Podcast: Derek Griffiths on Corrie, Acting and Twitter

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


Derek Griffiths, who played Freddie Smith in Coronation Street, gives a wonderful interview to Iain Lee's talkRADIO and you can listen to it online now.

Derek talks about his acting life and how he got into the world of the theatre as a young man.  He also talks about his love of music and playing roles on the West End stage. He's back in the theatre later this year in the stage play Driving Miss Daisy.  You can read more on that here.

He also, of course, mentions his role on Coronation Street as garage mechanic Freddie and he chats about how quickly Corrie turns over, which is the way of the world in soap land. "The people they've got have got it down to a fine art," he says and he reveals that it's not unusual to have a scene changed at the last minute, which could be a scene that the actors have sweated to learn over a couple of days. Then the actor has twenty minutes or so in which to relearn the scene.

He also reveals what he thinks about Twitter too - it's great stuff, do listen to the interview, it's only 16 minutes long.

Have a listen to the full interview here.

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

Reasons to be cheerful about Coronation Street

 (This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog August 2016, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Although there are a few frustrations with Coronation Street at the moment (and you can read about those here), there's a lot I'm currently loving about our favourite show.

Over the last few weeks I've noticed a stronger Coronation Street, a better Coronation Street. The acting has been of a better calibre than in recent months, the writing tighter, the scenes more heightened and the drama more compelling. 

Has anyone else noticed this, or am I viewing things through rose-tinted Corrie specs?

The first thing I'm loving is that the new producer Kate Oates is now at the helm. I understand that her storylines won't be shown until next month, but she's got her name above the door now. The new producer is most definitely IN.

Putting Sean and Norris together could be a match made in heaven. Since Sean arrived in Coronation Street 13 years ago, he's always lived with Eileen.  Moving him out of what has become his home and in with busy-body of the Street could be comedy gold. I hope, also, we'll see a great deal of pathos between these two lonely (and often quite nasty) men.

I'm also loving the on-screen chemistry between Leanne and Nick.  These are two characters I'm not right fond of individually but there's something about them both together that works - and it works really well.  I never felt Nick and Carla were suited but Leanne and Nick are a match made in soap heaven and a real joy to watch.

And Audrey's infatuation with Luke is a joy to watch too.



Speaking of Audrey, this leads me to think about Freddie, who has been a great addition to the cast. But it's not just individual characters that are driving Corrie forward at the moment, it's the types of characters, the strength of them.  In Freddie and Johnny Connor we've got a new type of Corrie alpha male, and one that is great fun to watch.

Of course, Corrie is still missing a battle-axe and a siren but with the promised return of three characters  - I think the future's looking bright on Coronation Street.



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Who's the right man for Audrey - Freddie or Ken?

Now then, I like Audrey Roberts. I also like this new fella Freddie on Coronation Street.  And I'm quite fond of Ken.  But who would YOU like to see Audrey go on a proper date with and start a relationship with?

I vote for Freddie, he's far more fun than Ken will ever be.  Audrey is a flighty piece and there's still a lot of life left in her. She doesn't want to be tied down to Ken and his cardigans, just yet, does she?

You can keep your Ken. Let Audrey have a fling with Freddie, I say, and the sooner the better!



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