View Full Version : Controversial Storyline for Corries 50th - Contains Spoilers
Coronation Street will screen its most controversial scenes ever to mark its 50th birthday.
Britain's oldest TV soap will feature an anti-gay storyline involving Ken Barlow, played by veteran Bill Roache.
And it will be a real-life family affair because it centre's on characters played by Bills actor sons Linus and James.
The explosive plot is certain to spark widespread outrage as gays are branded degenerates, weirdos and queer.
Critics have already accused scriptwriters of resorting to deeply offensive jibes to shock fans and boost ratings.
But bosses insist the storyline with film star Linus as Kens homophobic son Lawrence mirrors the real world.
An insider said: Lawrence hates gays and Ken is disgusted by his attitude.
These scenes are explosive, raw and hard-hitting. Viewers, whether they like the language or not, will be gripped. The storyline airs in September, the month Corrie takes over as the worlds current longest-running TV serial drama.
And at the heart of the plot is Ken the Streets only original character and a dark family secret.
When a letter from the 1960s is unearthed during building work, he finds out he has a long-lost son, Lawrence.
Despite opposition from wife Deirdre (Anne Kirkbride) and son Peter (Chris Gascoyne), he tracks down Lawrence.
And Ken is thrilled to discover he also has a grandson, James played by Bills son of the same name.
But Kens dream of playing happy families is dashed by a feud {between homophobic Lawrence and gay James.
A Corrie source said: Lawrence is a complete bigot and the language he uses will leave some viewers furious.
The scenes will pull no punches in expressing some peoples hatred towards gay people and what they stand for. We are expecting viewers to have strong feelings about the dialogue and to air their objections vehemently.
In one of the scenes Lawrence warns James to suppress his gay feelings, prompting his son to say: What about your homophobia are you going to suppress that?
Lawrence replies: Why should I {suppress my feelings if there's nothing wrong with them?
In another, Lawrence shouts: If Id been like you, you wouldn't exist. Its not natural if everybody was gay there wouldn't be any human race.
Ken later urges his son to let James be himself. But Lawrence says: Not if being himself means not having a normal life, mixing with all sorts of degenerates and weirdos.
In another episode, Lawrence says: I'm just a bigoted homophobe. I hate queers. Thats what I am and it took my gay son to prove it to the world.
The plot will also deepen the rift between Ken with Deirdre, who is {considering a fling with Corrie gigolo Lewis Archer (Nigel Havers) even though hes dating Audrey Roberts (Sue Nicholls).
Ken blames himself for not being there when Lawrence was young and tells his wife: If Id been part of his life he may have become a different person.
But Deirdre says: By the same token you would never have met me. Is that what you'd have preferred?
Our source said: Scriptwriters are going hell for leather with this one.
Gay issues have been dealt with before but this is the first time such graphic anti-gay language has been used.
Soap chiefs are convinced there will be a backlash to the storyline.
But gay activists back the plot as long as ITV gives both sides a fair say.
Campaigner Peter Tatchell said: There is nothing wrong with showing parents who don't accept their gay children as long as other characters reflect the more tolerant strands of public opinion.
Surveys suggest a third of the British public still believe homosexuality is mostly or always wrong, so Coronation Street is reflecting an aspect of reality.
And perhaps the harshness of the language used will provoke more people to understand the negative, destructive impact of homophobia.
But I hope it will balance the negative attitude of the father with acceptance from other characters. It would be wrong to give a one-sided characterisation.
Life
And gay charity Stonewall said: Its good this issue is being put out but producers are treading a fine line and it must be treated sensitively.
For some people, homophobia is still very much a fact of life.
Corrie bosses in Manchester are pulling out all the stops for the 50th birthday and want the episodes to be the most talked-about in Weatherfield history.
And Bill, 78, is delighted to have his sons on board with him.
He said: I can think of no better way to celebrate my 50th anniversary on Coronation Street than to be working alongside both of my sons I am looking forward to it immensely.
Linus, 46, has been in Corrie before in 1975 he played Kens son Peter when he was 11.
But he made his acting name as a gay clergyman in the 1994 film Priest and has since hit the big time in the US as Michael Cutter in telly hit Law And Order.
He has also appeared in the Hollywood blockbuster Batman Begins and was nominated for a Golden Globe for his portrayal of assassinated US politician Robert F Kennedy in the acclaimed 2002 American mini-series RFK.
James, 24 who changed his name from William to avoid confusion with his dad has appeared in ITV1 crime show Cold Blood and BBC drama The Innocence Project.
I was looking forward to seeing Linus Roache in Corrie, but he'll be playing a very unpleasant character. The scenes of homophobia will be very hard to watch.
Chloe O'brien
05-07-2010, 01:00
Good on Corrie for having the courage to tackle homophobia. Although society is a lot more educated about sexuality and discrimination there are still people who have strong views against people being gay.
parkerman
05-07-2010, 10:10
there are still people who have strong views against people being gay.
The Pope for one...
The Pope for one... and at the opposite end of the religious scale Rev. Ian Paisley
Coronation Street will stage its biggest stunt ever to celebrate the show's 50th birthday.
Much-loved characters will be killed off as the street's viaduct collapses, sending a tram crashing on to the cobbles.
The ITV soap's official website confirmed that a special week of episodes will be shown leading up to the anniversary on December 9.
Producers are desperate to keep details under wraps and have issued alternative scripts.
"Not even our cast and crew know which residents will die and the drama will continue into 2011 as the people of Weatherfield come to terms with the tragedy and the dramatic twists and turns that follow," the site confirmed.
Corrie producer Phil Collinson said: "As we celebrate the show reaching such an incredible milestone it feels fitting that we will be screening an event of this magnitude which will affect the lives of all the residents of Coronation Street.
"We’ll be using all the wonders of modern television production to bring you a disaster that will rock the lives of everyone in Weatherfield. At the heart of the drama, though, will be ordinary people on an ordinary street battling adversity - the template for the programme created by Tony Warren 50 years ago."
In a webchat, Collinson refused to confirm the fate of any of the Street's residents.
"I'm not going to answer that as everybody's future in uncertain!" he replied to a viewer question.
"We're in the very early stages of planning, but we'll be using all the wonders of modern technology to bring you something spectacular."
It was previously reported that the exits of Bill Tarmey and Vicky Binns could tie in with the 50th birthday episodes.
tammyy2j
07-07-2010, 15:11
The tram should take out quite a few way more than one
It says 'characters so will be more than one
Sounds quite exciting.
I wonder how they'll do it...I know the tram is a special effect, and doesn't really run over the viaduct.
tammyy2j
07-07-2010, 15:43
It says 'characters so will be more than one
Thats good there is a lot that should be killed off
Chloe O'brien
08-07-2010, 00:03
Well Molly will probably be one. And Jack maybe.
the drama will continue into 2011 as the people of Weatherfield come to terms with the tragedy and the dramatic twists and turns that follow,
an event of this magnitude which will affect the lives of all the residents of Coronation Street.
a disaster that will rock the lives of everyone in Weatherfield.
ordinary people on an ordinary street battling adversity -
everybody's future in uncertain!"
using all the wonders of modern technology to bring you something spectacular."
Sounds like an average episode of Eastenders or The Bill when Marquess was in charge
A HORROR tram crash is set to wipe out several of Coronation Street's most popular figures.
At risk ... shopkeeper Rita and cabbie Lloyd
New producer Phil Collinson said last night: "Weatherfield will never be the same again."
He revealed "much-loved characters" on the ITV1 soap would be killed and injured as the viaduct featured in the opening credits collapses - sending a tram careering on to the famous cobbles.
The December disaster will mark Corrie's 50th anniversary.
Phil added: "We'll use all the wonders of modern TV production to bring a disaster that will rock the lives of everyone in Weatherfield."
All cast members - including favourites like shopkeeper Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox), cabbie Lloyd Mullaney (Craig Charles) and barmaid Michelle Connor (Kym Marsh) - could be among the casualties.
None of them will be told if they survive the catastrophe and alternative scripts will be used to keep plot details "under wraps".
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/soaps/3045707/Tram-crash-set-to-wipe-out-many-of-Coronation-Streets-popular-stars.html#ixzz0t5k4apNf
Seeing that Craig Charles has just signed another contract for a year, he will be safe, as will be Kym Marsh. Hope they don't kill off Rita but I guess Barbara might want to go, she has had health issues in the past; of course, Jack and Molly are leaving, so that would tie in nicely.
parkerman
08-07-2010, 14:47
All cast members - including favourites like shopkeeper Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox), cabbie Lloyd Mullaney (Craig Charles) and barmaid Michelle Connor (Kym Marsh) - could be among the casualties.
None of them will be told if they survive the catastrophe
But they will know how long their contracts last...
All cast members - including favourites like shopkeeper Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox), cabbie Lloyd Mullaney (Craig Charles) and barmaid Michelle Connor (Kym Marsh) - could be among the casualties.
Yet again we're being told how popular Kym Marsh is. :sick: She's certainly not popular on these boards - except for with Alan, of course. :p
Keith Duffy has revealed that his Coronation Street character Ciaran McCarthy will be "a big part" of one of the soap's 50th anniversary storylines.
The actor confirmed that he expects Ciaran's relationship with barmaid Michelle Connor (Kym Marsh) to be one of the plots taking centre stage during the celebrations this December.
Speaking to RTE, Duffy commented: "They are gearing up now for some really big storylines for the 50th anniversary and I know they want me to be a very big part of one of those storylines.
"I can only imagine that will have something to do with himself and Michelle. They are getting together and their relationship is fiery."
Duffy recently expressed a desire to tackle more challenging plotlines, arguing that Ciaran should start showing a more "serious" side.
Coronation Street star Kym Marsh has praised the secrecy surrounding the soap's forthcoming tram disaster storyline.
Show bosses recently announced that a number of characters will be killed off later this year when the street's viaduct collapses, causing a tram to crash on to the cobbles.
Speaking about the plot, Marsh told New: "A newspaper speculated that my character Michelle could be among the casualties but, truthfully, none of us know who's involved.
"It's the first time since I joined the show that a plot has been kept totally under wraps. By keeping it so secret, the chances of it leaking out are slim - making it all the more exciting."
Corrie producer Phil Collinson has vowed that the show's team will do "everything" possible to ensure that exact details of the storyline do not leak ahead of transmission.
Ben Price has admitted that Coronation Street's tram crash could have an "unbalancing" effect.
Speaking to Holy Soap, the former Footballers' Wives actor revealed that there was an unsettled feel on the set after the news was announced by producers.
He divulged on yesterday's edition of Loose Women: "It wasn't a great day. You understand the show goes through progressions. I haven't been there very long, so for other people it's a real family but I think a lot of people at one time can be very unbalancing."
However, the 38-year-old added that the stunt will be "exciting" to reflect the "huge" nature of the 50th anniversary celebrations.
Price explained: "But I think it's very, very exciting for the show and for the viewers you need that. It's 50 years. It's such a huge milestone there has to be a big event, I think."
tammyy2j
16-07-2010, 12:02
All cast members - including favourites like shopkeeper Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox), cabbie Lloyd Mullaney (Craig Charles) and barmaid Michelle Connor (Kym Marsh) - could be among the casualties.
No loss so hope they go
Craig Charles and Kym Marsh have recently signed long term contracts, won't be them. Rita Knox has only recently come back after being poorly so maybe health issues force her to leave for good
Craig Charles and Kym Marsh have recently signed long term contracts, won't be them. Rita Knox has only recently come back after being poorly so maybe health issues force her to leave for good
Aww, I'd be sad if Rita left :(
tammyy2j
16-07-2010, 15:31
Craig Charles and Kym Marsh have recently signed long term contracts, won't be them. Rita Knox has only recently come back after being poorly so maybe health issues force her to leave for good
What a pity I liked Michelle at the start now I cant stand her
There has to be at least one major character die
Could be Trevor, cause his character has been sacked and of course, Molly, that way it would pave the way for Sally to look after the baby
Jack Duckworth and Molly Dobbs have emerged as the bookies' favourites to be killed off in Coronation Street's forthcoming tram disaster.
Earlier this month, Corrie's series producer Phil Collinson revealed that the soap's 50th anniversary storyline will see a number of much-loved characters die when the street's viaduct collapses, causing a tram to crash on to the cobbles.
Bookmaker Betfred has now opened a book on which characters are most likely to meet their maker in the stunt. Jack and Molly - who are both confirmed to be leaving the serial - are currently favourites with odds of 4/5.
Carla Connor's love interest Trevor Dean - another character who is bowing out - is also high on the list at evens. Meanwhile, Claire and Ashley Peacock - two more departing regulars - follow with odds of 11/10.
Others being tipped as likely casualties include Rita Sullivan (11/10), Tina McIntyre (5/4), Dev Alahan (7/4) and Norris Cole (7/4).
Betfred's spokesman Jon Wilde told Bettingpro: "With the tram line being at the same end of the street as the Kabin and the corner shop, it naturally follows that the characters who regularly appear in those premises have to be the among the favourites to suffer in the crash.
"Plus, with producer Phil Collinson saying some well-known and well-loved characters will be lost, we fear time may be up for the likes of Jack Duckworth and Ashley Peacock, who may turn out to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Transport bosses in Manchester have offered their backing to Coronation Street's tram disaster plot after receiving assurances that the storyline will not damage the reputation of the city's Metrolink system.
Show producers have been working closely with the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive while devising the plotline, which will air later this year to mark the soap's 50th anniversary.
As series producer Phil Collinson revealed earlier this month, a number of characters are to be killed off in December when the street's viaduct collapses, sending a tram crashing on to the cobbles.
In a statement, GMPTE representative Susan Wildman told the Manchester Evening News: "Given Metrolink's excellent safety record, we were concerned the storyline might be detrimental to Metrolink's public image.
"But ITV have assured us that the incident which takes place will not be the fault of either the tram system or the tram itself. Having received those assurances, we are pleased to be able to help ITV with their research and preparations for what I am sure will be a very dramatic storyline during Coronation Street's 50th anniversary year."
An ITV spokesman said: "We are delighted to be working closely with GMPTE on this storyline. We have assured them that it will be made clear that the crash is in no way the fault of the tram or the driver and they have been very helpful with our research."
Jack Duckworth and Molly Dobbs are currently the bookies' favourites to lose their lives in the tragedy.
Soap legend Bill Tarmey's character will die in Corries sensational 50th anniversary bloodbath tram disaster, The People can reveal.
Lovable layabout Jack Duckworth is the first big name to emerge as a victim of the horror which will also claim a host of other Street favourites.
Bill,69, who has played Jack for over three decades, announced earlier this year he wanted to quit to spend more time with his family.
But his bloody exit will stun the shows millions of fans who were hoping his departure would be left open-ended so he could return in special one-off editions.
Bill has been told by the ITV1 shows new producer Phil Collinson he will die when a tram crashes on to the Kabin and corner shop after the viaduct at the end of the street collapses.
The dramatic plotline will be played out over a week-long series of special episodes in December.
The ending is being kept so secret that not even the cast and crew know the final death toll.
But producer Collinson, 42, who joined six months ago, has warned the entire cast that none of them is safe from a possible gory ending when the most dramatic scenes ever in the shows history are filmed at the end of the summer.
The People understands that Graeme Hawley, 36, who has played charmer John Stape (pictured bottom right) since 2007 and had a controversial affair with Rosie Webster when she was a 16-year-old schoolgirl, will also die.
Others thought to be {vulnerable include (from left) shop boss Dev Alahan played by Jimmi Harkishin, 45, barman Ciaran McCarthy played by Boyzone star Keith Duffy, 35, and hairdresser Maria Connor who is the role of Samia Smith, 28.
The tram disaster may also claim Corrie favourites Ashley and Claire Peacock played by Steven Arnold, 35, and Julia Haworth, 30. Another possible victim is Kabin
owner Norris Cole played by Malcolm Hebden, 70.
Producer Collinson announced recently: People are going to be killed. We will be losing some well-known, well-loved characters.
But it will be Bills exit which will cause the most controversy.
A Corrie source revealed: Bill agreed to stay on for the 50thanniversary programme but I don't think even he was expecting to be killed off under a falling tram and brick debris.
It's the exciting ending he was promised but privately he would have liked to have headed off from Weatherfield still alive and kicking.
He knew how much his character meant to fans and would have loved to have returned from time to time.
In scripts which are being kept under lock and key his character is told he has got cancer but ultimately that's not what kills him in the end.
Manchester-born Bill, who has suffered poor health in recent years, announced in April he wanted to quit at the end of the year.
He leaves the hit soap two years after his screen wife Vera Duckworth played by actress Liz Dawn,70, died in an armchair from a heart attack.
After announcing his retirement Bill said: People often ask me if I like Jack Duckworth and I always reply, Like him, I bloody love him.
Because of him I have made some fantastic friends and travelled all over the world and I will be sorry to say goodbye to Jack.
I was persuaded to stay on for the shows 50th anniversary and I am glad that I made that decision.
I have had some great story lines over the past three decades and I am looking forward to seeing what Jacks final story will be.
The former pub singer and TV extra added: I had originally wanted to retire last year but the producer and my wife Ally persuaded me to stay for the shows 50th anniversary.
The veteran actor, a heavy smoker, has battled health problems and has been seen less frequently on screen. He suffered a minor heart attack following a bypass operation in 2002.
That came 15 years after a previous quadruple heart bypass.
The People pictured Bill looking frail in a wheelchair as he was being pushed through a Spanish airport on the way to his holiday home two months ago.
A Corrie source said: His character will basically be in the wrong place at the wrong time when the viaduct comes crashing down along with the tram.
But he certainly wont be dying alone. A bloodbath is planned.
The size of the looming death toll is believed to have upset the shows senior stars including Bill Roache, 78, who plays Ken Barlow and Sue Nicholls, 65, who plays Audrey Roberts.
But in a bid to make the anniversary shows the most memorable ever, a host of former Street stars are believed to have been approached to make a one-off return.
They include one of the shows most iconic characters, Hilda Ogden played by Jean Alexander, 84, and former binman Curly Watts played by Kevin Kennedy, 48.
Americanrap star Snoop Dogg, 38, recently approached producers saying he'd love to appear in the show alongside pal David Beckham in Ashley Peacock's butchers shop.
Manchester United and England star Rio Ferdinand, 31, is another fan of the show.
Boss Collinson, a former head of drama at BBC Manchester, said: As we celebrate the show reaching such an incredible milestone it feels fitting that we will be screening a dramatic event of this magnitude that will affect the lives of all the residents.
Well be using the wonders of modern television production to bring you a disaster that will rock Weatherfield.
Chloe O'brien
01-08-2010, 02:01
Poor Jack he will be greatly missed on the street. But if Bill is suffering from ill health in real life it's better he rests and enjoy his free time. Instead of becoming seriously ill while on set.
EX-Corrie stars Ken Morley and Kevin Kennedy say they can't wait to return for the soap's 50th anniversary.
Ken, 67, who played Reg Holdsworth, and Kevin, 49, who played Curly Watts, were two of the ITV soap's biggest stars in the 1990s.
The actors will return to film scenes for a Coronation Street DVD to mark the half-century.
Ken, who quit 15 years ago, said: "It is tremendous to be working with him again."
Kevin, who left in 2003, added: "It's great to be back with my old sparring partner - it will be a lot of fun."
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/soaps/3077245/Ken-Morley-and-Kevin-Kennedy-to-return-for-Corries-50th-anniversary.html#ixzz0vQO3RYxV
:cheer: :D
EX-Corrie stars Ken Morley and Kevin Kennedy say they can't wait to return for the soap's 50th anniversary.
Ken, 67, who played Reg Holdsworth, and Kevin, 49, who played Curly Watts, were two of the ITV soap's biggest stars in the 1990s.
The actors will return to film scenes for a Coronation Street DVD to mark the half-century.
Ken, who quit 15 years ago, said: \"It is tremendous to be working with him again.\"
Kevin, who left in 2003, added: \"It's great to be back with my old sparring partner - it will be a lot of fun.\"
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/soaps/3077245/Ken-Morley-and-Kevin-Kennedy-to-return-for-Corries-50th-anniversary.html#ixzz0vQO3RYxV
They are NOT actually returning to the Street. They are just making a compilation DVD
tammyy2j
03-08-2010, 10:49
Speculation surrounding Coronation Street's forthcoming tram disaster has gathered pace today, with one report suggesting that Jack Duckworth will be killed off in the tragedy.
According to The People, the Weatherfield legend will simply be "in the wrong place at the wrong time" when a tram crashes on to the cobbles in the soap's 50th anniversary storyline this December.
We already know that Bill Tarmey will be bowing out as Jack later this year, and bookies have made his character the favourite to perish in the storyline.
The same tabloid report also claims that troubled John Stape (Graeme Hawley) will be another casualty when the much-anticipated plot hits our screens.
Unsurprisingly for a newspaper story of this nature, Coronation Street will not confirm or deny any of the rumours - and it's likely that this will be the case for any tram crash speculation which is printed between now and transmission.
Fans should also take into account that we were all warned to expect false rumours to leak out over the next few months as producers attempt to keep the real story under wraps. Only time will tell whether this story is a red herring or one that's bang on the money.
Previous reports focusing on Jack's exit have said that the character could win the lottery or come face-to-face with the ghost of his late wife Vera.
parkerman
03-08-2010, 10:51
Previous reports focusing on Jack's exit have said that the character could win the lottery or come face-to-face with the ghost of his late wife Vera.
Perhaps Vera is driving the tram...
Details of the upcoming Coronation Street DVD which will see Kevin Kennedy and Ken Morley reprise their roles have been revealed.
In the special, which will be released on November 1 to mark the ITV soap's 50th anniversary, Curly Watts (Kennedy) will be seen as the boss of several hotels, PA reports.
The storyline will see him offer his old boss Reg Holdsworth (Morley) a job hosting a medieval weekend at a stately home called Tatlock Towers.
Current Corrie stars including Helen Flanagan (Rosie Webster) and Ryan Thomas (Jason Grimshaw) will also feature.
Rosie is hired as a serving wench under false pretences by Reg. Excited, she drags Jason along as she believes she could become the new face of Strumpet Ale. However, while working, she meets a plastic surgeon who suggests that she needs some work done, whether she wants it or not.
Flanagan teased: "The script looks like loads of fun - you'll be seeing Rosie at her most outrageous best!"
Also appearing on the DVD, which will be available to download, will be Mary Taylor (Pattie Clare), on whom Reg sets his sights.
Kennedy admitted that he is "absolutely delighted" to reprise the role and praised the idea to reunite Curly and Reg.
"To be back with Ken Morley is something I think a lot of fans have been waiting for - as a double act, Curly and Reg were very, very funny," he said.
Morley added: "I can only echo everything Kevin has said except add that both Kevin and I are fatter, older and not necessarily wiser!
"We look forward to continuing with the mayhem we first dropped on the nation all those years ago."
I do hope its some big names that are killed off I'm hoping Norris is one as the Kabin is near where the Tram collapses
Noooo, please not Norris, him and Mary are great together
^ Mary dont need Norris she is better without him
I do hope its some big names that are killed off I'm hoping Norris is one as the Kabin is near where the Tram collapses
Norris is one of my favourite characters! I'd be most upset if he were killed off. :(
Former Coronation Street star Charles Lawson has announced that he will be returning to the soap later this year.
The actor confirmed that his alter ego Jim McDonald will be back on screens within the next few months and be part of the show's 50th anniversary episodes.
Lawson told PA that he is currently unaware of Jim's comeback storyline, but suspects there is a possibility that the character could be killed off.
Asked whether he could reveal any plot details, he replied: "I'm going back into the Street for a few episodes... I haven't seen the scripts and even if I could, you know I couldn't. But I have no idea. I suspect either I'm going to get killed, or..."
Show producers have revealed that a number of characters will lose their lives in December when a tram dramatically crashes on to the cobbles.
On whether Jim could be a victim, Lawson said: "I don't know. I suspect I've probably been in the frame for it - whether or not I'm going to be, I've no idea, to be honest with you, and if not I don't know what I'm going to do. But I'll be around for the 50th anniversary."
Lawson is also involved in Coronation Street's forthcoming anniversary play at The Lowry theatre in Salford, having signed up to narrate the comedy production.
:cheer::thumbsup:
Aww, it'll be a shame if he's killed off.:(
Would be daft to bring him back just to kill him off, so it would be
CORRIE’S sensational 50th *anniversary “bloodbath” tram crash storyline will include a LIVE *episode, The People can reveal.
Bosses want the show depicting the carnage seconds after the tram plummets off a viaduct to be the soap’s most *dramatic and *memorable ever.
Scenes will show popular Street *characters lying dead or fighting for their lives amid utter devastation.
An insider said: “The cast were told about the live episode at an on-set *meeting on Monday. Producer Phil Collinson told them it was going to be the biggest TV achievement ever. And he made it crystal clear he wanted no mistakes. He said no one had ever attempted anything as daring as this before. Actors were given the choice to opt out, but got the feeling that to do so would create an extremely bad impression.
“And with all the uncertainty about who is being killed off, the pressure is on. No one wants to bail out of the live episode when their jobs might be at stake.”
The People told last week how Corrie legend Bill Tarmey – lovable layabout Jack Duckworth – is the first big name to emerge as a victim of the tram crashing off the viaduct over the cobbled street.
The crash will also claim a host of Street favourites with boss Collinson – dubbed CULLinson – telling stars: “None of you are safe.” The plotline will be played out over a week-long series of episodes in early December, culminating in the live 50th birthday show on December 9.
Collinson, 42, is going for maximum drama. Bosses want to bring in real police, fire and ambulance staff and vehicles for authenticity. Our source said: “There’s a real buzz around the live episode.
“Everyone wants things to go off *without a single ****-up – no messed-up line or *moving dead body.”
Coronation Street had a live ITV *episode on December 8, 2000, as part of the show’s 40th anniversary.
Rival soap EastEnders went live for its 25th birthday earlier this year, pulling in more than 16million viewers.
THE last time Corrie fans saw actor Brian Capron he was driving to his watery death in a Weatherfield canal as psycho Richard Hillman.
Eyes of a killer ... Richard Hillman
Granada Television
But TV Biz can reveal soap bosses have lured the actor back to play his evil alter ego's BROTHER for a Christmas spin-off DVD.
A Street source said: "Capron back from the dead will shock millions of fans.
"He's back playing his brother and, with his distinctive looks, he must be a twin."
Secret
Brian, 63, will be joined by a string of current stars for the 50th anniversary special.
And Corrie's comedy legends Ken Morley (Reg Holdsworth) and Kevin Kennedy (Curly Watts) are also set to appear.
The source added: "The plot lines are absolutely top secret and only a handful of people know about the project."
More than 19million viewers tuned in to see Hillman - nicknamed Tricky Dicky - confess to murdering hairdresser Maxine Peacock and almost killing Emily Bishop and his ex-wife Patricia in 2003.
And nearly 20million saw him drive into the canal in a failed bid to kill the Platts, whom he tied up in the car.
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/soaps/3086725/Brian-Capron-to-play-Richard-Hillmans-twin-brother-in-Coronation-Street.html#ixzz0w4GYwZzM
tammyy2j
09-08-2010, 14:19
Coronation Street will go ahead with a live episode to celebrate its 50th anniversary, a report claims.
Producer Phil Collinson - who previously confirmed that discussions over a live transmission were taking place - allegedly shared the news with the soap's cast last week during an on-set meeting.
According to The People, live scenes will show bodies lying on the cobbles following the devastating tram crash which will be the main storyline in December.
Sources say that Collinson wants the special instalment to be "the biggest TV achievement ever" due to the challenging nature of the planned scenes.
A source said: "There's a real buzz around the live episode. Everyone wants things to go off without a single ****-up - no messed-up line or moving dead body."
Coronation Street previously went live for its 40th birthday ten years ago. Meanwhile, BBC soap EastEnders had a live broadcast for its 25th anniversary back in February.
Kym Marsh has admitted that she hopes rumours that she will survive the upcoming Coronation Street tram crash are true.
Last month, Corrie producer Phil Collinson confirmed that the dramatic scenes will air during a week of episodes celebrating the soap's 50th anniversary.
"Apparently a 'Corrie insider' has said that both Michelle Keegan's character Tina McIntyre and mine will be spared in the tram crash, because our producer Phil Collinson sees us as 'the glamour' of the show!" Marsh wrote in her New column.
"If it's true, that's great - and very flattering! I don't see myself as glamorous, but Michelle Keegan certainly is."
The actress, who plays Michelle Connor, added that the cast are still unsure if they will survive the accident.
"We're all still very much in the dark about that storyline and probably will be for a long time to come, but we're all hoping we're not the ones who perish in the crash," she said.
Marsh previously backed the decision to keep the plot details secret.
tammyy2j
10-08-2010, 14:29
^ I hope she dont but she will
THE new boss of Corrie is worried about losing the plot.
So worried in fact that Phil Collinson is having the set of the ITV1 soap scanned for BUGS.
The no-nonsense producer - who has struck fear into the actors since arriving a few months ago - splashed out THOUSANDS to bring in a team to sweep for bugging devices.
The aim is to catch those he believes are leaking top secret storylines in the build-up to the show's 50th anniversary special. As well as on-the-spot checks and questioning, a secure unit is in the pipeline for the Green Room where scripts will only be accessible through a locked door.
Last night Collinson said: "I'm determined to discover who is leaking scripts. We're deploying unprecedented security measures to clamp down on these breaches."
...but there are 2 stories he couldn't hide
ONE: Tearaway David Platt will be charged with trying to MURDER a love rival.
When Corrie cops arrest David (Jack Shepherd) for mowing down Graeme (Craig Gazey) they warn he'll rot in jail if his victim dies.
A source said: "Viewers will think he's really done it this time - and he could be on his way out of the soap."
TWO: Corrie's biggest bed-hoppers are to share a steamy romance, we can also reveal.
Sex-mad Rosie Webster (Helen Flanagan) and horny Jason Grimshaw (Ryan Thomas) have finally been brought together by scriptwriters.
Our insider said: "The romance starts in a few weeks."
NOTW
The Kabin and the Corner Shop will reportedly be destroyed in Coronation Street's upcoming tram crash.
The Street's new bar The Joinery will also be damaged after a tram plunges off the viaduct in scenes planned by special-effects experts, according to the Sunday Mirror.
A source said: "It will be total carnage and the scenes will make incredible viewing. The producers want to make it the most dramatic episode Coronation Street has ever shown and they are pulling out all the stops. The Kabin and the Corner Shop will both be destroyed along with the bar.
"The producers haven't yet decided which characters will be inside so everyone feels like an axe is dangling over their head. There are rumours that up to a dozen stars could be killed off. It's going to be a bloodbath."
Producer Phil Collinson will also apparently use the crash to introduce new characters to the soap.
The source added: "There is a feeling among the top brass that Coronation Street needs to come into the 21st century a bit more. They want the show to look a lot different next year."
CELEBS will be tested on their Corrie knowledge in a 50th anniversary quiz.
Two panels will do battle in the ITV1 Christmas show.
A source said: "Stars will be desperate to get on it."
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/soaps/3096899/CELEBS-will-be-tested-on-their-Corrie-knowledge-in-a-50th-anniversary-quiz.html#ixzz0wk2IP9O8
TUDOR thought it - surly Norris Cole looks fed-up with bloody Mary Taylor at a medieval banquet.
She tricks him into attending the historic weekend organised by Street legend Reg Holdsworth for a 50th anniversary Corrie DVD.
It's jester bit of fun, Norris.
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/soaps/3096914/Corries-Norris-Cole-looks-fed-up-with-Mary-Taylor-at-medieval-banquet.html#ixzz0wk3FIinm
:rotfl: :D
Phil Collinson has admitted that he wants the upcoming tram crash to attract - and keep - new Coronation Street viewers.
The producer, who took over the show this year, told the Guardian that he has "huge ambition" for the 50th anniversary plot.
"It'll be Coronation Street like you've never seen it: more spectacular - and more expensive - than it's ever been," he told the paper.
Collinson revealed that he wanted to ensure viewers didn't just tune in from December 6 for the special week of real-time episodes.
"No one has sat me down and had the conversation that starts, 'Our demographic is older and we need younger viewers …' The show is in really good health and it does good viewing figures," he said.
"People haven't got used to Thursdays yet so we need to look at how to make them feel more important, but all the conversations have been about what we do between now and December and how we make sure people don't turn on for the anniversary week and then turn off again the week after."
He continued: "We're steaming towards December with five or six really big stories and when Monday hits and the week pans out, the tram crash will have sent off all those stories in completely different directions so that the people who have come to it will feel the need to stay on."
The former Doctor Who producer recently defended himself against claims that he was "polishing up his hatchet" when he took over Corrie.
"When Coronation Street is at its best, it's like a Lowry painting," he said. "There's a bit going on here, a bit going on there, a bit going on somewhere else. You try and pull as many of your cast into as many stories as you can and that's when it feels great. I want to do big seven-page scenes in the Rovers that go from character to character. I also want the pace to pick up."
Former Coronation Street star Charles Lawson has praised the quality of the soap's 50th anniversary stage production.
The actor, best known for his role as Jim McDonald on the Weatherfield drama, is appearing as the narrator in Corrie!, a special play which packs five decades of storylines into one show.
Speaking on GMTV about the project, Lawson commented: "It does work extremely well - the actors are incredible. I just stand there and read because I'm the narrator - it's easy for me! But the guys and girls are extraordinary.
"If you're a Corrie fan, get your rear ends down because it's absolutely wonderful."
The 50-year-old added that Corrie! has the backing of the show's veteran actor William Roache (Ken Barlow) and creator Tony Warren.
He explained: "William and Tony were very nervous about the whole thing - the idea of doing it. But William came along the other night and came to see me, and he thoroughly enjoyed it, he loved it. And Tony Warren created the damn thing, and he loved it."
Corrie! runs at The Lowry theatre in Salford until August 25.
Coronation Street star Antony Cotton has claimed that there is "no big bad feeling" among the cast about the upcoming tram crash.
The actor, who plays Sean Tully in the ITV1 soap, admitted that he is confident he won't be killed off because he recently signed a new contract.
He told OK! magazine: "The show changes all the time and tongues are wagging but ultimately we're used to it as new producers come in every couple of years.
"There's no big bad feeling - the majority are excited about the new stories and feel it's a breath of fresh air. Still, it's easy for me to say as I've signed a new contract."
It is known that several major characters will be killed off later this year when a tram crashes into the street as part of the show's 50th birthday celebrations.
Linus Roache has revealed that his father, Corrie star Bill Roache, is an inspiration to him.
The actor, who joins Coronation Street next week as Ken Barlow's long-lost son, added that fans approach his father everywhere he goes.
Speaking to the Sunday Mirror, he said: "We went for a walk together the other day and these young girls were saying, 'Oh, we love Bill Roache, we've always had a thing for him'. And they weren't joking, it was for real.
"Dad is an inspiration to me. I don't like talking about his age, but he's 78, which is unbelievable and I literally cannot relate to him like that. He's full of vitality and extremely healthy. He's a sex symbol, for God's sake.
"I hardly ever get recognised in this country, it's just my dad - and it even happens in New York. We went to the top of the Empire State Building and someone went, 'Ooh, look, it's Ken Barlow over there'. It was worse when I was younger.
"I remember once he was judging a beauty contest on the Isle of Man in a big open-air swimming pool that had been emptied out. There were literally thousands of people there and as we arrived and got out of the car, suddenly hordes of people swarmed forward trying to get through the barricades screaming, 'Bill! Bill!' I was seven years old and holding his hand, and I remember thinking it was like he was one of The Beatles."
tammyy2j
23-08-2010, 12:11
Kym Marsh will remain in Coronation Street, as her character survives the upcoming tram crash, a report has suggested.
The Sun claims that producer Phil Collinson has decided not to kill off Michelle Connor in the 50th anniversary plot.
Instead, the character will soon find a new job - working for sister-in-law Carla Connor (Alison King). The hiring comes about after the Underworld boss is impressed by Michelle's idea for a T-shirt with changeable slogans. However, she also receives a job offer from Nick Tilsley, who wants her to work in his new bar.
"Michelle wants to get out of the Rovers and Carla needs new blood," an insider told the paper. "Michelle really enjoys turning Nick down."
They added: "She says he can't afford her and she's not swapping one lot of drunks for another."
Collinson previously revealed the plot to DS, saying that it would be "exciting" to have Carla and Michelle running the factory.
Marsh previously admitted that she hoped she would survive the crash, which will reportedly claim several lives.
CORRIE veteran Bill Roache told how his late wife Sara would be proud his sons are to appear on the soap adding: "I feel she's very much still with me."
Linus and James will act alongside their dad, who plays Ken Barlow, as part of the ITV1 show's 50th anniversary.
Linus, 46 - Bill's son from his first marriage to actress Anna Cooper - will play Ken's homophobic son Lawrence.
And James, 24 - whose mum is Sara - will play Lawrence's gay son, also called James.
In his most shocking storyline yet, Ken's bid to track down an old girlfriend will next week lead him to the family he did not know he had.
Producers created the plot to thank longest-serving cast member Bill, 78, for his 50 years with the programme. But he said it also filled him with sadness because Sara and his late on-screen mum-in-law Maggie Jones were not there to see it.
Sara, his wife of 31 years, died suddenly last year at the age of 58. Maggie - Blanche Hunt on the soap - died later the same year at the age of 75.
Bill said: "Sara would've loved my sons being on the street with me. I feel she's very much still with me.
"In my understanding she is still alive."
He also believes Maggie's character Blanche would have given Ken - who had more than 20 girlfriends and three wives - an ear-bashing for having another son due to his constant womanising.
Bill said: "It would have been wonderful if Blanche were here.
"She would have referred to Ken as some un-neutered tom cat, saying, 'Another son! How many more are coming along?'"
Linus and James are not the first of Bill's family to appear on Corrie. Sara was the judge who jailed murderess Tracy Barlow. First wife Anna played a woman who kidnapped a baby in the '60s.
And Bill hopes Verity - his interior designer daughter with Sara - will one day come in as an extra in the Rovers Return.
He exclaimed: "You have to be in Coronation Street, that's the criteria or I couldn't possibly marry you - or you be part of the family."
If so, US Law and Order star Linus already earned his place in the Roache clan aged nine, when he played another of Ken's sons - Peter.
But Linus, who is the spitting image of Bill, confessed he still gets nervous about acting with his dad.
He said: "There was a whole period when I was just having a ball.
"Suddenly self-awareness hit me that people actually watch it. That was the moment I became nervous for the rest of my life."
Despite the stage-fright he is just as thrilled as Bill and James about bringing to life together this latest twist in Ken's story.
The trio have turned the conservatory at Bill's Cheshire home into "the actor's workshop" - and frighten the neighbours when they practise heated scenes.
Linus explains that Ken finds English lecturer Lawrence in his search for the ex-girlfriend.
The pair work out that they are father and son after finding several similarities between them.
But trouble brews when Ken realises Lawrence struggles with James's sexuality.
Linus said: "I'm a little indifferent about my own son. Ken picks up on that and meets my son who is gay. I'm very intolerant of his sexuality."
Bill added: "Lawrence is all the things I'd want a son to be - cultured, sophisticated, handsome of course. He's thrilled to bits. Then comes the thing... he won't talk about his son."
Meanwhile, James will be on screen later this year - playing dad Bill in BBC drama Florizel Street about the birth of Corrie.
See Ken's latest drama unfold from next week on ITV1 at 7.30pm.
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/soaps/3108630/Corona-son-Street-makes-Bill-so-proud.html#ixzz0xV1bPj1k
tammyy2j
27-08-2010, 16:49
Julie Hesmondhalgh is planning a break from Coronation Street shortly after the 50th anniversary celebrations at the end of the year.
The 40-year-old actress, who plays dowdy Hayley Cropper in the ITV1 soap, admitted she had been inspired to take a sabbatical by Sally Dynevor, who plays Sally Webster on screen.
Sally recently returned to Weatherfield after battling breast cancer. "I'm inspired by all the stuff she's been saying about sorting her priorities," Julie said.
"I'd quite like to do a big world trip with the family."
Corrie bosses are understood to be supportive of Julie's plans to take some time off. An ITV spokesman said: "As long as we have notice, we should be able to accommodate her request."
Julie has been in Corrie since she was 28 and the past year had been a busy one for Hayley - storylines included a wacky wedding and being held hostage by crazed killer Tony Gordon.
I dont think Hayley or Roy will die so
Coronation Street's new spinoff DVD has been making headlines quite a bit over the past few weeks - in part thanks to the surprise news that former cast members Kevin Kennedy, Ken Morley and Brian Capron are all involved in the project.
The feature-length special, titled A Knight's Tale, centres around a medieval weekend at a remote stately home and the comedy of errors that follows once the event begins.
It's not just old characters who appear in the story - current Weatherfield regulars Rosie Webster (Helen Flanagan), Jason Grimshaw (Ryan Thomas), Norris Cole (Malcolm Hebden) and Mary Taylor (Patti Clare) also feature.
Additionally, former Holby City and Dancing On Ice star Jeremy Edwards is playing a plastic surgeon named Uri.
Click 'play' on the console below to see a clip of the cast doing a read-through:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQqooPb8M3c
Keith Duffy has said that Coronation Street will air a live episode to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
The actor revealed the news during an appearance on ITV1's Magic Numbers, following an admission from producer Phil Collinson in June that he was considering staging a live episode.
Host Stephen Mulhern asked: "Is it true that they are definitely going to do a live episode to celebrate the 50th [anniversary]?"
Duffy replied: "I don't know if I'm allowed to tell you this, but yes, they are!"
Earlier this month, The People reported that producers were planning a live episode which would focus on the aftermath of the forthcoming tram crash stunt.
Speaking at the time, a source said: "There's a real buzz around the live episode. Everyone wants things to go off without a single ****-up - no messed-up line or moving dead body."
The show celebrates its 50th birthday in December.
Coronation Street star Julie Hesmondhalgh has revealed that she would be happy to stay on the show forever.
The actress, who has played Hayley Cropper for 12 years, admitted that she has no plans to move onto other projects because she is pleased with where she is in life.
According to PA, she said: "The way I feel at the moment I am happy to stay forever. It's not a very good negotiating tool to have it in print that I want to be here till I'm 100 but I do. I'm incredibly happy here.
"I'm not ambitious. I am where I want to be in my life and not many people can say that."
Hesmondhalgh added that she was "circumspect" about the upcoming tram crash, saying: "If it's my time it's my time. But I would very much like to keep on going a bit longer."
Coronation Street will broadcast another live episode to celebrate the soap's 50th anniversary, it has been confirmed.
The plans were revealed over the weekend by cast member Keith Duffy (Ciaran McCarthy). Producer Phil Collinson previously confirmed that the anniversary week would see a tram crash on to the street.
"Everyone is very excited, if not to say a little nervous, about the prospect of a live episode," a statement said. "But we felt it was fitting to go out live to the nation to celebrate such a prestigious anniversary."
Earlier this month, The People reported that the live episode would show the aftermath of the devastating crash.
Coronation Street previously celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2000 by broadcasting an hour-long live episode.
The live episode should be really interesting; if it is the aftermath of the tram crash then working with all the debri, rubble and general carnage in a live setting will definitely be a challenge for the actors. It'll test the crew (make up artists, costume dept, etc) as the live show will presumably be broadcast weeks after the actual tram crash sequence is filmed? It's very brave but I''ll definitely be tuning in!
Liz
CORONATION STREET sex kitten Michelle Keegan says she fears she will ruin the soap’s live episode.
Bosses confirmed yesterday that one programme will be shown live to help celebrate the show’s 50th anniversary.
It will be screened in December and capture the aftermath of the tram crash which is set to destroy half of Coronation Street.
But Michelle, who plays Tina McIntyre, says she’s desperate not to be involved. The 23-year-old said: “There’s a real buzz on set about it and there have been loads of meetings about what will happen and the storylines. I think everyone feels lucky to be a part of it. But I would panic.
“I’d probably wave at the camera and say hi to my mum.
“I’d shy away from being a part of a live episode. I’d run to the toilets because I would be so nervous.
“Trying to remember your lines and say them live would be a nightmare. Obviously, if I had to do it I would.” A spokeswoman for the soap said: “Everyone is very excited, if a little nervous, about the prospect of a live episode but we felt it was fitting to do one to celebrate the prestigious anniversary.”
Meanwhile the soap has been accused of frightening people away from adopting children. Fans watched Steve and Becky McDonald (Simon Gregson, 33, and Katherine Kelly, 30) come under an intense grilling from a panel of adoption experts as they desperately try to give a child a home.
Their bid was turned down, prompting real-life agency bosses to slam the soap. Patricia Hurst, of charity Caritas said: "It was portrayed as an ambush and that is just not the case.”
But a Corrie spokeswoman said: “We have to have some dramatic licence, but it was an accurate storyline.”
Linus Roache hopes his soap storyline will educate people who hold bigoted views.
Linus, the real-life son of Corrie stalwart William Roache, plays Ken Barlow's long-lost son Lawrence, who cannot tolerate his own son James' homosexuality.
The 46-year-old said: "There are a lot of people that hold these views. This is holding the mirror up to the way things are and you can see those views for what they are. Hopefully it will educate some people out of it."
Linus' half-brother James plays the part of his son in the soap.
The show sees Ken attempt to heal the rift between the two men.
Linus added: "It's got all the perspectives in the story. I play a particular function and in the end I'm the one who loses out because of my bigotry."
Coronation Street star Simon Gregson has admitted that the soap's cast are currently clueless over what producers have in store for the forthcoming live episode.
Last week, it was confirmed that the ITV1 drama will transmit live for an instalment airing in its 50th anniversary week. However, full details of the planned episode have yet to be announced.
Speaking about the live ep at the TV Choice Awards last night, Gregson - who plays Weatherfield's Steve McDonald - told DS: "There's some nerves. [But] we're that busy with what we're doing at the moment, nobody's really got the time to think about the live yet. It'll happen when it happens, you know what I mean?"
On what may occur in the special edition, he added: "No-one's got a clue! They've not given us the scripts yet."
Coronation Street veteran Bill Roache has promised that there are "exciting" times ahead for the soap as its 50th anniversary draws closer.
The ITV1 drama celebrates its milestone in December, and producers have already confirmed plans for a tram crash stunt and live episode to mark the occasion.
Speaking to DS at the TV Choice Awards last night, Roache - who plays Weatherfield's Ken Barlow - commented: "[We're] always nervous with a live episode. They strike terror into the hearts of actors! But we'll do it. And it's going to be a very exciting end of the year - we know the stories are brilliant. There's a great feeling of energy and vitality around, so we look forward to it."
Asked about the soap's new producer Phil Collinson, Roache added: "[He's] absolutely brilliant. Look at his pedigree. And the great thing about Phil is, as a child, he grew up loving Coronation Street - and that is so good. To have a man of his qualifications who actually loves the show is brilliant."
SAMIA Smith isn't fazed by the upcoming live episode to mark Corrie's 50th anniversary.
New mum Samia, 28, who has returned to the soap as Maria Connor, worked through her nerves with the live show ten years ago - months after she first joined the cast.
She said: "I did the 40th anniversary so I hope it will be OK."
Speaking about motherhood - daughter Freya arrived last year - she said: "It's been quite easy because my mum helps a lot and I only live 15 minutes from the set."
Coronation Street star Samia Smith has admitted that she "can't wait" to be part of the soap's forthcoming live episode.
Plans for a live instalment of the Weatherfield show were finally confirmed last week after being rumoured for some time.
The special edition of the drama will air in December as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations. Corrie previously went live for its 40th birthday ten years ago.
Speaking of the soap's upcoming milestone, Smith told Bang Showbiz: "It's nice. There's lots of exciting stuff happening because it's the 50th. It's nice to be involved in it all."
The actress - who plays hairdresser Maria Connor - added: "I can't wait for the live episode. I was there for the 40th and it'll be nice to do it again."
Reports suggest that the live episode will concentrate on the aftermath of the devastating tram crash stunt which will occur in December.
Coronation Street producers are taking unprecedented steps to keep their 50th anniversary storylines under wraps as filming is due to begin.
It is known that a tram will crash onto the street, killing some characters and destroying buildings. But ITV is keen to stop further details leaking out.
"We're actually being given scripts with just our own parts in it," said William Roache, who plays Ken Barlow.
"We don't read the other people's parts. I've never known such secrecy."
A street party has been held on the set in Manchester, where the cast is due to start shooting the first anniversary storylines on Monday.
Roache, who has been in the show since the first episode, has been named by Guinness World Records as the world's longest-serving soap actor.
Asked whether Ken might be written out, Roache told BBC News: "There's a great mystery around what's happening at the 50th anniversary.
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The scripts are written, they're all locked away upstairs in a big cupboard”
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"They're really keeping it close to their chests. So we don't know. Some of us might make shrewd guesses but I'm not going to talk about those."
Keith Duffy, who plays Ciaran McCarthy, said: "Everything is pretty much behind closed doors at the minute. Even the actors themselves don't really know what's happening.
"I know this viaduct is coming down with a tram, I just hope I'm not underneath it."
While actors are usually given scripts a week in advance, they may only find out about the crucial scenes a day or two before filming, Duffy said.
"They want to keep it tight-lipped. Every good storyline in any good soap always gets leaks and they're just trying their best this time around to try and keep it schtum."
Producer Phil Collinson promised that the anniversary episodes would entail "tragedy and destruction on a previously unseen scale".
"The scripts are written, they're all locked away upstairs in a big cupboard," he said. "Literally under lock and key. We know where the story's going and we start filming on Monday."
Mr Collinson has enlisted special effects company The Mill, which won an Oscar for Gladiator and has worked on Doctor Who.
The first episode of Coronation Street was broadcast on 9 December 1960
"They will be the biggest, most spectacular episodes ever filmed," Mr Collinson said. "The Mill are very used to creating memorable, spectacular, effects-driven television."
The show will also feature a live episode, which will portray the aftermath of the tram crash.
As well as creating the explosive scenes, special effects will be used to show the rest of the fictional Manchester borough of Weatherfield for the first time, Mr Collinson revealed.
"The special effects work we'll do isn't just about crashing the tram," he explained. "We're going to see Coronation Street in the context of the wider world.
"So we're going to have great big wide shots that show you the rest of Weatherfield. Life has begun and ended at the top and bottom of the street, but for the first time we're going to see the wider world."
Jack Duckworth, played by Bill Tarmey, is one character who will leave before the end of the year. His final scenes - which are not part of the tram crash - will feature the return of his on-screen wife Vera, who died in 2008.
Mr Collinson declined to give details about the nature of her appearance, but did say: "She's not a ghost, she doesn't come in on a wire. It's beautiful and poignant."
Coronation Street producer Phil Collinson has said that the show's 50th anniversary week will be full of "absolutely unmissable drama".
Speaking to The Daily Star, Collinson hinted at the scale of the plans to mark the birth of the world's longest-running TV soap opera.
He said: "It's a week of television that people will remember forever. A week full of big ideas, big ambitions and absolutely unmissable drama. But this week does have to be special.
"How do we top what we’ve done in the past? Well, with a tram crash, a death, a wedding, another death, a birth, a murder, a fire and another death."
He added: "Yes, all of that in one week! I was lucky to have been given some extra money for the anniversary week.
"I’m a little terrified about the live episode but with plenty of rehearsals I’m sure it will be fine."
Collinson said of the plans for a tram crash on the cobbles: "The tram crash will cut through the lives of every resident on the Street. It’s the most ambitious week of episodes this soap has ever seen."
It was reported earlier this week that a Weatherfield resident may take advantage of the tram crash carnage to cover-up a murder.
CORONATION Street bosses may book a whole hotel to keep their tram crash plotline under wraps.
Their old studio bar has been turned into a hotel that overlooks the ITV1 soap's set.
Now they fear photographers may book rooms while they film the much-hyped crash, in which some characters will be killed off.
So they are considering forking out £20,000 for all 30 rooms while the scenes are filmed.
A Corrie source said: "It has been seriously discussed - people are paranoid that shots will be sent around the world, which would be a bigger disaster than the crash itself. There was even talk of asking the hotel to black out the windows." The hotel plan is just one security nightmare for Street producer Phil Collinson, who has beefed up efforts to halt any leaks before the big day.
He recently ordered electronic bug sweeps of conference rooms.
Bosses are remaining secretive about who dies in the crash, which will be aired at Christmas.
Characters due to leave include Janice Battersby (Vicky Entwistle), Ashley Peacock (Steven Arnold) and Molly Dobbs (Vicky Binns).
A source said: "There will be at least two deaths. Even the cast don't know who will be killed."
I hope the tram crash won't be a big let-down after all the hype.
tammyy2j
29-09-2010, 17:46
I think Ciaran dies in this
THE Street’s tram crash will cost £1million, making it the most expensive stunt in the soap’s history.
Filming is under way for the sensational week of episodes to mark the soap’s 50th anniversary.
The famous cobbles will be changed forever when the viaduct collapses, sending a tram crashing into the street.
And the show’s top brass have broken the bank to make sure the December episodes go down in TV history.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star, executive producer Phil Collinson revealed that he wanted even more cash but ITV’s money men said no. He said: “We’ve had a signifi cant amount of extra money from ITV for this stunt. It’s not enough, it’s never enough.
“It’s the most money we’ve ever spent in the show’s history, it’s going to be a spectacular set of episodes.”
As well as the cash, Phil also revealed that it is the most ambitious storyline his team has ever had to record.
“To give you some idea, we usually film five episodes in 12 days,” he explained. “But for the 50th we will be filming five episodes in 10 weeks.
“It’s basically the pace of a big drama.
“We do all of that but the rest of the show still has to rumble on.
“So in the lead up to it we’re having to film lots more episodes, and afterwards as well so we can keep airing for five nights a week. It’s huge.
“The siege at Underworld was our biggest stunt to date but this pales that into insignificance.”
Phil revealed he has hired top special effects team The Mill to help make the episodes.
The Oscar winning firm was behind Ridley Scott’s film Gladiator, starring Russell Crowe, 46.
Phil added: “We’ve got 10 special effects experts who will work for 250 days just to produce this stunt.
“They are going to make sure these episodes are like nothing we’ve ever seen on Coronation Street.
“I can’t tell you how excited I am.”
Hope that with all this hype, the viewers won't feel let down when ti is aired
“But for the 50th we will be filming five episodes in 10 weeks.
I wonder how they hope to keep the storyline from leaking out
Doubt that they manage it
ITV has confirmed details of special programming which will be broadcast to celebrate Coronation Street's 50th anniversary.
The co-productions from ITV Studios and Shiver will be shown during the anniversary week, in which a tram will crash on to the street.
A 90-minute special, Coronation Street: The Big 50, will "celebrate half a century on the nation's favourite street in grand style with the ultimate Corrie quiz". Superfans will be pitted against cast members in a test of their knowledge of the last 50 years.
Also airing during the week in December will be two one-hour specials titled Coronation Street: 50 Years, 50 Moments.
The two-parter will tell the stories behind 50 iconic plots that helped "define the contribution" the ITV soap has made to British television. The countdown will feature past and present castmembers, writers, producers and directors talking about the how the storylines came to screen.
The 50 moments have been chosen by a distinguished panel which includes Corrie creator Tony Warren and actor William Roache. Fans will also be invited to get involved, with votes cast on the official website determining the order of the moments.
Specific details on when the specials will air have not been confirmed.
Coronation Street's Sue Nicholls has admitted that she is not looking forward to the upcoming live episode.
The ITV soap will be broadcast live to celebrate its 50th anniversary in December, but the actress - who plays Audrey Roberts - confessed that she does not want to be a "wimp" and not feature in the episode.
"I'm not hoping I'll be in it actually," she told Digital Spy. "I don't want to be in it.
"But I haven't said I don't want to be in it and yet I know I want to be it because I don't want to be a wimp, an elderly wimp. But I'm not looking forward to it."
She added: "I will do the best I can if I am given anything to do."
CORRIE fans got a sneak peak of the upcoming tram disaster as a fireball took hold of Weatherfield during filming today.
The huge explosion will air later this year on the ITV1 soap as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations.
The disaster is thought to be the most expensive stunt in soap history and it will kill off some Corrie favourites.
It will see a tram career off the viaduct after a crash, reducing the Corner Shop and the Kabin to rubble.
The crash was filmed in the early hours of this morning, waking nearby residents with the noise.
Producer Phil Collinson is keeping tight-lipped about who will die in the catastrophe but promised it would be "spectacular".
He said: "To give you some idea, we usually film five episodes in 12 days. But for the 50th we will be filming five episodes in ten weeks. It's basically the pace of a big drama. It's huge."
The Sun
parkerman
05-10-2010, 18:12
Producer Phil Collinson is keeping tight-lipped about who will die in the catastrophe
Not too tight lipped because he's already talked about storylines for next year and who will be in them....unless it's all a bluff!!!
ulie Hesmondhalgh has admitted that the Coronation Street cast have been "a bit unnerved" by the secrecy surrounding the 50th anniversary.
Speaking to Digital Spy, the actress, who plays Hayley Cropper, said that there is "a lot of secrecy" surrounding December's tram crash and live episode.
She also confessed that she knows anything could happen during the live broadcast and highlighted Scott Maslen's errors in February's EastEnders live episode.
"Bless him," she said. "I know from inside that he was one of the most prepared. They knew they could trust him and he had really prepared.
"He had been perfect in rehearsals, so it can happen to anyone."
Click 'play' on the video below to hear what Julie had to say.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s3/coronation-street/news/a280449/julie-hesmondhlagh-talks-corrie-secrets.html
Kym Marsh has admitted that the Coronation Street cast are desperate to know what will happen during the upcoming tram crash.
As part of the ITV soap's 50th anniversary, a tram will be seen crashing on to the street, leading to the death of several characters.
In her New column, Marsh revealed that some of the show's cast know more about the plot than others.
"[Producer] Phil Collinson is keen to keep the result of the tram crash quiet so nobody finds out," she said. "Personally, I don't think it's any fun for viewers when storylines are revealed in advance.
"But, for us, it's frustrating because we want to know what happens next!"
She added: "We do gossip in the green room, and some of us know more than others, but we don't go shouting it around!"
Kym Marsh really loves to hear her own voice.
I hope the tram crash won't be a big let-down after all the hype.
Yes me too
I wanna see loads of deaths of major characters not minor ones and serious injuries
50 Corrie Facts
► Coronation Street began at 7pm on Friday 9th December 1960. The first episode was transmitted live.
► A young scriptwriter called Tony Warren created the series, originally titled Florizel Street. The first episode was penned within 24 hours, 13 episodes were commissioned and the face of British television was set to change forever.
► Tony Warren penned a total of 76 scripts between 1960 and 1976.
► Russell Harty once infamously commented: “There was life before Coronation Street, but it didn’t add up to much.”
► The theme tune was written by Eric Spear, who died in 1966.
► Viewers were given their first glimpse of Coronation Street in full colour when the first colour episode was transmitted on 3rd November 1969.
► A live episode was broadcast to mark the series’ 40th anniversary in December 2000 - the first time the show had been broadcast live since 1961.
► Famous faces who have walked on the Weatherfield cobbles include: Joanna Lumley; Ben Kingsley; Ian McKellen; Stephanie Beacham; Patricia Routledge; Patrick Stewart; Martin Shaw; June Whitfield; Anna Friel; Nigel Havers.
► Famous fans include: Anthony Hopkins; Michael Parkinson; Julie Walters; Cliff Richard; Victoria Wood; Cilla Black; Cheryl Cole; Snoop Dogg.
► A number of famous faces have paid visits to the set including: Diana Dors; Dustin Hoffman; Alfred Hitchcock; Howard Keel; Boy George; Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair; Queen Elizabeth II; The Duke of Edinburgh.
► Celebrities who have appeared as background artists on the show include: Cliff Richard; Mel B; Peter Schmeichel.
► William Tarmey and Elizabeth Dawn both appeared as background artists for several years before making their debuts as Jack and Vera Duckworth.
► The Rovers would serve on average 720 pints of beer a week. Including lager, it would serve around 1,440 pints each week. Since the soap started in 1961, the Rovers has served over 2 million pints of beer. Including lager, it has dished up over 3.5 million pints!
► The Rovers Return has had 13 landlords and landladies, 12 temporary managers, 51 barmaids, 4 barmen, 17 potmen and 10 cleaners.
► The 1,000th episode was transmitted on 24th August 1970.
► Roy Barraclough played three different characters during the 1960’s before first appearing as Alec Gilroy on 26th June 1972.
► After 13 years, Patricia Phoenix (Elsie Tanner) left the programme on 8th October 1973. She returned in 1976 and remained for 8 more years, appearing in 1,641 episodes.
► Mike Baldwin made his first appearance on 11th October 1976 and bowed out thirty years later on 7th April 2006 after 2,383 episodes.
► Doris Speed was awarded an MBE by the Queen at Buckingham Palace on 29th November 1977.
► On August 8th 1979, the programme was taken off air as part of an ITV strike. It returned to the screen on 24th October.
► Violet Carson made her last appearance as Ena Sharples after 1,150 episodes on 4th April 1980.
► Jean Alexander made her last appearance as Hilda Ogden on 25th December 1987 - an episode watched by 26 million people. In 1988, she became the first soap opera performer to be nominated for a BAFTA award.
► As of 9th December 2010, there have been 39 births, 114 deaths and 88 weddings.
► The first death was the original resident of No.13, May Hardman, in Episode 7 on 31st December 1960.
► Out of 114 deaths, there have been fourteen murders and seven were suicide.
► The first birth was Elsie Tanner’s grandson Paul Cheveski on 12th June 1961, and the latest was Jack Dobbs on 6th September 2010.
► The first Corrie wedding was that of Jack and Annie Walker’s daughter Joan to Gordon Davies on 8th March 1961. The most recent was Roy and Hayley Cropper’s eventful ceremony on 30th August 2010.
► Gail McIntyre is the most-married character, having walked down the aisle five times.
► On 4th August 1962, Ken Barlow - today the show’s sole-surviving original character - married for the first time, having sold his scooter to fund the wedding. Valerie Tatlock became bride number one when she walked up the aisle at St Mary’s.
► Five couples have married each other twice: Brian & Gail Tilsley; Jim & Liz McDonald; Kevin & Sally Webster; Steve & Karen McDonald; Ken & Deirdre Barlow.
► The most enduring marriage on the Street was that of Jack and Vera Duckworth, who celebrated their golden wedding anniversary just months before Vera’s death in January 2008.
► The shortest marriage was that of Mike Baldwin and Jackie Ingram, whose union lasted only seven days in 1991.
► On average Betty serves up 12 Hot Pots a day (84 a week) to hungry customers at the Rovers. Yearly she serves up over 4,300 and since the show started in 1961 over 200,000 hot pots have been passed over the bar to ravenous punters!
► Ken Barlow has been involved with 25 women, including his three wives, over the last fifty years.
► Kenneth Cope holds the record for the cast member with the longest time elapsed between appearances. There was a 42-year gap in his stint as Jed Stone between 1966 and 2008.
► Ben Price is third actor to portray Nick Tilsley, following Adam Rickitt (1997-2004) and Warren Jackson (1981-1996).
► Peter Barlow is the character to have been played by the most actors. Chris Gascoyne (2000-present) is the seventh incarnation, following David Lonsdale (1986); Joseph McKenna (1977-1978); Linus Roache (1973-1975); Christopher Dormer (1970-1971); Mark Duncan (1970-1971); John Heanneau (1965-1969).
► There have been only two episodes broadcast featuring only two characters. In January 2000, Curly and Raquel Watts were reunited in a Millennium special. In 2007, Tracy Barlow confessed to murder to her mother Deirdre in a tense two-hander.
► The series originally aired twice a week. A third weekly episode was introduced in 1989, and a fourth in 1996. Coronation Street has broadcast five times a week since 2002.
► The production team has travelled abroad to film at foreign locations on seven occasions: Majorca (1974); Torremolinos (1987); Normandy (1994); Amsterdam (1998); Paris (2000 and 2006); Malta (2007).
► There have been five spin-off video/DVD releases: The Feature Length QE2 Special (1995); Viva Las Vegas (1997); Out of Africa (2008); Romanian Holiday (2009); A Knight’s Tale (2010). A six-part series (‘After Hours’) set in Brighton, featuring the returns of Bet Gilroy and Reg Holdsworth, aired in November 1999.
► It fell to Ken Barlow to utter the show’s first expletive. His use of the word ‘bloody’ in 1961 brought 83 complaints.
► Famous directors who cut their teeth on Coronation Street include: Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Harry Potter); Michael Apted (The World is Not Enough, The Chronicles of Narnia); Charles Sturridge (Brideshead Revisited, A Handful of Dust). Charles also recently directed The Road To Coronation Street which is the story of the show’s conception by Tony Warren.
► Peter Whalley is the series’ longest-serving writer, and has been on the team since 1979, penning more than 540 episodes.
► Notable writers who have contributed scripts over the years include: Kay Mellor (Band of Gold, Fat Friends); Paul Abbott (Shameless, Clocking Off); Sally Wainwright (At Home with the Braithwaites, Unforgiven); Lucy Gannon (Soldier Soldier, Bramwell); Jimmy McGovern (Cracker, The Street).
► The current exterior Street set was opened by Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh on 5th May 1982.
► HRH The Prince of Wales made a pre-recorded cameo appearance in the 40th anniversary live episode on 8th December 2000.
► More than 5,000 characters have appeared in Coronation Street.
► The original title sequence was filmed in Archie Street, Salford, which was demolished in 1971.
► There are more than 11,000 cobbles on Coronation Street - a rough estimate is 11,101!
Coronation Street's Malcolm Hebden has teased that viewers can expect big changes in the aftermath of the upcoming tram crash.
Hebden, who plays shop owner Norris Cole in the ITV soap, told Digital Spy that The Kabin will be one of the premises most affected when the tram is crashes onto the street in December's dramatic 50th anniversary plot.
"Yes, you can [expect changes]," he admitted. "That's all I can say on that."
He added: "The Kabin will look very different after this!"
Hebden also praised the soap's efforts to keep details of the plot secret.
"I think it's great!" he said. "They're spending a fortune on it. It's all CGI stuff and top people from Doctor Who really, which our new producer [Phil Collinson] did produce with David Tennant.
He continued: "So he is able to call on all those resources, so it should look spectacular, which it's got to be in the 50th year!"
Aerial shots of the Corrie set published online today showed The Kabin partially destroyed and Dev and Sunita Alahan's corner shop completely demolished.
Hebden will also appear in spin-off DVD A Knight's Tale - released November 1 -which sees Kevin Kennedy and Ken Morley reprise their roles as Curly Watts and Reg Holdsworth respectively.
Chloe O'brien
08-10-2010, 22:48
Did Malcolm get permission to speak about the show. I thought Kym was head speaker.
Miauwwww,, lol, but you are right, Ms Marsh does like to express her opinions :D
Did Malcolm get permission to speak about the show. I thought Kym was head speaker.
Ltm Marsh loves to hear herself speak. She really thinks she is the star of the show when in fact she is a crap actress
Chloe O'brien
08-10-2010, 23:08
I'm surprised she hasn't suggested releasing a cd to mark the 50th celebrations.
You might have just given her the idea :lol:
Life on Coronation Street will change forever later this year when a massive explosion rocks The Joinery bar and sends a tram crashing off the viaduct.
In spectacular scenes to mark the soap's 50th anniversary, the dramatic event will cause devastation and heartbreak as the show bids goodbye to some much-loved characters.
Details of who will die and who will suffer injuries are being kept closely under wraps until transmission, as the programme's producers aim to deliver a birthday week full of secrets and surprises.
However, Corrie's cast and crew have now begun filming the milestone episodes - which are to be the most expensive ever made by ITV. Stunt doubles, pyrotechnics specialists, special effects experts and computer-generated imagery are all being used to create what is expected to be the most impressive stunt in the drama's history.
Appearing below, the first behind-the-scenes photos released from filming show the moments preceding and immediately after the explosion - just moments before the tram comes crashing down. One features Jane Danson (Leanne Battersby) and Bill Roache's (Ken Barlow) stunt doubles as they prepare to be thrown to the ground for the explosion scene.
http://i2.cdnds.net/10/40/550w_soaps_corrie_explosion_pic_1.jpg
http://i2.cdnds.net/10/40/550w_soaps_corrie_explosion_pic_2.jpg
http://i2.cdnds.net/10/40/550w_soaps_corrie_explosion_pic_3.jpg
I wonder why The Joinery explodes? Poor Nick and Leanne, their new business isn't going to last very long.
I wonder why The Joinery explodes? Poor Nick and Leanne, their new business isn't going to last very long.
The tram crash is responsible for a lot of properties in Coronation Street to get destroyed :(
The tram crash is responsible for a lot of properties in Coronation Street to get destroyed :(
It's just that the above makes it sound like an explosion at the Joinery causes the tram crash, not the other way around.
May Owen is a cowboy builder and it is down to him not doing a proper job that something goes wrong
May Owen is a cowboy builder and it is down to him not doing a proper job that something goes wrong
That's a definite possibility.
Its hard to believe that something connected with the Joinery would cause a Tram Crash
Life on Coronation Street will change forever later this year when a massive explosion rocks The Joinery bar and sends a tram crashing off the viaduct.
I'm only thinking that because of what it says in the above post.
I'm only thinking that because of what it says in the above post.
True but its hard to believe that some shoddy building work is the cause of the tram crash. Personally i think it might be a gas explosion in the Joinery which causes the explosion and then with the Tram running directly overhead it becomes derailed.
That's a likely scenario, yes.
This is the first behind-the-scenes picture showing the preparation for Coronation Street's dramatic tram crash episodes.
The newly-released shot gives a glimpse of the replica tram in position on the street ahead of the aftermath of the disaster being filmed this week.
As revealed yesterday, a massive explosion at The Joinery bar causes the tram to drop from the viaduct, resulting in devastation and destruction on the street below.
The new picture shows how damage will be caused to Dev and Sunita Alahan's Corner Shop, as the front of the tram crashes into the business. Meanwhile, the second carriage swings round into Norris Cole's general store, The Kabin.
http://i1.cdnds.net/10/41/550w_soaps_corrie_tram_crash_setup.jpg
Crew members, special effects experts and crane operators were responsible for the difficult task of getting the tram into position ahead of filming.
Meanwhile, the replica itself was designed and built over a period of several months in conjunction with Manchester tram operators GMPTE, who have been supporting the storyline.
The explosion scenes which lead up to the tram crash have already been filmed by cast and crew, with the assistance of stunt doubles, pyrotechnics experts and a special effects team who have previously worked on Doctor Who and Hollywood movies.
Details of who will die and who will suffer injuries in the forthcoming tragedy are being kept closely under wraps until transmission.
Coronation Street's series producer Phil Collinson commented: "All last week we filmed the exciting and explosive moments that lead to the tram crashing from the viaduct. The early scenes are wonderful and everyone is pulling together through the night to bring the brilliant scripts to life.
"Now with the tram in situ, it is time to start filming the dramatic scenes that explore the immediate aftermath of this terrible accident. Weatherfield will definitely never be the same again!"
The Coronation Street tram crash will air in December to mark the soap's 50th anniversary.
I'm getting more and more excited about seeing the crash and the aftermath.
Is that where The Joinery is supposed to be located
Is that where The Joinery is supposed to be located
Yes, The Joinery is underneath the archway.
Coronation Street star Patti Clare has revealed that the soap's producers have come up with a "very clever" way to keep their 50th anniversary storylines under wraps.
The actress, who plays eccentric Mary Taylor on the ITV1 show, claimed that cast members are currently unaware of what the writers have in store for any character besides their own.
Speaking on Lorraine about plots which will air in December, Clare explained: "We don't know! We've only been sent our scenes - we're not even sent the whole episode. So nobody knows!"
She added: "It's very clever - oh, it's very clever!"
Meanwhile, Clare's co-star Malcolm Hebden (Norris Cole) - who was also interviewed - reacted in surprise when programme host Lorraine Kelly showed him a newly-released picture illustrating how The Kabin is damaged in the tram crash storyline.
Hebden exclaimed: "That's my shop! I've not seen that before!"
Coronation Street's 50th anniversary week airs in December.
parkerman
11-10-2010, 17:46
Clare explained: "We don't know! We've only been sent our scenes - we're not even sent the whole episode. So nobody knows!"
I take it in that case that nobody says anything like, "Poor Norris (or whoever) he looks like a goner!"
Coronation Street producer Phil Collinson has reiterated his determination to prevent details of the 50th anniversary plot being leaked.
Collinson has reportedly increased security in order to stop details surrounding the explosion and subsequent tram crash being spoiled for viewers.
"I want people to settle down in front of their telly on December 6 and let us tell them a story they haven't heard told in advance via the media, told in a spectacular yet human way," he told the Yorkshire Post. "I hate leaks, and although I've told you a few things to create excitement in advance, there will be utter secrecy from now on because I think the drip, drip of leaks to the press just cheats the viewer.
"My heart sinks when I open a paper and see the stories."
He confirmed that members of the cast will only receive their own character's lines and will be kept in the dark about other storylines.
"Each cast member will have a script that only shows their lines, on paper watermarked with their name," he said. "They will not see a whole script or be told about other storylines."
He added: "I've really put my foot down. I hate to know what's coming when I'm watching some other show, and our viewers feel the same."
The ITV soap recently released the first set pictures as it filmed the explosion at The Joinery which will lead to a tram crashing off the viaduct on to the Street.
Collinson teased: "You will see a Coronation Street like you've never seen before and it will never be the same again."
Mmmm I think it will be diifficult to keep it completely secret. Obviously the people who get killed off will know as well as the people who are interacting with them.
parkerman
12-10-2010, 16:41
Mmmm I think it will be diifficult to keep it completely secret. Obviously the people who get killed off will know as well as the people who are interacting with them.
Likewise the people who are not getting killed off will already have been filming future episodes.
Likewise the people who are not getting killed off will already have been filming future episodes.
And all those who attend the funerals and those taken away by Archie Shuttleworth and those who attend the wake in T'Rovers
parkerman
12-10-2010, 17:51
And all those who attend the funerals and those taken away by Archie Shuttleworth and those who attend the wake in T'Rovers
That's a good idea. I'll ask my mate Roy if he knows who he's burying...
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=620694128&v=photos#!/photo.php?fbid=48901479128&set=t.620694128
THIS aerial shot proves producers are shunning camera tricks and trashing the famed Coronation Street set for real.
One end of the Street has been devastated for tram crash scenes being filmed for the soap's 50th anniversary.
Two tram carriages lie embedded in Dev's corner shop and Rita's Kabin.
Three characters will die, with others hurt.
The £1million stunt is said to be the most expensive in soap history.
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01142/Corrie-Main_1142680a.jpg
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/soaps/3177470/Aerial-shot-shows-Corrie-bosses-shun-camera-tricks-and-trash-set.html#ixzz12HXy0ZK0
Coronation Street star Alison King has revealed her nerves over featuring in the upcoming live episode.
King, who plays Carla Connor in the ITV soap, told Digital Spy that she is "wearing a nappy" because of the broadcast which will be part of a week celebrating the show's 50th anniversary.
"I know that I'm in it," she said. "So I'm wearing a nappy right now!"
King added that she is trying not to "think too much about" the episode which will focus on the aftermath of a dramatic tram crash.
OMG just how many more of the cast are going to tell DS that they are nervous for the live episode.
parkerman
15-10-2010, 18:43
Don't actors do live performances in theatres any more?
Don't actors do live performances in theatres any more?
I think some of these folk just like to hear themselves speak. Still it fills up space on DS
tammyy2j
17-10-2010, 17:26
I think Ciaran dies in this
I am wrong as Keith has signed a new contract to stay on the show longer
I think it will be Molly who dies
Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan has revealed that she is thrilled with what the soap's bosses have in store for the 50th anniversary celebrations.
The ITV1 show will reach its milestone in December - and producers have already confirmed plans for a dramatic tram crash and a special live episode.
Speaking to Inside Soap's Coronation Street Special, Flanagan confirmed that she has high hopes for the much-anticipated tram accident, which looks likely to change life in Weatherfield forever.
The actress - who plays feisty Rosie Webster - commented: "I'm really excited - the whole cast is. It's such an amazing thing to be part of - it'll be legendary. I feel very proud to be one of the cast."
Asked how she would celebrate the anniversary if she were in charge, Flanagan replied: "Our new producer Phil Collinson is really great, so I don't think there's anything he's missed. He's got the whole feel just right. He's also given me a storyline involving Rosie and Jason which I really like."
The 20-year-old recently praised her character's sexy scenes, describing them as "all fun".
Malcolm Hebden has admitted that he is too scared to ask whether his Coronation Street character Norris Cole will be killed off in the soap's forthcoming tram crash.
The show's new producer Phil Collinson announced back in July that some much-loved Weatherfield residents will lose their lives when disaster strikes on the cobbles this December.
Speaking to The Mirror, Hebden revealed that the programme's cast have now been offered the chance to discover whether they will be written out, but he has so far resisted the urge to ask about Norris's future.
Hebden explained: "The producer is being very cagey. You've got to go to him and ask him if you are going and he'll tell you - but I haven't been. I daren't go!
"Barbara Knox, who plays Rita, said to me the other day, 'You know this is the last time we'll film in The Kabin', because we were about to film the scenes where the shop was crushed by the tram. But whether Norris goes with it, I don't know.
"Of course, you can only be in the show when you are providing what is required, but I'd be terrified to leave. I don't know what I'd do with my time, because work has been everything. Work is my hobby and I don't do holidays."
Lets hope Norris isnt killed off. He is a classic and his comedy lines fantastic
parkerman
19-10-2010, 12:03
Is it too early to start a "Save Norris Cole" campaign? They just can't get rid of him!!!
Is it too early to start a "Save Norris Cole" campaign? They just can't get rid of him!!!
He was a great double act with Blanche. Corrie needs an interfering busybody like Norris although Gail Force isn't doing a bad job since she got her P45 from the Medical Centre.
There are plenty of useless characters who deserve to be crushed by a Tram before Nozza
They also need to keep Mary for Norris :)
CrazyLea
19-10-2010, 15:08
They wouldn't kill Norris off, surely! He's one of the best characters!!
Coronation Street's series producer Phil Collinson has revealed that he wants the soap's forthcoming live episode to be like a "disaster movie".
The long-running show will air live as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations in December, and reports have suggested that the special edition will focus on the aftermath of the upcoming tram crash stunt.
Speaking to Inside Soap about what is in store, Collinson explained: "In the first instance, I thought we wouldn't go live, but quickly realised we should. I think we can deliver the most spectacular piece of live television people have ever seen.
"Coronation Street has such a heritage - the first episodes were filmed that way, and we did it ten years ago. My ambition is for the episode to be like a disaster movie with stunts.
"It'll be action-packed. I want people to sit at home and think, 'There's no way they did that live, not in a million years!'"
Alison King - who plays Carla Connor on the show - recently told DS that she is feeling nervous over her involvement in the episode.
Chloe O'brien
22-10-2010, 17:48
Is it too early to start a "Save Norris Cole" campaign? They just can't get rid of him!!!
It's never too early for a "Save Norris Cole" campaign. Corrie needs him.
Filming on the set of Coronation Street was reportedly halted yesterday after a fault was noticed within the tram crash set.
According to The Sun, one of the show's biggest characters was about to film their final scenes when the temporary scenery began to wobble.
A source said: "The lighting was attached to scaffolding but it got overloaded. There was a danger of the actor being crushed to death. Fortunately it was spotted in time."
Major characters are expected to be killed off when a tram crashes onto the Street as part of the show's 50th birthday celebrations.
Coronation Street newcomer Paula Lane has revealed her excitement over the soap's forthcoming 50th anniversary episodes.
The actress, who plays Becky Granger's irresponsible half-sister Kylie, insisted that show bosses will be able to deliver a fitting tribute to the programme's long history in December.
Speaking on This Morning about the upcoming milestone, Lane explained: "There's a lot of anticipation - but it's excitement and there's a lot of buzz around it.
"We all want to make it like the pinnacle year for the 50th, so next year we can reap all the rewards. So everyone's just wanting to do their best I think.
"Obviously we don't know a lot of our storylines that are coming up in the live ep, it's all hush hush, but we trust in the producers. They know what they are doing."
Reflecting on her first few months at Corrie, she added: "I love it, I just feel so at home. From the day I walked in, I really felt like 'I belong here', and that's what I love about it. It's like a big family."
Lane's character will soon be at the centre of a shock storyline which sees her offering to sell her son Max to Becky, who is desperate for a child.
HERE is the first shocking glimpse of the devastation wreaked inside Corrie's corner shop as it is hit by a runaway tram.
The Kabin is ripped apart after the tram crashes into the newsagents run by Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox) and Norris Cole (Malcolm Hebden).
Bosses called in The Doctor Who special effects team for the daring stunt, which had to be filmed in one take.
An ITV insider said: "It was so dangerous we had to operate the cameras remotely."
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01153/corrie-main_1153423a.jpg
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01153/corrie-682_2__1153429a.jpg
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/soaps/3201442/Corries-little-shop-of-horror.html#ixzz13hQzvQGM
The actor who has been cast as the tram driver for Coronation Street's forthcoming 50th anniversary stunt has spoken publicly about his role for the first time.
Tom Burroughs is to appear as the man who is at the helm of the vehicle when it careers off the street's viaduct and causes death and destruction on the cobbles below this December.
Speaking to the Southport Visiter about next month's milestone episodes, Burroughs revealed: "There is a real excitement around the place. The cast know that people are going, but it is all hush-hush because the producers want to make it as exciting as possible.
"I didn't get my script until my first day of filming. It was funny because some of the cast were looking at me and asking me what I could tell them.
"The special effects shooting is exciting. It felt like shooting a film. It is going to be amazing. It's an honour to be a part of it. All I can say is it is unbelievably realistic. The tram goes right through the viaduct and who knows what that will mean for the street?"
Corrie bosses have already confirmed that the forthcoming crash will not be the fault of the driver, the tram system or the vehicle itself. Instead, an explosion at The Joinery is expected to spark the disaster.
Burroughs has previously played a nurse in Coronation Street in 2007. He has also appeared in several theatre productions.
POOR Ashley Peacock will die in the Coronation Street tram crash inferno, TV Biz can reveal.
Molly Dobbs is another victim of the horror that rocks Weatherfield.
Ashley, Molly and Charlotte ... don't make it through the tram crash
And to really rack up the drama, Charlotte Hoyle gets MURDERED.
These are just some of the soap's sensational secret storylines that bosses were keeping under wraps ready for Corrie's week-long 50th anniversary celebrations.
Fans were promised three deaths, a birth and a wedding.
Ashley (Steven Arnold) and Molly (Vicky Binns) will be crushed and trapped by falling rubble when the tram smashes through the viaduct above the Street and bursts into flames.
Charlotte (Becky Hindley) is smashed over the head with a hammer by John Stape (Graeme Hawley) and dies later of her injuries.
He is desperate to stop her revealing that he buried Colin Fishwick's body in the Underworld knicker factory.
The carnage hits screens in the second week of December.
The Rovers Return becomes a makeshift hospital with sexy new doctor Matt Carter in charge.
He is helped by Janice Battersby and Gail McIntyre.
Young soldier Gary Windass cannot join the mercy effort.
He cowers next to his house as he suffers flashbacks of his time in Afghanistan.
Molly will be seen trapped and dying.
She cradles baby Jack and sings a lullaby as her lover Kevin Webster and her husband Tyrone Dobbs try to reach her under the rubble.
Ashley, who has been in The Street for 15 years, chokes to death in the wreckage - despite the efforts of would-be rescuers, including cabbie Lloyd Mullaney.
Meanwhile, Peter Barlow's life is left hanging by a thread.
The bookie begs fiancee Leanne Battersby to marry him on what could be his deathbed.
He is unaware of her affair with ex-husband Nick Tilsley.
In tear-jerking scenes, one tiny life is left in the balance.
Fiz goes into labour early, giving birth to premature baby Hope, who doctors give a 50/50 chance of survival.
While Fiz is praying for the youngster, twisted John sneaks off to try to unplug hammer victim Charlotte's life support machine.
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/soaps/3209067/Corrie-horror-Ashley-to-ashes.html#ixzz14ArE0jPD
THE Rovers Return will become a makeshift hospital after the December tram crash.
Emergency crews will struggle to get down the cobbles so local doctor Matt Carter (Oliver Mellor) springs into action.
First aiders Janice Battersby (Vicky Entwistle, 42) and Gail Platt (Helen Worth, 59) work as his assistants.
Other pub regulars rush around trying to help the wounded.
Even Sean Tully (Antony Cotton, 35) helps out, pouring out shots of brandy to shocked patients.
A show insider said: “It’s a dark time for them all but it brings them together.”
Daily Star
THE Rovers Return will become a makeshift hospital after the December tram crash.
Emergency crews will struggle to get down the cobbles so local doctor Matt Carter (Oliver Mellor) springs into action.
First aiders Janice Battersby (Vicky Entwistle, 42) and Gail Platt (Helen Worth, 59) work as his assistants.
Other pub regulars rush around trying to help the wounded.
Even Sean Tully (Antony Cotton, 35) helps out, pouring out shots of brandy to shocked patients.
A show insider said: “It’s a dark time for them all but it brings them together.”
Daily Star
Ok, there is 4 who don't die in the crash.. is this going to turn out like the Pub fire in EE and nobody dies???
We all knew Molly was dying but Ashley is a shock
I heard that a child dies also I was thinking one of Dev's twins as Sunita gets badly injured saving a child
Chloe O'brien
03-11-2010, 10:47
Will Gail get her job back at the surgery after helping out Dr Carter.
The Rovers Return becomes a makeshift hospital with sexy new doctor Matt Carter in charge.
He is helped by Janice Battersby and Gail McIntyre.
Young soldier Gary Windass cannot join the mercy effort.
Im sure those lying injured will hardly worry whether they are treated by a sexy doc or not
Janice obviously does not get killed in the crash either
We all want to know who carks it in Corrie's big anniversary week, so soap bosses are pulling out the stops to keep a lid on major plot details.
To ramp up the secrecy, soap chiefs have installed a shredder in the green room to make sure actors get rid of their scripts as soon as they're done.
Samia Smith, who plays Maria Connor, told us: "We are only being given the scenes we're in. We're not given the whole episodes so none of us know what anyone else is doing.
"We only know what we're doing. It's really secret and we've got to shred the strips as soon as we're finished."
She added: "I've never known a shredder in the green room before. You just see a line of cast members shredding the scripts."
And cast members had better think twice if they're considering leaking a juicy story.
"They've got our names on the scripts so if they go missing we know who's to blame," Samia added. Eek!
Even though she's been busy with all the Corrie drama, Samia has found time to do some work with Children In Need and Asda, which has launched a range of t-shirts to help raise money for charity.
"I've never done anything on my own for Children in Need before - it's always been with Corrie. And now I'm a mum I've got a vested interest in the welfare of children," she said.
:: The new Children in Need t-shirts are available exclusively from Asda stores. Visit www.asda.com where a contribution from the sale of each t-shirt goes to Children in Need.
parkerman
05-11-2010, 18:12
We all want to know who carks it in Corrie's big anniversary week, so soap bosses are pulling out the stops to keep a lid on major plot details.
To ramp up the secrecy, soap chiefs have installed a shredder in the green room to make sure actors get rid of their scripts as soon as they're done.
Seems a bit late for that!
Seems a bit late for that!
We all already know who lives and who dies
Coronation Street legend Bill Roache has promised that the soap's forthcoming tram crash disaster will spark some "amazing" follow-up storylines.
The actor, who plays Ken Barlow on the show, confirmed that the ramifications of the dramatic accident will still be playing out on screen in 2011.
Next month, fans will see a tram career off the street's viaduct following an explosion at The Joinery, causing death and devastation on the cobbles below.
Speaking on TalkSport about the crash, Roache explained: "There's some amazing stories that emanate from that, so it's not just going to be a big anti-climax. There's going to be a heck of a lot catapulting us into next year."
The 78-year-old also speculated that Corrie bosses may have surprises in store for the forthcoming live episode, which is expected to focus on the aftermath of the stunt.
Discussing the show's cast, he commented: "There's a lot that we don't know and there may even be a surprise for us on the live episode. We don't know. It's just great stuff, and we've been filming from seven at night to five in the morning on the tram crash. I can tell you, it's so dramatic - tiring yes, but so exciting and so stimulating as well."
Live episodes can be nerve-wracking and challenging, but Debbie Rush is looking forward to Coronation Street's forthcoming live show.
The episode, to air in December, is part of the upcoming 50th anniversary celebrations, which also includes a harrowing tram crash.
"Everybody's dead excited about going live again - it's not often in your career that you get the chance to do television like this," she told Inside Soap.
Debbie, who plays Anna Windass in the ITV soap, has been trying to get some advice from her veteran castmates like Bill Roache and Eileen Derbyshire on coping with the live scenes.
"Some of the cast who have been here for a while did it all before ten years ago, so we've been getting tips from them. And of course, the Street used to be live every week when it first started," she revealed.
"I think the only real advice they can give us though is to not fluff our lines!"
Despite pressure over the weeks leading up to the live show, Debbie reckons spirits are higher than ever.
"We've all worked really hard, doing day shoots, night shoots and everything starts to blur into one. But although we're knackered, morale is brilliant," she said.
"We just want it to be amazing, and from what we've seen, I think it will be. The audience is in for a real treat..."
We can't wait!
tammyy2j
15-11-2010, 15:23
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcVoNEhhICU&feature=player_embedded
parkerman
15-11-2010, 15:26
Four funerals, eh? :hmm:
tammyy2j
15-11-2010, 15:35
Four funerals, eh? :hmm:
Ashley, Molly, Charlotte and maybe Peter Barlow or one of Dev's twins
Tuesday, 7 December 2010, 9:00PM - 10:00PM
Coronation Street: 50 Years, 50 Moments is a countdown of the soap’s best ever moments from the last half a century, as voted for by its fans.
Over the last few weeks, viewers have been voting to choose which storyline from the soap’s history will be crowned the ultimate Coronation Street moment.
Now, in two one hour documentaries featuring interviews with cast members past and present, including William Roache, Julie Goodyear, Johnny Briggs, Simon Gregson and Wendi Peters, the results will be revealed.
Narrated by Victoria Wood, the programmes will reveal the stories behind Corrie’s 50 greatest moments from a list which was compiled by an expert panel including Coronation Street creator Tony Warren, William Roache and The Guardian’s TV critic and lifelong Corrie fan Nancy Banks-Smith.
The shows will feature all the classic highlights since the very beginning of the soap in 1960, from the highly emotional scenes featuring the death of Mike Baldwin, to the hilarity of Ken Barlow teaching French to Raquel, and from the front page news of Deirdre Rachid’s imprisonment, to the gripping reign of terror wreaked by Richard Hillman.
Plus, interviews with cast members, producers and writers reveal the inside track on how some of the most explosive, amusing and heartfelt scenes were shot and the tricks of the trade used to make them work.
Talking about the moment when the Battersby’s hot tub fell through their living room ceiling, Wendi Peters, who played Cilla Battersby, says: “When we first got the scripts I thought, ‘How are they going to do this? And what am I going to be wearing?’”
In the scene, Les and Cilla are enjoying a pizza in the tub when Chesney’s dog jumps in and the weight forces the tub through the floor into their living room. Wendi explains that she and Bruce Jones, who played Les, had to have carpet under them and on their knees to protect them when the dog jumped in.
She adds: “It was just horrible. We were begging the dog to jump in and he wouldn’t. In the end the trainer had to get in the bath to get him to jump in.”
Another moment featured in the shows is Mike Baldwin’s wedding to Linda Sykes. At the wedding Mike’s long-lost son Mark Redman revealed to his father that he had been having an affair with his bride.
Paul Fox, who played Mark, explains to the show how difficult it was pretending to be drunk for the scenes. He says: “Drunk scenes are always a little weird, I’m always a little wary of playing them because there’s a tendency to overplay them. A little inside trick is to have a little sip of something which probably releases some sort of endorphin or something that reminds you of what it’s like to feel drunk.”
Sally Dynevor, Michael Le Vell and Denise Welch also reveal in the documentary what it was like to work on the storyline which saw Kevin and Sally’s perfect marriage rocked by his affair with barmaid Natalie Horrocks.
Sally says: “Kevin having an affair was such a shock. They were so happy. Sally and Kevin had been this really happy couple for 10 years, it was all going really nicely and then suddenly Natalie came along and everything changed. I’d just come back form having my son and it was my first storyline, so I did come in with a bang and it was brilliant. It completely changed Sally and Kevin’s relationship.”
Coronation Street: 50 Years, 50 Moments, features the clip of when Sally tracked Kevin down at Natalie’s house and confronted him. Denise says: “Sally had said to Michael, ‘I may want to hit you,’ And he said, ‘Go ahead.’”
Michael adds: “Sally certainly didn’t hold back the punches.”
During the storyline, Sally also got to slap Natalie. Denise adds: “My face was like a cartoon. The director was very crafty and told Sally to catch me off guard a little bit so I didn’t know what was coming.”
And, Julie Goodyear explains what it was like filming her final scenes for the soap when her character, Bet Gilroy, left the Rovers and the street for a better life in Tenerife. Julie says: “She was going off into the sunshine and anything other than that, I couldn’t have coped with, and I knew the viewers couldn’t. They wanted her to go to Tenerife.”
Coronation Street: 50 Years, 50 Moments is produced and directed by Kerry Allison and Vicky Thomas. The executive producer is Mark Robinson.
Thursday, 9 December 2010, 9:00PM - 10:00PM
Coronation Street: 50 Years, 50 Moments is a countdown of the soap’s best ever moments from the last half a century, as voted for by its fans.
Over the last few weeks, viewers have been voting to choose which storyline from the soap’s history will be crowned the ultimate Coronation Street moment.
Now, in two one hour documentaries featuring interviews with cast members past and present, including William Roache, Julie Goodyear, Johnny Briggs, Simon Gregson and Wendi Peters, the results will be revealed.
Narrated by Victoria Wood, the programmes will reveal the stories behind Corrie’s 50 greatest moments from a list which was compiled by an expert panel including Coronation Street creator Tony Warren, William Roache and The Guardian’s TV critic and lifelong Corrie fan Nancy Banks-Smith.
The shows will feature all the classic highlights since the very beginning of the soap in 1960, from the highly emotional scenes featuring the death of Mike Baldwin, to the hilarity of Ken Barlow teaching French to Raquel, and from the front page news of Deirdre Rachid’s imprisonment, to the gripping reign of terror wreaked by Richard Hillman.
Plus, interviews with cast members, producers and writers reveal the inside track on how some of the most explosive, amusing and heartfelt scenes were shot and the tricks of the trade used to make them work.
Talking about the moment when the Battersby’s hot tub fell through their living room ceiling, Wendi Peters, who played Cilla Battersby, says: “When we first got the scripts I thought, ‘How are they going to do this? And what am I going to be wearing?’”
In the scene, Les and Cilla are enjoying a pizza in the tub when Chesney’s dog jumps in and the weight forces the tub through the floor into their living room. Wendi explains that she and Bruce Jones, who played Les, had to have carpet under them and on their knees to protect them when the dog jumped in.
She adds: “It was just horrible. We were begging the dog to jump in and he wouldn’t. In the end the trainer had to get in the bath to get him to jump in.”
Another moment featured in the shows is Mike Baldwin’s wedding to Linda Sykes. At the wedding Mike’s long-lost son Mark Redman revealed to his father that he had been having an affair with his bride.
Paul Fox, who played Mark, explains to the show how difficult it was pretending to be drunk for the scenes. He says: “Drunk scenes are always a little weird, I’m always a little wary of playing them because there’s a tendency to overplay them. A little inside trick is to have a little sip of something which probably releases some sort of endorphin or something that reminds you of what it’s like to feel drunk.”
Sally Dynevor, Michael Le Vell and Denise Welch also reveal in the documentary what it was like to work on the storyline which saw Kevin and Sally’s perfect marriage rocked by his affair with barmaid Natalie Horrocks.
Sally says: “Kevin having an affair was such a shock. They were so happy. Sally and Kevin had been this really happy couple for 10 years, it was all going really nicely and then suddenly Natalie came along and everything changed. I’d just come back form having my son and it was my first storyline, so I did come in with a bang and it was brilliant. It completely changed Sally and Kevin’s relationship.”
Coronation Street: 50 Years, 50 Moments, features the clip of when Sally tracked Kevin down at Natalie’s house and confronted him. Denise says: “Sally had said to Michael, ‘I may want to hit you,’ And he said, ‘Go ahead.’”
Michael adds: “Sally certainly didn’t hold back the punches.”
During the storyline, Sally also got to slap Natalie. Denise adds: “My face was like a cartoon. The director was very crafty and told Sally to catch me off guard a little bit so I didn’t know what was coming.”
And, Julie Goodyear explains what it was like filming her final scenes for the soap when her character, Bet Gilroy, left the Rovers and the street for a better life in Tenerife. Julie says: “She was going off into the sunshine and anything other than that, I couldn’t have coped with, and I knew the viewers couldn’t. They wanted her to go to Tenerife.”
Coronation Street: 50 Years, 50 Moments is produced and directed by Kerry Allison and Vicky Thomas. The executive producer is Mark Robinson.
Coronation Street: 50 Years, 50 Moments is a countdown of the soap’s best ever moments from the last half a century, as voted for by its fans.
Over the last few weeks, viewers have been voting to choose which storyline from the soap’s history will be crowned the ultimate Coronation Street moment.
Now, in two one hour documentaries featuring interviews with cast members past and present, including William Roache, Julie Goodyear, Johnny Briggs, Simon Gregson and Wendi Peters, the results will be revealed.
Narrated by Victoria Wood, the programmes will reveal the stories behind Corrie’s 50 greatest moments from a list which was compiled by an expert panel including Coronation Street creator Tony Warren, William Roache and The Guardian’s TV critic and lifelong Corrie fan Nancy Banks-Smith.
The shows will feature all the classic highlights since the very beginning of the soap in 1960, from the highly emotional scenes featuring the death of Mike Baldwin, to the hilarity of Ken Barlow teaching French to Raquel, and from the front page news of Deirdre Rachid’s imprisonment, to the gripping reign of terror wreaked by Richard Hillman.
Plus, interviews with cast members, producers and writers reveal the inside track on how some of the most explosive, amusing and heartfelt scenes were shot and the tricks of the trade used to make them work.
Talking about the moment when the Battersby’s hot tub fell through their living room ceiling, Wendi Peters, who played Cilla Battersby, says: “When we first got the scripts I thought, ‘How are they going to do this? And what am I going to be wearing?’”
In the scene, Les and Cilla are enjoying a pizza in the tub when Chesney’s dog jumps in and the weight forces the tub through the floor into their living room. Wendi explains that she and Bruce Jones, who played Les, had to have carpet under them and on their knees to protect them when the dog jumped in.
She adds: “It was just horrible. We were begging the dog to jump in and he wouldn’t. In the end the trainer had to get in the bath to get him to jump in.”
Another moment featured in the shows is Mike Baldwin’s wedding to Linda Sykes. At the wedding Mike’s long-lost son Mark Redman revealed to his father that he had been having an affair with his bride.
Paul Fox, who played Mark, explains to the show how difficult it was pretending to be drunk for the scenes. He says: “Drunk scenes are always a little weird, I’m always a little wary of playing them because there’s a tendency to overplay them. A little inside trick is to have a little sip of something which probably releases some sort of endorphin or something that reminds you of what it’s like to feel drunk.”
Sally Dynevor, Michael Le Vell and Denise Welch also reveal in the documentary what it was like to work on the storyline which saw Kevin and Sally’s perfect marriage rocked by his affair with barmaid Natalie Horrocks.
Sally says: “Kevin having an affair was such a shock. They were so happy. Sally and Kevin had been this really happy couple for 10 years, it was all going really nicely and then suddenly Natalie came along and everything changed. I’d just come back form having my son and it was my first storyline, so I did come in with a bang and it was brilliant. It completely changed Sally and Kevin’s relationship.”
Coronation Street: 50 Years, 50 Moments, features the clip of when Sally tracked Kevin down at Natalie’s house and confronted him. Denise says: “Sally had said to Michael, ‘I may want to hit you,’ And he said, ‘Go ahead.’”
Michael adds: “Sally certainly didn’t hold back the punches.”
During the storyline, Sally also got to slap Natalie. Denise adds: “My face was like a cartoon. The director was very crafty and told Sally to catch me off guard a little bit so I didn’t know what was coming.”
And, Julie Goodyear explains what it was like filming her final scenes for the soap when her character, Bet Gilroy, left the Rovers and the street for a better life in Tenerife. Julie says: “She was going off into the sunshine and anything other than that, I couldn’t have coped with, and I knew the viewers couldn’t. They wanted her to go to Tenerife.”
Coronation Street: 50 Years, 50 Moments is produced and directed by Kerry Allison and Vicky Thomas. The executive producer is Mark Robinson.
ITV has announced that Coronation Street will broadcast its live episode on December 9.
It was confirmed in September that the Manchester-based soap would transmit live as part of its 50th anniversary. A special week of episodes beginning on December 6 will see the Street left devastated following an explosion and subsequent tram crash.
The one-hour live episode will be broadcast on Thursday December 9 from 8pm.
Corrie producer Phil Collinson previously teased that he wants the episode to be the "most spectacular piece of live television people have ever seen".
Monday, December 6
7.00pm - Emmerdale (30 mins)
7.30pm - Coronation Street (30 mins)
8.00pm - Repeat of Coronation Street's first ever episode (30 mins)
8.30pm - Coronation Street (30 mins)
10.00pm - Coronation Street Uncovered: Live (duration TBC, airing on ITV2)
Tuesday, December 7
7.00pm - Emmerdale (60 mins)
8.30pm - Coronation Street (30 mins)
9.00pm - Coronation Street: 50 Years, 50 Moments - Part One (60 mins)
Wednesday, December 8
7.00pm - Coronation Street (30 mins)
Thursday, December 9
7.00pm - Emmerdale (60 mins)
8.00pm - Coronation Street (60 mins, Live episode)
9.00pm - Coronation Street: 50 Years, 50 Moments - Part Two (60 mins)
Friday, December 10
7.00pm - Emmerdale (30 mins)
7.30pm - Coronation Street (30 mins)
8.30pm - Coronation Street (30 mins)
9.00pm - Coronation Street: The Big 50th (duration TBC)
annette_tr9
17-11-2010, 12:05
one will be Jacks funeral wont it????
tammyy2j
17-11-2010, 12:29
one will be Jacks funeral wont it????
His funeral is next week
Coronation Street star Shobna Gulati has said that the soap will have a 24-style feel in its 50th anniversary week.
From December 6, the ITV1 show will mark its milestone by airing a special block of seven episodes, featuring an explosion at The Joinery, a tram crash and a live broadcast.
Speaking on Loose Women yesterday, Gulati revealed her excitement over the celebrations as she discussed what is in store next month.
The actress - who plays Sunita Alahan - explained: "The big 5-0 is shaping up really well. We're going to have a live episode on the 9th, between 8pm and 9pm - it's an hour long so I hope you're all going to tune in. And it's got live CGI, which is something to do with special effects!"
She added: "We've got a whole week of [the tram crash], so it's going to be a bit like 24 - all done in real time, culminating in this live episode. So keep watching!"
Gulati also hinted that she is expecting some surprises to feature in the programme's live edition.
She said: "We haven't had the script for the live, so we could be given any curveballs. So don't believe anything you've read in the papers."
Coronation Street star Alison King has admitted that she is still unsure of what to expect from the soap's forthcoming 50th anniversary episodes.
The actress, who plays troubled Carla Connor on the ITV1 show, confessed that she is only aware of how her character is involved in the milestone week and knows nothing about the other plotlines.
Speaking to What's On TV, King explained: "I'm actually looking forward to seeing the Corrie 50th episodes myself. I only know about my own storyline - I've got no idea what other people have been doing, so it will be really nice to see it all come together.
"I record the show and I always watch it - through my fingers, if Carla happens to be drunk!"
Meanwhile, asked whether viewers ever confuse her with Carla, King replied: "Yes. People think I am always glammed up, but I'm not. We've been doing such long days recently - I've been coming to work in my pyjamas and going home in them!
"Honestly, it takes me long enough to get my daughter Daisy dressed and out of the house. Doing myself up is the last thing I want to spend time on at the minute."
Coronation Street star Katherine Kelly has admitted that she is feeling both anxious and excited as she prepares for the soap's forthcoming live episode.
The Weatherfield drama will transmit live for the first time in ten years next month as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations.
Speaking of the upcoming challenge, Kelly told the Glasgow Sunday Mail: "It's a mixture of nerves and excitement but I've done a lot of theatre in the past so I'm hoping that will help with the nerves. It's a real privilege to be a part of the show in its 50th year."
The actress - who plays fan favourite Becky McDonald - added: "We're all exhausted working on the night shoots for the [tram] crash but I'm sure the end product will be amazing as we've shot some really spectacular scenes.
"No-one knows who dies though as we've only got our sections of the scripts."
Coronation Street's live broadcast airs on Thursday, December 9 from 8pm to 9pm. The special episode is expected to focus on the aftermath of the show's tram crash stunt.
Coronation Street star Jane Danson has revealed details of what fans can expect from the soap's forthcoming tram crash stunt.
In a special week of episodes to mark the show's 50th anniversary, life in Weatherfield will change forever as an explosion rocks The Joinery and sends a tram careering off the street's viaduct, causing carnage and casualties on the cobbles below.
Earlier this year, official pictures showed how Danson's character Leanne Battersby will be among those in danger when the dramatic series of events takes place.
Speaking to the Glasgow Sunday Mail, Danson explained: "Leanne is a little close for comfort when the tram crashes. For that week's episodes - which cover one night's events - everyone's lives almost go into freeze frame and all the stories that have been brewing for weeks are blown apart whilst we wait to see who has been killed and who is okay. It is really exciting to see who will survive and who won't."
She added: "What you will see on screen took us nearly a month to film. We are all really excited about the outcome and can't wait to see it."
Corrie's 50th anniversary week begins on December 6.
Coronation Street legend Bill Roache has confessed that he is nervous about what could go wrong in the soap's forthcoming live episode.
The ITV1 show will broadcast live for an hour on Thursday, December 9 as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations.
In an interview with All About Soap, Roache - who plays Weatherfield's Ken Barlow - was asked whether he is looking forward to the special edition of the programme.
He replied: "No! It isn't something you look forward to. It is exciting, and it feels great when you've done it and it's all over, but beforehand the nerves are terrible. So much can go wrong!"
Meanwhile, asked how it feels to be the world's longest-serving soap actor after 50 years in the role of Ken, the star replied: "I'm very proud, and it makes all the hard work worthwhile. I'm lucky to be in a show that is so highly respected, and I appreciate the fact that I've had work for the last 50 years. As an actor, that consistency is extremely rare!"
Coronation Street's 50th anniversary week begins on December 6, when a tram crash will change life on the cobbles forever. Subsequent episodes - including the live transmission - will focus on the aftermath of the devastating accident.
Coronation Street bosses have placed a ban on cast members making any bets on the upcoming 50th anniversary live episode.
According to The Daily Star, younger cast members were planning a studio sweepstake to see who would slip up first during the live broadcast.
However, producers have stepped in to ban the idea to avoid any connection to possible TV fix scandals.
The cast will also reportedly be prohibited from drinking alcohol in the 24 hours before the live episode, and must make sure they get plenty of sleep.
Referring to possible guest stars for the episode, a source said: "The guest list for the live episode is top secret. For the 40th live episode they got Prince Charles, so it is unlikely he will make a comeback."
"But they'd love Wills and Kate (Prince William and Kate Middleton) as that would be a tremendous coup. With the couple living on Anglesey in North Wales, they are just down the road from the Manchester studios."
The dramatic storylines keep soap fans on the edge of their seats, but the high rate of explosions, fires and crime in Coronation Street and EastEnders' Albert Square would see insurance claims of 10 times more than average, according to a study.
Britain's favourite soaps have racked up more than £1 million of damage in the last three years, with Corrie claiming a £315,620 bill - ten times more than an average street in Manchester, the study for Esure found.
An analysis of plotlines in Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks showed explosions were the biggest cause of soap damage (£311,000) followed by fires (£208,420) and car crashes (£173,550).
The Street's David Platt was television's biggest insurance nightmare. In one storyline he left a £10,000 trail of destruction when he vandalised windows and vehicles with a metal pole.
And Corrie also had the most expensive single incident, with the siege, fire and explosion at Weatherfield's Underworld knicker factor this summer causing an estimated £150,000 of damage.
Meanwhile, EastEnders had the highest crime rate with £70,145 worth of criminal damage.
In Hollyoaks the characters suffered 32 thefts and five muggings.
Nikki Sellers, head of home insurance at esure, said: "The storylines that we see on TV soaps add up to a fortune in damage to cars, property and individuals.
"We may find them unbelievable but real life incidents are often not that far from fictional storylines - the exception being the extraordinary number of major explosions and incidents of wilful 'trashing' by enraged characters.
"Clearly there are some soap residents that no insurer would consider touching because of the trail of damage they have left in their wake. We're on the edge of our seats ahead of Corrie's dramatic tram crash disaster - and only hope the fictional characters have the ample building and home contents insurance they may need to cover any damage costs."
Rehearsals for Coronation Street's forthcoming live episode are expected to begin tonight as the soap's cast prepare for the ambitious 50th anniversary event.
The special live transmission - airing on Thursday, December 9 - is expected to focus on the aftermath of the devastating bar explosion and tram crash which will cause death and destruction on the cobbles.
According to The Mirror, the show's stars will spend all of this week and most of next in run-throughs for the hour-long live broadcast.
Corrie producer Phil Collinson has reportedly sent a memo to the team which reads: "What we are trying is huge and momentous... I wish you the best of luck and you have my thanks and admiration for what you are attempting."
A Weatherfield insider added: "The first full dress rehearsal will not be until the eve of screening. That'd be cutting it fine."
Katherine Kelly (Becky McDonald) and Bill Roache (Ken Barlow) are among the cast members who have spoken of their nerves over the live episode.
http://i55.tinypic.com/jf84mq.jpg
http://i54.tinypic.com/zsr6ls.jpg
Couple of pictures
Simon Gregson has revealed his excitement over Coronation Street's forthcoming live episode, admitting that he would like to play a significant role on the night.
The actor - Steve McDonald in the Weatherfield soap - was among the cast who took part in the show's last live broadcast back in 2000.
In an interview with the News of the World, Gregson explained: "I did the last live episode ten years ago, for the 40th birthday. But I only had one line so it wasn't much of a stretch. Hopefully I'll be a bit more involved this time but I'll have to wait and see."
He continued: "It'll be an amazing night whatever happens - and it's a real buzz as an actor. Last time we went for a drink after the show and we were all hammered after one drink because the adrenaline rush was so huge. It'll be even madder this time because we've got the big 50th party the day after."
Corrie's hour-long transmission will air on Thursday, December 9, focusing on the aftermath of the show's upcoming tram crash disaster.
Rehearsals for the episode are expected to begin tonight.
Sue Cleaver has confirmed that rehearsals for Coronation Street's live episode will begin tonight.
Earlier today, it was revealed that the soap's cast are about to begin a ten-day stint of run-throughs for the live broadcast, which airs on Thursday, December 9.
Speaking on This Morning today, Cleaver verified the reports, explaining: "It all kicks off tonight. We have a massive read-through tonight with all of us, so it's going to be very exciting."
The actress - who plays Weatherfield's Eileen Grimshaw - added: "We're all going to get together - the whole cast and the crew, and we're going to sit there until about 10 o'clock tonight."
Next week's special transmission will last for an hour and focus on the aftermath of the Street's bar explosion and tram crash.
Coronation Street previously broadcast a live episode for its 40th anniversary ten years ago, while a number of its early episodes were also performed live in 1960 and 1961.
This is the dramatic moment that life on Coronation Street changes forever as The Joinery explodes, causing a tram to career off the viaduct and onto the cobbles below.
In earth-shattering scenes to mark the Weatherfield soap's 50th anniversary, the disaster causes destruction, tragedy and uncertainty as some much-loved characters are killed and others find their lives hanging in the balance.
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Just before the explosion sparks a terrible series of events, Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) is enjoying his stag night at the bar - unaware that owner Nick Tilsley (Ben Price) plans to reveal he's been having an affair with his fiancée Leanne (Jane Danson).
However, before Nick can confess all, the blast rocks the building and both men are buried beneath the rubble. As their lives hang in the balance, will the truth come out?
Meanwhile, Ken Barlow (Bill Roache) and Leanne are on their way to the bar in a bid to stop Nick from exposing the heartbreaking secret - but they're thrown to the ground on the street due to the ferocious explosion.
Devoted aunty Becky McDonald (Katherine Kelly) is also out on the cobbles as the disaster occurs, desperately searching for her nephew Max, who has gone missing from his bedroom. Becky's friends are still unaware of the fact that she bought Max from her half-sister Kylie - could the shocking events result in her guilty secret being revealed?
Elsewhere, Molly Dobbs (Vicky Binns) is in the Corner Shop with her baby son Jack at the time of the explosion - just moments after telling husband Tyrone (Alan Halsall) that he's not the child's father. Will a fateful night for Coronation Street also see Molly destroy the marriage of her ex-lover Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell)?
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Speaking of the 50th anniversary episodes, Coronation Street's producer Phil Collinson commented: "As we celebrate the show reaching such an incredible milestone, it feels fitting that we will be screening a dramatic event of this magnitude which will affect the lives of all the residents of Coronation Street.
"We'll be using all the wonders of modern television production to bring you a disaster that will rock the lives of everyone in Weatherfield. At the heart of the drama, though, will be ordinary people on an ordinary street battling adversity - the template for the programme created by Tony Warren 50 years ago."
Coronation Street's 50th anniversary week begins on Monday, December 6 at 7.30pm.
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Becky being thrown by the explosion
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Look out behind you Kev
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We did warn you to look out Kev
Coronation Street's forthcoming disaster storyline will affect life in Weatherfield for several months, a report has claimed today.
In next week's much-anticipated 50th anniversary episodes, a huge explosion will rock The Joinery bar, causing a tram to fall from the viaduct above and cause devastation on the cobbles.
The horrifying accident will see a number of much-loved characters lose their lives, while others are to be left in serious danger amid the carnage.
Discussing the consequences of the tram crash, a Corrie source told The Sun: "The ramifications for the storyline will be seen for months to come."
Show veteran Bill Roache - who plays Ken Barlow - has previously promised that the disaster will spark some "amazing" follow-up storylines.
Meanwhile, Corrie's producer Phil Collinson has said that he wants the stunt to keep hold of new viewers as it sends some existing plotlines "in completely different directions".
Coronation Street's 50th anniversary celebrations - which include an hour-long live episode - begin on Monday.
Coronation Street creator Tony Warren has spoken of how much he enjoys the soap's live episodes, praising their "edge" and "tension".
The Weatherfield show was broadcast live every Friday during its early months on screen in 1960 and 1961. Following each Friday night airing, the show's cast would immediately pre-record an episode due to air on Wednesday the following week.
Speaking to The Sun, Warren commented: "There's an edge to it that you only get with live. If you go back to the earlier episodes you can tell that it hasn't quite got the tension or edge in that pre-record.
"It was always like that during the first year - one, two, one, two - none of the even numbers were ever quite as sharp."
He continued: "After one live episode an actress forgot she was needed for the second one and went off to the local YMCA. She had gone swimming stark naked. Someone had to go and fish her out for the recording. If you look at that episode you'll see she's got wet hair."
On December 9, the programme will attempt a live transmission for the first time in ten years as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations. The episode will focus on the aftermath of the soap's tram crash disaster.
Coronation Street favourite Sue Nicholls has admitted that she would be lost if her character Audrey Roberts was killed in the soap's anniversary episodes.
A number of the show's much-loved characters will die next week as an explosion rocks The Joinery and causes a tram to crash onto the cobbles.
The disaster takes place in a double bill on Monday night, before the action continues in five more episodes across the week - including a live transmission on Thursday, December 9.
Speaking to The Mirror, Nicholls confessed: "I've enjoyed Coronation Street so much that if you find me under a brick in the live episode, I don't know what I'd do. I've been so happy here - this is my life."
Reflecting on her long-running stint in Weatherfield, she said: "My favourite period playing Audrey was those early days when she was this wayward, rather flighty character.
"I'm not sure how close that was to me - Audrey laid her head where the next gin and tonic came from, now I wasn't that bad! But like her, I did a lot of clubbing and dancing in my youth, I did drink G&T and Audrey liked the men and so did I. So I could identify with her."
Nicholls has played the role of Audrey on and off since 1979.
The director of Coronation Street's forthcoming tram crash stunt has revealed that he wants the disastrous moment to "shock" viewers when it takes place on screen.
Graeme Harper - best-known for his long career on Doctor Who - was recruited by the soap's producer Phil Collinson to take charge of the spectacular scenes, which air in a double bill on Monday.
As announced earlier in the year, a huge explosion at The Joinery bar will cause a tram to fall from the viaduct above, resulting in devastation and deaths on the cobbles.
Speaking to Inside Soap, Harper commented: "I hope I'll have succeeded in surprising the audience when the crash actually happens. They'll be expecting it - they know it's going to happen - but they don't know exactly when. I hope I give people that shock.
"When I watched it back, my mouth was hanging open for the rest of the episode - and I made it! At the end of it, I was crying - I was in tears from the shock of what I'd just seen. I think it's absolutely fabulous, and I hope people like it as much as I do."
Coronation Street's tram crash will be one of the highlights of the show's 50th anniversary celebrations.
Coronation Street viewers won't believe their eyes when they see next week's tram crash, according to special effects supervisor Danny Hargreaves.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Hargreaves - whose company Real SFX were hired by the ITV soap - said that the 50th anniversary events would leave viewers gobsmacked.
"It's three times bigger than anything I have ever done before and for TV this is simply huge," he said. "It’s the 50th anniversary special and because of that there's been no expense spared, they have really gone for it.
"All those lovely old ladies drinking their cups of tea will be thinking ‘What’s going on?’"
According to the paper, soap bosses have filmed four alternative endings showing which Corrie favourites will survive the devastating explosion and tram crash.
"We have done so many effects," continued Hargreaves, whose company has worked on shows including Doctor Who and Torchwood. "Some of them are huge and others are going to be very quick and punchy, but by the end of watching it you will all think, 'Oh my God, has that just happened?’
"TV dramas normally have two or three special effects people but I must have had over a dozen people working on this show. There are huge elements of real effects that will be happening but there will also be a big element of computer-generated effects too.
He explained: "In the episode a CGI tram will travel along and then will be replaced by a our own specially-built one. When you see what we’ve done you won’t believe your eyes - it’s quite incredible."
He revealed that he was first approached about the work in May and admitted that it must have been strange for the cast to see the "devastation and destruction" on the set.
"The reason why it’s not all done in CGI is probably down to me. I had a lot of ideas in my head of how I wanted it to look and I always think it’s nice to have real people and action at the heart of things," he said. "It’s been very important to have lots of things exploding close to people and we have been working very closely with the actors to achieve it.
"They have really done well and I’ve been so impressed by everybody, both the older and the younger actors, as they have really got stuck into it."
The 31-year-old confessed that he had found the press attention surrounding filming of the episodes unusual.
"Seeing helicopters flying over the set trying to get pictures was certainly a strange sight," he added. "You can work on all the top films but everyone knows and loves Coronation Street.
Events kick off on Coronation Street on Monday December 6.
sean slater
01-12-2010, 15:39
The only character that I know is leaving is Molly Dobbs. And im thinking she's a likely candidate to die. What does anyone else think?!
parkerman
01-12-2010, 15:41
The only character that I know is leaving is Molly Dobbs. And im thinking she's a likely candidate to die. What does anyone else think?!
Dead bonkers certainty.
tammyy2j
01-12-2010, 16:03
I think there should be alot more deaths tbh especially maybe one or two of the more important characters
sean slater
01-12-2010, 16:11
Yeh. I hope it is a big thing, not like the Tony Gordon incident where everyone got out alive apart from him and we knew he was going to die anyway. I think maybe Molly and Tyrone. Cos she's at the Kabin when the explosion happens, so I'm thinking that Tyrone has gone in the pub to 'drown his sorrows' and she goes in to rescue him.
Anyone have any speculations as to who they may want to get rid of?!
tammyy2j
01-12-2010, 16:24
Yeh. I hope it is a big thing, not like the Tony Gordon incident where everyone got out alive apart from him and we knew he was going to die anyway. I think maybe Molly and Tyrone. Cos she's at the Kabin when the explosion happens, so I'm thinking that Tyrone has gone in the pub to 'drown his sorrows' and she goes in to rescue him.
Anyone have any speculations as to who they may want to get rid of?!
Ashley, Charlotte (John kills her) and Molly die
Peter and one of Dev's kids are seriously injuried and may die and I think that is it
parkerman
01-12-2010, 17:32
The tag line to the previews is Four Funerals and a Wedding.
Ashley, Charlotte (John kills her) and Molly die
Peter and one of Dev's kids are seriously injuried and may die and I think that is it
I think the child is Fiz and John's little girl, that is why they name her Hope.
Bill Roache has claimed that he has no intentions of quitting Coronation Street.
The 78-year-old actor has played Ken Barlow since the very first episode and earlier this year entered the Guinness World Record book as the longest-serving soap actor.
"Retiring isn't an option for me," he told What's On TV. "I will do it while they still want me. There isn't a day goes by where I am not grateful to have a job, and to have a job that I love so much."
He continued: "After 50 years on the Street, I am often asked what the secret of Ken's staying power has been. I'm not sure there is any one thing, but I do know the public clearly like him, and for that I am extremely grateful.
"I just feel that I've learned my lines and turned up on time."
Roache admitted that the soap's 50th anniversary next week had "crept" up on him.
"Every so often, over the years, I'd see myself on TV and think ‘Oh God, I'm getting old. I've just been doing my job and suddenly, 50 years has gone by'."
He added: "I have no regrets whatsoever. I think Coronation Street is wonderful."
Coronation Street star Keith Duffy has admitted that he is feeling confident about the soap's forthcoming live episode.
The actor - who plays barman and chef Ciaran McCarthy on the ITV1 show - confessed that he believes he can cope with the pressure as he is no stranger to live performances.
Speaking to Inside Soap, Duffy commented: "I'm looking forward to the live episode - and to be honest I'm not that nervous about it.
"I'm sure saying that will come back to bite me on the bum, but I've done a lot of live stuff so it doesn't really bother me. If anything does go wrong, I'll just snog the person standing next to me!"
Coronation Street's live transmission will take place on Thursday, December 9 - focusing on the devastating aftermath of the Joinery bar explosion and tram crash.
Praising the 50th birthday plots, Duffy added: "The team has done a great job with the anniversary storylines. I've been a part of it, which is fun - it's Ciaran's kitchen in The Joinery that blows up, so it's all my fault! I'll probably get the blame."
I think Cheryl might die - she's a bit of a non-character that we could easily live without.
I believe that Chris, her husband, and Maria are going to become an item, I can imagine that it could make it more interesting if she was still around, telling Maria how he treated her in their relationship.
I believe that Chris, her husband, and Maria are going to become an item, I can imagine that it could make it more interesting if she was still around, telling Maria how he treated her in their relationship.
Yeah, that makes sense. I didn't realise Chris and Maria would become an item - I thought Lloyd had put her off him.
tammyy2j
02-12-2010, 13:44
The tag line to the previews is Four Funerals and a Wedding.
The wedding is Leanne and Peter I think
Ruffed_lemur
02-12-2010, 16:20
The wedding is Leanne and Peter I think
Wish they weren't getting married. It's most likely doomed!
Samia Smith has admitted that she was terrified about taking part in Coronation Street's last live episode ten years ago.
The actress - who plays Maria Connor on the ITV1 drama - told Inside Soap that she cracked under the pressure of the special 40th anniversary broadcast, but was supported by co-star Alan Halsall (Tyrone Dobbs) on the night.
Since Monday, the show's cast have been rehearsing for the next live transmission, which takes place on Thursday, December 9 as part of the programme's 50th birthday celebrations.
Discussing the challenge, Smith explained: "I'd only been in the Street for eight months when we did the live episode for the 40th anniversary, so it was really scary! But now I'm really excited about the one which is coming up.
"I have to remember not to collapse in a heap just before transmission, which is what I did last time. Poor Alan Halsall had to drag me up off the floor while the theme music was playing!"
Meanwhile, discussing the reason for the show's longevity, she said: "There's always something to laugh at in Corrie and that's probably why it's so successful. The secret is the light and shade - mixing comedy with drama. The show always seems to have got that balance right."
haighy15
02-12-2010, 19:43
I think Molly is a definate to die. John kills someone, so thats two. I think Ashley might die, then Claire leaves with the kids. And perhaps Gary dies? I don't know.
I think we will see more of Gary coping with his experience in Afghanistan, so I don't think he will die.
parkerman
03-12-2010, 13:30
The Radio Times shows a photograph of the hearse for the first funeral. It is carrying a big "DAD" wreath....
The Radio Times shows a photograph of the hearse for the first funeral. It is carrying a big "DAD" wreath....
Ashley or Peter more likely Ashley
parkerman
03-12-2010, 14:00
Ashley or Peter more likely Ashley
That would be my guess too.
Does anyone else think the explosion could be caused by the work that Liz's new fella Owen and Chris were doing in The Joinery both are dodgy I think
Does anyone else think the explosion could be caused by the work that Liz's new fella Owen and Chris were doing in The Joinery both are dodgy I think
It seems likely that there will be a connection.
I suggested that before but others on here believe a gas explosion is the cause.
tammyy2j
03-12-2010, 21:14
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsVrvYiHuLs&feature=player_embedded
Coronation Street bosses have released a new collection of pictures showing the disastrous event which will rock the cobbles in the soap's 50th anniversary week.
On Monday, life in Weatherfield will change forever as a massive explosion destroys The Joinery bar and causes a tram to crash from the viaduct at the bottom of the street, leading to chaos, carnage and casualties in a special collection of episodes.
Peter Barlow, Nick Tilsley, Ashley Peacock, Lloyd Mullaney, Ciaran McCarthy, Dev Alahan and former couple Cheryl and Chris Gray are among the characters left in peril due to the ferocious blast at The Joinery, which takes place as Peter celebrates his stag night at the venue.
The Kabin and the Corner Shop also crumble in the catastrophe, leaving Sunita Alahan, Rita Sullivan, Molly Dobbs and baby Jack in serious danger as they are inside the two stores when the tragedy occurs.
Meanwhile, on the street, Ken Barlow, Leanne Battersby, Becky McDonald and Kevin Webster are blown off their feet due to the explosion, leaving them startlingly close to the danger zone.
Next week's spectacular scenes were overseen by special effects expert Danny Hargreaves and his company Real SFX, who were recruited by Coronation Street's producer Phil Collinson to work on the momentous occasion for the show.
Hargreaves said: "To be involved in a stunt of such magnitude on a show like Coronation Street has been an incredible opportunity for us - this is a big storyline with some big stunts and effects.
"Everyone involved has worked around the clock and have had months of designing and meticulous planning to bring Corrie fans a show they won't forget."
CGI experts The Mill were also brought on board to enhance the climactic tram crash sequence, adding more fire, smoke and debris to bring the storyline to life.
Will Cohen, The Mill's visual effects producer, explained: "It was an absolute honour and a thrill for The Mill to have been involved in such an iconic TV event for Britain's longest-running and much-loved show.
"I'm sure the scene will go down in television history and if we've done our jobs right, hopefully the viewer won't even be able to tell we've been there."
Speaking of the dramatic scenes in store next week, Phil Collinson commented: "It has been my honour to lead the team responsible for marking this incredible milestone, for a television programme I have watched and loved all my life.
"I am very proud of these episodes which showcase the expertise of our magnificent and talented cast and crew. The episodes are dramatic and the ambition behind them is huge. I hope they are a fitting tribute to an amazing British institution, to all the people who have ever worked on it and to Tony Warren, whose genius created something that will be at our nation's heart forever."
Coronation Street's 50th anniversary celebrations kick off on Monday at 7.30pm on ITV1.
CORRIE characters lie strewn amid the ruins after the horrific tram crash that will devastate the Street forever.
Ken Barlow and Leanne Battersby are blasted on to the cobbles.
Around them other Street veterans are stricken in the rubble, including Molly Dobbs and baby Jack, trapped in the corner shop.
Also trapped are Ashley Peacock, Nick Tilsley and Peter Barlow, who lie unconscious amid the ruins.
Fave makes dying wish
A CORRIE favourite will make a last wish before dying on screen during the live episode.
The £1million tram crash, which causes three deaths, will see one of the cast act out the ultimate exit next Thursday.
A gas blast sets off the carnage on Monday, causing the tram to crash - leaving the Street littered with victims.
Cast weep at preview
STUNNED cast members were in tears after watching a preview of the tram crash episodes.
Corrie legend Bill Roache, who has played Ken Barlow since the first episode on December 9, 1960, said it was a fitting tribute for the 50th anniversary.
After the screening he said: "I had tears of pride. It's not only the best thing in Coronation Street ever, I think it's one of the best things on television ever."
Street creator Tony Warren said: "It's one of the happiest days of my life, seeing those episodes."
Fans' new view
CORRIE fans will see beyond Weatherfield for the first time when Monday's episode shows streets behind the tram viaduct.
The computer-generated opening credits will be followed later in the week by a new view of the world at the other end of the Street.
Producer Phil Collinson said: "Viewers will be able to spot all sorts of landmarks."
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/soaps/3259684/-Horrific-tram-crash-set-to-change-Coronation-Street-forever.html
DaVeyWaVey
04-12-2010, 12:01
It looks absolutely amazing! I haven't been so excited for a collection of soap episodes! It looks like a Hollywood film - it's gonna be epic.
Coronation Street's 50th anniversary week will begin with a special shot which gives fans a unique glimpse of wider Weatherfield, it has been revealed.
Monday's first episode opens with a computer-generated look at life beyond the viaduct, showing the neighbouring streets and houses.
Speaking at a Coronation Street press conference yesterday, show producer Phil Collinson explained: "The shot develops into, for the first time, a glimpse of Weatherfield and beyond the beginning and end of Coronation Street and Rosamund Street.
"When we saw that shot for the first time, it just felt very epic and brilliant, and it just felt like a really lovely way of starting the week - saying to the world, 'Here's a big shot, it's going to be a little bit unusual this week and a bit different'.
"So that was the reasoning behind that. We didn't originally plan to do that, but when we saw the shot, we thought that'd be a beautiful thing to do."
Asked to confirm whether it is the first time that such a shot has been featured in the programme, Collinson replied: "It is, I believe so. And then as we go on in the week, we look the other way as well and we see even broader Weatherfield.
"Careful viewers, if they pause their TV afterwards, will be able to see the Red Rec and all sorts of landmarks that have gone in there. It's been created with a lot of love and reference to a lot of landmarks that we've spoken of for many years."
Monday's double bill will see the much-anticipated Joinery bar explosion and tram crash, which will cause terror and tragedy on the cobbles.
Coronation Street producer Phil Collinson has said that fans will have to wait until the end of next week's episodes before many of the soap's anniversary secrets are revealed.
On Monday night, a massive explosion will destroy The Joinery bar and cause a tram to fall from the viaduct above, leading to tragedy on the cobbles as much-loved characters find themselves in serious danger.
Show bosses have been promoting next week's episodes with the tagline 'Four funerals and a wedding', but the identities of the casualties are being kept under wraps until transmission.
At a Coronation Street press conference yesterday, Collinson was asked when the wait will be over for fans who are keen to find out who lives and who dies.
He replied: "Not until the end of the week, really. We try to wring every ounce of drama and emotion out of it. The whole week takes place in real-time - there isn't a day passing between the episodes, it's literally the next minute.
"They're just massively action-packed, so we try to hold all of our secrets right to the end of the week."
John Stape has a big role to play in next week's Coronation Street live episode, it has been revealed.
The former teacher - played by Graeme Hawley - has been pushed to the edge in recent months as he has attempted to cover up the truth about Colin Fishwick's death.
Fans have also seen John struggling to cope with the bizarre behaviour of his confidante Charlotte Hoyle (Becky Hindley), who is currently the only person who knows about Colin's fate.
At a Coronation Street press conference yesterday, Hawley's screen wife Jennie McAlpine (Fiz) confirmed that the actor will face a challenge on the night of the live episode as he features in so many scenes.
Speaking of the live transmission, McAlpine explained: "I don't have to move very much, I can tell you that - which is quite good! I'm lucky - I'm fine! But I think my husband has to move quite extensively."
Corrie's producer Phil Collinson added: "Graeme actually is the actor in more sets than anybody else. We're going to be putting him in a golf buggy and spinning him all over the place! He's all over!"
Hawley recently said that he hopes John is not killed off in next week's disaster episodes, insisting that there is "still more fun to be had with him".
Coronation Street legend Bill Roache has admitted that he cried "tears of pride" when he watched the soap's 50th anniversary episodes for the first time.
On Wednesday, members of the show's cast gathered at a special screening of next week's episodes, which feature death and destruction after a tram crashes on to the cobbles.
Speaking at a Coronation Street press conference yesterday, Roache confessed that seeing the disaster scenes was an emotional moment for him following his 50-year stint in the role of Ken Barlow.
He explained: "I had tears of pride to belong to a team who can produce something like that. I think it's not only one of the best things on Coronation Street ever, I think it's one of the best things on television ever."
Antony Cotton - who plays Sean Tully - added: "It's weird watching it! I watch it now as a viewer, because it's all a piece-meal - we all do our little bits in different places, and now it's all together. I'm a fan of the show anyway, but now it's watching it as a viewer like everybody else. It's absolutely gobsmackingly amazing."
Meanwhile, Jennie McAlpine - better known as Fiz Stape on the show - explained that it had been difficult to watch the hard-hitting episodes all in one go.
She said: "I'm so pleased that the viewers are going to get 24 hours between each one, because watching them all together was quite horrific! [They're] amazing, we were just in shock - just brilliant!"
sean slater
04-12-2010, 18:25
I feel like I shouldnt have looked at it now. Its giving too much away! lol. I especially didnt want to know that Tyrone isnt going to find out about Kevin until at least the end of next week if ever! Its gone on too long now. I can just see that Molly is going to die and take the secret to the grave! Maybe Jack will survive and Kevin will have to confess?! Damn you press office spoilers, its my own fault! lol.
Coronation Street's upcoming tram crash plot is costing ITV more than £5m, it has been claimed.
According to the News of the World, the logistics of the live show mean that much of the set will be demolished and rebuilt twice, costing £4.23m - making it the most expensive soap storyline ever.
A source said: "We wanted to celebrate our 50th anniversary in style - and doing that doesn't come cheap.
"It'll be the most expensive plot ever screened on British telly. But we reckon our viewers will think it's money well spent and a good way to start our next 50 years."
Meanwhile, £188,000 will be spent on salaries, catering and costumes, experts and stunt co-ordinators will cost £285,000 and a further £187,000 will go on safety precautions. Services from special effects experts have also come to £245,000, making a grand total £5.3m.
Coronation Street producer Phil Collinson has said that it was important to come up with an "extraordinary" event to mark the soap's 50th anniversary.
The show's team have created a dramatic disaster storyline for the milestone, which will see an explosion and tram crash change life in Weatherfield forever in next week's episodes.
At a Coronation Street press conference on Friday, Collinson was asked whether soaps now rely on big stunt storylines in order to grab viewers' attention in the current TV climate.
He replied: "I think that television has changed. Programmes like Coronation Street and dramas have to stand up against massive pieces of event television like Strictly, X Factor and the celebrity jungle - events that you just come to because it's special, different and unusual.
"We had to do something like that to mark this [anniversary] really - we had to do something extraordinary. When soaps and drama push the boat out now, it has to push it out really far - you can't hold back anymore. Viewers go to the cinema and they see all kinds of special effects and 3D, which makes you feel like you're right in the middle of the movie.
"I think the days are gone where television drama can sit back and leave it to your imagination - I think that's not what we can do anymore. We have to compete against those great big juggernauts now, and I think that's what we've done."
Seven episodes of the show will air on ITV1 next week, including an hour-long live broadcast on Thursday.
Coronation Street star Bill Roache has promised that the soap's characters will not be overshadowed by stunts in next week's 50th anniversary episodes.
In tomorrow night's double bill of the ITV1 show, a terrible series of events begins as a devastating explosion occurs at the Joinery bar, causing a tram to fall from the viaduct above and onto the cobbles.
As well as causing the deaths of some much-loved characters, the disaster is expected to send a number of current storylines in new directions as the street's residents find their lives changed forever because of the crash.
Speaking at a Coronation Street press conference on Friday, Roache explained: "One thing that impressed me is that often when you have a big event, the event dominates, but with this, it doesn't dominate. The characters are just as strong and everything works together."
The actor - who has played Ken Barlow since the soap's first episode - added: "I can't tell you what a skill it needs from the producer, the writers, the technicians and everybody to get that balance of the individuals and the big event, all merging into one. It's an incredible achievement."
Corrie's producer Phil Collinson explained that, as part of the aim to focus on the characters, there will be a delay before the emergency services arrive on the scene following the tragedy.
He said: "The emergency services arrive in the middle of Tuesday's episode - a little bit later than they ordinarily would do. There is a reason - there's an RTA which stops them getting through for a little while. That was very deliberate, because this is Coronation Street and what we wanted to put at the heart of this was our characters coping with this terrible tragedy."
Coronation Street star Ben Price has admitted that he is glad fans are about to discover the soap's 50th anniversary secrets.
The actor - who plays Nick Tilsley on the ITV1 show - confessed that it has been difficult to keep quiet about the special week of disaster episodes which begin tomorrow night.
Bosses have confirmed that a number of much-loved characters are to lose their lives due to the upcoming Joinery explosion and tram crash, but the identities of the casualties will not be revealed until transmission.
Speaking to the Daily Star Sunday about the anniversary storyline, Price commented: "It was amazing to film. I feel very privileged to be here for the 50th anniversary.
"We all watched the episodes a few days ago and I can tell you that they're very emotional. Everyone feels very proud. We've all worked so hard and can't wait for fans to see them.
"It will be a massive relief for everyone to finally see who dies as we have had to keep our lips sealed for so long."
Nick will be among the characters left in jeopardy next week as he is in The Joinery when the ferocious explosion takes place.
Transcript of Corrie Press conference
On Friday afternoon, Coronation Street stars Bill Roache (Ken), Michael Le Vell (Kevin), Jennie McAlpine (Fiz) and Antony Cotton (Sean) joined producer Phil Collinson to field questions from the media at a press conference to promote the soap's 50th anniversary storylines. Many of the more interesting snippets from the conference have already appeared in our news section over the past couple of days, but here, Soap Scoop presents the full Q&A. Read on to hear what Bill, Michael, Jennie, Antony and Phil had to say about the tram crash and more.
It's been confirmed that some characters will die next week - when will their identities be revealed on screen?
Phil: "Not until the end of the week, really. We try to wring every ounce of drama and emotion out of it. The whole week takes place in real-time - there isn't a day passing between the episodes, it's literally the next minute. They're just massively action-packed, so we try to hold all of our secrets right to the end of the week."
How did the cast feel when they watched the disaster episodes for the first time?
Michael: "I thought it was amazing. I nearly cried at the end! I thought it was fantastic - just seeing the devastation on the screen, it was quite emotional!"
Bill: "What Michael said was right. I had tears of pride to belong to a team who can produce something like that. I think it's not only one of the best things on Coronation Street ever, I think it's one of the best things on television ever."
Antony: "It's weird watching it! I watch it now as a viewer, because it's all a piece-meal - we all do our little bits in different places, and now it's all together. I'm a fan of the show anyway, but it's watching it as a viewer like everybody else. It's absolutely gobsmackingly amazing."
Jennie: "We were sat - me, Vicky Binns, Julie Hesmondhalgh and Jane Danson was in front of us. Everyone got up but we were sat there for about 15 minutes afterwards - I felt sick! I'm so pleased that the viewers are going to get 24 hours between each one, because watching them all together was quite horrific! Amazing, we were just in shock - just brilliant!"
What would cast members who have passed away think about the anniversary episodes if they were here today?
Bill: "There's better technology now, you have to accept that. When they did the train crash way back in the 1960s, we didn't have half the impact. I think they would have been proud - like I said I was - and impressed, because it is impressive. They've got the best teams, the best experts in every field, and Phil Collinson masterminded it. I think everybody from the past would have been really proud that we've got to this point."
How has Corrie lasted 50 years? What was in that first script that secured the show's long-lasting success?
Bill: "In 1960, when we came, there was a new realism sweeping through the theatre - I've said this a lot, it's been quoted a lot… Tony Warren was a man of his moment, who produced on television the realistic kitchen-sink drama Coronation Street. It had a colossal impact - never before had ordinary people struggling against adversity been seen in this realistic, gritty way. Tony laid the foundation for that and most [important was] the humour, which I think essentially is a Lancashire thing - to see the humour in serious situations. It's not being funny - it's seeing the humour in serious situations, like Blanche's Alcoholics Anonymous scene. So Tony set the criteria, and as long as we stick with that, it can go on forever."
Was the show's magic obvious from the start?
Bill: "Well, we all realised there was something unusual happening here - there was something really, really good. I mean, I was an arrogant little sod at the time and said, 'I don't want to do it' - I'd just got a lead in a play, things were looking good for me and it was only going to run for six weeks. It was only when it started and we got into it that we realised it was something special and great, and I'm very proud and very lucky to have been in it."
What was it like to film the anniversary episodes?
Bill: "Hard work was the predominant thing! We were working from ten at night until five in the morning for a three-week period, so it was hard work, but you don't mind hard work if it's going to produce something like that. We all knew this year was going to be tough, and it has been. But it has been fruitful and worthwhile."
Antony: "There was a seven-week period where it was predominantly night shoots, and then there was a three-week period where it was all night shoots. Some poor sods were in every single day. I was one of the lucky ones because I was in The Rovers."
Michael: "I was one of those ones who was in most nights, but to break the night up, because the canteen was shut, you'd just treat yourself and get a takeaway and sit round the table with the rest of the cast at midnight. It was a great atmosphere - it was a tremendous atmosphere."
Bill: "There was a tremendous feel that something special was happening."
Phil: "It was an amazing place to be on those three nights when the tram was in position and the buildings were collapsed. Danny Hargreaves did all of our physical effects - all of the flames and explosions and collapsing. Most of the week is all Danny - it's real fires and it's real rubble collapsing on people. So there was an astonishing atmosphere to stand at the end of Coronation Street and see it on fire and ablaze. A couple of the cast said to me that it wasn't difficult to act some of the more emotional sequences, because it felt very real to be standing there."
How are you feeling over the upcoming live episode?
Michael: "It's a continuation of the last seven weeks - it's just carrying on that excitement, because it is exciting. For any of us who've done live theatre, it's like that - but hopefully in front of about 20 million people! That'll be the difference!"
Jennie: "I don't have to move very much, I can tell you that - which is quite good! So I'm lucky - I'm fine! But I think my husband has to move quite extensively."
Phil: "Graeme [Hawley] actually is the actor in more sets than anybody else. We're going to be putting him in a golf buggy and spinning him all over the place! He's all over!"
Could snow affect the live episode?
Phil: "I think that is part of the experience of live. It's why we wanted to do it - and it's why we wanted to do it right in the middle. The first episode [of the week] could have been the live one, actually - it's a brilliant episode, it's beautiful and dramatic with amazing performances. We didn't want to do that - we wanted to put the live episode right in the middle, with fire, explosions, flames, stunts, death and fire engines - just everything we can throw at it. It's amazing, huge and - fingers crossed - astonishing. But you know what, that is what live is all about. If it snows, we'll plough on. If it rains, we'll plough on. If something falls out of the sky, we'll plough on regardless. If any of those things happen, the audience will enjoy it even more. That's the business of live and that's what we're embracing."
Antony: "There'll be so many people on the street, you won't even see snow! There'll be about 700 people and extras!"
Was any research done into real-life accidents?
Phil: "Yeah, we talked extensively with the emergency services. The emergency services arrive in the middle of Tuesday's episode - a little bit later than they ordinarily would do. There is a reason - there's an RTA which stops them getting through for a little while. That was very deliberate, because this is Coronation Street and what we wanted to put at the heart of this was our characters coping with this terrible tragedy. We had fire and police with us throughout the filming, advising us on how they get people out of buildings and how they put fire out. We've also had a massive amount of support from GMPTE, who run the tram system in Manchester. So we've had tremendous support from all over the place."
Monday's first episode opens with a CGI shot showing beyond the viaduct and wider Weatherfield - how did that come about?
Phil: "Obviously the shot develops into, for the first time, a glimpse of Weatherfield and beyond the beginning and end of Coronation Street and Rosamund Street. So when we saw that shot for the first time, it just felt very epic and brilliant, and it just felt like a really lovely way of starting the week - saying to the world, 'Here's a big shot, it's going to be a little bit unusual this week and a bit different'. So that was the reasoning behind that. We didn't originally plan to do that, but when we saw the shot, we thought that'd be a beautiful thing to do."
Is this the first time that we've seen such a shot?
Phil: "It is, I believe so. And then as we go on in the week, we look the other way as well and we see even broader Weatherfield. Careful viewers, if they pause their TV afterwards, will be able to see the Red Rec and all sorts of landmarks that have gone in there. It's been created with a lot of love and reference to a lot of landmarks that we've spoken of for many years."
Molly and baby Jack end up trapped in rubble at the Corner Shop - how did you film those scenes with the baby?
Phil: "Obviously the safety of the baby was absolutely paramount. A lot of the sequences you will see were filmed with a really brilliant, clever, absolutely terrifying doll! It's absolutely, terribly realistic - it moves and everything! Then, any scenes where you see the baby moving in Molly's arms were actually done on a specially-built little section of set. You'll see all of it in close-up - it looks like they're buried in the middle of that, but they're actually not - she's sat very comfortably with the baby. So actually the baby just sits there in her arms. It will look like the baby is buried in the middle of that and he gets quite distressed - very deliberately so, because it has to be realistic, this. The plot is all about Molly and Jack and fighting to get them out of where they're trapped, so we wanted to do it justice. It's sometimes quite difficult to watch, but the baby is very, very safe."
Does this week of episodes set the benchmark for future episodes?
Phil: "I hope so, that would be nice. I think the viewers will have to tell us, really. I mean, Coronation Street has always done big stunts - they collapsed a house right back in 1965, and then in '67 a train came off the viaduct. A lorry ran into The Rovers, The Rovers has burned down - there's a million and one stunts. It's always had that in its DNA - it's always had times where it's event television. I think it's a fantastic week of television. I hope it's a benchmark - we're not doing it again! [laughs] Someone else can do it!"
Bill: "One thing that impressed me is that often when you have a big event, the event dominates, but with this, it doesn't dominate. The characters are just as strong and everything works together. I can't tell you what a skill it needs from the producer, the writers, the technicians and everybody to get that balance of the individuals and the big event, all merging into one. It's an incredible achievement."
How much did it cost to film the tram crash?
Phil: "It cost a lot of money… We had to ask ITV for an awful lot of money, and they said yes. When they said yes, I wished I'd asked for more! [laughs] But there you go, I'll learn next time! Not that there'll be a next time!"
Do soaps need big events like this to capture the public's attention in the current TV climate?
Phil: "I think that television has changed. Programmes like Coronation Street and dramas have to stand up against massive pieces of event television like Strictly, X Factor and the celebrity jungle - events that you just come to because it's special, different and unusual. We had to do something like that to mark this [anniversary] really - we had to do something extraordinary. When soaps and drama push the boat out now, it has to push it out really far - you can't hold back anymore. Viewers go to the cinema and they see all kinds of special effects and 3D, which makes you feel like you're right in the middle of the movie. I think the days are gone where television drama can sit back and leave it to your imagination - I think that's not what we can do anymore. We have to compete against those great big juggernauts now, and I think that's what we've done."
As the soap first announced its 50th anniversary disaster on July 7, there's been five long months of intense speculation surrounding this massive storyline - so there was definitely an air of excitement in the room as the lights dimmed and the events that everyone's been talking about started to play out on screen.
Many of you will already know that there's a special twist to proceedings from the very beginning of tonight's first episode, as it starts off with a stunning shot showing life beyond the viaduct and wider Weatherfield.
The special shot certainly makes for a beautiful opening and it's fantastic to see the street in context after so long - cementing the idea that this is just an ordinary street with ordinary people, which looks to be all-important for this 50th anniversary week as it'll be the human touches which take centre stage despite the disaster.
Tonight's first episode is very much a continuation of the build-up we've been seeing over the past few weeks as many of the soap's ongoing storylines are coming to a head, although the pace ramps up more than a few gears as the episode progresses, coupled with the sense of foreboding as we know what's coming.
Despite being excited to see the tram crash - which occurs in episode two - it's important to say that there's no sense of impatience as we wait for the big event to take place. The storylines that the Corrie team have set up have been so gripping that I was as interested to see where those were going as I was to see the crash itself. It's a real credit to the writers that, with the biggest soap stunt ever about to occur, our attention can still be captured by the characters that we care so much about and tune in each night to see.
The classic Corrie humour is also present in the episodes as Leanne's hen night leads to some funny moments and lines at The Rovers. It's clear throughout that the producers are respecting the show's heritage with this - yes, there's a big stunt on the way, but we're not suddenly seeing a whole new Corrie on the show's 50th anniversary. It's bigger and better in terms of stunts and visual effects, but it's not at the expense of familiarity and won't alienate any long-term viewers.
I don't want to give too much more away about what we saw on screen, as part of the magic of watching tonight's two episodes was seeing the moments that we haven't heard about in spoilers, or those that play out a little bit differently than we might expect.
However, it's no secret that Molly and Tyrone's story will be one of those to reach a climax tonight and Alan Halsall gives a standout performance as his heartbreak turns to anger after Molly drops a bombshell.
Although less prominent tonight, Jane Danson and Alison King are as brilliant as ever in their respective portrayals of the love-torn Leanne and always-complex Carla.
Graeme Hawley and Becky Hindley continue to impress in the twisted tale of John and Charlotte, and fans may also be struck by Ben Price's performance as we see more of that elusive softer side to Nick Tilsley.
The stunt itself is also something that's best to see for yourself than read too much about beforehand, but it more than lives up to the hype - so credit must also go to special effects supervisor Danny Hargreaves, his team at Real SFX, as well as visual effects company The Mill, who worked on the CGI.
One thing I will say is that the stunt isn't just one moment. As producer Phil Collinson recently said that Corrie will "wring every ounce of drama and emotion" out of the disaster's aftermath, the team do the same with the bar explosion and the crash - it's certainly not all over in a flash!
Once the screening of tonight's two episodes were over, we were also treated to the first look at the stunning video montage of the entire week. While there was a round of applause after the episodes were screened, the montage was greeted by more of a stunned silence at first! It really is an amazing video.
All in all, it looks like fans are in for a fitting tribute to 50 years of Coronation Street. I can't wait to see what's in store for the rest of the week…
Coronation Street's 50th anniversary week begins with a bang tonight as an explosion destroys The Joinery bar and causes a tram to career from the viaduct above, leading to a night of terror and tragedy on the cobbles. During the early stages of planning for the spectacular episodes, producer Phil Collinson recruited expert Danny Hargreaves and his team to create a number of real special effects for the occasion, as fire, explosions and other stunts will leave some much-loved characters in jeopardy. DS recently spoke to Danny about his work on the milestone block of episodes.
When were you first approached to take on this role for Corrie's 50th anniversary?
"It was mid-way through the summer - I know Phil Collinson from working on Doctor Who with him, so he contacted me directly and told me about this project. He didn't reveal too much at the time, but I came up for a meeting along with [visual effects company] The Mill, who were responsible for the CGI, and Phil sat down and he explained what he wanted to do. That was the point when I realised it would be quite a task! It took roughly two or three months to put it together before we started filming and a lot of meetings. It was a long process, but before we knew it, we were getting ready to set fire to things!"
What were the early discussions with Phil like?
"He basically asked us how we would crash a tram off the viaduct, and there was many different ways we could have done it. We could have put a real tram in there and forced it into the set by firing it down, but we decided to go to the CGI option for that particular part. But I wanted to have a physical aspect to it as well, and the viewers will see that. We had the front end of a tram crashing into the Corner Shop, and the tram was specially built for the show. So it was a combination between the two - the CGI and the physical. Hopefully it works well! There'll be so many effects and stunts in the episodes."
Do you feel like you've been able to put your own stamp on the episodes?
"Yes, definitely. I work a lot with action and like to have lots of stuff going on - lots of explosions and stuff. So I'm very used to creating disasters - it's very normal for me! I wanted to make sure we had those real, physical effects and had the characters at the heart of the action."
What were the Corrie cast like to work with when you were creating these episodes?
"They were great. It can be very, very challenging for the cast to get involved with something like this, but there wasn't anyone who had any problems. Everyone was great and really got stuck in. I was very impressed. Like I said, I've worked on a lot of TV dramas and the cast here were brilliant - really, really good."
Is it true that we can expect some live special effects in Thursday's live episode?
"Yeah, but I'm not quite sure how that's going to be done yet! I've just started back at work to concentrate on the live episode, and I've got a team working on it at the moment. It's all coming together - it's a big, big task, but it's going to be pretty immense."
Having special effects and stunts in a live episode sounds like it could be very challenging - would that be a big feat if all goes to plan?
"Yeah, it would be. We are doing physical effects for the live episode. Most of the big stuff that we've done was all filmed weeks ago and appears in the other episodes in the week. But there is still a physical effect that's going to be used on the live as well, so I'm just trying to put that together at the moment."
Did you feel a lot of pressure as you took charge of this massive occasion for Corrie?
"Oh, incredibly - this is a massive show! It's played out in so many households - and whether you're a fan or not, everyone knows it. It's great to be involved at any point, but particularly in the 50th anniversary. I'm really excited, very lucky and very happy about that!"
There's been so much hype and anticipation surrounding these episodes - do you think they can live up to people's expectations?
"You'll have to tell me! But these episodes definitely kept me busy in the weeks that we were filming - I haven't been this busy on a drama for a long time. I hope it pays off."
Has this been the most challenging project of your career?
"I think it's been challenging in the sense that it's such a high-profile project. Like I said earlier, everyone knows Corrie and the media interest has been huge - quite rightly so, as it's a great show! So there has been a pressure to make sure that this is delivered correctly and that everything looks real. How people respond to it remains to be seen, but I'm very proud of it."
Have you been a Corrie fan yourself over the years?
"Unfortunately, working in television means that I don't always get a chance to watch television, but I do watch some of it and I know all of the characters. I've grown up with the show and it's quite funny working on the street that you've grown up with! It was great fun."
How does this compare to working on Doctor Who?
"I think with Doctor Who, there is that feeling that you can get away with things, as the setting will be a spaceship or something! But with this, it had to look real and that was the main thing. Because of that need for attention to detail, everyone has worked really hard - from my department, from the CGI department and from the art department here at Coronation Street. The art department have worked really hard to make this look as real as possible, and all credit to them. It's been an amazing task!"
Was there anything you'd hoped to do with the episodes but couldn't because there were restrictions?
"Not really, to be honest. I've been heavily involved in the whole design of it and there isn't anything that we haven't been able to do. We've just gone with it. I've worked closely with The Mill and I also worked with them on Doctor Who, so we have a very good working relationship - they know what they can achieve and I know what I can achieve. It comes together beautifully."
I just hope with all the hype and money spent on this week that we are not disappointed
Chris_2k11
06-12-2010, 11:59
I just hope with all the hype and money spent on this week that we are not disappointed
I don't think we will be (hopefully!)
Pity the identities of the cast killed weren't kept under closer wraps like who killed archie, but it should stil be good.
Chris_2k11
06-12-2010, 13:45
Pity the identities of the cast killed weren't kept under closer wraps like who killed archie, but it should stil be good.
I'm hoping for a shock death! Does that sound awful? haha
I'm hoping for a shock death! Does that sound awful? haha
no.. I was hoping someone was going to die in the vic fire... that is what Soaps are suppose to be about.. some shocks and cliff hangers
haighy15
06-12-2010, 14:11
I think it will be Molly, Ashley, Rita and that weird women who John is 'seeing' who die.
Chris_2k11
06-12-2010, 14:13
I can't see them killing Rita off, you never know though!
I'll be glad to see the back of Molly tbh.
I dont think Reet will die either
tammyy2j
06-12-2010, 15:13
I'm hoping for a shock death! Does that sound awful? haha
Me too a few shock deaths
I think a child dies also one of Dev's twins or little Max maybe
Coronation Street star Michael Le Vell has admitted that he felt emotional when filming the soap's 50th anniversary episodes.
The ITV1 show is marking its milestone with a huge disaster storyline beginning in tonight's double bill, which features an explosion at The Joinery and a devastating tram crash.
In an interview with Sky News, Le Vell confessed that shooting the episodes could sometimes be difficult due to the huge implications of the event.
The actor - who plays Kevin Webster - explained: "[It was seeing] Coronation Street up in flames and all the devastation, all the characters' faces and thinking how it's going to affect everybody's lives now."
He added: "Seeing a good friend of mine doing some of his final scenes also brought a tear to my eye."
Corrie bosses have been promoting this week's episodes with the tagline "four funerals and a wedding".
The moment that Coronation Street fans have been waiting five months for arrives tonight as The Joinery explodes and a tram crashes onto the cobbles in a dramatic double bill of the ITV1 soap. Created to mark the show's 50th anniversary, the shock disaster will see the drama lose some much-loved characters over the coming days, send existing storylines in new directions and also spark some new plots which are expected to start the New Year with a bang.
Join DS here from 7.30pm as we provide live updates from tonight's episodes on the night that Weatherfield changes forever. As the episode airs and afterwards, don't forget to use the form at the bottom of the page to have your say!
7.30pm: Janice approaches Ken on the street and reminds him that they're about to be related as the camera pans up and we see a glimpse above the viaduct and of wider Weatherfield.
7.32pm: Molly is on the phone to her father and says that she'll be catching the tram and will see him later. Tyrone is unhappy and firmly warns that he's not going to let her leave.
7.33pm: At The Kabin, Norris chastises Becky for letting Max wander off from the pub, but Rita warns him to mind his own business. At the bookies, Peter and Leanne flirt as they discuss their upcoming marriage - but as Leanne leaves, it's clear that she still has doubts about their future.
7.34pm: Sally bumps into Tyrone at the Corner Shop and hassles him about Christmas arrangements. Tyrone loses his temper and reveals that Molly plans to leave tonight and take the baby with her. Sally is shocked as Tyrone admits that Molly no longer loves him.
7.35pm: At The Joinery, Ciaran complains about problems with the gas supply, so Nick tells him that he'll have to serve up cold food instead.
7.36pm: In the back room at The Joinery, Leanne tells Nick that she plans to stay with Peter, leaving him crushed. She then heads over The Rovers for her hen night celebrations, where Tina is having her first night behind the bar.
7.37pm: Janice admits that she's fed up with being alone, while Eileen insists that she's alone by choice. Meanwhile, Tina tells Julie that Graeme is having a quiet night in at the flat.
7.38pm: Sally has told the Websters about the problems between Tyrone and Molly. Sally wants to get involved and head over there, but Kevin furiously warns her to stay away - saying that the last thing they need is an audience. At the Dobbs house, Tyrone tells Molly that she's "not right in the head" and angrily throws her clothes out of her suitcase, saying that she's not leaving.
7.39pm: Tyrone is becoming increasingly distraught as the thought of life without Molly and Jack sinks in. At his lowest ebb, he begs Molly to stay and says that she can carry on having her affair as long as he can keep living with the baby. As he asks his wife to take pity on him, Molly deals Tyrone a new blow by declaring that this is exactly what she has been doing…
7.40pm: John is trying to hang up a Christmas wreath on his front door, and Fiz offers to get him a hammer. Chesney and Katy tell the pair what they have planned for the evening, while Peter and Carla have a friendly chat on the cobbles and Ashley bids Claire farewell as he heads off to the stag night.
7.41pm: John receives a phone call from Charlotte, who is keeping an eye on proceedings outside. After she quizzes him about whether he's told Fiz the truth yet, Fiz heads out to the hen night and Charlotte watches with a sinister look on her face as they affectionately part company…
7.46pm: Back from an advert break, and it's all getting a bit rowdy at the stag night, while Lloyd teases Steve about his history of weddings.
7.47pm: At The Rovers, Norris asks Tina how she's enjoying her new job and confesses that he'll be leaving soon due to all the rowdy women at the hen night.
7.48pm: Julie admits that she'd love to be married - even if it was just for a day so she'd know what it's like! Leanne tells the others that she wants to be with Peter for the rest of her life, but Carla can't keep her mouth shut and makes a barbed comment, to Leanne's frustration.
7.49pm: Ken ponders whether he's done the right thing with regard to Leanne, as he and Deirdre head off to the respective parties. At The Joinery, Chris is giving Cheryl grief about getting a babysitter rather than letting him look after his own son. Lloyd steps in and things get heated, while Ken turns up at the bar.
7.50pm: A depressed Nick knocks back the booze at The Joinery, before heading off purposefully.
7.51pm: Nick turns up at the pub and takes Leanne outside. He says that Leanne knows in her heart that she's doing the wrong thing and could still run away with him. Leanne is shocked by the suggestion, but it's clear that she's tempted.
7.52pm: Both Nick and Leanne are now in tears. Nick tells Leanne that he won't let her marry Peter, but Leanne insists that the wedding will be going ahead. Nick hints that the truth could come out, but Leanne says that Peter won't hear it from her and storms off. Will Nick reveal all?
7.53pm: Back inside, scheming Carla can't resist sticking her oar in and encourages Nick to return to The Joinery and tell Peter the truth. At the Dobbs residence, Tyrone stands in Molly's way to stop her from leaving.
7.54pm: Tyrone finally agrees that Molly can leave, but says she must leave Jack behind. Meanwhile, Maria arrives at The Rovers and Becky panics as Max has gone missing again. She heads out onto the street. Meanwhile, Charlotte knocks furiously on John's door…
7.55pm: A panicked John brings Charlotte inside the house. At the Dobbs house, Tyrone insists that he won't let Molly leave with his flesh and blood. Pushed to the edge, Molly admits that Jack isn't Tyrone's flesh and blood at all - he's somebody else's child...
7.56pm: Shocked to the core, Tyrone demands to know who the father is. We're then treated to a preview of what's in store in half an hour's time - that tram is coming down…
7.57pm: Our live updates will resume when Corrie continues at 8.30pm! In the meantime, ITV1 will be re-airing the show's historic first episode...
8.29pm: We're back, and the ITV announcer promises an event that's going to change the lives of Weatherfield's residents forever.
8.30pm: Tyrone demands answers from Molly and claims that she must be lying, so Molly explains that she had a long affair last year and even came close to leaving him at Christmas. She apologises for everything and says that Tyrone deserves better.
8.31pm: Tyrone angrily declares that Molly should have never returned to him. Meanwhile, Rita's plans for the evening have changed following a phone call from her friend, so she tells Nick that she's facing another night in front of the telly.
8.32pm: After trying to get a kiss from John under the mistletoe, Charlotte demands that John call Fiz and tell her to return home so he can tell her the truth. At the Dobbs residence, Tyrone brands Molly "a cheating liar". She tries to make him feel better by saying that he can keep the house, but a tearful Tyrone is unimpressed, shouting that she's ripped his life to shreds.
8.33pm: Tyrone shouts "I hate you - you're an evil slag!" as Molly makes her exit. At the hen night, Leanne is looking miserable while Sean frets about Max's disappearance. Dr. Carter arrives at the pub - he may come in handy later…
8.34pm: Molly waits outside on the street and tries to call Kevin, but at the Websters', he chooses not to answer his phone. Meanwhile, Sally says that they should get some dessert from the Corner Shop.
8.35pm: Becky scours the street for Max. Meanwhile, at the Stapes', John tries to buy more time by sending Charlotte away. However, Charlotte isn't having any of it - she says they love each other and should be together forever.
8.36pm: At the stag night, everyone complains about Ciaran's cold food. He explains the problem with the gas. Meanwhile, the men share some banter as they name the one thing in life they can't live without. A drunken Ashley admits that he couldn't live without Claire, while the other men also declare their love for their partners - although Ciaran isn't impressed by their soppiness.
8.37pm: Nick tells Ken that he's planning to tell Peter the truth, leaving Ken stunned. Meanwhile, at John's, Charlotte complaints about her arch-rival "Fizzy Wizzy"!
8.38pm: John finally tells Charlotte that he'll never love her and the whole farce has to stop. But a distressed Charlotte says that his relationship with Fiz is based on a lie.
8.39pm: Charlotte seems more crazed than ever and insists that she's about to go over to The Rovers to tell Fiz everything. John tries to stop her from leaving, so Charlotte asks whether he's about to add violence against a woman to his growing list of crimes. Picking up a hammer, swings it wildly, but John grabs it off her. As Charlotte goes to leave, promising to tell Fiz "the dirty truth about John Stape", John violently plunges the hammer into Charlotte. The force of his shock attack knocks her against the front door - causing the Christmas wreath to fall outside...
8.44pm: Back from an advert break, and Charlotte checks for Charlotte's pulse, but his hands end up covered in blood. Tyrone turns up at the Websters' and tells Sally the shocking truth about Jack. Kevin has gone out for pudding.
8.45pm: Tension between Lloyd and Chris is continuing to develop. Meanwhile, Nick lies to Peter, saying that Leanne is on the phone in the office. Peter is confused but follows him in. At the Corner Shop, Molly says goodbye to Sunita and admits that she won't be back.
8.46pm: Kevin turns up at the shop looking for pudding, leading to an awkward moment between him and Molly. Jack smiles at Kevin, making him feel even worse. As Sunita heads into the back, Molly admits that she's left Tyrone and that he's crushed. She also reveals that she's told him the truth about Jack but remained discreet about Kevin's involvement.
8.47pm: Molly suggests to Kevin that he should leave with her, but Kevin refuses. Molly tells him that he'll have to say goodbye to his son in that case - and she's not coming back… Meanwhile, Becky continues the search for Max, asking Claire if she's seen him.
8.48pm: Dr. Carter vows to have one more drink before leaving The Rovers. At the pub, Ken tells Leanne about Nick's intentions. Leanne says that she can't do anything about it, making Ken wonder whether she wants him to tell Peter the truth.
8.49pm: John tries to move Charlotte's dead body. Steve knocks on his door to tell him about the wreath and ask about Max, but John gets rid of him. Grabbing his phone, John wonders whether to dial 999. At The Kabin, Rita reaches up for some sweets.
Was the tram empty?
I expected all transport cancelled in the snow
sean slater
06-12-2010, 22:06
lol. Im not sure. All I saw was the driver though.
Chloe O'brien
06-12-2010, 23:09
How is John going to get Charlotte's body out of the house without anyone seeing him. Is he going to go down the back alleyway?
CORRIE bosses will record a BACK-UP of Thursday's historic live 50th anniversary episode.
Banks of technical experts have been called in to oversee the hour-long special. But show chief Phil Collinson has ordered a full dress-rehearsal for all 65 cast, which will be filmed.
A source said: "It's an expensive insurance policy but worth it."
Stars like Michelle Keegan have told of their nerves over the show.
The Sun
SHOW bosses have teamed up with ITN news to broadcast a special report live from the cobbles.
The bulletins will be anchored by Alastair Stewart, 58, who will link to a reporter on Coronation Street.
Caroline Whitmore will bring viewers all the action in the aftermath of the tram crash, including exclusive interviews with some of the residents caught up in the disaster.
Builder Jason Grimshaw (Ryan Thomas, 26) will be just one resident giving an eye-witness account of the horrors unfolding.
The dramatic news reports will be uploaded onto the show’s official website after every episode this week.
Rolling news footage is just the beginning of online activity around the 50th anniversary.
There will also be exclusive behind-the-scenes clips, including first-ever access to Coronation Street’s story conference and the making of the historic tram crash episode.
Craig Charles, 46, will also front a special documentary on spectacular stunts from over the years, Ken Barlow (William Roache, 79) will reminisce on times gone by with grandson Simon (Alex Bain) and there will be a special goodbye video from one of the characters to perish in the tragedy.
Daily Star
parkerman
07-12-2010, 09:28
Was the tram empty?
Guess so, otherwise there'd be a lot more than four funerals! Talking of which, is the driver one of them?
Chris_2k11
07-12-2010, 09:34
Nope apparently the driver survives!
parkerman
07-12-2010, 09:59
Nope apparently the driver survives!
So it's not like Star Trek then, where the "extra" gets it!?
So it's not like Star Trek then, where the "extra" gets it!?
was he wearing a red shirt???
Coronation Street producer Phil Collinson has revealed that the soap's tram driver survived last night's crash and will feature in more scenes this week.
Yesterday, fans saw the driver make a failed attempt to avoid disaster by slamming on the brakes as his vehicle approached the destroyed viaduct above The Joinery following an explosion at the bar.
However, tragically, he was unable to stop the tram from crashing onto the cobbles, where it destroyed some of the street's buildings and left lives in jeopardy.
As Collinson fielded viewer questions on Coronation Street Uncovered: Live last night, one fan jokingly asked whether the storyline was influenced by "a really bad experience on a Manchester tram".
The show boss replied: "I have to say that Manchester trams are the safest trams in the entire world. It's impossible for them to crash.
"As you'll find out as the week goes on, the tram is actually the safest place to be - because the tram driver survives!"
Tom Burroughs - who plays the driver - has previously said that he was 'honoured' to take on such a significant role on the show.
Here's some pictures showing the collaboration between Coronation Street and ITN which is running all week for the soap's 50th anniversary.
Over the next few days, Corrie's official website is hosting specially-filmed news bulletins featuring anchor Alistair Stewart and reporter Caroline Whitmore as they cover the breaking story of the devastating explosion and tram crash on the cobbles.
Appearing each night after the latest episode of Corrie airs, the news bulletins will feature eye-witness accounts from local residents and updates on the ongoing rescue work.
Other material appearing online this week will include access to a Coronation Street story conference, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the tram crash, a documentary fronted by Craig Charles exploring memorable Weatherfield stunts from over the years, and a special goodbye VT from one of the characters who perishes in the tragedy.
ITV.com's editor Ben Freeman commented: "The expansion of digital activity for ITV.com is hugely important, and we're really excited about the potential for top storylines to spin out onto other platforms - we know fans expect Corrie to be strong online.
"We're working with the scriptwriters, cast and crew on this and we're sure fans will love getting deeper insight into storylines and characters in new and exciting ways."
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Coronation Street producer Phil Collinson kept tight-lipped over the fate of bunny boiler Charlotte Hoyle last night.
In yesterday's double bill of the ITV1 soap, the twisted schoolteacher appeared to become the first casualty of the show's 50th anniversary week as John Stape (Graeme Hawley) furiously attacked her with a hammer.
After Charlotte turned up on his doorstep and vowed to tell Fiz the truth about Colin Fishwick's death as they argued, a shock scene saw John strike her with the weapon in one ferocious blow.
Although Charlotte appeared to have passed away on screen, Collinson and the Corrie cast continued to preserve the show's anniversary secrets last night by refusing to confirm whether she really had been killed.
Appearing on ITV2's Coronation Street Uncovered: Live, Antony Cotton - who plays Sean Tully - commented: "What about this for a theory - is she dead?"
Seeming to rule out the possibility that Charlotte could still be alive, Collinson replied: "Is she dead? She got a hammer over the head, what are you talking about?"
However, he went on to confess that he could have been misleading fans, saying: "That could be a double red herring!"
Charlotte - played by Becky Hindley - made her first appearance in the soap back in April and has been tormenting John on screen for weeks.
Personally I would be delighted if John hadnt killed Charlotte. John isnt really a bad person. He is mor a fool who thinks he can sort things out. He just doesnt want to hurt anyone. If he is made a killer then that would be the end of him as a character.
Personally I would be delighted if John hadnt killed Charlotte. John isnt really a bad person. He is mor a fool who thinks he can sort things out. He just doesnt want to hurt anyone. If he is made a killer then that would be the end of him as a character.
I don't think there's much doubt that Charlotte is dead. I don't think it will be the end of John as a character - there's still plenty of life in him yet. After all, if anyone could drive someone to murder it was Charlotte.
I think that John will forget about Charlotte and try his best to help Fizz and the other victims of the explosion. I can't believe he managed to kill Charlotte!
The writer of Coronation Street's tram crash episode has admitted that he only saw the dramatic edition for the first time last night.
Joe Turner penned the second instalment of yesterday evening's double bill, which saw an explosion rock The Joinery and a tram crash onto the cobbles.
In an interview with BBC Radio Wales, Turner confessed that he was not given an advance copy of the episode because the secrecy surrounding the storyline was so strict.
He explained: "I was in the odd position of not having seen it before. Normally we get DVDs in advance, but because they were trying to keep as much secrecy as possible about it, I actually had the thrill of sitting with my family last night with a very nice bottle of wine and enjoying it as it went out!"
Discussing how the shock storyline came about, Turner continued: "We've been planning the 50th anniversary for about a year, and some of us on the writing team were more keen to actually do it low key, and to have very quiet kind of stories, and maybe just Ken doing a little speech in the pub or something like that.
"But our producer, bless him, persuaded us that what we should do, and what we have done, and what we will see from now on, is that we have actually taken three very big stories and built them to a series of climaxes. Then we have dropped a tram and a massive explosion on the street."
An average of 13.74m viewers tuned in to see the crash last night.
Stroylinewriter
07-12-2010, 21:38
Forgive me for this; but whats the third major story?
We have Peter/Nick/Leanne triangle which has been built over the last few weeks.
Then Molly/Kevin/Tyrone & baby jack which has been going on for ever.
Whats the third?
Unless its the one, in my eyes which is boring & horrible, with fizz/john/charlotte
sean slater
07-12-2010, 22:07
Yeh i think that's it. I dont like the John stuff at the moment with Charlotte. But I feel like its progressing now with Fiz having the baby. I want to see how they deal with being a proper family and everything surrounding whether she is going to survive or not 'Hope' very apt name :(
Liz Dawn has said that Coronation Street veteran William Roache should receive a knighthood for his services to the soap.
Speaking to This Morning presenters Holly Willoughby and Mark Durden-Smith, the actress, who portrayed Vera Duckworth for 33 years until 2007, said that Roache had contributed a great deal to the soap's history.
"He should be knighted, that man," Dawn said. "Fifty years in a popular show and all that work he's done over the years."
Talking about her time on the cobbles, Dawn joked: "Jack and Vera got that popular we were asked to open shops and I opened everything but a toilet - and I'd have opened that if the money had been right! It was amazing how it changed your life."
Dawn also praised the efforts of the show's current cast in this week's special 50th anniversary episodes.
"I nearly died watching last night's episode - I thought my bottom teeth had dropped out [I had my mouth open so wide]!" she said.
"They must've worked really hard, all the cast and crew."
Coronation Street's 50th anniversary commemoration continues all this week on ITV1, with a special live episode on Thursday.
These pictures show the latest dramatic developments for Coronation Street's Peter Barlow, Nick Tilsley and Ashley Peacock as the soap's 50th anniversary week continues.
Following the ferocious explosion which ripped through The Joinery on Peter's stag night, all three men remain trapped amid the debris of the destroyed bar.
As the wait for the emergency crews continues and it becomes clear that Peter's injuries are life-threatening, Nick and Ashley decide to mount a rescue mission of their own before it's too late.
However, just as the pair try to move Peter, The Joinery starts to collapse - leaving it uncertain whether any of the three men will make it out alive…
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IT was a £1million spectacular bringing death and destruction to Corrie's famous cobbles.
But hundreds of fans branded Monday's 50th anniversary tram crash laughable.
They flooded internet forums labelling the scenes "hilariously bad" and a "total laughfest".
That's despite soap bosses drafting in special effects experts and pyrotechnics pros.
And yesterday The Sun managed to recreate the explosive footage for just under a hundred pounds - purely for the purpose of criticism and review!
The ITV1 show's episode - watched by almost 15million people - saw Weatherfield's new bar The Joinery explode after a gas leak, destroying the tram tracks.
In computer-generated scenes a tram approached and the driver looked horrified as it plunged into the Kabin and corner shop.
TRejas said: "I thought it was hilariously bad - the acting, the CGI, the stunt, it was all so bad!!!"
MC Ricken added: "The explosion part was really good but the close-up with the tram driver and the crash was naff beyond words."
Corrie bosses employed experts from Doctor Who to create the scenes but we managed to recreate the historic footage with a quick trip to a London model shop.
We spent just £99.50 - buying models of houses (£21), people (£21), train track (£13) bridge (£10) cobblestones (£9), arches (£14), tram (£10) and Blu-Tack (£1.50).
Back at our studio assistant Joel Fox recreated the moment the tram plunges off the viaduct with the aid of a kitchen blowtorch - wobbling the table to capture the moment the Kabin collapses.
All that was missing from our diddy dramatics were the screams of Ken Barlow, Janice Battersby and Molly Dobbs
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Sorry Sun you really shouldnt believe all you read on Digital Sh!te. The Corrie Tram Crash was a spectacular stunt
CORRIE actors have been slapped with a booze ban ahead of tomorrow night's special live episode.
Bosses insist that no alcohol must be drunk in the 24 hours before cameras roll - and won't even allow anyone a nip to steady their nerves.
Producer Phil Collinson wants his stars to get as much rest as possible tonight to cut the chances of them making howlers.
The cast will be rewarded for their abstinence on Friday at a lavish champagne celebration bash sanctioned by Collison as a thank-you for their hard work.
A source said: "Phil feels it's only right that everyone stays off the booze and keeps a clear head.
"Everyone is putting all their energy into making this week a huge success - and then crowning it with the mother of all parties."
The live show will mark the end of the ITV1 soap's 50th anniversary celebrations and comes as well-known characters are killed off by the tram crash.
The live scenes will be shot in the street and the Rovers Return, focusing on how the locals lean on each other for support.
Executives have also banned the cast having bets on who will fluff their lines first.
They fear it could put more stress on the older stars.
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As Coronation Street's 50th anniversary week continues, Fiz Stape is among the many characters facing a traumatic time following the shock disaster on the cobbles. In the aftermath of the tram crash tragedy, Fiz is currently in premature labour and needs urgent medical attention. Additionally, unbeknown to Fiz, her husband John has just furiously attacked his tormentor Charlotte Hoyle with a hammer - adding one more sinister secret to a long list which could blow their marriage apart. DS recently caught up with Jennie McAlpine, who plays Fiz, to hear her take on this week's episodes and Corrie's birthday.
What's it been like to take such a central role in this massive milestone for Corrie?
"Honestly, it's so special. I love Corrie and I'm a massive soap fan. Corrie's my favourite and to be part of this as the show turns 50 years old is just brilliant - really brilliant!"
What have you made of the John and Charlotte storyline?
"It's terrible to laugh at it, but it really is funny! I think it's because you're incredulous - you just can't believe that it's happening and I think that's what makes people laugh. What's lovely is that I haven't really been involved in much of the John and Charlotte storyline, because obviously Fiz doesn't know what's been going on. So when I watch their scenes, it's really good and I'm thinking, 'I can't believe she's saying that about me!'"
Is there any particular scene of theirs that you've enjoyed?
"I loved it the other day when Charlotte said that Fiz was as thick as a plank. She said, 'Why do you want to be with her? She's as thick as a plank!' I loved that!"
Fiz and Charlotte haven't really shared any scenes since their confrontation at Charlotte's house a while ago - would you have liked those two to have interacted more?
"Oh, I really would have! Becky Hindley is ace - really ace. She's a really great girl and plays a brilliant character. I think she didn't know that the character would be so big. I don't know whether anyone did, really - well, they probably did, but they didn't tell us! I would have really loved to have done more with her, because that scene with Fiz and Charlotte at the house was the last time that I really did any big scenes with her. Then I'd only ever really see her in the green room!"
If Charlotte really is dead, it looks like a lot of fans will be sad to see her go…
"We'll have to wait and see what happens, but it's always the way! When you have big characters who leave, they very often have a sad demise. Our favourite characters are often the baddies, but those characters usually end up going!"
How's everything going with the rehearsals for the live episode?
"It's going alright, I think! We started out rehearsing individually - everyone rehearsing their individual scenes - but now we're moving on to all of us running through the whole thing. We just have to carry on regardless - no matter what happens! Even if the whole building falls down, we've just got to keep saying the lines and carry on!"
Do you know exactly what's happening with the live episode, or could there be some surprises that even the cast don't know about yet?
"I actually don't know! I keep hearing that there's going to be new drafts of scripts, so I don't know! Maybe there's going to be a big surprise! But I honestly don't know."
Fiz and John are certainly at the centre of drama this week - where do they go from here?
"I really can't say anything at this point! But I don't think it's going to end happily, put it that way…"
Have you enjoyed working with Phil Collinson since he took over as producer?
"Phil really has brought the best of his skills to Corrie. I think that's clear when you see the episodes on screen - especially this week's episodes. Also, not only is he really skilled, but he's a lovely man, so it's been a really nice atmosphere on set. The results have just been brilliant - he's been fabulous. And he loves Corrie too, which you can really see!"
Finally, can you name any highlights from your time at Coronation Street so far?
"I think it probably has to be this - the 50th anniversary! This week is definitely up there as the stuff we've filmed has been brilliant. I think the live episode will also probably be the highlight - although we've not done it yet, so ask me on Friday! But this tram crash storyline has been so spectacular and because it's 50 years, I know I'm never going to be in this position again, so it's really special."
A handful of "confused" Coronation Street fans were left wondering whether Manchester's tram service was still running following Monday night's disaster episode, it has been revealed.
Earlier this week, a dramatic storyline on the ITV1 soap saw a tram crash onto the famous street, resulting in scenes of terror on the cobbles.
However, after the spectacular stunt had aired, the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive's travel advice line received at least six calls from viewers who wanted to check whether real-life tram services would be affected.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, a spokeswoman for the GMPTE confirmed that "half a dozen" enquiries were made after the episode. However, she added that none of the callers were panicking or in distress over the matter.
Reports are suggesting that an advert for the soap's online ITN tie-in - which features fictional news bulletins about the crash - could have added to the confusion.
An average of 13.74m viewers tuned in for the crash on Monday evening.
That is stupid.. some people need to separate fact from fiction..
The writer of Coronation Street's forthcoming live episode has said that she is pleased with the secrecy surrounding the special edition of the soap.
Jan McVerry penned the script for tomorrow night's live broadcast, but details of its contents are being kept a closely-guarded secret until transmission.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, McVerry commented: "Everyone has worked really hard to keep things tight this week. Often, we'll email scripts and storylines in, but this time everything has had to be couriered or biked, and we've had to sign for or collect all our scripts, which have our names watermarked through them."
Asked whether it has been difficult not to let details of tomorrow's episode slip, she replied: "Honestly, on this occasion, it hasn't even been tempting. First of all, I think it spoils it for people. It's like opening the corners of your presents before Christmas. You're only disappointed when you do.
"But not only that, the crew and cast have been out there until 2am and 3am in the bitter cold for weeks on end to make this look as stunning as it does, and it would be absolutely stabbing them in the back if I started blabbing. It would be a real betrayal of everything they've done."
Corrie's producer Phil Collinson has promised that the hour-long live episode - which airs from 8pm tomorrow - contains "fire, explosions, flames, stunts [and] death".
Meanwhile, John Stape and Molly Dobbs have been named as characters who have significant roles to play on the night.
The actor portraying the Coronation Street tram driver has admitted that he fears being blamed for the death of popular characters.
Tom Burroughs appeared briefly in Monday night's episode as the driver of the doomed tram as he unsuccessfully attempted to avert the disaster. However, producer Phil Collinson has since confirmed that the driver will be seen to survive the crash and feature in the ITV soap again.
The fate of characters including Rita (Barbara Knox), Molly (Vicky Binns), Peter (Chris Gascoyne) and Nick (Ben Price) is still unknown.
"I worried people were going to attack me for killing off favourite characters," he told The Sun . "I've got glasses and a hat I wear when I travel on Manchester's trams so passengers don't recognise me."
Burroughs confirmed that he only saw the finished scenes as they aired earlier this week.
"It was getting closer and closer to the end of the episode and I thought, 'Is this going to happen or is it going to be the biggest hoax in TV history?'. Then it came out of the blue," he said.
"I was in shock and completely in awe of how they had made it look."
If people think the crash has actually affected rail services for real, I can imagine that his fears are realistic
TV will reportedly charge £100,000 for each advertising slot during tomorrow night's live episode of Coronation Street, generating £4 million in revenue.
According to Media Week, 30-second slots on the hour-long show will go for significantly more than the approximate £65,000 charged for standard episodes of the soap.
Media agency traders claimed that ITV initially quoted advertisers wanting to buy slots on the live show prices 50% or even 100% above the standard rate.
Advertising spots aimed at housewives and children but not covered by agency deals could fetch as much as £150,000, the traders said.
Another source at a media buying agency estimated that ITV's total income for the live extravaganza could be more than £4 million.
On Monday, Coronation Street's tram crash episode was seen by 13.74 million viewers on ITV1, commanding a 48.1% audience share in its timeslot. The live episode, timed to mark the soap's 50th anniversary, is expected to attract an equally massive audience.
The week-long celebration of Coronation Street follows a string of ratings hits for ITV, earning the broadcaster millions in advertising revenue.
Last month, it was reported that ITV was charging an eye-watering £250,000 for 30-second slots on next weekend's two-part final of The X Factor.
The two shows are expected to generate around £25m for the broadcaster, as Simon Cowell's talent programme rapidly cements itself as 'the Super Bowl of UK television'.
Sally Dynevor has promised that Coronation Street's forthcoming live episode will feature "amazing" scenes.
The actress, who plays devoted mum Sally Webster on the soap, discussed the special 50th anniversary broadcast as she made an appearance on North West Tonight yesterday evening.
Speaking of the challenge in store, Dynevor confessed: "I'm very nervous about it! But I'm looking forward to it - it's going to be amazing, I think. We've been rehearsing it and I think it's going to be absolutely fantastic."
Little is currently known about what is in store for tomorrow's live transmission, although one official spoiler released for the episode states that Sally will receive "unexpected and crushing news" on the night.
Dynevor added: "We've got some really, really good stuff coming up and I've just had such a good time over the past few months. It's been brilliant - these scripts are amazing and I can't wait for everyone to see Thursday."
Coronation Street's live episode airs at 8pm tomorrow.
Coronation Street favourite Ashley Peacock has become the first character to be officially confirmed as a casualty of the soap's 50th anniversary week.
In tragic scenes which aired in tonight's episode, viewers saw Ashley - played by Steven Arnold - crushed by falling debris as the wrecked Joinery bar dramatically crumbled.
A news update on Corrie's official website has now confirmed that Ashley "died a hero in the tram disaster".
:(
Corrie favourite Ashley Peacock has been crushed to death to become the first victim of the horrific tram crash disaster.
And viewers were left wondering whether pals Nick Tilsley and Peter Barlow would survive after all three battled to escape the twisted wreckage of The Joinery bar.
Long-serving Ashley (played by Steven Arnold) met his end beneath a falling beam after heroically passing Peter (Chris Gascoyne) to rescuers.
There has been months of speculation about who will bow out during the catastrophic events taking place this week to mark the show's 50th anniversary.
Ashley had been widely tipped to perish and three more deaths are expected before the week is out as a result of an explosion and a tram crashing into Coronation Street.
Viewers saw Peter, Nick and Ashley all trapped in the office at The Joinery. Peter was in a perilous state drifting in and out of consciousness after being trapped under masonry.
His pals managed to drag him to safety and passed him to rescuers through a tiny gap. But things were continuing to look bleak as he was rushed to hospital.
Still trapped, Nick and Ashley were left to hold a heavy beam as the building began to crumble around their ears and they realised they needed to make a run for it.
Before they made their dash, Ashley - who had begun to cough up blood from his injuries - phoned wife Claire Peacock (Julia Haworth) to reassure her he would be with her soon.
But moments later, after he and Nick steeled themselves to let go and make a run for it, the debris rained down leaving Ashley dead.
Steven Arnold has thanked Coronation Street fans and wished the soap well following the screening of his final episode.
Earlier tonight, fans saw the actor's character Ashley Peacock die tragically as he was crushed by falling debris at the destroyed Joinery bar.
In a pre-recorded message released on Corrie's official site tonight, Arnold has expressed his gratitude to viewers following his 15-year stint on the ITV1 show.
He commented: "I'd just like to say thank you for all the support I've had over the years - everyone's been great. Thanks for all your letters.
"And thanks for watching - I just hope the programme keeps going and does as well as it's always done, which I'm sure it will. So thanks very much and I hope to see you soon!"
Footage on the website also shows Arnold bidding goodbye to his castmates after filming his final scenes. In a tearful goodbye speech on the cobbles, he paid tribute to his screen wife Julia Haworth (Claire), describing her as "really special" and "probably the nicest person I've ever met in my life".
Chloe O'brien
08-12-2010, 22:43
So Ashley has met the grim reaper along with Charlotte and Molly tomorrow. But who will be the 4th death. Janice maybe.
So Ashley has met the grim reaper along with Charlotte and Molly tomorrow. But who will be the 4th death. Janice maybe.
Maybe Miss Mouthpiece Kym Whatshername
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