Coronation Street General News Thread

[Perdita]

Coronation Street bosses have been forced to make more changes to the soap's filming schedule after Simon Gregson and Craig Charles were unable to shoot scenes due to illness.

Gregson, who plays Rovers Return boss Steve McDonald, was sent home by the show's doctor yesterday morning, The Mirror reports. He later joked to reporters outside his home that he was suffering from "man-flu" and showed a prescription for antibiotics.

Charles - Lloyd Mullaney on the programme - was also absent from set yesterday after his wife called in at 7.30am to explain that he had been unwell all weekend and could not attend work.

A show spokesperson confirmed that bosses had been forced to do "a bit of juggling" due to cast absences.

Coronation Street cast and crew are currently filming crucial Christmas scenes. However, backstage disruption began earlier this month when Michael Le Vell, who plays Kevin Webster, took time off while he fights to clear his name following a sexual assault allegation.

Le Vell strenuously denies the accusation and is expected to return to work on Thursday.

[Dennis tanner]

Coronation Street cast and crew are currently filming crucial Christmas scenes. However, backstage disruption began earlier this month when Michael Le Vell, who plays Kevin Webster, took time off while he fights to clear his name following a sexual assault allegation.

If he is found guilty he will be rightfuly punished. Even if he is not convicted he will never completely clear his name. A decision by the CPS not to prosecute will certainly not clear his name.

[Perdita]

Coronation Street star Charlie Condou helped to break a world record last week while out shopping for a book in London.

The actor, who plays Marcus Dent on the ITV1 soap, took part in a reading relay organised by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) as he paid a visit to Waterstone's in Piccadilly on Thursday morning.

Condou only intended to purchase a book but, after hearing details of the event being held inside, he agreed to get involved and later walked out as part of a successful Guinness World Records team.

The relay saw a grand total of 317 people reading aloud - one sentence at a time - from an exclusive Anthony Horowitz story called Double Eagle Has Landed, which has never been published in the UK.

Many blind and partially sighted people took part, reading Braille and giant print. The record attempt marked the launch of Read for RNIB Day, which raises awareness of reading services for blind and partially sighted people.

The event beat the previous Guinness World Record, held by Austria for 290 people in a reading relay.

Gaz Deaves, from Guinness World Records, commented: "What's wonderful about this record is the way it has unified people in reading. I was very impressed with how people used giant print and Braille as well as standard print. It was a fantastic achievement, well done RNIB and Waterstone's."

RNIB's chief executive Lesley-Anne Alexander added: "This is a fantastic result, and not only is RNIB now a Guinness World Records holder, it has been great to hold an event which is open to everyone of all levels of sight and reading abilities.

"But we shouldn't forget that just 7% of all books are available in fully accessible formats, so I urge everyone to get involved with Read for RNIB Day, and help us provide more reading solutions for blind and partially sighted people."

Condou returned to his Coronation Street role earlier this year.

Well done Charlie

[Perdita]

Coronation Street star Graeme Hawley and Emmerdale's Jeff Hordley are launching their own radio show.

The soap pair, who play John Stape and Cain Dingle respectively, will host a slot on Radio Republic after previously working together on the radio a few years ago.

"I'm about to start doing a radio show with Jeff Hordley who plays Cain Dingle in Emmerdale," Hawley told PA. "He and I used to do a radio show together until a couple of years ago and we had to stop because of work commitments.

"But now we're starting up Radio Republic. We're both very much into our music, so we'll be playing everything from folk to soul and funk and a bit of rock 'n' roll and a bit of everything really.

"It's inanely about music and other things - and Cain Dingle and John Stape probably!"

Hawley added that it's been a "very, very packed few weeks" due to his character's dramatic return to Coronation Street.

[Dennis tanner]

Radio Republic?

I doubt if the Queen or any of her family will be listening !!!!

[Katy]

Jeff was good when he was dj ing on the rev.

[Perdita]

Coronation Street's John Michie is calling for viewers to follow his example, by sponsoring a child living in drought-hit East Africa.

The 54-year-old soap star - who plays Stella's jack-the-lad partner Karl Munro - was born in Kenya and spent his childhood there, and has sponsored kids in Kenya for 25 years through children's charity Plan UK.

John said: "Having grown up in Kenya, I feel a strong connection with the country.

"Sponsoring 17-year-old Mbinya through Plan helps me develop the connection and gives me more of an understanding of life for people in her community.

"I particularly value the focus on education and the child-centred approach to helping children make the most of their opportunities and understand their rights.

"That's why I'm backing Plan's Emergency Sponsorship Appeal for people to support children in Kenya who have been affected by the drought."

The charity is appealing for 500 new sponsors to come forward and help a child who has been affected by the drought. Kenya has been hit by worst drought in the region for 60 years. Money donated to Plan through sponsorship funds projects for the benefit of entire communities, like school meals and health clinics.


PA

[Perdita]

Coronation Street's Canadian broadcaster CBC has signed a new multi-year deal to continue airing the soap, it has been announced.

CBC's latest contract with ITV Studios Global Entertainment keeps the long-running show on air in Canada and also includes digital catch-up rights for the first time, Broadcast reports.

Under the terms of the deal, Coronation Street is expected to become available on CBC's video-on-demand service along with iTunes in Canada.

Coronation Street's creator Tony Warren said of the news: "I am delighted to hear of the new Canadian deal especially as the unsung hero of the show, Harry Elton, who was the original executive producer and a Canadian, had the foresight to commission the programme."

Coronation Street currently airs every weeknight in Canada, where the episodes are airing eight months behind the UK broadcasts.

Leanne and Peter's explosive wedding blessing episodes have recently aired on CBC.

[Perdita]

Coronation Street will become the UK's first primetime show to include product placement.

A Nationwide cashpoint has replaced the currently-unbranded machine outside Dev Alahan's corner shop, which viewers will begin to notice in two weeks' time, The Guardian reports.

Gary Knight, the commercial content director at ITV, said in a statement: "Editorial integrity remains at the heart of what we do as we continue to talk our clients about a number of product placement opportunities, spanning a range of programmes and channels."

Product placement, which is common on US TV shows such as American Idol, was greenlit by UK television governing body Ofcom in December 2010.

Nestlé's Dolce Gusto coffee became the first paid-for product on British television in February this year when it appeared on ITV1's daytime show This Morning as part of a £100,000 deal.

The new cashpoint will be seen first on Monday, November 14 at 7.30pm on ITV1.

[alan45]

Obviously a slow news day over on Digital Spy