Corrie anniversary drama to air on BBC

[Perdita]

A new drama telling the story behind Coronation Street's screen debut is to air on BBC Four, it has been announced.

The one-off programme, which is being produced to mark the soap's 50th anniversary year, will show how Tony Warren had to battle to get Corrie on the air after coming up with the idea for the serial.

Warren, now 73, was working as a contract writer at Granada Television in Manchester when he was inspired to create Coronation Street. However, his bosses initially provided fierce opposition to his desire to secure an ITV slot for the soap.

BBC Four's drama has been titled Florizel Street, which was Warren's original name for his creation. It will be penned by former Corrie writer Daran Little and have the show's current boss Kieran Roberts as its executive producer.

Meanwhile, Warren - who recently received a lifetime achievement award from the Royal Television Society - will act as a consultant for the project.

According to the Manchester Evening News, casting is currently under way to find actors to play Weatherfield legends Violet Carson (Ena Sharples), William Roache (Ken Barlow), Patricia Phoenix (Elsie Tanner) and Doris Speed (Annie Walker).

Speaking of the drama, BBC Four's controller Richard Klein said: "Coronation Street is a piece of this country's cultural history and we feel it is the BBC's role to reflect this. The fact it is an ITV drama does not prevent it being a vital part of our shared history."

Filming for Florizel Street will begin in July and the show will be screened in the autumn as part of a season of Northern-related programming on BBC Four.

[alan45]

BBC Four has announced an all-star cast for its Coronation Street 'origins' drama.

EastEnders returnee Jessie Wallace takes on the role of Pat Phoenix, who became tart-with-a-heart Elsie Tanner, while Open All Hours star Lynda Baron will play Violet Carson, who landed the role of harridan-in-a-hairnet Ena Sharples.

Renowned actress Celia Imrie, meanwhile, has signed to appear as Annie Walker performer Doris Speed and William Roache's real-life son James will portray a younger version of his father.

The one-off drama is to tell the story of how ITV soap Coronation Street was born and how the show's creator Tony Warren - a younger version of whom will be played by David Dawson - brought Salford to life on television screens around the world.

Then-Granada casting director Margaret Morris will be portrayed by Jane Horrocks, and Christian McKay plays Tony Warren's Canadian boss Harry Elton.

Other cast members include John Thomson, Steven Berkoff, Sophia Di Martino, Shaun Dooley, Henry Goodman, Michelle Holmes, Phoebe Nicholls and Tara Moran.

Speaking of the drama, writer Daran Little told DS: "I'm thrilled with the cast. At the read-through, I had goosebumps watching Jessie Wallace playing Pat Phoenix auditioning for the role of Elsie Tanner. It just was just perfection."

Controller of BBC Four Richard Klein said: "It's wonderful to have such an amazing cast to tell the story of how Coronation Street was born. This one-off drama tells the story of how in 1960, British television changed forever.

"BBC Four is the natural home for this story to be told and this one-off drama forms part of the Great Northern season on BBC Four this autumn which celebrates the culture, history, life and architecture of Northern England."

The 75-minute drama began filming on location in Manchester yesterday and is expected to screen in the autumn.

Although originally titled Forizel Street - Warren's working title for Corrie - the BBC Four show has yet to be officially named.

[lizann]

Jessie Wallace has been announced as the surprise choice to play Pat Phoenix in a new drama about the origins of 'Coronation Street'.

The former 'EastEnders' actress will star as the sex symbol who played Elsie Tanner in a new BBC Four programme.

The 75-minute film will be screened later this year to tie in with the 50th anniversary of the ITV soap.

James Roache, the real-life son of William Roache, who has played Ken Barlow since 'Coronation Street's first episode in 1960, will portray his father in the drama.

The role of Doris Speed, who was better known as Rover's Return landlady Annie Walker, will be played by Celia Imrie and 'Open All Hours' actress Lynda Baron will play Violet Carson, who was the Street's Ena Sharples.

The drama, which was written by former 'Corrie' scriptwriter Daran Little, is part of a BBC Four season celebrating the north of England.

Other stars appearing in the programme include Jane Horrocks, Steven Berkoff and John Thomson.

[Katy]

this sounds quite good, especially the cast.

[Perdita]

The first location pictures of Daran Little's BBC Four docu-drama based on the origins of Coronation Street have emerged.

Filming in Bolton and Manchester, the 75-minute programme follows the journey of a young incarnation of Corrie creator Tony Warren (to be played by David Dawson) as he chases his dream of bringing a fictional Salford street to the screens of millions.

The first day of the 14-day shoot took place on the streets of Bolton in a bid to recreate a '50s Salford, while the Granada Studios building in Manchester forms the backdrop for the majority of the other scenes.

As you can see from my pictures below, Jessie Wallace and Celia Imrie take on the roles of Pat Phoenix and Doris Speed respectively.

For some unknown reason, the powers that be decided to drop the seemingly-perfect original name of the drama Florizel Street - Corrie's original title - and have yet to replace it.

More news on that as soon as it reaches DSHQ.

[alan45]

CORRIE'S Kym Marsh has admitted she's envious of ex EastEnder Jessie Wallace for landing the role of Sixties minx Pat Phoenix in the upcoming Weatherfield documentary.
The actress plays Michelle Connor in the ITV1 soap but has said she'd relish the chance to appear in the BBC documentary on the beginnings of the show.


Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...#ixzz0srJGNYdV
Jessie is currently filming scenes as bouffant-haired Pat, who starred as Elsie Tanner in the ITV1 soap.
Kym said: "I really rate Jessie as an actress and I think she'll pull it off perfectly. Having said that, if I wasn't in Corrie, I would have loved that role!"
Kym's full column can be read in new! magazine, out now.


Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...#ixzz0srIwmen7

In your dreams Kym. Im not that fond of Jessie Wallace but shes ten times the actress you will ever be, although thats not saying much

[Abbie]

Im just every confused to why its on the BBC

[Perdita]

NO wonder actor James Roache looks uncannily familiar in a new show about Coronation Street - he's playing his DAD.

James, 24, portrays a young Bill Roache in BBC4 drama Florizel Street, which tells the story of how Corrie first came to the nation's screens way back in 1960.

Bill, 78, has played Ken Barlow since the first episode and is the only original cast member left.

Ex-EastEnder Jessie Wallace joins James as actress Pat Phoenix, who played sexy Elsie Tanner.

Florizel Street takes its name from the working title of Corrie before it was brought to life by Granada TV.

Writer Tony Warren based its characters on real people he knew growing up in Salford, Manchester.

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...#ixzz0tHd1ZxJe


He does look like a young Ken !!

[alan45]

EX-EASTENDER Jessie Wallace is in a right two 'n eight over her new Corrie special - because she's struggling to master a northern accent.

Soap legend ... Pat Phoenix
Jessie, famed as Albert Square's Kat Slater, is playing Street siren Pat Phoenix in a BBC4 film about the birth of the soap to be shown later this year.
She has been given a dedicated voice coach to help her imitate Pat's Lancashire twang.
But the need to get it perfect means the director has been forced to film just a few lines at a time so the coach can read each one for Jessie to repeat.
Pals claim it has left the 38-year-old star wondering why she ever signed up for the role.
And co-stars have jokingly compared her accent to US actor Dick Van Dyke's laughable "cockney" drawl in movie Mary Poppins.

Sex symbol ... Enders' Kat
One source said: "Jessie feels like a fish out of water. Most of the actors are northern and she wants to get it just right.
"They have had to retake her lines many times. They may even have to give her fewer lines in case it gets panned by the critics."
Late actress Pat, who died in 1986 aged 62, played Corrie's Elsie Tanner for nearly 25 years.
Jessie, from North London, began shooting the 75-minute film this month alongside stars including Jane Horrocks.
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After taking on the role, she said: "I'm proud and excited to be playing such an iconic actress as Pat."
Jessie, once voted TV's sexiest star, is to return to Albert Square later this year to reprise her role as Kat Moon for the first time since 2005.
The source added: "She'll be much happier when she's back filming EastEnders. She certainly looks the part of Pat Phoenix, but the accent is a problem.
"The cast and crew are hoping it will improve. If she can get it right, Jessie will prove what a great actress she is."


Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...#ixzz0uMZIWXi2

[Perdita]

The team behind the BBC's new drama exploring the origins of Coronation Street have dismissed tabloid rumours surrounding Jessie Wallace's performance in the programme.

Earlier today, a newspaper reported that Wallace had struggled to master a northern accent after taking on the role of Pat Phoenix, who played Weatherfield legend Elsie Tanner.

Among the allegations printed were suggestions that the star was only able to shoot a few lines at a time as she supposedly worked with a dedicated voice coach on set. It was also claimed that Wallace's alleged problems had caused her to regret accepting the part.

However, the drama's director Charles Sturridge told DS: "Jessie is completely brilliant as Pat Phoenix. She nailed the accent from day one but more importantly captures Pat's vulnerability, energy, anarchy and humour. It is a standout performance."

Producer Rebecca Hodgson added: "There was always going to be a lot of pressure on the actresses we chose to play the stars of 50 years ago and so there was a level of trepidation from everyone at the read-through. But as soon as Jessie started to speak as Pat, the whole room was won over by the intelligence and accuracy of her performance."

Meanwhile, Coronation Street creator Tony Warren - who worked as a consultant on the BBC project - said: "Jessie Wallace didn't just get the accent right - she got Pat's husky timbre and the laugh and the personality as well."

The programme's writer Daran Little also addressed the rumours on Twitter, where he told DS: "No truth in it at all - Jessie's accent is wonderful… When I heard her speak, Pat Phoenix was alive again."

Wallace was confirmed for the role of Phoenix late last month. Filming on the drama - which is yet to be officially named - has since been completed.

Responding to today's tabloid story, a close friend of Wallace told DS: "These rumours are absolutely absurd and quite hurtful as Jessie loved working on this drama and has never once regretted taking on this role.

"Yes, she saw a dialect coach before she started filming but only briefly and that is what any decent actress would do if they are taking on a role that required a completely different accent.

"It's absolute rubbish that she had a voice coach on set and that they could only film a few lines at a time. It's cruel that someone has decided to make this up as one thing you can't knock Jessie for is her acting."