Where have you seen Ken Barlow's son and grandson before?

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog September, 2010, reposted to this blog with permission.)

If you're wondering where you've seen Lawrence Cunningham, who turned up as Ken's long-lost son on Coronation Street, then wonder no more. Actor Linus Roache who plays Lawrence, is the real-life son of William Roache, who plays Ken Barlow.

Linus Roache began his acting career with a two-week appearance as a young Peter Barlow on Coronation Street back in 1975 at the age of 11. His IMDB profile is here.

If you're wondering where you've seen James, who turned up as Ken's grandson on Coronation Street, then wonder no more. Actor James Roache, who plays James, is the real-life son of William Roache, who plays Ken Barlow.  Also in real-life, James is the half-brother of Linus Roache, who is currently playing Lawrence, Ken's son.

And we'll also see James in the BBC documentary Road to Coronation Street later this month where he plays his own dad, William Roache who plays Ken Barlow.

Confusing? A bit!  His IMDB profile is here.

Corrie's Nick - My new most hated character

Last night's Coronation Street featured Nick getting plowed in the face not once, but twice! I can say it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy! Facetiously, of course.

Nick hasn't been in the show this time around very long on our screens but already he's shaping up to be sly, manipulative, smug, arrogant and sneaky and he has the nerve to insult David for similar qualities??

So Jason got dumped last night by a grieving Tina who, in order to convince him to go, told him about the kiss she shared with Nick before she knew who he was. A kiss she regretted but which happened nonetheless. Jason lost his rag and thumped Nick in the Rovers, taking his pain out on Nick. To be fair, Nick really didn't have that coming. One kiss doesn't really deserve that but he certainly continued to poke Jason with a big stick afterwards, provoking him more.

And then, at home, he continued using that big stick on David, finding every sore spot he could. What did he think would happen? David might not be a big lad but he caught Nick off guard and blackened his other eye and i, for one, cheered loudly because Nick DID have that one coming. He was really asking for it! What pleasure would he possibly get out of it, I don't know but he sure got a result and knew it.

Thing is, it's not as if he did anything except give David more reason to dislike him. He did it purely to get a rise out of David, no other reason. No witnesses so no points scored. What did he find out? That David still loves Tina in spite of everything? No secret, that. Everyone knows it. It only establishes that Nick is a thoroughly dislikeable person. David isn't that likeable either but people see him as a product of a broken marraige with a big chip on his shoulder. Lots of people actually feel sorry for him.

Nick? He's always been the golden boy aside from losing his father at a young age. But he's been ungrateful and selfish and he's now worse than ever. I think he wants to be Mike Baldwin but he doesn't have one ounce the charm Mike had.

And, without spoiling it for Canadians.... you ain't seen nothing yet!!!

Rita's back and don't you love it!?

Just because I'm so tickled to have Rita back on the Street! Barbara Knox was recently awarded with an MBE along with costar Eileen Derbyshire and she also did a television interview on Paul O'Grady who does a talk show in the UK. Ms. Knox is notoriously private and interviews are rare. You can see the interview via links to YouTube on this post.

Sunday Comments, March 21

Lines of the week:

• Julie "Everybody likes The Sound of Music" Eileen "Why? It's just nuns, Nazis and Lonely Goatherds"
  
• Blanche to Peter's suggestion of "Grey"mail "I like you Peter. I always did"
  
• Sally "I think brains are overrated" (That's not what you said when you shagged your boss so Rosie could get an education. Mind you. Rosie doesn't have brains anyway
  
• Umed "A problem shared... " Audrey "Is a problem everybody knows about the next day"
  
• Graeme to David "That crazy cat you once knew no longer inhabits this body"
  
• Tony to Natasha "While I can ignore your non-existant personality and mind-numbing conversation, i think Jealousy is a very ugly trait in a person..." and "Don't ever upset Maria again. I'd hate for us to *really* fall out" um really?
  
• Michelle "I'm just a bad girl, aren't i?" (that's one word for it)
  
• David "When have i ever caused anybody any trouble?" (Yes, he was sarcastic)
  

Funniest scene ever: Hayley in the Cash and Carry seeing dozens of lifesized cutouts of Eddie as "Roy Cropper". Did you see her face??? It's like your worst nightmare isn't it? Eileen can't get rid of Julie now that Julie has decided they're going to be closerthanthis sisters. You couldn't get more opposite personalities even if the sisterhood circumstances were under better conditions.

Helping Chesney really is a lame excuse and i can't blame Sally for being upset after what she went through though she did go a bit overboard. Fiz says she'll give up John but you know she won't. She was on the phone to get a visiting order before Chesney was barely out of the door. Well at least she doesn't have to sneak around anymore. But she didn't break it off with John, he did with her, doing the right thing for a change, knowing it was making her life hell with her family and friends. There she is screaming and crying after him as they lead him away. Have a little dignity, Fiz! Have a little backbone! Oh no, sorry, Stape removed that already. Anyway Ches is back to school with a posse to protect him and he's being very cheeky and mouthy to Fiz. Fiz was definitely in the wrong but she doesn't deserve disrespect from Chesney either but i can't.

Michelle had a "holiday romance" with Luke and wasted no time having one with Peter after he gave her Eurostar tickets for Ryan. Who does she think she is? Rosie Webster? Please tell me there's not going to be a "Who's the Daddy" storyline in a few months? I don't blame Peter for getting picky about letting Michelle off early all the time if she's wandering in late and it's just to run around with another man. It had nothing to do with Ryan's alarm going off and everything to do with Luke's alarm, or something else going off in the morning. Peter found the right way to her heart, or bed at least, through her son. Getting concert tickets and buying Eurostar tickets were one thing, but defending her son against an angry father melted her little heart. So she's got Luke and Peter sulking because she's leaving, (Hey Peter... Leanne who?) both of them begging her not to go. And Luke telling Peter he's a dirty dog but really Michelle never made any committment to either one and with both of them scratching at her skirts, she probably should just get out of town and let them both cool their jets.

Joe should be more than happy to get rid of Gary instead of having to put up with him. Joe's pain seems to come and go, but by telling the doctor he's getting a bit better, she gave him weaker pills. Can you guess where his pain is really coming from? Can you say "Withdrawal"? Joe also seems to have a nasty side to him. Laughed at Lloyd's pub quiz questions, all to do with taxis! Blanche is back home. Ken wanted her back all along. She couldn't make it easy for him, though, and the "greymail" got something out of it for her. Odd though, he must be desperate because one of the things he objected to strongly about the time he met and took up with Martha was Blanche and Deirdre making plans for him to decorate her bedroom. It took Deirdre long enough to warm up again though you could see she wanted to.

I can see Norris is going to annoy me even more than normal with this half-brother storyline. Ramsay is a very nice man and had no bearing on Mrs. Cole's death. Norris is bound and determined Ramsay is not going to make any inroads and is well jealous that Ramsay is "using" his friends to get to him.

David is definitely setting Gary up for something. (oh, what happened to Gary's face? Did i miss him getting the tar beat out of him? What's with the black eye and scrapes or did the actor himself have an accident). Oh, right, I know exactly what David's plan is now. Why else would Audrey tell David all the flaws in her security system which seems to be on the blink? Can you say "break in"? Stitching up Gary!

Ryan's doing his very best to get his way with Sian. Can't blame him. Look at the example his mother sets. But somewhere Sian's father got the wrong impression and came gunning for Ryan! Thankfully Peter was there. Pretty cheap trying to bully a skinny teenager. Well how did he get the impression? She had condoms in her bag. What was her father doing rifling through her bag?

Amber caught Umed in one of his grand stories lol! Audrey came in ...saved by the Belle! ;) But he was in his glory with the tall stories trying to impress Audrey but he didn't impress Bill. But then Bill might have a few lingering jealous feelings there, too. The funny thing is that clearly, Audrey believes all his stories!

Tony was really harsh on Natasha for being bitchy to Maria wasn't he? Wow! He really went a bit too far. All he had to do was say "you're dumped". She warned off Maria and said he was bad news. Maria is going to take it like sour grapes and Tony is going to make it sound that way too but she's right. He IS bad news.