efforts though, no one showed up to Todd's reconciliation meal, which caused him to wander home alone only to get violently attacked during a mugging. This event gave Todd his scar and was the beginning of his total undoing. Before this, Todd's key motive for sly comments and arguably vicious behaviour was to get a kick out of hurting people. His actions had no real purpose and were just a bit of fun for him. But something changed at this time. His nastiness turned into something evil, his actions turning into scheming plots.

What Todd did next is actually one of my favourite storylines ever. He made it his mission to make Jason and Eileen pay for his scarring and went about it in the most sick and vile way possible. His first task was to make Jason believe his current girlfriend Eva Price was having an affair with Tony and this worked like a charm. Eva finished with Jason and left him heartbroken, while Todd was secretly thrilled. Task number two was to make Eileen believe that a handsome fella in Dubai was chatting her up on a dating website, when it fact it was Todd. Scarily brilliant, I believe it made an absolutely superb storyline. Todd's an extremely intelligent character and this definitely shone through. Todd knows how people tick, he knows what will hurt them the most, if not completely destroy them emotionally. In the immediate fallout, Todd seemed completely free of remorse. In a twisted way, I think he was actually proud of himself in how it all panned out.

Todd became a character that was so hated, it was engaging to see his vulnerability reappear after Jason got attacked by Callum Logan's thugs. There is a particular scene in the hospital waiting room with Eileen where Todd's conscience was seemingly ripping him apart and the Machiavellian character got emotional when offered a second chance by his mum, prompted by Todd keen to donate a kidney to Jason if he needed it.

After this, Todd's personality seemed to shift again and this is what I'm still trying to work out. Those vindictive and even nasty traits seem to have completely disappeared, having been replaced by someone who actually feels empathy and is aware of the long lasting implications of what he says and does. In so many instances now, Todd definitely seems like the original Todd; the Todd who actually tries not to upset people and steers away from causing unnecessary grief. Admittedly, ever since embarking on a relationship with local vicar Billy Mayhew, Todd has really softened. But here is the cross-path. Where Pat Phelan is concerned, the "new Todd" is still there. Todd really doesn't trust him (and with good reason) and he's very "you push me and I push back" with Pat. That brings me to one of my favourite qualities of Todd's; he's no push over. Since his full return, I'm yet to see anyone who's managed to walk all over Todd. Todd is very much in control about who he is and what he does and I really hope that never changes.

We saw Todd's moral compass falter again last year where he put Billy's job as a vicar in jeopardy and eventually joined the flat scam. But, did his morals really fail or was it just a misjudgment? The way Todd quickly did a U-turn on his involvement in the scam and how regretful he was about calling the Bishop, that was concrete evidence that Todd hadn't truly reverted to type.

While watching Todd go through all of these transformations, I think I can say with confidence that I wasn't the only one wondering what on earth happened to Todd in London. After almost three years of umming and arring about it, we were finally gifted with the story that led to Todd's moral breakdown. It turns out that Todd had his heart broken pretty badly and the writers did an excellent job with this. Over the last three years, Todd kept saying things like "you know I've been hurt a lot in the past" and "if you knew the sort of things that have happened to me". The links between his fractured soul and the reason behind that are really quite obvious. Now we know the truth, it's as if it all starts to make sense and we as viewers can now begin to understand why Todd does what he does.

So what will happen to Todd in the future? As much as I loved Todd as a character making sarky comments and being horrible for the fun of it, in my heart of hearts I think that his softer side will remain firmly in place. Corrie are setting him up for a life with Billy and while he's got Billy, his conscience will always be right behind him. My biggest hope for Todd is that he will keep that edge and that attitude that makes him unique to other characters. He's capable of such dark doings but he does have the power to make a proper life for himself. I like to think that Corrie will pursue the idea of making Todd follow his ambitions to get back into the law career, it gives the character something to focus on.

Love him or hate him, no one can deny that Todd Grimshaw has ever been drama-free. Bruno Langley portrays the role of Todd brilliantly, making him a gripping character to watch and follow. There's so much more to be explored with Todd and I'm sure Corrie have plenty of tricks up their sleeve where Todd is concerned.

Written by @sophie_jw26

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

The Measure Of A Man

(This post was originally posted by Scott Willison on the Coronation Street Blog in March 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Ken Barlow has been on our screens for over fifty-six years, a tenure that has rightly earned Bill Roache a place in the Guinness Book of Records.  Over the decades we've seen Ken grow from an idealistic young graduate to a crotchety grandfather, with about a thousand girlfriends in between.

However, there's another long-standing character whose screen life is, in some ways, even more impressive: Mr David Daniel Platt.

The thing about Ken is; he came to us fully-formed.  The Ken Barlow in the very first episode of Corrie was a grown up.  He could vote, drink beer; he'd already been through his awkward teenage phase and his rebellious student years.  He was a grown up character.

David Platt has lived his entire life on screen.  Every significant moment of it has been catalogued for twenty-six years.  We don't just know his birthday; we know the entire history of his mum and dad's relationship.  We know that Gail considered aborting him.  We know where Gail was when she went into labour (Audrey's house) and we know that Sally Webster was in the bed next to hers in the maternity hospital.  Given a bit of time and calculation, you can probably work out exactly when David was conceived, though why you'd want to is another matter.

Since then, David's life has unfolded right before our eyes.  He's grown from a quiet child to a horrific teen to a (sort of) mature adult.  We've seen him get a pet rabbit, love it, then cry when it died.  We've seen him react to his parents splitting up, to his mum's many, many remarriages.  We know when he lost his virginity (11th January 2008) and to whom (Tina McIntyre).  We've watched him fall in love, get married, father a child, and become a widower.

Is there any other character, in any medium, anywhere, who's been as well documented?  Even on the Street, other characters have drifted in and out.  Tracy Barlow, for example, wandered away to London for a few wilderness years, and then a few more in prison.  Nick has had periods in Canada and Nottingham.  Sarah-Louise went to Milan for seven years.  David's been there, all the time; even when he went to a Young Offender's Institution in April 2008, the cameras followed him there.  Beyond the confines of Weatherfield, what other TV shows have had the duration Corrie has, the ability to actually tell the story of a man's lifetime, every week, for more than a quarter of a century?  Films can't manage it; even novels tend to skip over big periods.  You don't get the minutiae, the school runs, the Christmas dinners, the daft nights out.  David might just show up in one episode, make a couple of wisecracks in the salon, then disappear, but it's another pin; another moment in his life for the records.  The only other character I can think of whose life was documented in such detail was Adrian Mole, and we didn't even meet him until he was 13¾.  We've known David since birth.

David's face might have changed slightly - Thomas Ormson played him until 2000, when the always-excellent Jack P Shepherd took over - but he's always been with us.  He doesn't show any sign of leaving, either, raising the fascinating idea that we could watch David Platt enter middle age, become a grandfather, settle into quiet retirement.  Given all that's happened to him in his life, he should probably be in extremely deep therapy, but still; that's a heck of an achievement, and one we should celebrate.

By Scott Willison (@merseytart)

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Peter Barlow and the Mystery Voicemail

(This post was originally posted by Emma Hynes on the Coronation Street Blog in April 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)

It seems everyone has their suspect of choice when it comes to who attacked Ken, and let’s face it there are plenty to choose from. There is one thing in particular, however, that has left viewers intrigued; Peter’s sudden desperation to get his hands on Simon’s mobile, his dramatic destruction of the device, and the subsequent revelation of a voicemail which he had left his son at 20:35 on the night in question; 28 minutes after the police suspect the attempt on Ken's life took place. In it he said “Hi Si. Look, I’m really sorry. I’m a bad person. I’ve messed up again. I’m gonna have to get away, I can’t stay here, but I want you to know that I love you, okay? Whatever anyone says about me, whatever they say that I’ve done, I love you more than anything.”

(In Canada) Friday's episode  concluded with the voicemail being played in the Bistro for all to hear, and Nick placing the blame for Ken's attack squarely at Peter's door.

But could he really have tried to kill his own father?

With everything that’s happened, it’s not easy to recall just what Peter Barlow was doing on the night of Ken’s attack, that might explain this alarming discovery, and allow us to decide for ourselves if it’s an effort to evade being caught for attempted murder.

DS MacKinnon might think she has a thirst to get to the bottom of a case, and even though I’m more of a Jessica Fletcher when it comes to sleuthing, I do like a good mystery. So, I did a bit of investigating of my own and I present to you the case of Peter Barlow.

24th of March - 3 days before the attack

(In Canada, April 7, 10) Peter learns Tracy can’t get the money to allow him buy the Rovers, and is shocked and furious to see Chloe turn up to gazump him. He threatens her to “Stay away from me, stay away from this street, or I won’t be responsible for my actions. Now, you go home.” Eek!

Her subsequent chat with Ken is littered with truths, half-truths and full-on porkies and he tells her, “you’re not the first person that my son has lied to and hurt, but I’m gonna do my best to make sure you’re the last.”

Peter reveals Chloe’s identity and her wish to get even to Liz and Steve, and they keep the pub on the market just in case.

Ken then tells all to Toyah. On Peter’s return, she asks him if has a guilty conscience and he says no. They fight, and she reveals she knows everything, and it’s thanks to Ken. Simon arrives and she tells him his father has been seeing someone behind her back.

Peter calls to Ken, unleashes a diatribe and trashes a chair. Ken says he wishes he could believe his “lying alcoholic” of a son. Peter responds, “You know I just about had the right idea getting away from here, from you. Save your breath. I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want to see you, I don’t want anything to do with you. You are dead to me.” Heavy stuff, and an amazing scene.

27th of March - date of attack

(In Canada, April 11, 12) Toyah is in Leanne’s ignoring Peter’s calls. Ken meets Peter in the street. They have an altercation where Ken attempts to patch things up, but Peter realises his father still doesn’t believe him and accuses him of ruining his life, declaring, “I’m telling the truth, I’ll prove it to you”.

Peter barges into Chloe’s to giver her a piece of his mind, but she asks him to get down on his knees and beg for pity. “Not a chance, you psychotic cow, you’re insane” he spits before letting himself out. 

Toyah does a flit with Toby as Peter attempts to open the door of the car and stop her, but they speed off leaving him alone in the street. 

Peter hits the Rovers demanding a drink. He grabs a bottle of whisky and leaves £20 on the bar. Back at the flat, he eyes up the whisky and considers ringing Toyah, but doesn’t. 

Liz fills Steve in about Peter and the whisky, and he calls to the flat where they talk self-destruction. “I don’t need to lift a finger Steve” Peter says, “I’ve got me very own wrecking ball. Me Dad.” He muses about how Ken has poisoned Simon against him. “I’ll never ever win while he’s around. I’m an inconvenience. After all these years he still treats me like I’m a child” he tells Steve. 

Steve asks why he doesn’t cut ties with Ken, and Peter notes it’s easier to do so when your father’s in prison. Steve has to go look for missing Amy, leaving Peter alone in the flat. Tempted to drink, Peter instead smashes the bottle and moves to go out.

Ken is in his chair listening to music when there's a knock on the door. It’s Sinead who appears to give up and walk away. The back door opens as Ken is midway up the stairs. He calls out, looking towards the kitchen, but proceeds on up.

Toyah and Toby return and fall out when she chooses Peter. Daniel finds Ken at the bottom of the stairs and Phelan standing over him. 

Toyah bumps into Peter leaving the flat all packed up. She notes he’s cut and he says he smashed a glass. Peter sees the ambulance arrive and remarks, quite genuinely, “Where is that stopping?” He then runs over to number one.

As Ken is loaded into the ambulance, a deeply worried Peter asks Daniel if he will pull through. “Yeah, yeah, course he will, he has to” is the reply.

31st of March - four days after the attack

(In Canada,  April 14, 17) Peter admits to Toyah he was running away. She asks why, and he says "I had a million reasons, I got Chloe turning psycho on me, me Dad thought I was having an affair, I’m a rubbish Dad to Simon, I came this close to drinking again. I’m sorry. Listen to poor me. You know what, I’m just as sick of my pathetic excuses as you are.” They reconcile.

So there you have it. 

For my part, Peter has seemed genuinely worried about Ken in the aftermath, and is the glue holding the family together. I just can’t believe, despite some of the things he said, that Ken would have fallen at his hand. He has also been subjected, deservedly or otherwise, to immense distrust and a lack of faith, and I think he was getting out of town because nobody believed him about either Chloe, or his drinking, and he felt there was nothing for him in Weatherfield. I feel the voicemail apology was for letting his son down for the umpteenth time, and the appeal not to believe what anyone might say he’d done related to alcohol and the affair, not for attempting to kill his father. I believe this voicemail was left from the flat, and Peter packed up and was set to depart just as the ambulance was arriving for Ken.

I think he foolishly attempted to destroy evidence of the message for fear people would misinterpret it, which, it appears, is exactly what has happened.

Of course, all of this is complete speculation, I've no idea who attacked Ken, but having looked at all the evidence regarding Peter, I really don't think it was him.

*** update - 24 April***

Big developments in Monday's Corrie saw Peter confess that a row between Chloe and he occurred at the same time as Ken's attack, and she has the injuries to prove it from an accidental fall. However, we've just witnessed his attempt to get her to vouch for him go catastrophically wrong. 

One thing's for sure, somebody's not telling the truth, but I still don't believe he attacked Ken. Is all of this enough to convince you of his innocence?

By Emma Hynes

www.emmahynes.net

Twitter: @ELHynes

Facebook: @EmmaHynesWrites

Instagram: emmalouhynes

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter