The Joy of Julie

(This post was originally posted by Clinkers (David) on the Coronation Street Blog in November 2014.)

For a few of the Corrie women, the last week or so has not exactly been vintage. Viewers have had a good old grumble about moaning Michelle and Weatherfield's most unsympathetic mother, Liz. Well, enough of them. The real slice of joy being served up on t'cobbles this week was Miss Julie Carp. She's Doris Day with a buttered barm.

Teaming Julie up with Comedy Dev seems to be an inspirational choice. Jules had been floundering a little since she ditched Brian. Despite living on the Street, we've never seen the inside of her flat. You just know it's going to be a sea of gingham throws and Cath Kidston cake stands but we, the viewer, need to be invited in. Julie is obviously in the throws of some sort of community service as she has been charged with the task of rescuing Dev. As well as having to cope with his own loud outburst at INAPPROPRIATE moments, the Dev-ster was also falling under the spell of Weatherfield's own dark lady, the loveably loopy Mary. She used to be Scary Mary of course and had this been a few years ago, she would have had Julie burning to death in a wicker man by now.

Instead we get a touching story of unrequited love and Julie helping Dev to do the right thing by Mary. The latter is now an integral part of the Alahan family, It's been one of those surprising relationships that Corrie often hurls at us. Becky and Clare, Ken and Carla and more recently, Norris and Craig show us that friendships can be formed by the most opposite of people.

Is Julie now entering her Corrie prime? Well, she managed to ditch the doctor from Holby City mid-date and is now cosying up with Dev. We can but hope that she becomes a permanent fixture. Her 'to do' list should include cleansing number 7 of that slightly 'butch' make-under that has festered since Sunita's Baps were in charge. Gingham and polka dots to the fore! Julie also needs to take her rightful position behind the counter at the Corner Shop. She is shopkeeper gold and would offer a warmer welcome than her bellowing beau or the mumbling So-feh. Julie might be more Maureen Holdsworth than Maggie Clegg but to paraphrase Rihanna, she will shine bright like a diamond. Or maybe something diamonique from Barlow's Buys.

Katy Cavanagh is one of the Street's most expressive actors and has the ability to make the viewer care what happens to Julie. Devulie  - Corrie's new golden couple. Yay or nay?




Follow the Bluenose CorrieBlog on Twitter and Facebook

Corrie's Katy Cavanagh gives birth to third child

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog July 2013, reposted to this blog with permission.)

The Sun reported a few weeks ago that Katy Cavanagh, who plays Julie Carp in Coronation Street, has given birth to her third child, a son called Jacobi.

The paper reports that Katy used Independent Midwives UK, a company that operates separately from the NHS, to help deliver the baby at home. And Katy has vowed to fight laws that could make independent midwives illegal after being impressed by the service.

New government legislation will outlaw such services if they do not have suitable insurance, which is often difficult to get.

"It's vital women have a choice of who cares for them during pregnancy and birth," Cavanagh said.

"I have nothing but praise for the NHS but they were unable to provide me with a known midwife or guarantee the birth of my choice."

Let's hope it's not too long before we see Julie back on the Street. Brian's a bit lost without her.

Follow the Bluenose CorrieBlog on Twitter and Facebook

Corrie's Katy Cavanagh: "I'd love Julie and Brian to get wed"

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

Katy Cavanagh, who plays the wonderful Julie Carp on Coronation Street, has given a lovely long interview in today's Mirror.  The interview plugs the upcoming Corrie musical, Street of Dreams, which Julie will be in - and it's a good read.

Katy says that Corrie's Julie  is a big hit with men of a certain age, particulary lorry drivers!

She says: “It’s really weird, but I always get men over the age of 40 coming up to me and saying: ‘I love Julie, I love Julie.’ Not the wives – it’s always the husbands who are fond of her. I get lots of lorry drivers talking to me, too. And I get fan mail from men as well. I had a really lovely poem from a man who was slightly in love with Julie. He must have been over 60 and it was really nice. So I think there’s something going on there with Julie and the male psyche.

"She’s a throwback to a time when women behaved themselves, one of those old-fashioned women who’d do anything to keep her man happy. Maybe that appeals to slightly older men. And she’s always nicely turned out. Sometimes men like it when women make an effort and we don’t always make so much of an effort nowadays.”

Katy and her husband Chris run the London-based company Production Drive and she says she'd love Julie and Brian to get wed on Corrie. "These things are out of our hands," she says, "but I would love them to get married – it would be hilarious.”

Read the full interview here

Follow the Bluenose CorrieBlog on Twitter and Facebook