All about Tommy Duckworth

With Terry Duckworth's return this week, I thought it was a good time to look back on the life of his second son, Tommy. Have a look over here to read about Tommy's early days, before he returned to the Street.

There's also a great blog post over here about the return of Terry Duckworth.


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Terry Duckworth's Children

Earlier this year when appearing on ITV's This Morning, Coronation Street Producer Phil Collinson surprised some by admitting he was unaware of the existence of Terry Duckworth's son, Brad Armstrong. So just for his benefit here's a brief potted history of those of Terry's offspring that we know about. Let's face it, he's spent quite a lot of time away from the Street and with his track record there's no small chance that there are others around, waiting to crawl out of the woodwork.

Paul Clayton (b. 1986)

Trombone playing milkman Harry Clayton bought no. 11 off Bill Webster in 1985 and moved in with his wife, Connie and two daughters Andrea and Sue. Andrea started seeing Terry Duckworth but her parents disapproved as they thought she should have been spending more time studying for her A levels and so the pair continued to see each other behind their backs.

The family fell out with the Duckworth's after seamstress Connie ran up a dress for Vera out of some silver lurex that Jack had acquired. Vera hated the finished article and refused to pay for it despite it having been made to her specification. The feud drove a wedge between Andrea and Terry and he tried to ease the situation by paying the bill himself. But it was too late, Andrea finished with Terry and he was stunned, especially when he found out that she was pregnant. He wanted to be involved with their child but Andrea refused and after Vera started to voice plans for her grandchild's future, the Clayton's packed up and moved to Sheffield.

Word eventually got back to Terry that his son, Paul had been born but no more was seen or heard of him until Andrea turned up at the Duckworth's in 2000 in search of a kidney donor for him. Tempted by an inducement of £25000 from Jack, Terry agreed to be the donor but at the last minute he did a runner with the money, leaving his mother to deputise for him.

Paul turned up again in 2007 when he ripped off his grandfather to buy into Lenne Battersby's restaurant which he ended up torching for the insurance money before being caught and then fleeing the country.


Tommy Duckworth (b. 9 September 1992)

Terry fetched up back on the Street in 1992 with his pregnant girlfriend Lisa Horton in tow. Terry didn't stay very long as he ended up in Strangeways on a GBH charge but got day release in order to marry Lisa. After the ceremony Terry was off again but was soon caught and jailed for three years. With Terry in prison, Lisa moved in with her in-laws and Tommy was born later in the year by caesarean section. After Lisa was knocked over by a car on the Street and killed, Jack and Vera looked after Tommy but found it a struggle. When Terry was released from prison on parole, he struck a deal with Tommy's other grandparents, Jeff and Doreen Horton and sold them his son, breaking Vera's heart.

Jack and Vera continued to see Tommy on their frequent visits to Blackpool but he wasn't seen on the Street until he returned from travelling in 2011, unaware of the deaths of Jack and Vera.

Brad Armstrong (b. 14 February 1997)

When Tricia Armstrong moved in to No.1 to look after it for Mike Bladwin in 1994, she befriended Jack and Vera. A couple of years later she met Terry who was back again to try to extract more money from Jeff Horton for Tommy and his parents, who were now running The Rovers. After Tricia got drunk one night, Terry escorted her home with pregnancy resulting.

Jack offered her money for an abortion but Tricia refused and instead Jack and Vera took in her and her son Jamie. The baby was born five weeks premature on Valentine's day 1997 in the back room of the pub, with Betty Williams acting as midwife. Tricia named him Brad after Brad Pitt and wasted no time in bouncing back at life, taking up with Ray Thorpe who she met in a club. He was quickly dropped when Terry reappeared on the scene but he had no interest in either her or his son and so pretty soon Tricia and her kids moved out of the Rovers and went to live on the other side of Weatherfield with Ray.

Are there any other missing children out there that we haven't seen or heard about for a while? There's one of Ken's kids, Daniel Osbourne, who made an all too brief appearance a while back and didn't Kevin Webster have another child sometime? I think he was called Jack.

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Sympathy for Stella? (small spoiler)

(This post was originally posted by Clinkers (David) on the Coronation Street Blog in April 2012.)

To paraphrase Shakespeare (or possibly Margaret Drabble), she's more sinned against than sinning. I speak of the saintly Stella Price, the Rovers landlady who suffereth like no other ever to tread t'cobbles. Are we warming to this (bottle) blonde harridan? Do our eyes moisten as we watch her face life's hard battles?

Let's face it, Stella has hardly been blessed with the most joyous of families. Her partner is a gambler with a Lancashire accent so thick that Mary's mobile home could get stuck in it. One of her daughters is a wooden spoon with a blonde wig and has no discernible personality. The other is coke-snorting ex prozzie who shrieks and seems welded to her ugly red coat. Soon to arrive on the scene is Stella's mother, Sheila Grant/Barbara Royle, who will no doubt spend her time either screaming in anguish or asking Stella what she had for her tea.

Then we have Stella's staff. Oh dear. She's stuck with dreary old Sean, a twenty-first century Bet Lynch who'll be slipping into single entendres before the year is out. Poor old Stella also has to contend with Vinegar T*ts Tina, surely the world's sourest barmaid. With her miserable dispostion and lived-in face, it must come as a relief to have any customers left at all. Then we have Sunita, wicked old unfaithful Sunita, dressed as if she was an accountant who had popped into the circus big top on her way in. Surely Stella has realised that all Sunita ever does is arrive, jiggle her baps around for a few minutes, look worried and then collect her coat and march out.

Stella needs to increase her takings in order to pay off Karl's debts. It may take some time, as she's hardly going to rack up a fortune based on Ken's half pint and Emily's sweet sherry. No, she needs to cultivate some of the borderline alcoholics. Deirdre's the kind of woman who would probably slurp wine from a plastic bucket given the chance and Rita must be 90% vodka at least by now.

So let's form a caring circle around this most misunderstood of women. Weep into a pint pot at the very thought of her plight on those northern backstreets. People of Britain (and Canada of course) - Stand Strong with Stella!

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Terry Duckworth - profile of Coronation Street's bad lad

With thanks to Corriepedia for this profile of Terry Duckworth, who returned  to Coronation Street this week.


Terence Edgar "Terry" Duckworth was the son of Jack and Vera Duckworth.

Terry was born in June 1964 and moved to Coronation Street with his parents in 1983 after finishing a stint in the Parachute Regiment. Like his dad, Terry was a jack the lad, always up for a good get-rich-quick scheme. He went into business with Curly Watts before leaving Weatherfield with a married woman in 1987.


After leaving the Street, Terry's roguish streak turned into a sinister, avaricious edge. Jack quickly cottoned on to the fact that Terry was a bad 'un but Vera stood by her son until the bitter end. Terry usually appeared in the Street when he thought he could get money out of Jack and Vera; among his most despicable deeds were selling his son Tommy to his late wife Lisa's parents, forcibly removing him from Jack and Vera's care, selling Vera a dodgy car which resulted in Judy Mallett suffering a fatal embolism, and doing a runner with money Jack paid him to donate a kidney to his son Paul Clayton, leaving Vera to face the dangerous operation herself.

Terry fathered three sons by three different women; Paul Clayton and Brad Armstrong were both the results of flings, but he shirked the responsibility of actually raising them (although undoubtably they were better off without him).


Terry returned to the street in 1992 with his new pregnant girlfriend Lisa Horton - Tommy Duckworth's mum - but ended up being banged up in prison after committing GBH and Lisa told his parents about him being sent down. Terry later married Lisa, but used this as an excuse to get out of prison and did a runner, but was eventually recaptured a few days later and was sent back to prison. Lisa had given birth to his son Tommy in September that year, but was later hit by a car outside the Rovers the following year. Jack and Vera had later started to look after Tommy.

When Terry got out of prison in December 1993, he took his son Tommy and sold him to his parents-in-law the Hortons, stating that Jack and Vera weren't able to take care of Tommy. Terry tried to make up an excuse saying it wasn't about the money, but Jack saw right through Terry and punched him. Terry left the street once again.

He however returned to the street a couple of years later with Tommy due to Lisa's parents failing to pay the money in order to keep him. When he was back, he had a one night stand with Tricia Armstrong which ended up with her being pregnant to his son Brad. He tried to play the model son with his parents as he wanted to make easy cash as they where now running the Rovers Return, however the pub was absorbing a lot of their profits leaving Jack and Vera with little. Terry later re-sold his son back to the Hortons, which led to Vera writing Terry out of her will and Jack refusing to even acknowledge his existence. Terry left the street once again.


In April 1997, he made another brief visit to visit Tricia who gave birth to their son, although he barely could remember her name. Tricia was happy for him to be there, but when she later realised that Terry could never become a father to Brad, she left the street with her boyfriend Ray Thorpe.

Terry tried to cheat his parents once again by trying to steal the takings they earned from the Rovers. When Jack gave Terry an envelope full of money to take to the bank, Terry decided to do a runner with the cash, however he later found out that the envelope wasn't full of money, but rather just cut up newspaper. He returned to the pub angry at his father, but Jack revealed that he knew that Terry would make a run with the money, so decided to trick him. Feeling disgraced, Terry left the street once again.

He turned up again in 1999 where he sold Vera a posh car, however it turned out to be a death trap which resulted in the death of Judy Mallett. When he turned up again on Christmas that year, he was punched by Judy's widowed husband Gary for causing her death. Jack told his son how much misery he caused everyone and never to darken their doorstep again, and Vera finally stood up to her son telling him how evil he was, and threw him out. Terry hated the fact that Tyrone Dobbs moved into Jack and Vera's and became a second son to them.

He turned up in November 2000 when his son Paul Clayton needed a kidney transplant, and Terry was a right match. Terry agreed to giving the transplant if Jack gave him money. However when he got the money, Terry took it and fled leaving his mother to donate her kidney instead, which nearly resulted in her death, but managed to save Paul's life. Terry later turned up at the hospital unnoticed by his parents to check if his parents where alright, before disappearing.

In October 2001, Terry ended up in prison once again as he was framed for murder by a policeman for sleeping with his wife. Jack decided to help his son out as he realised he was telling the truth, and Terry was released from prison in January 2002. He made his peace with his parents before leaving again. Sometime later he moved to Wolverhampton and went into Mobile Phone sales.

When his mother Vera passed away in January 2008, Terry came for her funeral. He failed to recongise his son Paul and was just mostly there to make sure Jack didn't expect him to move in with him. Terry told his dad not to sell his house to Tryone and his fiancee Molly Compton as he should keep it in the family. He also told his son Paul that he won't be back until Jack snuffs it. Terry then left the street one last time and never came back.


When his father passed away nearly 3 years later, Terry was contacted by Tyrone over Jack's passing, however Terry made up an excuse saying it was "too far" for him to travel for Jack's funeral, which left Tyrone disgusted.


And now in spring 2012, Terry will return to Coronation Street. Does he know his son Tommy is living in his old family home? What's he coming back for and what trouble will he, undoubtedly cause?

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New Facebook Group for American Corrie Fans

Coronation Street fans in America can now get together on Facebook to discuss goings on in Weatherfield.

Check out the new American Corrie Fans group on Facebook here. 

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Fab Photo Friday For the return of Terry Duckworth

It's Friday again so it's time for this week's fab Coronation Street photo. I can only apologise for yet another photo of members of the cast indulging in acts of violence but with the news this week that rTerry is going to be returning to the cobbles, it seemed only fitting. First here's two people who wouldn't be too chuffed about his return:

And here's how one of them might well react: 

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Sneak Preview of next week's Canadian Corrie, July 2 - 6

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

Terry offers Tommy a job. The residents discover the real nature of the new nightclub and take a stand. Or rather a sit-in (with a very funny scene involved at one point. Don't miss it!). Kirsty and Tyrone try to get to the bottom of it and Kirsty's career suffers for it and she takes it out on Tyrone. Tommy lends more than a helping hand to Terry.

Betty's wake in the pub has one surprising bequest received. Sean tries to fullfill the bequest but runs into problems. Sally gets a let down and Carla gets a surprise. Kevin consoles Sally. Are they going to reconcile? What will Sally decide about Jack? Karl and Sunita continue their affair. Julie and Brian get some devastating news.

The War of the Salon comes to a crashing halt as Audrey's health takes a turn for the worse. David tries to make amends and falls out with Kylie.


For more detail and photos, see the Moosejaw Mercury at Corrie.net


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Three cheers for RTerreh!

(This post was originally posted by me on the Coronation Street Blog in April 2012.)

Terry Duckworth comes back to our screens next week. Judging from the tone of most of the comments on various blog posts we've done on the subject, a good many of our readers aren't looking forward do his return.

I've always enjoyed Terry's character. He's horrible and nasty, selfish and greedy and without any redeeming qualities. And you know what? He always manages to shake things up.

He's a classic villain. Even more, he's a Panto villain. He wasn't so bad when he first came to Coronation Street but he evolved into a one dimensional all around bad guy. You just never know what he's going to stir up each time he comes back.

We were all horrified when he sold Tommy to the Hortons. We cheered when Jack thumped him for it. We cheered even louder when Gary Mallett landed a roundhouse on his jaw after the car he sold Vera proved unsafe, ending in the death of Gary's wife Judy. We knew darn well Terry would take the money and run when his oldest son needed a kidney transplant. He did attend his mother's funeral but only to see if there was any money in the will and he avoided his father's funeral with a lame excuse. 

Is it unrealistic for him to return to open up a club on Coronation Street? Yes. But I see this as a catalyst which will cement Tina and Tommy as a couple. Tommy never knew his father and as we know, for very good reason. I'm sure there will be more to this story than just a reunion and eventual let down. That's not a spoiler, folks, that's an inevitability. A lap dancing club is a sleazy enterprise and it's suited to Terry Duckworth, wouldn't you say? I reckon it's only going to invite trouble, if it even manages to open. Assuming that Tommy will be told his father's  history at some point, and it's a pretty safe bet that Terry will do something to let Tommy down, Tina will be there to pick up the pieces.

And to everyone that's making cheap shots at the weight Nigel Pivaro has gained over the years, what difference does it make? Most people I know like Coronation Street because the characters and actors are realistic looking. They aren't all skinny, shiny, glossy and beautiful though of course some are very nice looking, they wear the same clothes over and over and most of them struggle to make ends meet like the rest of us. 

Terry is who he is. You know what you're going to get. He was a handsome young man who has gone to seed now he's in middle age, through drink, living the low life and since there's no such thing as a magic painting in the garret, it's going to show.

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Nigel Pivaro: "Corrie tempted me back into acting"

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

There's a good interview with Coronation Street actor Nigel Pivaro, who is returning soon as Terry Duckworth, in this week's fab Inside Soap magazine.

Nigel says that he's been working as a journalist for the last 5 years and when he got the call from Corrie to ask him if he wanted to return, he was delighted to be asked.  He says that only Corrie could have tempted him away from his day job to return to acting.

It's an interesting, long, read and Nigel says it's strange being back on the cobbles without the actors Liz Dawn and Bill Tarmey on set, who played his on-screen parents Jack and Vera Duckworth. 

Nigel says: "I shed a few tears for Liz and Bill when they came out of the show.  I've tried to prepare myself for them not being around but there's still a strangeness to it. I keep expecting Bill to turn up behind me armed with a script and ask when we're going to run lines together. They were a big presence in the green room, so it's odd."

Anyway, there'll be plenty to keep Nigel busy while he's back on Coronation Street as Terry meets his son Tommy, sets up a lap-dancing club and manages to upset just about all of the residents.  Nigel is back on our screens as Terry Duckworth on Monday 16th April and will be on the cast for a couple of months.

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John and Yoko or David and Kylie

(This post was originally posted by Ruth Owen Varley on the Coronation Street Blog in April 2012.)

Such a brilliant line from Owen on arriving early to change the locks on Audrey's salon! On entry, his remark, 'Blimey it's John and Yoko' addressed to the barely awake David and Kylie, was sheer genius and delivered so well. And that wasn't all. When Audrey suggests that it might have been a good idea for Owen to consult her before changing the locks, once again his quick-wittedness comes to the fore with the question, 'Why love, you a locksmith?' The use of 'love' bothers some people, they feel it's condescending or patronising. Obviously, it depends on the context and the participants. Usually, it does not bother most of us at all if people call us love. That said, viewers will no doubt be shocked by Kylie repeatedly calling Audrey, her grandmother-in -law, love. It is wholly inappropriate and Kylie knows it, which is exactly why she's using it. It can be a huge put-down and a direct ploy to belittle and undermine.

Kylie is proving herself, more and more, to be a force to be reckoned with. We mustn't forget that she sold her son to her sister, Becky. Norris' comment that she's 'practically feral' was interesting. Much of what Norris says must be taken with a pinch of salt, but perhaps he has a point here. The way Kylie's character is developing is fascinating. She is ferocious and makes David look practically angelic! Her remark concerning Audrey and Lewis as Camilla and Charles was amusing but there's a spitefulness underlying her comments. 'Posh boy' as a nickname for Lewis again is more lightly amusing and that is partly because as yet, we viewers are not sure whether we trust Lewis. Time will tell...

The humour was top notch on Friday's first episode. Audrey, when called gran by David, quickly retorts, 'as was' as she steps out of Mary's motor home. As for Mary, her description of one of her apples taking on a new guise as a kiwi fruit and then adding that the hair was orange, was an example of the brilliance of the script, once again. To call anyone's hair orange is unkind but when fuelled by jealousy and aimed at the ultra glamorous Rita, it smacks of a vicious insult. Though Mary and Kylie are very different types of women, they both have alarmingly vitriolic streaks.

As for Mary's uninhibited singing and dancing in The Kabin, when she thought she was alone well, where are you, Simon Cowell?

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What's next for Steve and Tracy?

(This post was originally posted by me on the Coronation Street Blog in April 2012.)

I've been thinking. And that usually leads to a blog post wherein I ramble a bit. Today's ramble is a musing on what might happen with Steve and Tracy, as individual characters, not as a couple. I definitely think they should not be together and I shall be very disappointed if they are thrown back at each other.

So for your perusal, I offer you this blog post.  What do you think should happen to them? Should Steve find the love of his life or is he better off alone? Should Tracy land back in the nick or should she stick around and make life miserable for everyone?

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Sunita the siren! David and his new boss Aaron

(This post was originally posted by Ruth Owen Varley on the Coronation Street Blog in April 2012.)

Well, well Sunita! How she has changed. My view of her as a rather timid woman, devoted to family life is rapidly altering. She is dressing so provocatively now too and obviously men are going to notice that she is indeed a fine-looking woman.

We saw it coming, of course, that Karl and Sunita would get together. Both of them are vulnerable at the moment, but is that really sufficient excuse? With Karl still at Sunita's when Stella calls and Sunita doing her 'loyal' friend bit, Karl takes advantage later of Stella's reply that, 'it's hard not to' when asked if she still loves him, thereby capitalising on his enforced eavesdropping. Stella's comment that Karl obviously sees Sunita 'as a friend' must have made Sunita wince guiltily.

And as for Dev? Well he won't be having much of a holiday on continuous child care duty. Can't help but think that Sunita will be more appreciative of him on his return. Very intriguing to speculate where the writers might go with these two couples. Stella and Dev? I can't quite see it yet, but I remain open-minded. Just to finish on the Karl and Stella situation, viewers may have noticed the final exchange between the two of them; Stella says she doesn't 'want any more secrets' and Karl, so soon after leaving Sunita's, boldly states, 'You can trust me.' Let's see...

Very much enjoyed the scene in David's new salon, run by Aaron the Arrogant! Picked up for not having immediately swept up the 'split ends' the second the client left, David is told he should 'lose the attitude' because he's supposed to be 'wowing' his new boss, who then goes on to say, in his best hairdresser's jargon, 'In the cutting game there are no short cuts.' I do hope David doesn't get the sack immediately as Aaron makes for scintillating viewing. With a bit of luck there'll be another scene in the salon tonight.

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What are you loving and hating about Corrie right now?

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

Anyone who watches any TV programme for long enough will fall in and out of love with the show, especially when it's their favourite telly programme ever.  And because it's your favourite programme, you expect so much from it and when it doesn't deliver the goods, it disappoints like no other telly programme can.

Is Corrie delivering the goods for you now?  The jury's out on the sofa in our house. 

Things I'm LOVING about Coronation Street right now include Sylvia, Audrey and the Platts, Rita and Dennis, Eileen, Paul, Lesley and the Alzheimer's storyline - because it's been done so well despite the fact it's ended so abruptly with no mention of Social Services and the help they can provide

But, come on Corrie, there's plenty for this fan (of 40 years) to not give a toss about right now. Top of the list for this fan, surprise surprise is Stella - her accent of course, is still bad. This week she told Eva "close the door arfter you leave". No Northerner, ever, ever says "arfter".  There is only one r in after.  And then she threw Karl out which I felt was good to see, finally, I thought, the woman's got a backbone. And then she took him back despite him being responsible for putting her dream of running the Rovers into jeopardy. That's not being a feisty, strong woman. That's just being soft in the head.  Also, Karl and Sunita have no chemistry and are awkward to watch, as are Tommy and Tina and I remained unconvinced that there's a point to Maria.



But enough about my moaning. What are you loving and hating about Corrie right now?  What would you change if you could?

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On Corrie: Very Big Issues

(This post was originally posted by Ruth Owen Varley on the Coronation Street Blog in April 2012.)

On Friday so many big issues were on the Street. To mention one, there was the issue of child custody as Peter told the counsellor that all Leanne wanted to do was punish him by applying for custody of Simon. Maybe, just maybe there is some truth in this claim, but Leanne fired back with the superb retort that Peter leads an 'erratic and unstable' lifestyle and at the moment it would be hard to refute such a statement.

Then of course there was the issue of Anna, refusing to be bought by Owen and her proud declaration that she is 'not for sale.'

Gambling, debt and broken relationships were in there as was the great likelihood of an extra marital affair. Sunita's attraction to Karl is unmissable.

On a lighter note it was good to see Sylvia loosen up, thanks to the sherry and turn herself into a gossip bank. As she said, Karl certainly was getting 'what for' and it seems unlikely Stella will welcome him back any time soon.

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Shobna's enjoying Sunita's new storyline

(This post was originally posted by me on the Coronation Street Blog in April 2012.)


There's a chatty interview today in the Scottish Daily Record with Shobna Gulati who plays Our Sunita. I've always liked Shobna and have met her on one occasion. She's sparky and fun and sincere. It's also nice to see Sunita glammed up behind the bar because she's been dowdy for too long!

In the interview she talks about her character's affair with Karl, calling it a "huge change in direction for stable, reliable Sunita". She puts the blame squarely on Dev who has underappreciated her for years. She sees Sunita as looking for something for herself now that her children are no longer babies and her husband/partner is undermining her and taking her new job as a joke. Sunita is blooming under the attentions of a new man.

She also talks about struggling with self esteem and body image and how important it is for women and young girls to have a more realistic example to look up to. She's not comfortable with fame and got into acting for herself, for the work and the performance moreso than being famous for it.

It's a good interview and gives you a bit more of the woman behind the character.

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Corrie Canada weekly awards: June 18 - 22

Diem Horribilus award: Sunita's day went from bad to worse to drunk to embarassing.

Building Bridges award: Carla and Sally finding common ground and a bit of peace. That was the nicest scene of the week!

Clingy award: Eva's starting to make Nick's commitment alarm ring loudly and clearly!

NotFather of the year award: Sean hasn't spoken to Violet for ages? You'd think now he's in Dylan's life, he'd be in touch all the time! And he's jealous of the attention Marcus is giving Liam.

Musical ambience: "Never gonna give you up" playing to Ken and Deirdre's separation.

That's You Told award: Deirdre stubbing out her cig in Ken's tea mug! (snork! Nice touch!)

Pretentious twit award: Ken, wearing a silk kimono, listening to classical music and looking for a cafetiere in Steve's flat. He's flirting and conversing with the cab customers on the phone, too.

It's not about you award: Belligerent Star: Paul needs his head knocking against something hard. He wants Eileen and he couldn't see Lesley needs something he can't give her anymore and he can't have it both ways.

Voice of Reason award: As much as it pains me, Tracy really did tell Paul the home truth about Lesley and about him using Eileen. Jason added to the mix with very valid concerns. Paul has blinders the size of dinner plates on. More denial than a thing in denial.

Bridezilla's Back! Mary is in danger of taking over Rita's wedding and hen night if Rita doesn't keep her wits about her.


Hidden Agenda award: Gold Star: Methinks Kylie is more concerned about the Salon than Lewis' motives.

Extreme measures award: Gail has cut off ties with her mother over Lewis hoping for a bluff. Audrey changed the locks on the salon. David's getting legal advice.

Charmed, I'm Sure award: Sylvia was fawning all over Lewis, even offering free condiments!

Herculean vermin award: The rat managed to lift the lid on the breadbin and get in and close it again!

Miracle man: Gold Star: Marcus' Day Care open for business! Whatta Guy!

Pants on Fire award: Not sure I buy Kirsty's sob story about her horror ex boyfriend. It was a bit over the top. Bid for sympathy, I think. And Karl is lying about his finances and robbing the safe. Dev said he tried to cancel the holiday and he didn't.

Ulterior motive award: Gold Star: Kirsty played matchmaker with Tommy and Tina to get them out from under Tyrone's radar, I think.

Gracious award: Chocolate star: Fiz was a lot kinder to Sally than she has been or even would have been to Fiz in the same circumstances. And she knew it. 

Prat of the week award: Gold Star: Karl robbed the pub. Then borrowed money off Sunita and gambled it on the dogs.

The Penny Dropped award: Copper Star: Stella finally put the clues together and figured out that Karl robbed the pub.

Take Charge award: Beth was actually really good with Lesley.

Lines of the Week:
Gail "This is my mother you're conning with your oily gigilo ways!"
Dev "Don't tell me, it was a cry for help" Sunita "No, Dev, it was a scream"
Tracy to Ken "It must be so nice being retired. No work to go to, pottering about all day" (Ironic, much?)
Deirdre about Ken "Sometimes, just sometimes, he's got a face you want to smack" (must run in the family! And may I just say Dev's smug smirking gob is a very close runner up)
Gail "I don't like atmospheres, me. I'm very sensitive to them" (Then don't start them!) and "Me own mother! telling me I'm unloveable"
Steve "Ken doesn't flounce"
Tracy about Lesley "The woman is knitting with one needle"
Ken "You call her Fat Brenda? But not to her face" Steve "NO. no. Be...cause that would be wrong. And possibly suicidal"
Kylie "Love is the drug and Lewis is crack"
Eileen speaking the truth "Lesley deserves a lot more than your guilt trip"
Steve "Come and join us, we'll share a pipe of peace" Deirdre "I'd rather have a cigarette"
Julie "Tracy Barlow's not economical with the truth, she's positively stingy!"
Eileen "I've just seen Gail Platt going to work in overalls carrying a mop and bucket. It's the little things that make life worthwhile!"
Sunita to Karl "Don't worry. I'm not going to kiss you again" (Well, she did!)
Tracy "No need to sneak around now that Lesley Ga Ga's been locked up"
Kirsty "I'd like to bury the hatchet" Tina "Where, in my head?"

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Andy Whyment says he'll never quite Corrie

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

Andy Whyment, who plays Coronation Street's Kirk Sutherland, says he's got no plans to leave Corrie.  In an interview with the Manchester Evening News, Andy talks about recently taking part in ITV’s Dancing On Ice and says there’s no fear of him ever giving up the day job as Kirkeh.

He says: “I’ve always said I’ll stay at Corrie as long as they’ll have me, I’ve been there 12 years now and I can honestly say I enjoy it as much today as I did the very first day when I started. I don’t know what’s going to be next for Kirk, but it’d be nice to have a bit of a storyline to be honest when I go back. I just enjoy working there, and whatever they give me I’ll be happy with.”

Andy adds that his Corrie bosses gave him their blessing for him to take part in Dancing On Ice – and gave him an extra five weeks off to take part in the tour, which calls at the Manchester Arena on April 18 and 19.

So - what storylines would you like to see for Kirk in the coming months?

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Sunday Canadian Corrie Comments, June 23

As we all know, affairs don't stay secret for long and Lewis and Audrey's has been busted by David and Gail. I can't really blame them for being angry and upset and worried given Lewis' past antics. Do you think he's changed? I keep going back to how he never got in touch with Audrey to apologize or turn himself in until they came across him by accident in a country pub. He never would have otherwise so should we be suspicious? But then again, would they make Audrey go through him scamming her all over again? I don't think so. Anyway i'm glad Audrey sent them packing with a flea in their collective ear. It's her life, her decision. Gail is allowed to object but after that, she should keep her gob shut. Deciding to sever Audrey from her life is a bit extreme and indeed it didn't last too long. Alarm bells ring out when Audrey decides to sell the salon and go on a world cruise with Lewis. Is he after her money after all? Ah but David's name is on the salon now even if Audrey is nominally still in charge and he's not giving it up and nor will ambitious Kylie let him!

Elsewhere Deirdre is gossiping in the Kabin about Audrey and Lewis in full snog on the street and Norris is following the gossip around like a mad thing in heat. Rita is not judging. Norris is. Deirdre asks for cigarettes to ease the pain. Gail has started an unending stream of vitriol every time she sees Lewis, even in the Bistro while she's at work. Surely Nick has to put a lid on that? He tried but it didn't do any bit of good. You'd almost think Gail was jealous of her mother finding someone to love and maybe Lewis is right about Gail not being happy. When is she ever? I do wonder why they think Audrey's worked hard all her life for her money when she hasn't. She's worked hard in the 12 or 13 years since Alf died and his insurance died with him. Hardly the same thing. She was a gadabout before that.

Thus begins the Wars of the Salon. I have to say this is a great storyline, multi generational, and it's going to bring out the worst in everyone! That's much more fun! Kylie's egging David on, Gail's sniping for all she's worth, Audrey's sighing and being stubborn. Lewis is being charming and oily. Nick is trying to play the neutral line. Marvellous! Probably if Kylie hasn't been so forceful, David might back down. Audrey changed the locks and took David's name off the bank accounts. Not sure if she can legally. Solicitors are getting involved. Letter in hand, Audrey tries to sack David and she's getting more and more stressed and upset. That can't be good for her blood pressure. Lewis offers a weekend away since a cruise seems to be off the boards and David appears to have remained sacked for the time being.. I think David is legally in the right, even if perhaps not morally but given Lewis' history, can't blame he and Gail for worrying. Still, Gail's gone over the top yet then says they should all back down. That's going to last about 5 minutes.

Sunita has, pretty much overnight, turned into the street slapper hasn't she? Granted, she's got cause to be ticked off mightily at Dev. She's felt neglected, he's holding Amber's departure over her head (when i think that was a bit of each of the women to blame but daddy's girl can do no wrong and boy didn't she use it?) She got drunk (Terrible, appalling acting in that scene!) and got arrested and he just left her there, with no remorse. Karl, the white knight, rescued her and she gave him a kiss for thanks. Boy did she ever. Can you see Rebound?

But to be fair, Sunita is right about Dev. He treats her like the little woman who should be all things to the family while he does what he wants. It's a very old fashioned and mysogynistic attitude. And after all that rowing, when Sunita says she wants an early night, Dev reckons that means a bit of rumpy pumpy (like that would happen when she's feeling like she is!). That only proves Sunita's point, really.

Things are not good in the Alahan house and Dev seems to have allowed their differences to be aired in front of the children. Not to say they wouldn't have picked up on an atmosphere anyway. Maybe a clue wormed its way into Dev's brain because he finally offered to make a meal and sit down and talk like adults. He's even booked them a family holiday. To a golf resort for him and Aadi mainly. Same old same old. What Dev wants is the only thing that matters. So Sunita is staying at home and they leave. What will Dev do with Asha while he and Aadi are golfing? And I presume this is the Easter break for school.

Meanwhile, Karl is hiding bill reminders from Stella (maxed out credit cards for gambling purposes, probably) and he's taking cab customers illegally (I forgot, was he sacked from Streetcars? If so how could he get his hands on the cab even if he still had his license?) Well if he wasn't sacked before, he is now. Next, he stole money from the pub day's takings. He then made it look like a breakin with an open door and an open safe door. Who forgot to lock it? You can understand the back door, possibly the alarm perhaps but would you ever put money in a safe and then forget to lock it? All very suspicious but nobody puts the pieces together.

He didn't call the police, making excuses about insurance, but that didn't work, so Stella did it. She doesn't understand how someone would get into the safe so easily and reckons all the staff know the combination. Really???? That's not very...er... safe is it? More contrived storyline, all to get Sunita to walk out in a huff feeling accused and Karl to go chasing after her. All for him to confess to her and her to kick back, as you would! And he paid the 2000 quid out and ended up back on Sunita's doorstop for another 300 which he promptly took to the betting shop. Can you say MUG? Then when the bailiffs arrive for repayment of his debts, even Eva has to borrow money from the Bistro. That's what it took for the penny to drop about the robbery.

Tracy really should have a job. Steve pays her maintenance for Amy and she's pretty much living in the house rent free. She cadges and cajoles money off her father and Steve and her mother regularly. She may be getting single mother benefits that she may not be entitled to now that she's technically married. I hope Steve has filed for a formal separation at least, even if he can't get a divorce for a year. Ken is also right about Tracy fobbing Amy off whenever she can. Though to be fair, is it really Ken's job to insist that she get a job since she's not living under his roof? I supose, since he's probably doling over cash fairly regularly including extra groceries for feeding Amy probably more than Tracy does.

Very funny scene where Tracy found Beth's son's rat in the breadbox though that must have been a super power rat to be able to get the lid up and hide inside. I can't blame her for being squicked though, even if it's a pet rat... it's a flaming rat! Also very funny was Ken getting drunk in the pub and boring the face off Steve. You don't see that too often. Even better, watching "Ken" chug a pint of beer and belching! hahahahaah! Dev needs his car to pick up the kids from Bessie Street school which is only a few short blocks away. Surely he could walk? He doesn't mind if it's an 18 hole golf course after all.

Steve made the mistake of offering Ken a place to stay if things ever got on top of him and after another row with Deirdre, he took Steve up on the offer! Now he's got to put up with the sight of Ken's skinny white legs in that kimono. Probably Deirdre wouldn't let him wear it at home because of the reminder of Martha! Ken's insisting on working the cab switch but gets into long conversations with each client which is going to mean a busy signal for anyone else that calls. Ooops!

The fallout of the murder confession continues. Stella now feels guilty after all for thinking Carla lied about being raped, and i'm sure a few other people have had that same feeling. Leanne's just pissed about Peter's fake confession. She's on a mission. Sally is recovering and Carla has gone to make peace with her. That was nice and those were really good scenes. Carla was damn gracious giving Sally back her job though i don't think it will continue to be in a admin role. She and Michelle would probably tear each other to bits in the end if that was the case. Sally's home and recovering but why on earth would Fiz visit her? That makes no sense to me considering how vile Sally has been to Fiz in the past over John. I guess this was Fiz's way of burying the hatchet but it still should have come from Sally first as Sally was always in the wrong there.

Anyway, Sally thinks she might be able to buy Frank's share of the factory when the will is probated because she's still got most of the money Kevin gave her from his lottery win. Can you imagine Sally as co-owner of the factory? She was power hungry enough when she was only the PA. She'd be even more unbearable as boss but Carla may not have a choice if the finances are that bad.

Meanwhile, Sophie just seems to drift in and out of scenes with no purpose aside from listening to people. I think she needs a purpose and a storyline, don't you?

Paul and Eileen are still turning my stomach, carrying on while poor Lesley is making sandwiches in the middle of the night and wondering where the heck she is. I really do think Paul is being very selfish. He even offers Eileen a night off but then turned around and cancelled it to cover a workmate that called in sick. He didn't have to say yes. I know he's in a difficult position but surely Social Services can help?

And for once it seems Steve remembered his friendship with Eileen. Look how that ended up! Amy went off for a walk with Lesley. It's ok, she thinks, she's met her so Lesley isn't a stranger. But nobody knows where they went and the grownups know Lesley is volatile. As upset as Tracy was, she blasted Paul and to be truthful, some of what she said was right on the money even if some of it was a bit over the top as well. Jason also gave Paul a blast.Paul figures it's none of Jason's business but I think it is. That's his mother that's suffering as the brunt of this situation. Eileen can see the truth too and finally puts her foot down and ends it.

The next day Paul seems to have reached his limit. Yet even at the beginning he tries to blame Eileen's friends for influencing her, still not able to see the truth. But when he catches her tearing up their wedding photos, he hits the wall leaves Lesley alone. Eileen and Beth find her cowering in a corner. Beth is actually quite good with Lesley after all she'd been moaning and making noises about Lesley prior to this. Paul and Eileen are back hand in hand after that and Paul has finally started to make arrangements to take Lesley to a specialized care facility. It broke his heart to leave her there and she didn't even remember who he was when he left. I do feel sorry for him in his situation, I just wish Eileen wasn't part of it.

Eileen promptly invites Paul to move in again and Sean and Marcus return as well. Jason is less than impressed by Paul's presence, obviously but he's still not letting anyone like Tracy Barlow slag off Eileen in public.

Eva's starting to hint broadly about more of a committment with Nick and his radar bells are going off. Karl mentioned they were out of hotpots. Why would he suggest calling Betty at home to see if she's made another batch of hotpot? Why would she make it at home? And if she's made it at the pub, there's only two placed they'd be, in the fridge or in the freezer. Several scenes later, Sunita has hotpots and says they're running low. So which is it?

Kirsty still isn't happy that Tyrone wants to spend time with his mates, especially as she has a water birth dvd for him to see. *gulp* They end up double dating with Tommy and Tina because Kirsty won't let Ty out on his own. Kirsty tells Tina about an ex boyfriend who cheated on her with her best mate. I'm not sure if i buy it but we'll let that be for now. Maybe Kirsty isn't a liar even if she does manipulate. It *seemed* sincere and there was no smug look after the tale when Tina's back was turned. She even played matchmaker between Tina and Tommy though she's probably got an agenda there. If they're occupied with each other, Tommy won't occupy Tyrone's time so much. (Isn't Natalie Gumede excellent?)

Awww Tommy's granddad Geoff has died. That must be difficult since he's the only father figure Tommy really had other than Jack who was more granddaddy than father-y. Naturally Tyrone spent extra time with his mate and naturally, not knowing the reason, Kirsty was angry Ty didn't get home in time for his tea but man, throwing dishes at him? Where did that come from! Tommy isn't facing the loss but Tina is there helping him. She knows what he's going through.

Marcus is spending a lot of time with Maria and Liam, i expect he misses Dylan a lot and we already know he wants his own child so he's probably substituting Liam for one of his own. This doesn't actually pass Sean by. Julie was right about how Marcus feels even if she was a bit over the top with her explanation, but that's Julie. Now Dylan is coming to stay and they're all bunking at Maria's. You can hear the seams of Maria's little flat over the Salon groaning in anticipation of having Maria, Liam, Kirk, Ozzy, Marcus, Sean and Dylan all under the same roof. Then Marcus ends up looking after all the babies, Dylan, Liam, and Hope! (by the way, isn't Dylan old enough to go to school yet? he was 4 last year when Sean began visiting again, surely he's over 5 now?)

Mary is in danger of becoming the Wedding Planner monster again if Rita isn't careful. Chuckled at Sylvia flirting with Lewis and him charming her.

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Who should win the salon war?

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

The battle lines have been drawn for control of the perm solution and cut and colours at Audrey's hair salon on Coronation Street. Now I like Audrey, and I also like David. But who should win the battle for the hair salon? Do let us know!

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Sophie's Choices

(This post was originally posted by me on the Coronation Street Blog in April 2012.)

Poor Sophie. She's been drifting for a long time now. Stress after the tram crash and her parent's split over Kevin and Molly blew up her world and she ended up quitting college, jumping off a church roof, and then her jealousy and doubts caused Sian to leave her at the altar. Sophie used to be such a bright little spark and she seems to be at loose ends these days.

I had a bit of a think and over here, I blog about what could be in Sophie's future. What do you think should be the direction of this character who once had a bright future?

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Sunita, Harlot of the Cobbles

(This post was originally posted by David on the Coronation Street Blog in March 2012.)

It's fair to say that, at times, all sense of reality goes flying out of the window on our favourite drama. Fair enough, it would be as dull as ditchwater if all we had to look forward to every week was Eileen sorting out her knicker drawer or Rita re-arranging the extra strong mints. However, there are occasions when a storyline causes so much incandesence that you start hyper-ventilating. Take as an example, if you will, the recent slutting of Sunita.

Now, I've always had a soft spot for the largely dull shop assisant. She epitomises a boredom in rowdy bloom, mundanely trudging between corner shop counter and hideously decorated home. I somehow don't think Harveys were invited in to give number seven a makeover. Sunita has woven a steady path over the years and every drama needs a few steady-Eddies to balance the nonsense of the Tracy McDonald/Carla Connor variety.

However, of late dear old Sunita has become something of a trollop. She's taken the 'product placement' possibilities to new levels by prominently displaying her baps at every single opportunity. There they are, jiggling around behind the bar or bobbing up in Karl's face. Give her a few more weeks and she'll be strolling out into the Rovers clutching a couple of foaming tankards and bellowing "Jugs?"

Maybe the character is just trying to escape the misery of living with a man whose volume control knows no bounds. Maybe she's fed up of crashing into the furniture in her dour, over-stuffed living room. Maybe she's pining for her lost bras.

Now Sunita may have her knockers but the storylines involving drunken debauchery, illicit gambling and a possible fling with ageing lothario Karl just don't ring true. At the rate her character is descending, poor Sunita will be reeling around with a crack pipe by summer.

Whatever the issues, let's get Sunita back on an even keel. We want to see her back behind that counter, exchanging tedious pleasantries with Emily and offering well-meaning, if achingly dull, advice to Sofah. Either that or someone please buy the woman a polo-neck jumper.

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Fireman Paul's Dilemma

(This post was originally posted by Chewy on the Coronation Street Blog in April 2012.)

In the past, I have been a little hard on Paul, but after Friday's scenes, you can see the poor bloke is suffering. Paul puts all his efforts in trying to keep life how it was, living with Lesley and still doing his full time job.

To see him shouting at Lesley was a indicator that he is reaching breaking point. To me it seems that Paul can't bring himself to put Lesley in a care home, as he feels as if he was abandoning her to be with Eileen.

While putting Lesley in a home would mean more time for Eileen, I don't think it would be fair to say that it is his sole reason. Paul needs to to do it to get his life back, he also needs to let Eileen get her life back, she's spent the whole first quarter of this year caring for Lesley, and that is simply not fair on Eileen.


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Things I loved about Corrie last night

(This post was originally posted by me on the Coronation Street Blog in March 2012.)

Steve coping with his new roomie.
Deirdre stubbing out her ciggie in the Ken cup.
Eileen giggling about Steve's new roomie and finally, a renewal of their friendship!
The Bickering Barlow's split over the lazy freeloading daughter.
Gail hating an atmosphere when she's the one causing most of it.
Lewis being perfectly charming, oily and smooth. I still don't trust he's changed!
Sylvia instructing Tracy on manners.
Tracy and Deirdre eating take out and giggling over Ken's kimono.

Audrey and David falling out. That's kind of sad really. They've been so close but he really does believe Lewis is out to fleece her.
Audrey calling Kylie "Lady Flamin' MacBeth"
Gail getting drunk in the Bistro.
In fact, I'm going to love this whole storyline! Stonefaced Gail, Kylie MacBeth pouring poison in David's ear, Audrey defending Lewis and fighting everyone with only Nick on her side. The War of the Salon begins!

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Paula Lane on playing Kylie Platt

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

There's a good, long interview in today's Mirror with Paula Lane who plays Coronation Street's Kylie Platt. 

It's been almost two years since Paula started palying Kylie on Corrie and Paula talks about how she manages to keep her private life seperate and not let the pressure of fame from Corrie go to her head. It's a nice interview. 

Paula also reveals that she's running the London Marathon to raise charity funds.

To sponsor Paula’s run, visit www.justgiving.com/paula-lane and to find out more about Oscar’s Appeal, go to www.henshaws.org.uk/oscars-appeal

You can read Paula's interview here.

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Dev-ine Inspiration

(This post was originally posted by Scott Williston on the Coronation Street Blog in April 2012.)

It seems appropriate to turn our attention to Dev Alahan on All Fool's Day.  Is there a character on British television more strange, more unique, more just plain weird than our favourite shopkeeper?  With his natty suits, his flyaway hair and most importantly, his UTTerlY bizARRE way of SPEAKING, he is a character who both enriches and amuses.

He arrived in 1999, as part of Corrie's strict "one in, one out" policy for ethnic minorities.  When Saeed Jaffrey left the show following, ahem, "difficulties" in his personal life, Dev arrived, in the not at all stereotyped role of an Asian grocer with a string of corner shops.  Short of wearing a turban and saying "oh dearie me" a lot, he couldn't have been more clichéd on paper.  He had one valuable plus, though: sex appeal.

Yes, this particular Hindu was far more interested in girls than Ganesha.  He swept in with a psycho ex-girlfriend who faked a suicide attempt to capture his attention.  We learnt our lesson there and then: just a taste of Alahan is never enough.  The pinnacle of this would be "Mad" Maya, who reacted to the news that Dev wasn't that keen by blowing up his shops, getting his fiancé arrested for bigamy and attempting murder.  Who can blame her?  One glimpse of his furry torso and women fall to their knees, devastated by his suave demeanour and ability to get them cash and carry prices on Andrex.

His list of conquests is long and distinguished.  There was Geena, the now forgotten tousel-haired barmaid who nearly became the first Mrs Alahan, "Bob" from Blackadder, and in a moment of madness, Tracy Barlow.  He soon regretted this when she smashed his flat to pieces, ostensibly because he wouldn't marry her, but more probably because he once slept with her mother.

Yes, in a storyline that still lives on in infamy, Dev avoided having to watch the Queen's Speech by bedding Sexy Specs herself, Deirdre Barlow.  Department of Health officials have since concluded that their unholy union was responsible for more dodgy tummies that Christmas than a million undercooked turkeys.  Their tryst is still spoken of in guarded tones today by Corrie fans, along with the retina-burning episodes where Len Fairclough experimented with his sexuality down by the canal and Ena Sharples modelled Gamma Garments' new range of tanga thongs in the snug.

After dallying with Deirdre, the only way was up, and our hero soon found love in the arms of Sunita Parekh, one of his shopworkers.  Sunita - a ditzy, kind-hearted girl played by Shobna Gulati, who bore absolutely no resemblance to the ditzy, kind-hearted girl played by Shobna Gulati in dinnerladies - bewitched him with her generosity of spirit, her happiness, and her brain tumour.  While most people recover from a near death experience by doing all those things they wanted to - climb Everest, go hand gliding - Sunita realised that all she wanted was to sit behind a shop counter for the rest of her life, and married Dev.

They were soon joined by the twins, Aadi and Asha, and had a posh semi out in the suburbs.  Everything should have been perfect, until Sunita discovered that Dev's loins were rather more fertile than she had previously thought.  In fact, it seemed his entire retail empire was staffed by former conquests, each of whom had a bassinet upstairs.  Dev denied the children were his, but when Sunita heard the babies crying in a rollercoaster of strange notes, pausing only to widen their eyes and make jazz hands, their parentage was in no doubt.  She kicked him out and promptly vanished with the twins for years.

Throughout all this, Dev was an alpha-male of the Street, the kind of man who has problems walking with his legs together because his balls are just that big.  He drank whiskey with the local movers and shakers - well, Mike Baldwin and Steve McDonald, Weatherfield's answer to Steve Jobs and Bill Gates.  He dined with the Asian Business Federation, a group of anonymous gentlemen Dev sucks up to on a regular basis.  And he took up golf, surely the definitive sign that you are a man awaiting a comfortable death in a leather armchair.  He was hairy-chested, confident and brash; his soaring ego and self-assurance may have been related to Jimmi Harkishin's fondness for certain recreational substances, but it made him a man who was hard to ignore.

Without Sunita, though, there was a certain emptiness in Dev's life.  His daughter Amber couldn't fill this void, particularly as she spent most of her time pointing out what an idiot he was.  He needed love.

Dev bounced back by seducing Nina Mandel, the wife of his business associate and a former Bollywood star.  Suffice to say that her days of shimmying seductively in a sari were long behind her, so he naturally moved onto her daughter, Tara.  Given his previous seduction of both Barlow ladies, this should have come as no surprise; in fact he seems to work his way through families more easily than a recessive gene.  Tara  reacted by placing a twenty foot high portrait of a naked Dev on the side of Victoria Court.  Part of him was delighted at this advertisement - he had to be restrained from climbing up there and painting his phone number across the top - but another part realised that his relationship with Tara was over.

Fortunately, at around this time, Sunita reappeared on the scene.  She was blissfully happy in a nice house with a handsome fiance, so naturally Dev intervened to put a stop to all that.  With the help of a couple of comedy Aunties straight out of Goodness Gracious Me, he pushed his feet back under the table at Chez Sunita.  The house was sold and with the profits they bought number 7 Coronation Street; one can only assume that the house was suffering from an absolutely horrific amount of negative equity.

The tram crash saw Dev's shop destroyed, his assistant Molly killed, and Sunita buried under a heap of rubble.  Worse, it caused the death knell for his empire, as he revealed that insurance was something he'd never really got round to.  This financial crisis caused him to reach a low point, disposing of those other shops we'd always heard about but never seen but somehow managing to keep hold of the Coronation Street store and his home.

Now his relationship with Sunita is on the rocks; there are only so many times a woman can sell Tampax to Gail Platt while he visits the 19th Hole before resentment builds up.  The scene seems to be set for a battle royale between the Alahans.  It should at least mean that Dev gets a few emotional scenes, which are always a joy to behold; he whinnies like a Derby winner, rolls his eyes and then punches some inanimate object before huffing his way out the door.  He's a man who occupies his own space-time continuum - barely human, barely normal, always fascinating.

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State of the Street: March 2012

We've had the lot this month, have we not? Murder, mayhem, missing children, trouble and strife. Just a typical month on Coronation Street, really.

Frank was killed by his mother of all people! Peter was at the bottom of the bottle again and Leanne is hell bent on removing Simon from a situation not best suited for children. Nothing to do with spite and revenge, oh no. Well, maybe just a little bit?

Eileen is struggling to help look after Lesley and hold down a job and it looks like she's finally hit the wall. Paul has bricked himself up emotionally and can't see the truth. He just won't be told, by Tracy, Jason or Eileen. Lewis is back and I'm not altogether sure Audrey isn't going to get her heart broken again.

More on this and others on the State of the Street.

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Is it time for Mary to go?

(This post was originally posted by Llifon on the Coronation Street Blog in March 2012.)
Am I the only one who thinks that Mary has gone past her sell by date on Corrie? In fact, I don't find her that funny anymore. Truth be told, I'm finding her quite disturbing. She was OK at the beginning when she was after Norris but when she returned from her round the world trip it seems she's had a personality change. I've found her rude and insulting to other characters who have done nothing to her, the recent example being Julie when she insulted her pregnancy. She also seems to insult Rita and Emily for no apparent reason. And her revenge on poor Hayley on her wedding day wasn't funny, I thought.

The fact that she and Norris are still friends after the Bronte saga is unbelievable! She's too eccentric and I think it's time for her to go. She likes to take over (Hayley's wedding and she tried to take over Rita's) and I don't find that at all funny. I think Norris works better with Rita and Emily and it seems that we're being robbed of those classic scenes for his scenes with Mary. Maybe she was brought in to lighten Emily's scenes?

While classic nosy parkers and gossips Norris and Blanche talked about characters behind their backs, Mary tends to gossip about and berate them when they're in a scene, which is unrealistic. And that is why I think Mary should leave Coronation Street in her motor home and never return!

What do you think? Do you agree?

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