The Loves of Sally and Kevin Webster

(This post was originally posted by me on the Coronation Street Blog in December, 2010.)

Sally has found out about Kevin's infidelity, compounded by the insult that he now has a son from that illicit relationship. Talk about adding insult to injury! The Webster's marraige seems to be irreparably broken, though time will tell. These two always seem to make their way back to each other eventually. Will it happen this time? Who knows!

In the meantime, You can read about all the loves, lovers and illicit romances each of them have had over the years. Part 1 here and Part 2 there.

Kate Ford's Back and Loving It

(This post was originally posted by me on the Coronation Street Blog in December, 2010.)

The general consensus on the return of Tracy Barlow is about 95% negative.

The thing is, while Tracy is such an awful character, by all accounts, Kate Ford is a very nice person. Poor thing probably gets an awful lot of stick from the general public when she's doing her weekly shop at Tescos (or wherever she shops). In the Mirror, there's an interview with Kate. No spoilers, don't take any notice of the headline that says she's going to be killed off because, as we've seen, she wasn't. At the end of the piece, we hear there's lots more in store for Tracy.

Kate says she won't be letting her 2 1/2 year old little boy, Otis, watch her on tv because she doesn't think he's old enough to understand that that awful person isn't really his mummy. Tracy spends the week ruffling everyone's feathers and pays for it when she's assaulted on New Year's Eve. We hear about Kate's background and how she came to acting as a profession. I was surprised to hear she'd had a part in a movie I had seen, The Affair of the Necklace but, alas, her part didn't make the final cut as often happens. It's a tough gig, acting!

Kate talks about her time as a full time mum and about her return to the screen where she's got an initial contract for 6 months.

Who Would Win a Corrie Smackdown?

Tracy's back and she's out to cause trouble. She wants Amy back and is going to do anything she can to make that happen and that means she's going to come up against Becky to do it.

Becky is caught in the middle between Amy's parents but is pretty fierce when she wants to be. In coming months, there's going to be more than one confrontation between Becky and Tracy, I can feel it in me water! After musing about it here, I'm still not sure who would win the final smackdown between these two women! Guesses?

Next Year's Corrie plots? (no spoilers)

(This post was originally posted by Mark on the Coronation Street Blog in December, 2010.)

January:

A van pulls up at the factory as Carla is closing up for the day.  Her five long-lost Connor brothers climb out and take over the business.  They set about building another extension to the factory and in doing so discover just what that smell is in the ladies loo.  It’s Colin Fishwick.  Fiz identifies the rug he’s wrapped in as hers and she is arrested for Colin’s murder and crimes against interior design.  John conveniently heads off on a teacher’s training course in Benidorm.  Sian and Sophie decide to adopt a child and book a trip to Tibet to find one.

February:

Gail enjoys a weekend away from it all at a retreat.  Whilst there she meets handsome monk, Daniel, who asks to keep in touch.  After exchanging a few postcards Daniel turns up on Gail’s doorstep having turned his back on celibacy and he moves in with her.  Fiz is given a life sentence at her trial and uses her time in prison well – she makes another rug.  Sian and Sophie jet off to Tibet.

March:

Gail and Daniel announce their engagement, much to Audrey’s discomfort.  She knows there’s something not right about him and is determined to discover his dark secret.  Ken decides to commission a portrait of Deidre but when he goes to see the painter (Trixie) he falls into her arms and decides he would have preferred to have lived her bohemian life.  They embark on a steamy affair.  Sian and Sophie return with a little Tibetan baby they call Baby GaGa.

April:

The Connors decide to make the factory smaller again and they remove the new extension over the course of a weekend.  Two of the brothers die in the process, another goes back to Ireland and two more vanish.  Carla is on her own again.  Tracy Barlow offers to spring Fiz from prison if she’ll give her baby Hope.  Fiz agrees.  Tracy then offers the child to Becky and Steve for a couple of hundred in notes.  A deal is struck.  Baby GaGa isn’t settling in to Weatherfield life so Sian and Sophie post him back and agree to adopt Chesney instead.

May:

Tracy visits Fiz in prison carrying a very large bag and smuggles Fiz out in it.  Fiz gives her baby Hope, which Tracy accidentally leaves on a bus and Becky is furious that she’s lost the chance for another child. Ken presents Deirdre with the portrait but she isn’t struck with it and throws it back at him.  Trixie arrives in her old VW Beetle and begs him to leave with her.  Emily reminds Ken that Uncle Albert would be turning in his grave if he thought Ken would get into a German car.  He is brought back to earth by this reminder of his past.  Trixie leaves without him and Deirdre burns the painting on the Red Rec.  She is arrested because Weatherfield is now a smokeless zone. 

June:

Deirdre is released from prison following the intervention of the Prime Minister.  There’s a flood in the Rovers cellar and during the building works an old beehive wig of Bet’s is discovered with rats nesting in it.  Norris gets very excited and Rita notices he changes just a little.  His secret is out – he’s been Alec Gilroy in disguise all these years.  Rita curses herself for not noticing the haircut and tank-tops were the same.  He just wanted to be near Rita – he proposes to her, and she now finds herself owner of the Kabin once more .. and landlady of the Rovers, which Alec buys from Steve.

July:

Gail and Daniel marry on the banks of Weatherfield Canal.  While they are away on honeymoon in Blackpool Audrey rifles through Gail’s private papers and discovers a newspaper cutting from the trial of Brian’s murderer.  It is Daniel.  Audrey decides to keep quite until the Rovers has a big do.  Peter Barlow is back on the bottle and he joins Eileen for a night on the town.  They end up in bed together and when Eileen discovers she’s pregnant Ken forces Peter to propose to her.  Eileen says yes.  Baby Jack is taken ill and desperately needs a kidney transplant.  Tyrone’s offer of a kidney is rejected but he pleads with Kevin to give the child one of his.  He agrees.

August:

There’s a big do at the Rovers and Audrey produces the press cutting – Daniel is exposed as Brian’s murderer.  Gail is having none of it and she forgives her new husband.  However, later that night Daniel suggests a drive to their wedding location by the canal.  As Gail gets into the car she questions his need to tie her up and Daniel admits he also set fire to the convent killing Ivy.  He has a pathological desire to wipe out the Tilsleys.  They set off towards the canal. 

September:

Daniel is about to drive his car into the canal when he spots a figure climbing from the water.  It is Joe, who faked his death a little too well.  He has returned and shoots Daniel and snogs Gail.  She berates him for all the money she wasted on the funeral but they are reunited.  Steve wins a fortune in a Cumbrian gurning competition and he gets offered a modelling job in Hollywood.  He and Becky decide to go and chase their dreams.  Becky, on a hunch, visits the lost property office at the bus depot and finds baby Hope, whom she renames Rover.  Steve, Becky, Amy, Max, Rover and all the other kids they’ve bought along the way head off to Hollywood.  At the airport they realise the tickets say Hollinwood, a suburb of Manchester.

October:

Fiz notices that she hasn’t seen much of John since Colin Fishwick’s body turned up at the factory but then Sean spots a picture of him in the Weatherfield Gazette.  It turns out he’s been leading a double life as the headmaster of Weatherfield County Academy so he’s not been able to see much of her.  She confronts him at a parent’s evening and they fall into each others arms. He agrees to come home but only if Fiz will let him run a correspondence college from home. A bolt of lightening strikes the Websters causing Jason and Rosie to merge into one but Sally insists ‘Josie’ lives with her.  Sally and Eileen have a fight in a vat of mud just for the sake of it – and the ratings.  Eileen goes into labour and Sally helps deliver baby Blanche Barlow.

November:

Sophie and Sian split up when Sophie announces she was just going through a phase.  Sian agrees that she was too and she proposes to adopted son Chesney. Peter and Eileen marry with Leanne and Nick as their witnesses (they discovered their first marriage was still legal due to a technicality).  Baby Jack comes home from hospital – he is now 18 and Kevin gives him a job at the garage having sacked Tyrone.  Baby Jack rejects Tyrone.  He is later diagnosed with a cotton allergy meaning he has to work in the garage shirtless.

December:

Newton and Ridley announce that the Rovers is to get a new name and there’s a campaign to stop them involving Rita sitting atop the pub.  It snows heavily and she’s stuck there for a fortnight with Alec too tight to pay the fire brigade to bring her down.  Little does she know that while she’s up there he goes on a cruise with an exotic snake act from Crewe. As the Platt/McIntryre family sit down for Christmas lunch Tina begins to doubt that Joe is who he says he is.  He is later seen sitting on Maxine’s bench caressing an crowbar.  2012 might not be Gail’s year.  Again.

What storyline would you like to see next year?

As imagined by http://markllewellin.blogspot.com

(this is, of course, a spoof and brilliant, too, isn't it?)

How do you solve a problem like the Websters?

(This post was originally posted by Matt on the Coronation Street Blog in December, 2010.)

It’s fair to say life chez Webster isn’t exactly a bed of roses at the moment. Some people will argue that Kevin deserves everything he gets through proving his inability to keep his manhood in his trousers and fathering a son with his supposed best mate’s wife, which is probably a fair point. Granted Sally hasn’t exactly kept to her marriage vows having had an affair with her boss, but that didn’t result in a child which is now living with the family she betrayed. Kevin asks what he’s supposed to do. Simple, find a B&B and move out!

Part of me does think Kevin should simply move out, but part of me quite enjoyed the truly pathetic bickering between him and Sally last week. When it gets to the point of arguing over who owns the TV and the poufy you may as well call the divorce lawyers there and then! It also says a lot about the situation that Rosie has been the sensible one by retreating to the Grimshaws’ tardis house. Sophie might think of doing the same but as her girlfriend is living there rent free (as Kevin pointed out last night) that’s not really an option.

The Websters are one of the most popular families on the show but they seem to be in tatters. Some people will hope for reconciliation but with events taking place next week I honestly can’t see it happening, again. Put it this way, I can’t see it happening any time soon. Right now Sally can’t even bear to be in the same room as Kevin so it seems incredibly unlikely she would be open to reconciliation any time soon. The only reason Sally allowed Kevin to stay in the house on Christmas Day was because Sophie tearfully begged and I for one wouldn’t be able to refuse a tearful Sophie.

Of course we can only guess what will happen next, but I have a feeling Lloyd’s comment about divorce lawyers loving January may turn out to be true

My personal blog can be found here: http://mjohnson-journalist.blogspot.com/

Kevin the hypocrite

The face in the center is the face of a hypocrite. You all know and love (?) him as Kevin Webster. He's the man who had an affair with his best friend's wife and even fathered her child. Lo and behold, his wife finds out and ends their marraige.

In tonight's episode of Coronation Street, Kevin saw Tyrone leave No. 4 in the early morning after spending the night Chez Webster and later tears into him for having it off with his estranged wife. It seems the Best Friend, let's call him Tyrone, for that is his name, and Sally Webster, the wronged wife, sought solace in each other's arms, or so Kevin assumes. Well, they kissed at least. Did they do more - or didn't they?

Could we think any less of Kevin at the moment? Is it any of Kevin's business, for that matter? Tit for tat? Kevin was always pretty quick with his fists. Thump first, ask questions later. He might think he's lost everything but what about Tyrone? I think Tyrone, being the innocent one in all this, is far more deserving of my sympathy, whether he and Sally did the business or not. What say you?

Has Becky turned nasty again?

(This post was originally posted by Seapenguin on the Coronation Street Blog in December, 2010.)

I do hope so. I've never taken to the "redeemed" Becky (Katherine Kelly), gushing over Stevie-babes and swanking about behind the Rover's bar in an array of horrid off-the-shoulder tops. So I was glad when she half-inched the dosh from Dev's safe. Not a nice thing to do, I'll grant you, but it was a sign that maybe Becky is getting her own brand of bottle back - and not before time as far as this viewer is concerned.

I thought that Katherine Kelly was great as Becky when she first appeared in Corrie as Kelly Crabtree's thieving mate, a really nasty, venal piece of work. Then they started bringing in a bit of back-story, hinting at an abusive past, showing how folk can change and so forth. Fair enough, but for me it didn't work. And unlike most viewers, I've never liked the Becky, Roy and 'Ayles relationship (whereas it worked for me when the Croppers fostered Fiz).

Maybe Steve is finally waking up and smelling the coffee too. Is it the end of the road for this Mcdonald marriage?

Tracy Barlow ended up in a pool of blood on New Year's Eve (surprise). Is Becky the culprit? She's a street fighter and a survivor, so perhaps she is. Personally though, I was hoping for a good hair-puller out on the cobbles rather than a sneaky under-cover-of-darkness attack in the ginnel. If Tracy survives and it ever comes to that, my money would definitely be on Becky.

My own blog is here

Chewy likes Tracy Barlow. Do you?

(This post was originally posted by Chewy on the Coronation Street Blog in December, 2010.)

I know Tracy isn't one of the most popular characters to walk the street. But I like her, partly because she's the only other woman who seemed right with Steve, his relationships with Michelle and Becky seem more forced, more so with Michelle who seemed to try to replicate Karen.

Back in 2005 around the time Tracy's dad, Ray Langton returned to die, Tracy was chasing Steve, and for the first time she seemed like he wasnt chasing him just to cause trouble - she wanted a family unit complete with Steve and Amy.

The whole murderer storyline was something that never sat right with the character, Tracy was never murderous, she was a superbitch who manipulates people through mind games. For her to become a cold blooded killer didn't work, and was kind of disrespectful to the character who we'd watched growing up for decades. To put her behind bars for 15 years was cutting a chunk out of the character's life. So that's why I'm glad she is being freed.

Corrie needs a character who isn't afraid to ruffle a few feathers to get what they want, and Tracy is the perfect character to do that.

What's Next for John Stape

(This post was originally posted by Seapenguin on the Coronation Street Blog in December, 2010.)

Looks like Gary Windass isn't the only person battling his demons on Coronation Street last week.


Alarmed by her husband's deteriorating mental state, Fiz made an appointment for John Stape to see Dr Matt (by the way - is it me, or does Dr Matt look like he'd be great in a "Just for Men" advert?).

"You seem very...troubled," mused the concerned G.P., writing a prescription for sleeping pills and suggesting John see a counsellor.

John is refusing counselling at the moment, and I think we all know why. He's racked with guilt over Charlotte's death, and he's torturing himself with the idea that baby Hope is suffering because of his evil deeds. He's longing to get it all off his chest, but he knows that if he talks, he'll end up in jail. Again.

What will he do? John Stape's a popular character. Many viewers would like him to stay on the Street and make a life for himself with Fiz and the baby. I know I would. The Stapewick saga has been terrific black comedy and the writers have done an amazing job keeping the sympathy of the viewers with John despite his horrific trail of death and destruction . Months ago I suggested half-jokingly in a blog post that one way forward could be for him to have psychotherapy. We've been up the ginnel a few times since then, but I'm just wondering if this is where we're now heading? Difficult though. I'm pretty certain that a psychotherapist would be obliged to break confidentiality if John 'fessed up to manslaughter/murder and so forth. Then John would be forced to bump them off, as well, in order to avoid jail...oh, where will it all end?

My own blog is here

Corrie Canada weekly awards: Sept. 26 - 30

High Noon award: Gail and Tracy. Tracy's 6 inches taller and Gail is like a dog with a bone. Let the hair pulling begin!

Player award: Gold Star: Nick doesn't think he plays games. I beg to differ.

Bad taste award: Gold Star: Ken gave Simon a tram (ok, it was a train, but it looked like a tram) for Christmas! (oops!)

Underestimating award: Steve figuring Tracy isn't going to come round all guns blazing on Christmas Eve. Is he new here? (that's also the Phrase of Doom award)

Stupidity Award Stapewich, lying to Charlotte's parents, then going with them for Christmas dinner when all he had to say was he was going to his own parents' house.

She knows how to make an entrance award: Tracyluv. (Who gets out of prison and has stilettos and fishnet stockings on hand?)

Crossed the Line award: Platinum Star: Tracy Barlow of course. She crossed every line there is and she did it to cause as much trouble as she could! The worst thing was tossing wine on Amy's dress so she'd have to wear the one Tracy gave her.
Gold Star: Becky. Steve was right to be so angry at her. He thought his last wife was a loose cannon! To be fair, though, Becky's in an impossible spot.

The Voice of Reason award: Eileen had to give Tracy points for wanting her child back after all these years, as much as she hates Tracy. Eileen pointed out that Tracy does have a right to be with her child after 3 years away.

Broken award: Gold Star: Tie: Gary Windass and Tyrone Dobbs. Both broken, different reasons.

Slip of the tongue award: Gold Star: Amy overheard Becky tell Claire she paid for Max.

Lines of the week:
Becky "They're freeing murderers for Christmas?"
Tracy "I'm the most exciting arrival for 2000 years" (oh pul-eeze) and "I'm not here for a slanging match!" (you live for it, dearie)
Steve to Becky "I never said i wanted a divorce" (Yes you did. Well, you said you didn't want to be married to her)
Eddie "I thought the army was meant to make a man of you not a surly thug"
Tracy to Gail "I reckon your story had more holes in it than Joe's boat!"
Mary to Norris "Norris, Socket to me!"
Mary's singing "Mother called it trilling" Norris "More like shrilling"
Deirdre to Ken "You've sat on that fence so flamin' long you've got splinters in your backside"
Nick to Tracy "Over my dead body, and that's not an invitation"
Charlotte's mother "I'd like her to be reincarnated as a stray cat. Then one day she could wander in here and I could feed her milk and fishy treats." (eh?)

Gary about Izzy "I'm more scared of her than i am of the Taliban!"
Deidre needs a cig, can't quit now after a bad year... Ken "You say that every year" Deirdre "I've had a lot of bad years!"
Lloyd "Divorce lawyers love January. Busiest time of the year" (looks like there could be a few of them needed!)


All that shouting and posturing minutes after getting out of the taxi wasn't even classic Tracy, it was embarassing! And why was she making out that she didn't know what happened to everyone? She said she'd heard about the tram crash on the news but wouldn't Deirdre have rang her or got a letter to her?

Best scene: Ciaran on a mission to mistletoe every woman in the pub and Steve grabbing him for a big kiss!!

Who was the best bawler during disaster week?

What with all the death, destruction and general mayhem last month, there were an awful lot of tears shed on Coronation Street and rightly so.I've been trying to decide which actor or actress was best at crying/bawling.

I'm leaving Fiz Stape aside, because she was giving birth. Her screams during the live episode are still echoing round my livingroom. My goodness, Jennie McAlpine must have felt better after that! It was more gruelling than listening to John Lennon's 'Mother'. I'm also not counting snivelling or sniffling. It has to be full-blown 'put your back into it' sobbing. Personally I'd go for Sally Dynevor as most convincing. Leanne (Jane Danson) was also pretty good. Carla (Alison King) would be next, but there was a bit too much snot.

Does anyone know how actors produce loads of tears? I'm hoping it's a hanky full of onions but I'm sure someone will disillusion me.

My own blog is here

What of Sophie and Sian?

(This post was originally posted by Matt on the Coronation Street Blog in December, 2010.)

It’s fair to say Sophie and Sian have been through quite a lot since they admitted their feelings for each other and became a couple eight months ago. First Sian’s ex, Ryan, caught them kissing. Then they were caught out again by Claire, who outed them during an argument with Sally - in front of half the Street, on a train!

After that they ran away as Sophie was terrified of her mum’s reaction while Sian was just scared of her dad - full stop. Given that the only two times we’ve seen him were when he threatened Ryan and after they ran away and he accused Sophie of twisting Sian’s mind and abusing her, you can kind of see the girl’s point.

The fact these two appearances were over a year apart suggests he’s not exactly the most hands-on of parents. He then proved what a spectacularly bad dad he is when he managed to get his daughter’s age wrong - face/palm moment or what?

Now the couple face a whole new problem. Sophie’s world is about to be turned upside down when she discovers the dad who was the biggest support when she came out is in fact a dirty, cheating liar who fathered a baby with his best mate’s wife. So the baby she was helping to look after on Monday is going to turn out to be her half-brother. She seems to have her head screwed on but this may leave her pretty screwed up. She’s going to need the support of her girlfriend.

Kevin being kicked out of the house will of course solve the problem of having to fit five people round a four-seater table. If I had to choose a dinner guest out of Sian and Kevin I know who I’d choose! Then again it will create the problem of both Sophie and Rosie having to adjust to the fact they have basically been lied to for the past year and a half by their dad.

It’s highly unlikely Sophie will go completely off the rails and go on massive drink binges but it’s no doubt going to be hard for her to get her head around. Some people may question whether Sian would want to stay around with a family this unstable when she thought she had got away from broken homes when her mum decided her boyfriend and his fruit machines were more important than her daughter (yes really!).

The big question is will Sian stand by her girlfriend through all of this, and will Sophie allow her to? Will she simply push people away? There has been talk of the girls facing temptation, but I doubt Sian would be heartless enough to cheat on Sophie while she’s trying to get over the breakdown of her parents’ marriage.

Sunday Canadian Corrie Comments, October 2

Tracy's back. No presents for anyone but she's got a pretty hot wardrobe with short skirts, new heels and fishnet stockings. Her conviction was put on hold due to a dodgey DNA expert. She's wasting no time at all getting into everyone's faces and being even more obnoxious than she ever was. Insulting Ashley to Claire's face? Gail wasted no time abandoning her boiling ham to go guns blazing at Tracy for her attempts at keeping her locked up. Pretty funny watching tiny Gail take on tall Tracy but then she's like a little bulldog, is Gail. She took Eileen down on the cobbles a few years back, you may remember.Tracy's insulting Leanne, Peter, cheating at games playing with the kids, I guess she's making up for lost time!

Meanwhile she needs a job. She figures working in the factory is beneath her but she asked about a job measuring out toffees in the Kabin. You'd get better money in the factory and you'd be sat down. Well because she didn't want Gail to get the job, she figured she could slip in there and get to Carla first. And you know, as much as i hate Tracy, she did have a point about Claire continuing to stick her nose and two pennies worth in. I did enjoy Emily tearing a strip off her and that is the one person for whom Tracy probably does have a modicum of respect. Will it make a difference? Will it Heck.

Pretty contrived that Amy would overhear Becky tell Claire about paying Kylie for Max, and not only over heard but overheard over two or three hollering and excited little boys, and a dvd between her and Becky/Claire and even *more* contrived that Tracy would instantly believe a 7 year old. But in the end, she overheard Steve and Becky confirm it all anyway. Well, at least Steve seems to have forgiven Becky for the moment. Tracy wreaked havoc after havoc to get Amy back and it's all about getting one over on Steve and Becky, nothing to do with wanting Amy really. And hollering over that poor child is going to scar her for life, never mind Amy having to be raised by Tracy. Poor kid, you can tell Tracy really doesn't have a clue, and is only using Amy or she'd have a few more feelings for how Amy feels being yanked out from her home. At least Ken was able to leave Tracy speechless when she tried her attitude on him about Amy.


Steve is spineless. He always was and you know what? Tracy isn't about to get any more tolerable and Steve is not going to grown a pair any time soon. Just sayin'. Tracy's turning on the guilt and Steve caves and Becky is stuck between a rock and a hard place.


The poem Ken read was written specifically for Coronation Street by the Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy. And imagine Ken liking Mr. Blue Skies by ELO!

"If someone could direct me to a street where I could stand

Cobbles beneath my feet tearful with rain;
The shadows of my hopes behind the stained- glass windows of a pub, ghosts -
I would turn up the collar of my coat, walk, number each small, terraced house by heart:
Birthplace; neighbours - hardman, hussy, haridan, hustler, hero, heroine -
Threshold, bride and groom as clueless of next year as Christmas Eve;
Or exit-place, a hearse, a raw and local grief...
Then I'd retrace my steps, perhaps a baby's cry sharp as a sudden star nailed to the sky,
To stand now in this backstreet bar, nursing a beer
All my griefs, my gifts, and glad I live here."

Kevin really has some nerve asking Sally to help him with the baby. I mean... really? And he seems to have forgotten Rosie's birthday which put her nose seriously out of joint. Um, after insisting your father leave the house and then moving out, you expect love and presents? And Kevin really needs to leave Tyrone alone. He's asking for another knock into another embarassing spot. Hasn't he caused enough heartache? But no. Kevin is an idiot. I did laugh at Sally making Kevin eat his meals alone out in the conservatory like a little boy on a time out chair. It must be chilly out there for a baby. Sally cleared out a kitchen cabinet for Kevin to put his own food, they're dividing up the soft furnishings. and they're flinging insults back and forth like confetti when Kevin isn't whining and pleading with Sally to forgive him.


Poor Tyrone is really having a bad time of it and who could blame him? It must be intolerable, having to lose as much as he did and see the man that is the living reminder of it all living right across the street. He can't even face working with Kevin. In the real world, i think Tyrone would insist Kevin buy him out and leave town but i don't think that's going to happen here.


For a man that near death, it seems a bit soon for Peter to be home but home he is, in a wheely. Not sure i'm so happy about Nick offering his services to run the betting shop. He'd be working with Leanne, wouldn't he? More chances to niggle his way back to Leanne if he had his way. And WHAT THE HELL was Leanne doing snogging and smarming all over Nick in the ginnel????? Where did that come from, after she was so adamant pushing him away. That made no sense at all.


Nick is off the hook, legally. I bet Norris isn't going to stop blaming him anyway. What the heck was all that about Gail's boiling ham? And hams cook pretty quickly, it's not as if it's an all day affair like cooking a big turkey. And why can't Gail just cook it Christmas morning anyway, i don't know what all this "Up all night cooking the ham" is all about. It must be the size of the shed in back of the Windass house where Gary seems to be hiding out these days.

Equally contrived that John would get sucked into Christmas dinner with Charlotte's parents. All he had to do is say he was having Christmas dinner with his own parents. He *does* have them even if he's never introduced his wife to them. That was cringeworthy, the three of them eating to that awful off key cd that Charlotte made! Good thing he's so good at lying. I thought Fiz could tell when he was lying? Apparently not. The guilt is weighing very heavy on John. That's one thing, Stapewich never was an evil man like Tony Gordon. He's a pathological liar, he's a narcissistic self absorbed selfish man, but he's not evil. I can't say i think too much of that Doctor, either, giving a clearly depressed man who is feeling very, very guilty about something sleeping pills.


I don't think ANYONE had a good Christmas this year. Even Lloyd and Cheryl got dragged into Steve and Becky's drama a bit. I suppose Emily, Rita and Norris's Christmas was probably nice. Chris seems to be sniffing around Maria again and you know what her history with men is like, she's got a loser magnet built in so, yeah, he beat his wife. Perfect for Maria, he was only misunderstood, innit? And lookit what Mary did? Created a mobile Kabin! Inventive at least. Aww it is always nice to hear Rita have a warble. I don't know why she bothered putting on her glasses to read the lyrics, she only glanced at them briefly at the start.

New Year isn't looking to be much happier either. Sally is facing a messy, nasty divorce but sees the new year in with Tyrone, misery loves company it seems. Gary is facing his nightmares and couldn't even make it to the pub for a drink with Izzy, his nerves in bits. Awww but at least they made up. The carpet in the the Windass house seems to be made of delicate eggshells, with Anna and Eddie not knowing what to do to help him.

Tracy, after a graphic conversation over the morning sausage about sex, made up for lost time shagging both Nick and David. But really, David Platt? I can't understand how David went all silly and jumped into bed with her. Oh ok, he's pretty young, probably has absolutely no control of his hormones. It *was* funny to see the look on Gail's face when she found out though. Nick? Yeah, he's a slut, he wasn't even drunk, and his beloved forgot his birthday. Poor widdle boy! So did they or didn't they? It didn't look like they did because Leanne interrupted them.


Audrey's friend Claudia is back again. She's so much fun! Always winding up Audrey! The charity auction won Chris a free chauffer ride from Lloyd and he's asked Maria for a date to enjoy it. Emily won racy knickers. Can you picture Audrey giving Eddie a manicure and pedicure???? Ewww! Audrey won the free 'do at Claudia's. And i don't know why Claudia is criticizing Audrey's thick mane of hair, pot,... kettle? Sophie and Sian have seen the New Year in with a bang. Pun intended. Sally wasn't too happy. I guess she could deny the reality of it until she caught them in bed.

Tracy landed herself with a knock on the head. (with a blunt object? Oh the Irony!) Becky's already threatened her, saying she'd see her dead before Tracy would end up with Steve. David told her to watch her back and later went out to make sure Tracy didn't ruin another year for his family. Nick is ticked she spilled the beans about their session (though i thought Leanne interrupted) She pissed off Mary and i wouldn't put Mary past doing a bit of damage. She continues to wind up Claire who's known to have the temper of a red head and Gail sure had a killer glare on as well. She's threatening to take Amy from Steve and Deirdre heard Steve threaten her too. She ends up on the ground in a pool of blood with lots of people having a motive and Steve standing over her. So it's too obvious that he has done it. Who did? Who do you think?


Deirdre is utterly convinced Steve did it and then she'll do an abrupt about face and be utterly convinced that whoever is next in line did it and so on. Fickle, is our Deirdre. Fence sitting, is Ken. Could have been an accident? She wasn't that drunk. Ooh but dishy DC Redfearn is doing the investigation!

Steve Huison pays tribute to military families

(This post was originally posted by me on the Coronation Street Blog in November, 2010.)

As you may remember, we saw the Windasses visited by an Army officer, there to inform them than Gary had been injured while serving in Afghanistan. Prior to that, we'd seen Anna obsessively watching the news reports and worrying herself into a frazzle about Gary. This is not an uncommon scene around the country as many families are in the same situation.


Ian Wylie spoke with Steve Huison in an interview that was published in the MEN about this. Steve's heart goes out to families who have loved ones serving in war zones and says he really wants to get this storyline right, as a tribute to all those families going through this for real and he says "My heart goes out to parents with sons and daughters in Afghanistan. "

After Gary was reported injured, we saw ex-squaddie Jim McDonald lead a toast to Gary in the pub when Roy Cropper spread the news. Later, we saw Gary in hospital as Eddie and Anna visit him.

State of the Street - December 2010 (Canadian Corrie timeline)

Wonder if Steve and Ciaran will see the new year in together?   I just love that photo! Anyway, it's that time again, the last State of the Street for the year, covering comments and events of December 2010 - and didn't it go out with a bang? Mainly, the discussion is about the aftermath of the crash, the culmination of all the month's storylines that all broke wide open in the last few weeks. 2011 will be a very different year, I'll wager.