Coronation Street General News Thread

[Perdita]

All to do with Health and Safety and claims for compensation - everybody is too scared to be taken to court beause some people have kicked the ar$e out of things to make a quick buck

[Perdita]

Happy Birthday today to Betty Driver, who is 89 years young today and one of the best oldies in Corrie. Long may her hotpot cooking last

[Perdita]

Former Coronation Street star Denise Welch has announced that she is planning to release a tell-all autobiography.

The actress is expected to write candidly about her past battles with alcohol and drugs, which plagued her three-year stint as Natalie Barnes on the ITV1 soap.

Speaking to the News Of The World, Welch confirmed: "I was out of control during Corrie."

A source added: "There will be some Corrie stars quaking in their boots. She took drugs and went on massive binge drinking sessions for years. Some people will be wondering exactly what she is set to reveal."

It is believed that the star will also lift the lid on her past relationships and long-running struggle with clinical depression.

Welch appeared in Coronation Street from 1997 to 2000. She currently stars as French teacher Steph Haydock in BBC drama Waterloo Road and is a regular panellist on ITV1's Loose Women.

[Perdita]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/...5875-21384302/

Congratulations to Tupele and Mark on their wedding.

[Perdita]

Coronation Street star Malcolm Hebden has admitted that he is surprised by the popularity of his alter-ego Norris Cole.

The 69-year-old actor made his debut in the role in 1994 - and the busybody shopkeeper has since become one of Weatherfield's most recognisable characters.

On how he copes with fame, Hebden told the Blackpool Citizen: "I am a private person. I live alone and I quite like it like that. I don't hide away though, and I've been filmed shopping in Sainsbury's on someone's mobile phone once - it was on YouTube.

"You do have to be careful though. I don't go out clubbing at night. For one thing I'm too old, but I don't anyway because when people have had a few drinks their attitude can be slightly different."

He added: "Norris is a very popular character in general though, and he's also very popular with children, which surprises me. I would have thought he'd get on our nerves, but he doesn't."

Norris's current plot sees him constantly clashing with his estranged half-brother Ramsay Clegg (Andrew Sachs), who arrived on the street earlier this month.

"The storyline is starting very slowly and at the moment I'm just being very vile to him, and I remain so until much later on when the true story comes out," Hebden confirmed.

[Perdita]

Liz Dawn has revealed that she will be jealous if Bill Tarmey kisses his new Coronation Street love interest.

The 69-year-old actress filmed her final scenes as Vera Duckworth on the ITV1 soap in December 2007 after deciding to quit due to ill health.

Vera's death left Tarmey's alter-ego Jack a widower - but he has recently formed a close bond with fellow pigeon lover Connie Rathbone, played by Rita May.

Speaking on This Morning, Dawn admitted: "Do you know, Jack and Vera never kissed - not once. And when I found out Jack had got another woman, I rang him up and said: 'I hope you don't kiss her'.

"I really miss Bill, but I still feel as if I'm in it because the public talk to me as if I'm in it - but I couldn't go on, the last year I was so unhappy."

Dawn was diagnosed with the lung disease emphysema seven years ago. In an interview earlier this year, she claimed that quitting Weatherfield had saved her life.

On her current projects, the star confirmed: "I am still doing charity work, one is called Breathe Fresh Air and it's about making people aware that they can get something to make them feel better. I'm also an ambassador for The Lung Foundation and for people who are smoking or have chest problems - the obvious thing to say is not to smoke."

Dawn will return to screens tonight with an appearance on ITV1 gameshow All Star Mr and Mrs alongside her partner Don.

Aww, I suppose after working with him, she probably feels she is his wife Understandable.

[Chloe O'brien]

I love Norris him and Roy are the two best characters in Corrie.

[Perdita]

Coronation Street actress Brooke Vincent has revealed that she has been banned from answering calls at her Saturday job because her voice is "too common".

The 16-year-old, who celebrates her birthday tomorrow, plays church-going student Sophie Webster in the Weatherfield soap but continues to work part-time at the weekend for her local hair salon Scizzor Sisters in Denton, Manchester.

However, her strong Mancunian accent apparently "puts off clients".

Speaking to The Mirror, Vincent said: "My boss says I'm not really allowed to answer the phone because my voice is too common. If I do have to answer it though, I put on a posh accent."

She said of the job: "It's good to have something different to do where I can just be normal."

Don't know the area but this sounds quite snobbish if she has to put an act on just to answer the phone

[Katy]

My nicknames sophie Webster because of my accent, i know the area and it surpruises me as its not that much of a snobby area.

[Perdita]

CORRIE icon Bill Roache has vowed he will NEVER retire from the show that made him a star.
The 77-year-old actor has played unlikely ladies’ man Ken Barlow in the ITV soap from the very first episode on December 9, 1960.

And he plans still to be on the cobbles when the cast and crew celebrate the show’s 50th anniversary next year.

In the second part of an exclusive interview with The Sun, Bill says he could never be persuaded to quit The Street, even following the recent death of his beloved wife Sara.

He says: “I never ever considered retiring. While I can do it, while they want me, I’ll be there. They’ll have to carry me out!

“I love The Street, I’m proud of it — and I love everyone dearly.”

Speaking about Sara’s sudden passing in February, he says one of the saddest things is that she was starting to get work as an actress again. She even played the judge in Tracy Barlow’s murder trial.

Bill adds: “Sara and I both knew that I would never retire — but Sara was just getting her career back.


Cheat

“She had auditioned for a summer season at Southwold in Suffolk. We were pretty sure she was going to get that part, so we were going to get a place there for the summer and the kids could come down. But it was not meant to be.”

Sara rested from acting when the couple got married in 1978.

Since her death, Bill has thrown himself into work with barely any time off — and millions have seen Ken cheat on wife Deirdre with the ever-glamorous Stephanie Beacham as Martha Fraser.

So far, lothario Ken has had 24 girlfriends and three wives. Bill says: “It must be coming to an end.

“I’m 77 and Ken’s 67, so I would have thought that Martha was his last fling.”

Ken has even tied the knot with Deirdre, his soulmate played by Anne Kirkbride, twice.

Bill adds: “It was interesting when Ken had this fling. I was told that Deirdre was never going to know. I was glad about that because I didn’t want another one of those blazing rows — although we thoroughly enjoy them. Then I found out she WAS going to know.

“But it just shows that Ken and Deirdre are getting that bit older, because Deirdre simply said, ‘He’s always doing things like that’ — as if it’s just his fantasy world.

“They’ve both been around the block, so I thought that was a good trick of the writers. Ken likes to keep the peace but he always gets it wrong — especially with women.

“Deirdre’s obviously a bit hurt, and Ken gets a bit of earache for a while. But whatever happens, I could never see them splitting up. They’re welded together by their infidelities. They always get back together eventually.”

Anne, 54, recently hinted that she was ready to leave Corrie, saying: “I’m happy to stay in The Street but as I get older I hope to slow down to pursue different interests. I am loath to grow old in Coronation Street.

“I don’t want to grow old working as hard as I am now — out on the cold cobbles for hours on a Monday morning in the middle of winter.”

Bill, who is an MBE, admits he could not imagine Ken without Deirdre, saying: “Anne and I play it so well together. We love it when we argue and I often see a glint in her eye.”

Speaking about their famous on-screen partnership, Bill says: “We get on very well and have always acted well together. Ken and Deirdre just work.

“Because Coronation Street’s on five times a week you can’t maintain a high dramatic standard all the time. Life isn’t like that.

“But at the moment we’re on the crest of a wave. The show needs a producer who loves The Street and realises it’s more than a show.”

When I joke that Ken’s daughter Tracy must be about due for parole over the murder of Charlie Stubbs because of our weak justice system, Bill opens up about his support for the Conservatives.

And he reveals that he would back Tory leader David Cameron to be Prime Minister if there was a General Election tomorrow.

He says: “I am horrified that people who bang someone over the head can be out of prison in 12 months — but you can get 15 years for financial crimes.

“I’m all for reform but the only people who should be in prison are those who commit physical violence. No one else should be there. They should be out making amends.”

Former EastEnders star Brooke Kinsella, 25, has called for national service to be reinstated following the murder of her 16-year-old brother Ben.

And Bill, a former Army captain, says: “It’s a great idea but it’s too expensive, although I’m sure something similar could be found.

“I think instead of putting our kids into detention centres we should bring back very strong discipline in schools.”

The actor has met David Cameron a few times and says: “I look at what I consider to be the best party to govern. The Conservatives believe in less government and more personal freedom.

“Now there’s a huge pack of people employed by the Government, so we have to pay huge taxes in order to pay them. There should be an Election immediately.

“I know Cameron and he’s one of the most beautiful politicians I have ever met, and I mean that in every sense of the word. He doesn’t do things to court popularity, which is happening right now in the Government.

“He’s a family man and he is very intelligent. He understands what ordinary people need and he has that ability to go out and impose that on the country.

“When Obama was sworn in I think we all felt a sense of collective relief. You knew he was a good man — a family man who cares. It’s the same for Cameron.”

Bill and David Cameron have both had to face the tragic death of a young child. Bill and Sara lost their daughter Edwina at 18 months in 1984, while David and Samantha Cameron’s son Ivan — who had epilepsy and cerebral palsy — lost his fight for life in February at the age of six.

Bill has not written a note of sympathy to the Camerons yet.

He says: “I’ve still got letters that people wrote to me about Sara. They came from all over. I knew the Camerons would have them too. I will wait to offer my condolences when I see him.

“People try to say Cameron’s just a toff from Eton — but that doesn’t stop you feeling.”

It sounds like Bill would do a great job in the Cabinet.

The Sun