Christmas TV highlights

CHRISTMAS provides us with many pleasing and delightful aspects.  There is spending time with your loved ones, that delicious dinner on Christmas Day and the countless amount of chocolate that needs to be munched.  Another highlight of the next fortnight is the Christmas TV.  Here is a preview of some of the festival treats on offer on the box.

     In soapland, EastEnders has had the top billing for a number of years and their main storyline features the destruction of the Masood family.  Evil doctor Yusef has managed to split Zainab and Masood up and weasel his way in Zainab’s affections.  This Christmas, it all explodes quite literally and not everyone will survive.  I can reveal of a fire at the B&B on Boxing Day, but is this part of Yusef’s revenge plot or the culmination of another storyline.  Elsewhere on the Square, little Tommy Moon has his first birthday, but Kat and Alfie’s turbulent marriage hits a crisis point.  Will a camera recorder spell the end of another Walford marriage?  Also, Bianca is released from prison, but a happy Christmas for the Butcher’s looks highly unlikely, especially as Pat’s financial issues become public knowledge.  Worse is to come for the Square’s matriarch, as her health takes a turn for the worse.  Actress Pam St. Clement is leaving the show, but I’m keeping tight lipped on how she will be departing.

        Another major character is leaving the soaps over the festive period and that is Becky McDonald in Coronation Street.  Depressed at seeing her former husband Steve and her nemesis Tracy Barlow have a family Christmas; she sets fire accidentally to her flat.  Can Nick Tilsley make it in time to drag the fiery Becky out of the fire?  Peter Barlow might have just started a sizzling affair with Carla Connor, but when he misplaces a Christmas present in the back of a taxi, Rovers bar manager, Stella Price becomes nosey and her reaction to Leanne’s Christmas present that she receives from her cheating hubby suggests that Peter must watch his back.  Also, Sophie Webster is set to tie the knot with Sian Powers, but she seems to be struggling to cope with last-minute nerves and growing feelings towards Amber.  Will the wedding go ahead?  In Emmerdale, goodwill will not be in play between Debbie and Alicia.  Christmas dinner or should I say, Alicia’s dinner ends up being poured over her head by Debbie.  Then, she has another plan to help conceive a baby with Andy, in the efforts to save Sarah, but how their partners react to her desperate plan.  Also, factory owner Jai is arrested for the attack on Cain Dingle a couple of weeks ago.  Have the police got their man, or is Cain just out for revenge?  Plus, Laurel and Ashley get prepared to renew their wedding vows, but Laurel is another woman with second thoughts and can dishy chef Marlon stop her making a terrible mistake.  Doctors, Home and Away and Neighbours all disappear on lengthy Christmas breaks, but in Hollyoaks, Brendan Brady and Warren Fox’s bitter confrontation for villain of the year in Chester reaches new heights.  Brendan has a gun pulled on him, is he doomed to end the year in a coffin?

HEAD-TO-HEAD: EastEnders v Downton Abbey on Christmas Day

        Taking on EastEnders head-to-head on Christmas Day will be the award-winning Downton Abbey.  Nigel Havers, Brendan Coyle and Hugh Bonneville take guest roles in this special episode, which will bring a rollercoaster full of emotions and a mixture of cheer and sadness in Lord Grantham’s country house?  On the same day, Matt Smith stars in the seasonal Doctor Who Christmas special.  Alexander Armstrong plays a guest role this year and we’ve been promised a story that will show a different side to the Doctor.  Other leading dramas see the star of Lewis, Laurence Fox take a lead performance in Fast Freddie, The Widow and Me where he and his wife attempt to bring some much needed cheer to a terminally ill child.  

     The final of Strictly Come Dancing is tomorrow evening and on Christmas Day, there will be the regular Christmas special for charity.  This year, EastEnders wicked woman Charlie Brooks, former Blue boyband member Simon Webbe and boxer Barry McGuigan compete in the dance-off.  As Bruce and Tess would say, keep dancing!  Chris Tarrant presents another edition of celebrity Who Wants to Be A Millionaire, while Jimmy Carr and guests including Jonathan Ross, Alan Carr and Miranda Hart compete for a lighter look at 2011 in The Big Fat Quiz of the Year.  Then there’s Ant and Dec and let’s be honest, a Christmas without them would be as dull as dishwater!  They pick up where Phillip Schofield and Christine Bleakley by hosting the second edition of Text Santa, where the winners at the end of a fabulous night of entertainment and surprises, will be charities.  Schofield’s acclaimed show The Cube has a couple of Coronation Street stars attempt to become the first people to beat The Cube and there’s also a Benidorm v The Only Way is Essex Family Fortunes Christmas Special.

           Other shows to watch out for in Christmas are a lookback at the news from the year in Mark Austin’s That Was 2011.  Fearne Cotton and Reggie Yates will provide the music entertainment on Christmas Day with a special edition of Top of the Pops.  In sport, Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea and Liverpool v Newcastle United look like the pick of the Premiership festive football action live on Sky Sports.  Also, can Kauto Star produce one final piece of magic on Channel 4 with the King George VI at Kempton and stop Long Run’s recent dominance of jump racing.  Lastly, Noel Edmonds will present daily editions of Deal or No Deal, which takes a panto feel to this Christmas.  However, don’t expect any festive celebrations from the banker.

So there you go, that is your Christmas TV sorted….

                                                                                                                

Soapland at Christmas

By Jason Wright (Entertainment Expert)

WITH the clocks due to go back on Sunday, it’s an ideal time to look at the three key storylines that are set to strike the three top soaps at Christmas this year.

     It is a common tradition for the soaps to roll out the big guns in an attempt to draw in the viewers, especially for when it comes to the big 25th date itself.  EastEnders knows how to do it, as it’s been the top rated soap on Christmas Day for nine years in a row.  The burning question is, will they make it the perfect ten this year?  Or will Corrie steal glory for the first time since 2001?  Or could Emmerdale spring a surprise and come out on top?

WARNING: Potential spoilers do not read on if you don’t want to know!

EastEnders – Farwell to an Albert Square legend

GOODBYE: How is Pat heading out of the Square?

IT SEEMS like a regular theme.  Christmas in soapland brings a familiar character leaving.  This year, that honour goes to Albert Square icon Pat Evans.  Actress Pam St Clement is hanging up her alter ego’s famous earrings after 20 years in the role.  The likelihood is that Pat will be killed off but how is still up in the air.  The rumoured ways are a horror fire in the B&B or, perhaps more likely, a tragic short battle with cancer.  The final scenes are set to reunite the Butcher family with Ricky (Sid Owen) and Bianca (Patsy Palmer) returning as are Pat’s sons, Simon and David Wicks (Nick Berry and Michael French), last seen in the mid-nineties.  Either way, it is certainly set to be another tearjerker of a Christmas in the Square.

Coronation Street – Teenage heartbreak on the cards

HEARTBREAK: Sophie and Sian's relationship looks set for a unhappy ending

ONE of Corrie’s most popular storylines over the past two years has been the lesbian relationship between Sophie Webster (Brooke Vincent) and Sian Powers (Sacha Parkinson).  This Christmas, it looks like the romance could potentially hit the skids.  Last week saw Sophie end up kissing workmate Amber Kalirai (Nikki Patel) and in an act of guilt, decided to pop the question to Sian, setting up a civil partnership ceremony for the festive period.  Whilst it is known that the storyline will get to at least the day of the ceremony, it seems that they may not get to say ‘I do.’  The rumours are that the event will be called off as Sophie decides that it’s Amber that she really wants.  However, Amber might also decide to get her own back and make the secret kiss a public matter, leading to a potential jilt.  With Sacha Parkinson set bid farewell to Weatherfield as Sian at the start of 2012, it looks as if this love story sadly won’t get the happy ending that it deserves.

Emmerdale – Happy Families, unlikely!

WHEREAS EastEnders and Corrie’s plot lines have broken cover, Emmerdale is still being kept mostly under wraps.  However, it looks as if their main plot will centre round the continuing illness of Debbie Dingle’s (Charley Webb) daughter Sarah.  In desperate need of a bone marrow transplant for Sarah to survive, she and Sarah’s father Andy Sugden (Kelvin Fletcher) decide to take drastic action that could have several drawbacks in the long term.  It is possible that this could also connect with the birth of Amy Wyatt’s (Chelsea Halfpenny) baby at Christmas, and whether the dad of the newborn Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) will oppose to this decision.  It seems an extremely and complicated based storyline at the moment, mainly as it hasn’t really been fully unveiled.  Soap addicts should remember though, Emmerdale never really does simple and basic storylines, especially at Christmas.

     One thing is certainly agreed, Christmas Day will once again be far from quiet in the land of soaps.  Just what side will the public tune into this year?  There’s only 59 days to go until we have our answer.

Betty Driver - Street icon

CORONATION Street icon Betty Driver passed away in hospital after an prolonged illness last Saturday.  She was 91 years old.  The ITV soap dedicated its episodes on Monday evening to the actress, who graced our TV screens for 42 years, appearing in over 2,000 episodes.

Betty Driver - 20 May 1920 - 15 October 2011

     Driver played Betty Williams in the show, with her main role being a long-serving barmaid in the Rovers Return.  She will always be remembered for Betty’s Hotpot; quite possibly the most famous dish in soap opera history.  She was awarded an MBE for her services to the show in 2000.  Betty had been admitted to hospital in May after suffering from pneumonia.  She had hoped to return to work after her 91^st birthday in the summer, but sadly, it wouldn’t happen.  Current Corrie producer Phil Collinson told ITV’s This Morning programme on Monday ‘that he would give Betty a proper and well-deserved send-off on the show.’

     Here is a selection of tributes from Coronation Street cast and crew members, both past and present;

Kieran Roberts (Executive producer); “Betty was a wonderful actress and remarkable woman.  It is humbling to think that the 42 years she spent on Coronation Street was just half of her extraordinary career, but Coronation Street certainly benefited when she decided to join our show in 1969.  Betty was always a delight to work with and whilst there is a great sadness at her passing away, Betty will be remembered by everyone on Coronation Street with tremendous admiration and affection.”  

Katherine Kelly (plays Becky McDonald); “Our Betty – the true and constant Queen of the Rovers.  The most famous street in the kingdom will never be the same now you are gone, but those sparkling eyes and cheeky laugh will live with me forever.”

Julie Goodyear (played Bet Lynch); “It was an honour and a privilege to work with Betty Driver for 25 years.  We laughed together; we cried together and never once had a crossword.  She was a totally professional actress.  A true icon and legend and a very dear friend, she will be missed and remembered by millions.”

William Roache (plays Ken Barlow); “I loved Betty dearly, she was not only a colleague, she was a friend and godmother to my son James.  She will be missed in the Street, but she will be missed more so as a warm and loving person.”

The Street will never be the same without Betty Driver and her hotpot, one of the original ladies of Weatherfield will always be remembered and never forgotten by any fan of Coronation Street.

RIP Betty Driver (20 May 1920 – 15 October 2011)

British Soap Awards 2011 - Corrie wins big; EastEnders retains top prize

By Jason Wright (Entertainment Expert)

CONTINUED: EastEnders won the coveted prize again

EASTENDERS won the main award again last week at the British Soap Awards.  Once again, it set an example as to why it is considered as the best soap on television in recent times as it swept to a fourth success in a row for Best British Soap.

     For the first time in history, the awards moved away from its usual home of the BBC Television Centre but instead of relocating down the road to The O2 Arena like many other awards shows now, it chose the ITV Granada Studios in Manchester.  With 17 awards to fight for, and most critics this was the best year gone by for British Soap, everything than just pride was all to play for.

     The relocation to Manchester seemed to pay dividends for Coronation Street.  Despite missing out on the main gong, the local soap took away nine awards from the evening.  Michelle Keegan retained her crown for ‘Sexiest Female’ for the third year in the row whilst the Tram Crash for the 50th Anniversary at Christmas deservedly won ‘Spectacular Scene’ as did for ‘Best Single Episode’ for its live episode and ‘Best Storyline’ for Kevin Webster’s affair with Molly Dobbs, which climaxed around the time of the crash.

     The soap’s other successes came from Jane Danson winning ‘Best Dramatic Performance’, Alexander Bain becoming the inaugural winner of the ‘Best Young Performance’ award, Patti Clare earning ‘Best Comedy Performance’ whilst the biggest plaudits went the legendary Bill Tarmey for getting the ‘Best Exit’ gong and then the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ for his 30 years of work on the show as the legendary Jack Duckworth.

     There was to be only four awards on the night for EastEnders.  There was another ‘Sexiest Male’ gong for Scott Maslen and the ‘Best Actress’ award for the recently-returned Jessie Wallace who also took the ‘Best On-Screen Partnership’ award with Shane Richie.  By claiming ‘Best British Soap,’ it shows the influence that former Hollyoaks boss Bryan Kirkwood has had, since his arrival last year.

     The remaining soaps were left with few scraps again though Emmerdale broke the recent tradition of Corrie and EastEnders dominating the viewer-voted awards as Danny Miller rightfully won ‘Best Actor.’  The rural soap’s only other success came in the form of a posthumous honour for the late Gavin Blyth with the ‘Special Achievement’ award.  The 51 year-old, who has helped turn around the soap’s fortunes, tragically died back in November after a short battle with illness.

     Hollyoaks also earned two awards, both going to popular newbie Emmet J. Scanlan with awards for ‘Best Newcomer’ and a viewer award for ‘Villain of The Year.’  After only being nominated in two categories, daytime soap Doctors unsurprisingly went home empty-handed, ending its surprise success in recent editions of the ceremony.

     In truth, the year that soap has produced has been breathtaking. Corrie won the battle but it was truly EastEnders who won the war.

British Soap Awards 2011 - The nominations

By Jason Wright (Entertainment Expert)

NEXT Saturday, the stars of Britain’s five premier soaps will gather at the BBC Television Centre in London to celebrate, reflect and reminisce the big events in soap over the past twelve months.  Several talking points have been raised following the release of the British Soap Awards nominations last week, so it’s only fitting to have a look at some of the contenders and possible winners or losers.

PROMISE: Will Danny's acting skills finally earn him an award?

     The viewing public once again have their say in six of the awards, which are the most hotly contested.  In ‘Sexiest Male’, Keith Duffy and Chris Fountain of Coronation Street (Ciaran McCarthy and Tommy Duckworth), the latter has only been present since last month, will go up against EastEnders’ Scott Maslen (Jack Branning) and Emmerdale’s Danny Miller (Aaron Livesy).  The ‘Sexiest Female’ award also swayed in favour of Corrie with nominations for Alison King (Carla Connor) and Michelle Keegan (Tina McIntyre) with competition from EastEnders’ Rita Simons (Roxy Mitchell) and Hollyoaks Jennifer Metcalfe (Mercedes McQueen).

     In ‘Villain Of The Year’, EastEnders heads the running with Charlie Brooks (Janine Molloy) and Don Gilet (Lucas Johnson) but they will have their work cut out with Kate Ford (Tracy Barlow) from Corrie, beating obvious candidate Graeme Hawley (John Stape) and Emmet J. Scanlan (Brendan Brady) from Hollyoaks.

     A strong field for ‘Best Actress’ features Corrie’s Katherine Kelly (Becky McDonald), Jessie Wallace from EastEnders (Kat Moon), Emmerdale’s Jane Cox (Lisa Dingle), who won honourable praise for her recent rape storyline and a surprise nod for Claire Cooper (Jacqui McQueen) from Hollyoaks.  In ‘Best Actor’, Chris Gascoyne (Peter Barlow) from Corrie and Shane Richie (Alfie Moon) from EastEnders will compete alongside popular figures Danny Miller and Emmet J. Scanlan.

     The remaining awards are determined by an expert panel.  They have made some questionable choices in the past but they believe they know they are doing.  One of the most anticipated awards will be for ‘Spectacular Scene of the Year.’  The clear favourite is Corrie’s Tram Crash with opposition from EastEnders’ Queen Vic Fire, Emmerdale for the extreme car crash that left Jackson Walsh (Marc Silcock) paralyzed and Hollyoaks for its lift shaft stunt.  In ‘Best Single Episode,’ Corrie’s Live Episode is also the obvious choice with no rather stiff competition for it whilst the ‘Best Storyline’ is contested by Corrie for Kevin Webster’s (Michael Le Vell) affair with the late Molly Dobbs (Vicky Binns) which destroyed the closely-knitted Webster clan, Doctors for Karen’s abortion and Emmerdale hoping to cause an upset with Holly Barton’s (Sophie Powles) drug addiction.  Despite a national outcry, EastEnders’ Baby Swap storyline is nominated.  If it wins, many would expect outrage and fury from fans and media commentators alike.

OUTSIDER: Steph's Hollyoaks exit last November was a tearjerker

     For ‘Best Comedy Performance’, it’s a close call with the favourites being EastEnders Tameka Empson (Kim Fox) and Hollyoaks Alex Carter (Lee Hunter).  Despite not being put forward for Best Actress, Jane Danson (Leanne Barlow) is still preferred by many to win the ‘Best Dramatic Performance’ award.  She will be hard pushed by Danny Miller, his third nomination overall, Claire Cooper and EastEnders Lindsey Coulson (Carol Jackson).  The ‘Best Exit’ award will sometimes shed a tear or two, and this year is no exception with Corrie’s Bill Tarmey (Jack Duckworth), Emmerdale’s Andy Devine (Shadrach Dingle), EastEnders Lacey Turner (Stacey Branning) and Hollyoaks Carley Stenson (Steph Roach).  It isn’t surprising that Turner would be considered favourite but Stenson’s exit in November’s Il Gnosh fire was very well-handled and could be Hollyoaks best chance at success this year.

SNUB: Sophie and Sian's Corrie romance is popular, but not enough for an award

     One new award is for ‘Best Young Performance,’ a simple renaming of the dramatic performance for a young actor or actress.  The main contenders are all nominated, Corrie’s Alexander Bain (Simon Barlow), EastEnders Maisie Smith (Tiffany Butcher), Emmerdale’s Eden Taylor-Draper (Belle Dingle) and Hollyoaks Ellis Hollins (Tom Cunningham).  The real surprises come from the ‘Best On-Screen Partnership’ nominations.  Although well-known contenders Katherine Kelly & Simon Gregson, Jessie Wallace & Shane Ritchie and Emma Atkins & Jeff Hordley are in the running, it’s very surprising to see only one same-sex duo in the list, Kieron Richardson and Emmet J. Scanlan for Hollyoaks.  I emphasise that because the last year has seen a sharp rise in focusing on storylines with same-sex relationships.  So it’s very shocking that EastEnders Christian Clarke and Syed Masood (John Partridge & Marc Elliott), Emmerdale’s Danny Miller & Marc Silcock (Aaron Livesey & Jackson Walsh) and Corrie’s lesbian couple Brooke Vincent & Sacha Parkinson (Sophie Webster & Sian Powers) weren’t considered to be nominated considering all of their heightened popularity from viewers.

     Finally, the ‘Best Newcomer’ is also widely contested between four popular new faces.  Corrie’s Paula Lane (Kylie Turner), EastEnders Ricky Norwood (Fatboy Chubb), Emmerdale’s Pauline Quirke (Hazel Rhodes) and for Hollyoaks, you guessed it, Emmet J. Scanlan, five nominations for him.  To conclude, all five soaps are nominated for the viewer-voted ‘Best British Soap’ as usual and the ‘Special Achievement’ and ‘Lifetime Achievement’ will be unveiled on the night.  Although no clues have been given yet, the Lifetime honour is rumoured to go to Corrie again for either Bill Tarmey or William Roache (Ken Barlow), who has been in the soap since day one.  Once again, This Morning host Phillip Schofield presents the ceremony.

     In closing, this year’s awards are so close for contention.  Corrie, EastEnders and Emmerdale have nominations in every category, Hollyoaks managed to get more than many experts first predicted whilst Doctors only got two nominations, perhaps sealing that it will go away empty handed.

The ceremony takes place next Saturday and will be broadcast on ITV1 next Wednesday.  May the best soap win!

Soap's spectacular scenes of 2010/11

By Jason Wright (Entertainment Expert)

IN A few months time, it will be the time of year again for the British Soap Awards.  This is when the stars of the nation’s biggest shows gather to see who the cream of the crop was in the last twelve months.  One of the most anticipated awards this year will be for ‘Spectacular Scene of the Year’ with each of the big four soaps having a big contender for the award.  I will now analyse all four of them in closer detail.  All that I will say is that one word keeps popping up in them.

EastEnders – The Queen Vic Burns

Date: 9 September 2010

The Build-Up

Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) is always someone never to mess with, as are any of the Mitchell’s.  He was left seething when mother Peggy (Barbara Windsor) gave away his daughter and swore revenge on her.  Before he did, he started drinking more heavily before succumbing to an addiction of crack cocaine.

The Disaster

Peggy soon took matters into her own hands, barricading Phil inside a locked room in the Queen Vic for him to go cold turkey.  He soon broke out and a furious confrontation with Peggy led to Phil striking a match.  Peggy called his bluff, believing he wouldn’t be able to do it, so Phil dropped a match and in a few ghastly seconds, the packed pub erupted into a blazing inferno.  Miraculously, everyone escaped before a huge explosion destroyed what was very little of it left.

The Aftermath

The Vic was reduced to shell; everything had been completely wiped out.  Depressed, Peggy left Albert Square, refusing to tell anyone where she was going and determined never to come back again.  Kat and Alfie Moon (Jessie Wallace & Shane Ritchie) soon returned to the Square and purchased the pub.  Within weeks, it was back to normal.

The Verdict

The scenes were literally breathtaking but it was a bitter disappointment to many that nobody perished in the explosion as rumours were hype that the fire would ultimately claim Peggy’s life.

Hollyoaks – The Il Gnosh Disaster

Date: 8 – 12 November 2010

The Build-Up

Tony Hutchinson (Nick Pickard) may be ambitious in his Il Gnosh restaurant but over recent months, it had been facing financial ruin.  This was not helped by his ex, Mandy (Sarah Jayne-Dunn) returning with the help of Warren Fox (Jamie Lomas) to destroy him.  Warren even gets Tony’s brother Dom (John Pickard) onto his side by offering him cash to burn the eatery down.

The Disaster

On bonfire night, a mysterious figure set light to the store room of the restaurant and it quickly spread to the flat upstairs.  Mercedes (Jennifer Metcalfe) and Malachy (Glen Wilson) are thrown to the ground by the resulting explosion.  Gilly (Anthony Quinlan) and Steph (Carley Stenson) run to the scene and Steph runs in to save Amy Barnes (Ashley Slainia-Davies) and her children Leah and Lucas.  Knowing that she is dying of cancer, Steph remains in the building as it burns whilst Malachy later dies in hospital.

The Aftermath

Amy left to receive treatment in Manchester on her injuries.  Mercedes soon got over Malachy’s death by getting into a love triangle whilst Kris (Gerard McCarthy) returned to mourn the loss of his brother.  Ravi Roy (Stephen Uppal) is found in Middlesbrough, having been suspected as a fatality in the fire and leaves to be with his parents, as his aneurysm has returned.  Eventually, Dom confessed to Tony that he set the fire off to destroy a laptop which Bart McQueen (Jonny Clarke) had told him had pictures of Amber (Lydia Lloyd-Henry).  Tony had previously accused Dom of getting Amber pregnant.  Despite Dom’s pleas to allow him to leave the village, Tony phones the police and watches on as his brother is led away for a long stint in jail.

The Verdict

This was no doubt a ploy by the soap to give it attention by falling ratings.  Nevertheless it was spectacular as they could have made it.

Coronation Street – The Tram Crash

Date: 6 December 2010

The Build-Up

This incident really came out of the blue but several situations were ongoing at the time.  Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) and Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) were making preparations to marry, against the wishes of her ex Nick Tilsley (Ben Price).  Molly Dobbs (Vicky Binns) was preparing to leave the Street and before leaving, dropped a bombshell on husband Tyrone (Alan Henshaw) that he wasn’t baby Jack’s dad and John Stape (Graeme Hawley) was determined not to have his murderous secret ousted.

The Disaster

Set on the night of Peter & Leanne’s stag and hen nights, Nick had the intention of revealing his and Leanne’s sordid affair in The Joinery bar.  Whilst Leanne and Ken Barlow (William Roache) were making their way over to the bar to try and stop him, a sudden explosion ripped through the building.  As shocked residents raced over to help the wounded, a tram suddenly derailed thanks to the viaduct being damaged in the blast and crashed onto the cobbles, wrecking the Corner Shop.  One of its carriages then smashed into The Kabin and sent the Peacock’s house up in flames.  Ashley Peacock (Steven Arnold) and Molly were killed in the devastating events whilst Peter married Leanne in hospital before undergoing life-saving surgery.

The Aftermath

It may have been three months ago now but its effects are still being felt today.  Following Ashley’s death, his wife Claire (Julia Hallam) and her kids left the Street to start afresh abroad.  Meanwhile before she died, Molly confessed to Sally Webster (Sally Dynevor) about her and Kevin’s affair which was subsequently came out in public at Molly’s funeral.  Sally threw Kevin (Michael Le Vell) out of the Webster house.  Kevin soon became public enemy number one with everyone in Weatherfield. Finally, Leanne’s affair with Nick was also exposed with the aid of the returning Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford) who told all to Peter and leading to Peter embarrassing the pair at a second wedding ceremony on Valentine’s Day.

The Verdict

This was quite simply some of the best scenes ever to grace soap.  I reckon it will still be talked about for years and even decades to come.

Emmerdale – The Arson Attack

Date: 13 January 2011

The Build-Up

The new police inspector Nick Henshall (Michael McKell) seemed to be charming and innocent but unknown to anyone, he had a criminal past.  The only person who was suspicious of him was Andy Sugden (Kelvin Fletcher).  Then again, it was because Henshall was dating his ex, Katie (Sammy Winward).

The Disaster

Sure enough Andy was right as Henshall, dressed in black, committed the worst possible crime by setting fire to a rubbish bin outside Katie’s house and it soon spread out of control.  Andy and Carl King (Tom Lister) braved the flames to save Katie along with her housemates Gennie Walker (Sian Reese-Williams) and Chas Dingle (Lucy Pargeter).  The flames soon rushed along the row of neighbouring houses before eventually resting at Viv Hope’s flat.  Terry Woods (Billy Hartman) dived in to try and save Viv (Deena Payne) but fears arose when he took longer than expected.  When the downstairs Post Office Shop exploded in a fireball, Terry and Viv had no chance and their bodies were soon dragged out.

The Aftermath

Given his criminal past, it was no surprise that Andy was among the accused for starting the fire.  A successful frame from Henshall himself had him charged with the crime.  Later, Katie discovered documents surrounding Henshall’s ex-wife dying in similar circumstances.  Henshall came clean and confessed but not before taking her hostage for several hours before ending it all by shooting himself dead.

The Verdict

Emmerdale just loves a good disaster and this is no exception.  While it certainly wasn’t among the ranks of EastEnders or Corrie, it was still pretty impressive.

These are four spectacular scenes that have graced the screens of soap over recent months but the question is what the best was?  That will of course be decided by a panel of soap experts come the awards itself in May. 

2010: A year in showbiz

BY JASON WRIGHT

2010 was another crazy and outrageous year in the world of showbiz, so here are the big talking points of 2010.

JANUARY – Katie Price & Alex Reid – A Match Made In Heaven?

HAPPY: Can Katie and Alex's marriage survive?

One is a reputable hard man and has perhaps put the death-defying sport of cage fighting into the public spotlight.  The other is a glamour model/TV personality whose high profile celebrity split in 2009 made her become “The Nation’s Bitch”.  So when Katie Price (a.k.a. Jordan) and Alex Reid tied the knot in Los Angeles, it was expected but also surprising considering they hadn’t formally reconciled after splitting up a few months beforehand.  The marriage took place just days after Reid had won the last series of Channel 4’s Celebrity Big Brother and the public’s perception on him was changed completely.  Since the private wedding in the Atlantic, their relationship has hit the rocks so many times with conflicting reports of the couple’s separate work commitments getting the upper hand of their private life.  Despite this, they held a second public wedding to prove their love back at home but still these questions over how long it will last remain today.  It will be remarkable if they make it past the end of next year, let alone the seven-year itch.

FEBRUARY – Cheryl & Ashley Cole – End Of the Line

All too often enough, many footballers can’t resist the odd one night stand now and again but none more so than Chelsea’s Ashley Cole.  He had already gotten away with it in 2008 as wife, singer and X-Factor Judge Cheryl Cole decided to give him another bite of the cherry.  That was bitten right off at the start of February with another tabloid exclusive from a bar stripper claiming he had an illicit romance with her.  Days later, several more girls sold stories of their experiences with the defender and after another tough week’s worth of thought, which included a downbeat appearance at the BRIT awards, Cheryl finally decided enough was enough and announced a split between them, formally filing for divorce soon after.  This came as no surprise really, Ashley had been dicing with danger for long enough but as before, he gave into the temptation and it cost him the girl of his dreams.

MARCH – The Oscars – Mighty Minnow Outfoxes the Giant

The start of March brought the stars of LA out in force for the 82nd Academy Awards.  The past twelve months had been record breaking in the world of movies and coming into the big ceremony itself, it had been widely expected that the epic 3D smash ‘Avatar’ would sweep the board.  However, everyone was wrong as it only took three gongs, mostly for its special effects.  Instead the honours went to ‘The Hurt Locker’, a compelling drama based on a US army experience of the Iraq conflict and made on a paper-thin budget.  It won six awards including the prestigious ‘Best Picture’ and ‘Best Director’ for Kathryn Bigelow, the first woman to win the award.  To make it even more remarkable, Bigelow had been previously married to James Cameron, who was behind Avatar.  It just goes to show that sometimes a big budget isn’t necessarily required to make a massive blockbuster.

APRIL – Adrian Chiles Switches Sides – ITV Get Their Man

SCRUTINY: Adrian Chiles had a tough transition to ITV

When ITV earned terrestrial rights to FA Cup and England football from 2008 onwards, on a four-year deal, they wanted to get in someone who had the pure knowledge of the beautiful game, Adrian Chiles.  The BBC weren’t willing to let him go without a fight.  The start of the year saw cracks beginning to show between Adrian and the BBC, when the former refused to shave and grew a huge and ugly beard, which he finally was forced to give up on if the Sport Relief campaign raised more than £20 million on the night.  Then the Beeb didn’t do themselves any favours when they announced that popular Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans would take over hosting The One Show on Friday nights from the autumn.  Chiles was livid and despite the compensation of being offered a two-year extension to remain at the corporation, he put pen to paper on the contract to join ITV.  As part of the move, Chiles replaced an unhappy Steve Rider as the main man of the channel’s football coverage and present a revamped breakfast show from September.  As far as ITV are concerned, they were happy to have got their man at last but Adrian’s dry wit and humour that made him popular on MOTD 2 and The One Show has not worked out at his new home so far.  Things have got to improve before his reputation is destroyed totally in 2011.

MAY – Britain’s Got Talent – Time for a Change?

CLASS: Spellbound were the stars of BGT in 2010

The fourth series of ITV’s hugely popular talent contest ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ was anticipated to be the biggest and best yet but in the end, it coughed and spluttered its way throughout.  Though the show produced a deserving winner in gymnast act Spelbound, throughout the show’s run, several questions were asked by the media as to whether the show was suffering by having rarely changed its format and adapted successfully to any change over the last couple of years.  Sure enough, show creator Simon Cowell announced his intention to stand down from the auditions phase of next year’s series, only judging from the live semi-finals and Piers Morgan later also quit, focusing on his increasing commitments in the US.  Comedian Michael McIntyre and David Hasslehoff, who is the lead judge in the American version, are to join the show next year which has promised massive changes and surprises.  Let’s hope it works because if it doesn’t, the show will certainly hit the skids.

JUNE – Lindsay Lohan – A Fallen Star

There is some wasted talent in the US from time to time but none more so than Lindsay Lohan.  Since 2007, the actress, famous for roles in The Parent Trap and Herbie: Fully Loaded has rarely been out of headlines for her erratic behaviour when not at work.  It got much worse in June when she was sentenced to 90 days behind bars for violating the court terms of a criminal probation.  She would only serve 14 days of this conviction before being bailed for a yet another stint in rehab.  The amount of times that Lohan has ended up in court on criminal charges has now become beyond a joke and it is still amazing that she is still in showbiz today.

JULY – Cheryl Cole – Fight For Her Life

Cheryl Cole had undergone a traumatic first half of the year and was just hoping it wouldn’t get any worse. In one week in July, it nearly got cut short.  The week started with a simple story of the Girls Aloud star collapsing at a photoshoot for her upcoming new album, at first harmless as it seemed like it was just a case of exhaustion through overworking.  Just 24 hours later came more shocking developments when The Daily Mirror broke the news that she had contracted malaria following a short break in the African country of Tanzania with close friend Derek Hough.  Worse still, the next day, another newspaper scoop in The Sun formally announced that Cheryl had contracted the most lethal strain of the disease and was given just days left to live.  At that point, everyone believed it was over and were simply waiting for the news that she had succumbed to the illness.  Then a week later, treatment in a specialist hospital for tropical diseases like malaria worked and before long Cheryl was back and fighting fit again.  Her experience no doubt raised the issue of malaria into the public spotlight and she later told broadcaster Piers Morgan in an exclusive interview of his popular TV show ‘Life Stories’ the full extent of her illness.

AUGUST – Time to Say Goodbye – Three ITV favourites breathe their last

FAREWELL: The Bill was one of a number of departures on ITV

Towards the end of August, emotions seemed to be running high at ITV as the broadcaster bid farewell to three of its most beloved and popular programmes.  First to go was ‘Heartbeat’, a popular drama set in fictional Yorkshire village in the 1960’s.  It had been on the air since 1992 and despite the obvious dwindling figures of recent, it was still a regular fixture of ITV’s Sunday night schedules.  The programme was killed off due to ITV’s budget cuts within the Yorkshire region.  Next was the closure of ‘The Bill.’  Centred on a fictional London police station, Sun Hill, it had been run continuously for 27 years.  Again in recent times, the programme had been suffering from a decline in viewers.  A massive revamp of the show last year failed to halt this slide and sure enough, the axe swiftly fell on what was considered as one of Britain’s best drama shows.  Finally, the last week of August (stretching into the first few days of September) was to be the end for a morning classic.  Having woken up the nation since 1993, GMTV was put to bed.  In these current times it had been constantly outperformed by rival BBC Breakfast and bosses decides to give a total revamp to help compete better.  A full takeover by ITV late last year sealed the deal and GMTV departed on September 3, to be replaced by Daybreak on the following Monday.  There is no doubt that these farewells have signified changing times at ITV but just how much more can it take of this in the future.  We shall have to wait and see.

SEPTEMBER – George Michael – Banged Up For Getting High

Another celebrity who has seen controversy taken over their status in recent times has been singer George Michael.  September saw him achieve his lowest ebb of his distinguished career as after a long night of partying, he stupidly got behind wheel of his car after taken excessive amounts of marijuana.  The result was inevitable as he crashed his motor into a Snappy Snaps outlet in West London.  He subsequently had his driving license revoked and was jailed for two months for illegal possession of drugs.  It was another embarrassing moment in the recent history of the former legend of music.

OCTOBER – Katy Perry & Russell Brand – Hitched In an Indian Delight

MATCH: Russell Brand has met it in Katy Perry

One of last year’s hottest and unusual new couples was US singer Katy Perry and British comedian Russell Brand.  Their unruly love for one another meant it would soon be inevitable that they would tie the knot.  Months of planning came and went and finally they got married in a private and traditional Indian ceremony in Delhi.  The photographs and stories from the wedding reportedly fetched over $2 million, proving how much attention the pair have received from the media throughout this time.  Considering Russell’s rather controversial past, it seems like his love for Katy has actually changed everyone’s personality on him for the better.  Many will hope they stay together for a long time.

NOVEMBER – Jason Manford – Sex Shame Ends His Dream Job

Jason Manford seemed to be enjoying himself more than ever before.  After landing, to the surprise of many, Adrian Chiles job of hosting The One Show; it looked like nothing would get in his way, or so he thought.  The tabloids once again had a celebrity when the guard was let down and it was revealed he had sent several sexual text messages to five strippers.  Of course, most people would just stay silent but with his reputation called into question, Manford decided to do the honourable thing and confess it was true.  He then resigned from his position on The One Show to focus on rebuilding his relations with his loved ones and focus on his upcoming stand up tour.  It is a shame that it had to come to this but at the end of the day, Manford did the right thing.

DECEMBER – Coronation Street – 50 Years Is No Time for A Party

DERAILED: The tram crash bought carnage to Corrie

Coronation Street, Britain’s and the world’s longest running soap opera hit the big 50 milestone before Christmas month and it did so with an almighty bang.  For the anniversary week itself, producers wanted to run a storyline that had the nation gripped for the entire duration.  The week started with a massive explosion that destroyed the recently opened Joinery nightclub before a tram derailed from the damaged viaduct above and smashed onto the cobbles.  The disaster claimed the lives of popular characters Ashley Peacock (Steven Arnold) and Molly Dobbs (Vicky Binns) whilst several others were injured and scarred permanently over the experience.  It earned Corrie its highest ratings in years and will surely receive a spate of awards next year.

So there we have it. It has been another massive and explosive year on the showbiz front.  Let’s hope 2011 is just as sensational as the one gone by!

Coronation Street - A brilliant live episode

CURRENT: The cast have had their lives change this week

CORONATION Street is celebrating its 50^th anniversary this week, and it is doing so in spectacular fashion, with a horrific tram crash – that has turned the lives of the residents of Weatherfield on its head.  The catalyst of the birthday was the live episode, transmitted at 8pm last night on ITV1.  Fifteen million viewers tuned in and despite crazy threats of a possible terrorist attack, the show went through without any obvious hitches and mistakes made, so many congratulations to the cast and crew of the show.  It was certainly an emotional rollercoaster to watch.

MARRY ME: Leanne weds Peter, but he will pull through?

The hour began with the conformation of Ashley Peacock’s tragic demise.  Ashley (Steven Arnold) had died a hero, bravely getting a critically injured Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) out of the rubble in The Joinery, before the roof caved in.  Nick Tilsley (Ben Price) got out of the rubble barely without a scratch, but his concern seemed to be more over the whereabouts of his love interest, Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson).  Eventually, Nick managed to track down Leanne at the hospital, where Leanne told him of her intention to marry Peter in the hospital.  Nick reluctantly agreed to let Leanne go.  Peter came around from his state and despite Leanne’s initial reluctance at his idea, agreed to go along with the rushed ceremony, especially as she had been warned that Peter needed emergency surgery to treat his injuries.  Infront of Ken Barlow (William Roache), Janice Battersby (Vicky Entwhistle) and an emotional Carla Connor (Alison King), Peter and Leanne exchanged their vows.  It was clear that Peter was struggling through the ceremony, but the quick actions of the vicar – by speeding through his final speech allowed the pair to tie the knot.  Seconds later, Peter flat lined and needed critical help from the nurses, much to Leanne’s agony.  Is he going to make it?

Whilst Peter’s fate remains unclear, Mollie Dobbs (Vicky Binns) became the second casualty of the disaster.  Baby Jack had already been freed from the remains of The Corner Shop, but Mollie was in grave danger.  Having criticised the paramedics’ lack of response, Sally Webster (Sally Dynevor) braved herself to enter the scene, and try to keep Mollie’s spirits up.  Meanwhile, at the hospital, Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) urged Mollie’s estranged partner, Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall) to head back to the cobbles to be with Mollie, as her condition didn’t seem to be improving.  Jack needed a blood transfusion and Kevin agreed to it; after all, unbeknown to Tyrone, he is the child’s dad.  As Mollie began to slip away, she revealed the devastating truth to Sally about her sordid affair with Kevin and that he was Jack’s father.  A stunned Sally let Mollie’s hand go, as she passed away from her internal injuries.  Can Tyrone pick up the pieces of his shattered life, and how will Sally deal with this latest shattering revelation for her marriage?

Fiz Stape (Jenny McAlpine) had gone into labour, three months premature.  The amount of screaming she was making would be enough to bring a church down.  With deceitful John (Graeme Hawley) by her side, Fiz gave birth to a baby girl, but she was rushed into intensive care straightaway.  While the fate of Fiz’s new baby remains unclear, clueless John rushed back to the cobbles, hoping to cover the tracks that motionless Charlotte Hoyle (Becky Hindley) was still in their house.  Somehow, he managed to drag Charlotte down an alleyway, but was horrified to learn that paramedics found she had a weak pulse.  Is John about to be exposed for the conman he really is?

Elsewhere, and Becky McDonald (Katherine Kelly) was also covering up her tracks, stealing money from the open safe of the corner shop.  She won’t get away with these actions, if the CCTV cameras survived the crash.  No-one seems to know the whereabouts of Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox), who is still buried in The Kabin underneath a pile of chocolates!  Having rescued Simon Barlow (Alex Bain) from the inferno in the Peacock house, Jason Grimshaw (Ryan Thomas) received a standing ovation in the Rovers for his brave actions, though clearly he wasn’t in the mood for celebrating and a heartbroken Claire (Julia Haworth) struggled to cope with Ashley’s passing.  She played Ashley’s final voicemail message before his death to stunned locals at the Rovers, something that would have made anyone get the tissues out.

CARNAGE: Life will never be the same again!

Coronation Street has been a gripping and intense watch all week.  The live episode was so good, that some would forget it was actually live.  No slip-ups made, this was the perfect television production, for a week of unforgettable drama.  I hope they get the recognition it deserves in the round of TV awards next spring.

Here’s to the next 50 years!

Corrie celebrates 50 years not out

FOR some people, it may not be their favourite show – but Coronation Street is a national treasure all the same.  This week, it reaches the staggering achievement of its 50^th anniversary.  It might be a celebratory week, with behind-the-scenes footage, a countdown of classic Corrie moments and a special celebrity quiz on ITV.  However, it will be far from celebrations in the Street itself, as a devastating tram crash changes the lives of those on the cobbles forever.

BURNS: The Joinery fire starts a nightmare chain of events

The action begins on the stag do of Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne).  Peter is getting married to Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson), unaware that she has been having a sizzling affair behind Peter’s back, with her former lover Nick Tilsley (Ben Price).  Just as Nick is about to reveal all to Peter, an explosion rips through the Joinery bar, trapping Peter, Nick and Ashley Peacock (Steven Arnold) in the rubble.  This sets off a chain of events that puts the lives of many in danger.

TRAPPED: Mollie and baby Jack are flattened in the rubble

The Joinery explosion sends debris flying to the ground, and leaves Leanne, Ken Barlow (William Roache) and Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) in anguish, as they are blown off their feet by the blast.  Also caught in the Joinery blast is Molly Dobbs (Vicky Binns) and her baby Jack, along with Sunita Alahan (Shobna Gulati), as Dev Alahan’s corner shop is devastated by the carnage.  Seconds later, a tram from the viaduct above Weatherfield crashes off the track and smashes down onto the Street, leaving The Kabin collapses around beloved newsagent Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox) and Fiz Stape (Jenny McAlpine).  With Fiz six months pregnant, how much damage will it do to her unborn child? 

The crash also sees flames rip through the Peacock household, with Jason Grimshaw (Ryan Thomas) braving his life to try rescuing the Peacock children and Simon Barlow (Alex Bain) from the blast.  Corrie producers are keeping tight lipped about who dies on this fateful night, but there will be at least four of our favourites who will not survive.  The aftermath will continue throughout the week, with Thursday night at 8pm, seeing the show have a one hour live episode to celebrate the anniversary.  Can they outdo EastEnders outstanding job of their live episode back in February.

ICONIC: The Corrie Cat

Coronation Street is the world’s longest-running soap and has gone from strength to strength as the years have gone on.  Despite healthy competition from the likes of EastEnders and Emmerdale, the Street has always remained in the hearts of many worldwide, as it is broadcasted in over sixty countries.  Whether it be the historic Rovers Return, the classic theme tune or the iconic Corrie cat, that has featured on the opening titles ever since 1976, all of us probably have a memory from its fifty years that we will never forget.

Some of its storylines are amongst the best to have ever graced the popular serial drama genre.  First,  there was the Ken/Mike/Deirdre love triangle in 1983 which captivated the nation.  Vile Alan Bradley meeting his maker in 1989, being hit in Blackpool by a tram!  How ironic is that!  Katy Harris killing her dad Tommy with a spanner in 2004!  Sarah Platt ending up pregnant in the year 2000 at the tender age of 13, and of course, Richard Hillman (a.k.a Tricky Dickie) and his killing spree in 2002/03 that had the nation gripped.  He killed three people, tried and failed to murder Emily Bishop, then drove a car into the canal, with wife Gail and her kids into the water.  We now know why David Platt turned out so evil then!

FREE: The 'campaign in 1998, even the PM was involved!

It’s not just the tense, gripping plots – but the crazy characters and storylines that the Manchester soap has manage to achieve.  Deidre’s crazy specs, two deaths via a fridge freezer and hairdryer, Gail’s constant moaning, Blanche Hunt’s statements, Sally Webster’s pushiness towards her kids, believable villains, Ken Barlow still around, as he was in episode one on December 8, 1960 and the free Deirdre campaign in 1998, that even had Prime Minister Tony Blair calling for her release, after being wrongly imprisoned for fraud.

After the first episode of Corrie was broadcast, the Daily Mirror ran a scathing review, claiming it was ‘doomed’ and would only run for three weeks!  How wrong were they, as it is still going strong 49 years and 49 weeks later. 

Happy birthday Coronation Street, here’s to the next 50 years!

CORONATION STREET IS ON ALL WEEK ON ITV1, WITH two episodes on Monday (7.30pm and 8.30pm), Tuesday (8.00pm), Wednesday (7pm), Thursday (8pm – The One Hour Live Episode) and two episodes on Friday (7.30pm and 8.30pm)