Mikey North's wedding, behind-the-scenes pics

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

We recently wished Mikey North all the very best as he married his fiancee Rachael Isherwood.  The wedding was covered by OK magazine.

The wedding's official photographer Paul Willetts has been in touch with us to share the wedding album from Mikey and Rachael's wedding.  Paul says he wasn't aware of who Mikey North was as he hadn't watched Coronation Street for a very long time. When Mikey revealed he was an actor on the most famous telly street in the world, Paul says "My first thought, was, hey! It's Chesney!"

Actor Ian Puleston-Davies, who played Owen Armstrong was best man. 

There are some wonderful pictures and you can view them all here.




Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a soap icon. Available here.


Follow the Bluenose CorrieBlog on Twitter and Facebook

Top 10 most outrageous Liz McDonald outfits in Coronation Street

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

Last night's Coronation Street was classic Liz McDonald. Legs up to there, skirt no bigger than a pelmet and "roots as dark as her soul" (thankyou, Blanche).

1. The red knee-high boots were a classy touch. 

Let's have a look at some of the other wonderful outfits Liz McDonald has worn over the years.

2. Perfect for visiting the ex-husband in the big house.

3. Or for hiding on a balcony when you're having a fling with a married lover and you need to hide quick-sharp.

4. No animals were hurt in the making of this wardrobe change.

5. Rock star of the Rovers Return. This outfit's actually quite subdued, for Liz.

6. Whereas this one, isn't.

7. Who can forget Spanish Barbie?

8. Liz rocks the zebra look. She's not a woman you want to cross.

9. Want the metallic pink biker jacket look? Soapstyle found it here.

10. By 'eck, you don't get many of them to the pound.

And just for good measure - what marvellous shoes she wears!

 

With thanks to the fab tartydoris.com website, this really could have been a Top 20 post.  Here are some 'also-rans' in the best and worst of Liz's wardrobe.

Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a soap icon. Available here.


Follow the Bluenose CorrieBlog on Twitter and Facebook

Tired of toxic Tracy

 

(This post was originally posted by Graeme N on the Coronation Street Blog in February 2016.)


I'm afraid I am back on my soap box again today. Following yesterday's blog where I got a lot off my chest about the current state of Corrie I can't help but do a follow up and this time I'm singling out Tracy Barlow. I really cannot stand this character and I think it is time she departed. I don't really care how, I just want her gone.

The loyal Corrie viewer has had to suffer Tracy on and off for years now and the situation is becoming increasingly desperate. I see the character as someone the storyliners can turn to when they need a cheap ratings boost or someone to create some ridiculous dramatic tension in the break between double episodes on a Monday or a Friday. Tracy is reliably unpleasant, vicious and nasty. Most soap operas need a smattering of characters like this but more often than not they are short lived.

However Tracy Barlow has never really had her comeuppance. Forgiveness is something she receives far too easily from those around her, no matter how vindictive or heinous her crimes. It just doesn't ring true and it's certainly not what Coronation Street used to be all about. She's turned into a low grade pantomime villain only sadly she doesn't even throw sweets to the audience. Tracy is just out and out vile. Other characters in Corrie have their moments - Leanne has been an arsonist, a prostitute, a drug addict and a gobby little mare, but the skill in the characterisation is that she survives because she can and has changed. It actually enriches the character. Sally too can be downright rude, spiteful and unpleasant yet we all sided with her when Kevin did the dirty and we longed for Tim to turn up and marry the woman.

With Tracy however there is no light and shade. There is no real humour, no humanity and any vulnerability is short lived or nondescript. Because Tracy is always so rude, so abrasive and so on the attack, it is virtually impossible for the viewers to understand her, like her or feel for her. It's as simple as that. 

Ken, who was always less sympathetic towards Tracy that Deirdre, still forgives her every indiscretion and allows her, when she is nearly forty, to continue to clog up his house with all her endless dramas. After Deirdre's death, Tracy promised to change and to honour her mother's memory. What was the point of that exactly as less than a year later it's like that little story arc didn't happen. We are expected to believe that Tracy is a decent mother, yet would she do all she has done if that were the case? The only saving grace chez Barlow at the moment is Amy's transformation into a mini Blanche. She is fantastic. 

As I wrote yesterday, the Tracy and Carla feud has been boiling away like a pan of overcooked sprouts for far too long. All taste and colour has gone and we're now left with a ludicious merry-go-round of rubbish. What it really needs is for Karen McDonald to suddenly launch herself at both pathetic women with the heel-end of her red stiletto. That would liven things up and show them how it should be done. There's just no spirit in these scenes anymore because anyone in their right mind would have brought this simmering hatred to a head long ago and moved on.

 

I'm afraid I blame whoever took the decision to release Tracy from prison back in 2010 on a technicality designed to boost ratings. Nevermind doing the time for bumping off the gorgeous but menacing Charlie Stubbs, Tracy should have been left to rot for all eternity for performing that rancid dance in the lead up to whacking him one. My retinas are still in recovery.

I honestly don't know what you'd do to salvage a character like Tracy now. Too much water has gone under the bridge. My only suggestion is that we revert to what happened periodically in the 1980s and send her upstairs to listen to her tapes. Either that or...

 You can follow me on Twitter @GraemeN82




Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a soap icon. Available here.


Follow the Bluenose CorrieBlog on Twitter and Facebook

Corrie Canada weekly awards March 7 - 11

Iron Women award: Yasmeen and Audrey seem to be enjoying the gym rigors but Gail's struggling.

Back of the Net award: Andy really had Steph believing he was a rubbish boyfriend but he pulled off a lovely surprise with Nick's help.

Boy Scout award: "Be Prepared", right? Do all dealers have handy pre-wrapped oregano in their pockets just in case they encounter a naive newbie? Seemed odd to me.

Eggs in One Basket award: Aidan might end up with just the one client if he keeps alienating the long time clients to pander to O'Driscolls. Not always a good idea to bet it all on one horse.

Oblivious award: Gail was struggling with the cross trainer machine. Turns out Yasmeen turned the level up higher on it. Wouldn't you think Gail would have noticed or checked it if it was that difficult, or at least asked Gary or someone? Nope.

Witchy Woman award: Tracy. At least she is self-aware!

Lines of the week:
Anna to Kevin "What more do you want" (the truth. please. Before i stick a fork in my eye)
Gail about the Connors "It's that family. it's one crisis after another" Nick "whereas we, we live in Sunshine Valley, happy faces all day long!"
Sally "Are you trying to wind me up?" Norris "You don't need much help with that, do you?" (But he's such an insinuating little troll, is Norris)
Anna about Shirley McLain "She's someone's sister. Someone famous" (Warren Beatty)
Tracy to Carla "You've become my bitch, Babe. Always knew you had it in you" (and Carla actually let her walk away! Please let this be a wakeup for Carla!)
Carla "We are relying entirely on grafting" Michelle "And blagging" Carla "and booze. You know, Kate, you really need to fake it to feel it."
Yasmeen "If I'd known people would pay to get shouted at, I'd have charged my family all these years"
Sarah to Bethany "You are the brightest girl in our family, not that that's setting the bar very high"
Dev "Are you sure this is a good idea?" Erica "No, but where Mary leads, the rest of us must follow"
Mary "I can assure you I'm not quite the maneater people think. Or am I? (grrr)"




Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a soap icon. Available here.


Follow the Bluenose CorrieBlog on Twitter and Facebook

My Corrie Quandary

 

(This post was originally posted by Graeme N on the Coronation Street Blog in February 2016, slightly edited for spoilers.)

I'm in a Corrie quandary. To be honest I'm holding out for a change in personnel. It might just be me but I feel like the show is coasting a little at the moment. I find myself all too often feeling like I've been there before. It feels like everything is being slowly run down before a new broom comes in. 

I am beginning to watch the show after it has been broadcast so I can fast forward the bits I'm too bored to view. I used to just do this with the adverts. There is still plenty to enjoy - don't get me wrong. I have enjoyed seeing more of Rita, Audrey and Norris in the first two months of 2016. They have been brought back to the fore. There has also been plenty of Sally and Tim and much less of the Platt family, so that's kept me happy. And I don't mind the new Connors either. Alright, Aidan's constant moaning following the revelation that Johnny is Carla's dad has been off putting but as a family unit I think they work. 


As I've mentioned the recent storyline which saw Carla find out Johnny was her father is just so old hat. Didn't the same thing happen in the factory several years back when Danny Baldwin found out Mike was his dad? Scriptwriters may have short memories but the loyal audience do not. Even without the similarities to the Baldwin story, this plot line feels like it has been done to death not just in the Street but in other versions of the soap genre. 

I also cannot take much more Carla misery. Alison King is a superb talent and will be a great loss to Corrie when she leaves for good later this year. I just think the powers that be have loaded far too much grief, far too many traumas and far too many trips to hospital on the poor woman. I know realism doesn't come into play with Coronation Street these days but Carla has had so many terrible things happen to her in the past ten years it beggars belief. It also diminishes the shock value so the more often it happens the less original drama can be squeezed from the situation. I had to fast forward some of the scenes between Tracy and Carla last night. There was nothing original or different in them. The feud between this pair is dragging on and on and I have very little sympathy for either woman. The vengeful Tracy act is becoming very tired.

 

I am also no fan of the resurrected Pat Phelan story. I think the actor who plays him is superb but it all feels like too much of a retread. I think Debbie Rush is a great actor but I really dislike the shrewish Anna, who seems to be front and centre once again. I felt tremendous sympathy for her the first time around but this time I couldn't understand why she didn't just tell Kevin the truth. She's made the whole situation ten times worse for herself by keeping quiet. Again it all feels too familiar like we've been there before. I think the return of Phelan was an easy option and signifies the staleness in the show at the moment.

I will try to end on a positive. I have completely changed my mind about Erica. To begin with I just saw another soap actor switching programmes and I didn't see the point of the character. Now, I feel differently. I think Claire King is doing an excellent job and Erica is a breath of fresh air with her positive attitude and support of the likes of Mary and Izzy. I really like the character and hope they develop her further. Some more scenes with Liz would be great as the Rovers Landlady really needs a close female friend now Deirdre has gone. 

 

I know the new Coronation Street producer has promised no major cast culls when she takes over later in the spring and while I don't like the thought of hard working actors losing their jobs, I can't help but hope the cast and the storylines are shaken up a little. 

You can follow me on Twitter @GraemeN82





Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a soap icon. Available here.


Follow the Bluenose CorrieBlog on Twitter and Facebook

Thanks, Tony

 

(This post was originally posted by Graeme N on the Coronation Street Blog in March 2016, reposted with permission.)


Initially I didn't really know if I wanted to write a blog about Tony Warren. His death earlier this week really has marked the end of an era for Coronation Street. His peak as a writer for Corrie may have long since passed, but he was omnipresent at Granada for many of the Street's 56 years. Coronation Street was in his blood, it was through him like a stick of Blackpool rock.

I didn't want to write a piece for the blog that felt like an obituary. There are plenty of those around, some of them excellent. I also didn't want to create a blog which simply recounted his career highs and occasional lows as we're all well-versed in those, even though many of them are still startling and inspirational years on. What I did want to do was pay tribute to a man who has created not just a television programme which portrayed ordinary people as they really were but a man who helped redefine the cultural landscape in this country at a time when everything was being questioned. 

There was an absolutely wonderful quote from Tony Warren in The Guardian earlier this week which described the struggle he faced and of course, overcame as a gay writer working in television in the early 1960s:  

“The first Coronation Street writing team contained some of the biggest homophobes I’ve ever met. I remember getting to my feet in a story conference and saying: ‘Gentlemen, I have sat here for two-and-a-half hours and listened to three poof jokes, a storyline dismissed as poofy and an actor described as ‘useless for us as he’s a poof’. As a matter of fact, he isn’t. But I would point out that I am one, and without a poof none of you would be in work today.’”  

This to me sums Warren up perfectly. It also provides evidence, if evidence was ever needed, as to how a young man in his early twenties could have created such firebrand women as Elsie Tanner, Annie Walker and Ena Sharples. There is so much truth in what he said but as always with Tony Warren, there is humour too.

 

I never met Tony Warren face to face but I did have the great pleasure of attending a special event at the British Film Institute in November 2010, as part of Coronation Street's 50th anniversary celebrations. Tony began the evening by introducing the first three episodes of Corrie from December 1960. He addressed the audience with warmth, good humour and honesty and was an absolute delight. It was quite simply an amazing experience to be in the presence of the man who gave us Coronation Street, watching his creation at the very beginning. A video of the Q&A which followed is still available on the BFI website.

Another favourite story about Tony Warren surfaced on his This Is Your Life tribute in 1995. Whilst autograph hunting at the stage door of a Manchester theatre in the late 1940s, he encountered a young actress. When he asked for her autograph, she replied why should he want her signature as she wasn't anybody. Tony replied, "Yes, but you might be one day!" The young actress was June Brown, better known today as Dot in EastEnders. It was only many years later that June found out who the little boy was. 

One final recollection about Tony Warren before I finish. This little snippet from Amanda Barrie's autobiography always sticks in my mind. Amanda had been at some party or other at Granada and had come out onto the Street itself only to be joined by the shows' creator, Tony Warren. It was at night and snow was falling on the set. All was quiet as they reflected. Tony said, looking around at the cobbled street that you could still feel the magic. 

And I think that sums Tony up. Even in his later years he was still full of that youthful energy and enthusiasm that got Coronation Street made back in 1960 when all were against him. There always seemed to be a mischievous twinkle whenever he appeared. Tony Warren never lost his love for Coronation Street or for the people of Manchester. 

Thanks, Tony.

You can follow me on Twitter @GraemeN82  





Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a soap icon. Available here.


Follow the Bluenose CorrieBlog on Twitter and Facebook

Sunday Comments March 13

Phelan was trying hard to spin the matter but Kevin was suspcious and he didn't believe him. Kevin can certainly hold his own and Phelan isn't going to press the issue. And yet, Anna still won't tell Kevin the whole truth and Phelan makes sure he gets Jason on his side. And I'm telling you, I'm ready to stick a fork in my eye if she doesn't tell him soon. I can't blame Anna for hesitating on going back with Kevin. He didn't trust her word. I'm actually glad she didn't cave in and go all giggly again. I suppose they will get back together in the end, though. I wonder if Kevin is still going to fix his van for free? Nope.

Kevin was pretty free with his accusations on the street but he has no proof so Kevin looks like he's in the wrong because Phelan's so good at the spin. Now Kevin's mooning like a lovesick teenager with a broken heart and Anna is determined it's over. Norris is pretty good with the spin, too, making all sorts of insinuations that Tim was fighting in the street when he was actually trying to prevent one. He's such a little troll.

Andy is really rubbish at birthdays, isn't he? You almost hope he's actually got a big surprise party or extra special gift for her that he's pretending he doesn't have. But he did have a somewhat suspicious look on his face behind her back when she was making plans to go clubbing. Yep, he was planning something better after all. Back of the net! Only problem is, in addition to a posh spa, there was a bar and Steph is hungover the next day! She's also got to face Jamie's trial which we won't actually see but he got three years for the photo thing, likely will get more for the burglary though I suppose that trial won't be for a bit.

O'Driscolls seem to be a demanding client but Aidan seems up for the challenge, at least where it comes to running up estimates and spreadsheets. And Aidan then ends up manipulating their other customers in order to pander to O'Driscolls. Aidan asked Eva out but she spied Marta lurking in the shadows and brought her home for the night because she's ill. The next day, Eva has pulled a sickie to look after Marta. Later on Aidan comes over with supplies like grapes, chocolate and a lemon drink but Eva manages to hustle him out. Marta still has Sean's overcoat and ends up slipping out the door when Eva's back is turned, worried that she's too much trouble. Oh dear.

Gail never did very well releasing the apron strings with Nick in particular. She's pulling on them tight now but at least he's not about to give in. Never mind. Nick told Leanne about his plans. I thought he'd tell her right then that she could put in an offer if she could swing it but he didn't. Robert can't seem to be able to raise more than 90K and Ken isn't willing to take the 10K from Amy's trust fund to do it. Too much risk. Nick isn't so quick to accept the offer but Tracy's threats are pushing Carla into pushing Nick. She had Nick considering it, if there were no other offers and in the meantime, Tracy's really twisting the knife. I really don't buy it. The Carla we know and love would never let anyone push her around. She'd have told Robert what his beloved was doing long ago and confessed to Nick who probably would have forgiven her, knowing how self destructive she can be. But it's gone on too long now.

Anyway, Nick keeps telling Leanne he would rather be selling to her but she doesn't have the money. She talks about it as security for Simon's future. I thought that was why Peter bought the betting shop? Then again, he didn't do so well with that in the end and the rent Tracy and Anna are paying is for Simon's upkeep. There's probably not a lot getting saved or invested out of it. But wait! Ken has decided to use Simon's share of Deirdre's inheritance to put into the pot towards the restaurant. That's something he didn't do when Tracy wanted the money. I think that little chat in the shop probably cemented his resolve. Tracy only thinks of herself.

Leanne's right to be a bit worried, though. It's easy for a restaurant to go under even with good management in this day and age. She managed to get the ok from the bank, with Ken's backing behind her and made the offer which shocked Nick because Carla had just finished convincing him to accept Robert's offer now. They shook hands on it but Leanne's offer threw a wrench into things. Tracy freaked out, Robert was flustered and he thinks Nick will sell to Leanne. End of. That won't stop Tracy, oh no it won't. More pressure, more blackmail. Why oh why doesn't Carla just tell Nick the truth, or, barring that, go to Robert.

Nick is torn, he doesn't know who to sell the Bistro to and Carla's not really pushing him one way or the other. Robert and Leanne establish mutual admiration for each others' abilities and Robert, having tried and failed to raise any more cash, suggests to Tracy that he convince Nick to sell half to him and half to Leanne. That would still make Robert the majority owner when taking his 20percent into account but Tracy won't have it. In the factory, Ritchie O'Driscoll has just sent Underworld 30K as a deposit and Carla nicks 10K of it to her personal account. She hands that over to Tracy but Johnny has already busted her. What's she going to tell him? How's she going to get out of this one?

Izzy was in a brighter mood for a few days but it's back to the pain again, it seems. She's run out of her illegal medical "supply". Erica's mate/supplier has left the country so Izzy is reduced to buying in a pub, a rough one and she went alone. Desperation shows and she got ripped off. It does seem odd that someone would have bags of oregano on hand just in case they encountered a naive newbie, though. At least she didn't try to smoke it before she figured it out! Still, Gary knows her well. He could tell there was a problem even if she didn't admit it.

Izzy ended up calling in sick, getting rude Aidan at first and then understanding Carla. Gary is more and more concerned and so he should be. Izzy went to confront the oregano dealer at the pub. Stupid move. At least she called Gary to rescue her. He wasn't very understanding, at first. Mind you, she doesn't have to smoke it. She could bake it into brownies as long as she keeps them out of Jake's reach.

Izzy then pulls another sickie and Gary has promised he'll get hold of some weed for her though the mate he had told her about isn't contactable at the moment. She's worried it's putting him in a dodgey position but he insists he's going to help her. What a guy! You know where I see this heading? I think Gary might move back in to help her. Maybe this will lead to them getting back together.

Tim isn't, in fact, taking to being a business owner like a duck to water. I think Steve might need to come back sooner than later if he wants a business to come back to. Meanwhile, Sally continues to change her stance depending on who her audience is, in order to persuade another voter to her side. That's going to come back to bite her, mark my words, and it didn't take long, did it? Both sets of voters that she'd shared different opinions with confronted her in the pub. Oops.

This Rana seems to be an incorrigible flirt and a schmoozer. I'm not sure if I like her, yet. She's a nurse. We have a medical centre on the Street. Corrie soap law says nearly everyone has to have a job on the street and guess what? Rana is going for an interview at the medical centre. No prizes if you guess that she's going to get the job.

Sinead is still modelling. Chesney's developing a bit green-eyed. He doesn't do well with change and I expect he thinks his world is going to change if she starts a modelling career. Michael doesn't trust Phelan and Eileen seems to be blindly falling under his spell. Sounds like Carla is encouraging Kate to get to know other parts of the business besides the packing end of it. Simon's back. I guess Ken must have stayed in Portsmouth with him. Simon seems a bit more pleasant but he's still not really ready to go home again. Mary has persuaded Erica and Liz to go out on the town and they get their hair and nails done at the salon. In a lovely little scene, Mary thanks Erica for being her friend. Awwww. Mary is now done up all glam and seems determined to have a great night out. This could end badly, with Mary on a man hunt. She'll scare them!

Sarah has discovered that Bethany has been cutting school, lying that her great gran Audrey has died! Er no, quite alive and healthy, thanks. Sarah's now fit to be tied and worried. What's Bethany been up to? Elsewhere, Gail and Audrey are going to the gym together with Audrey sailing along on the cross trainer, but with Gail in slow motion, struggling. Turns out Yasmeen played a little trick and increased the level considerably. That's actually not very funny is it? I did wonder why Gail didn't notice the level set on the machine or asked someone why it seemed to be so difficult. Audrey was smug that Gail is always quite sedentary but Gail does cleaning for the Bistro (and the gym? not sure about that) so she actually gets quite a bit of exercise, probably more than Audrey who does stand for a living but the only iron she lifts is scissors, not a heavy mop and bucket.




Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a soap icon. Available here.


Follow the Bluenose CorrieBlog on Twitter and Facebook

Coronation Street Chit-Chat news catch-up

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

Here we go with Coronation Street chit-chat, a catch-up of some of the shorter news stories that haven't made it into their own blog post. 

Current Corrie cast members
Catherine Tyldesley (Eva Price) has a 5-star mini-break. Read it here.
Bhavna Limbachia on joining Corrie as new girl Rana. Read it here.
Brooke Vincent (Sophie Webster) on Corrie filming being stopped by a noisy plane. Read it here. And posing with a fan for a selfie. Read it here.
Samia Ghadie (Maria Connor) on losing baby weight. Read it here.
Daniel Brocklebank (Billy the Vicar) gets into a fight - for a Corrie storyline. Read it here.
Tina O'Brien (Sarah Platt) gets her hair done. Read it here.

Ex-Corrie cast members
Julie Hesmondhalgh (Hayley Cropper) stars in Happy Valley. Read it here.
Charlie Lawson (Jim McDonald) to star in new Northern Ireland TV drama. Read it here.
Richard Fleeshman (Craig Harris) to star in Guys and Dolls stage musical. Read it here.




Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a soap icon. Available here.


Follow the Bluenose CorrieBlog on Twitter and Facebook

Tony Warren – and why writers have a lot to thank him for

(This post was originally posted by Tommy Cowell on the Coronation Street Blog in March 2016, reposted with permission.)

We have a guest post by Tommy Cowell who has a very good perspective of the legacy left by Tony Warren.

“Hello, it’s Tony Warren... I’m an actor.”

To those familiar with the 2010 drama ‘The Road to Coronation Street’, you will recognise that line of dialogue. It was how a young Tony Warren introduced himself to a security guard at Granada Studios in 1960. A couple of scenes later, he returns to the same security guard and says, “It’s Tony Warren. The Writer.”

Now then, writers! Imagine a parallel world where Tony Warren didn’t meet the security guard for a second time. A world in which Tony Warren, “the actor”, had never created Coronation Street.

In this baron, post-apocalyptic world in which Coronation Street does not exist, there would also be no Emmerdale, Eastenders or Hollyoaks. All these shows are breeding grounds for new writers. All screenwriters, whether they know it or not, have a lot to thank Tony for.

Most of the great screenwriters in our country have worked on a soap. Jimmy McGovern and Kay Mellor started their careers on Brookside, Sally Wainwright’s second writing gig was at Emmerdale and Paul Abbott’s career took off following a stint at Corrie. Russell T. Davies created not one, but TWO of his own soaps, as well as storylining for the famous cobbles. Would the careers of these wonderful folk be as illustrious had it not been for Tony’s vision?

Lime pictures recently launched a competition for new writers, in which the winner will get to experience working at the script department of Hollyoaks. The opportunities for the winner are immense. Because of Tony Warren, there are at least 20 episodes of drama every week on UK Television; that’s 20 jobs for writers every week, 1,040 jobs for writers every year.

I don’t think you have to enjoy soaps to be a good writer. However, I think it’s beneficial to appreciate them. It’s essential to understand the way their stories are told over weeks, months, hooking the nation in their millions. The structure that Tony created in 1960 is the same structure that’s used today. Whenever a writer is starting out, and that writer rejects the soap opera as a lesser art form, I honestly think “what an idiot”. It’s like a builder not understanding how bungalows are constructed because they prefer mansions.

Over the years, many producers, storyliners, writers and directors have made it possible for the soap genre to evolve – but it all begins with Tony. Because of him, there are workshops and writing schemes that invite new writers – writers who have no representation and no contacts – into the world of writing for TV drama. (ITV and BBC writersroom are useful gateways for newbies.)

So from one writer to another, thank you Tony Warren. The actor, the writer, the legend.

Tommy
Find Tommy on Twitter  @tommytalkstelly and on YouTube




Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a soap icon. Available here.


Follow the Bluenose CorrieBlog on Twitter and Facebook

Top 5 drugs storylines on Coronation Street

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

With poor Izzy gettng ripped off and roughed up at the Blue Ghost in her search for drugs, let's have a look at my personal favourite top five Coronation Street's other storylines involving drugs.

1. Izzy and the cannabis

An interesting storyline showing cannabis being used for pain relief as opposed to..

2. Getting high in Roy's Rolls

Back in 2003 Vera cooked some cakes with cannabis after she was given some 'special herbs' by Maz at the allotment.  She unwittingly served up hash cakes in Roy's Rolls and this ended up being quite a merry scene with Rita, Roy, Norris and Emily high on space cakes.  Sadly, this scene has been removed from YouTube.

And of course, Emily is no stranger to cannabis either, allowing her nephew Spider to smoke his 'special cigarettes' in her house.

And Rita found Dennis high a kite in The Kabin after eating "special brownies".




3. David and the ecstasy tablets

David hid a stash of ecstasy tablets inside the head of one of Bethany's dolls. She finds the doll, eats a tablet and ends up in hospital. And speaking of ecstasy...

4. Tracy and the ecstasy

I couldn't find a picture of Tracy Barlow in 1995 in her hospital bed (played then by Dawn Acton), so here's the next best thing.  Samir donated his kidney to save Tracy's life, but ended up being killed after an attack by the canal.

5. Leanne becomes Jez Quigley's bitch

Jez started to sell cocaine from the Rovers Return and roped in Leanne too.

Any more major drugs storylines you've enjoyed over the years watching Corrie?




Deirdre: A Life on Coronation Street - official ITV tribute to a soap icon. Available here.


Follow the Bluenose CorrieBlog on Twitter and Facebook