Corrie launches Rovers menu contest

[Perdita]

Coronation Street bosses have teamed up with ITV's This Morning to give fans the chance to create a new meal for the Rovers Return.

The 'Cook a Dish for Corrie' competition - launched on yesterday's edition of the daytime show - will see food enthusiasts battling to get their creation on the pub's menu alongside Betty Williams's famous hot pot.

Viewers are being invited to apply online via the Corrie and This Morning websites, providing a picture of their dish, details of its secret ingredients and testimonials from family and friends.

The contest - created to mark the soap's 50th anniversary - will close for entries on January 4, when a panel of food experts will team up with Corrie producers to choose a long list of ten meals.

A week-long online vote will then see the ten nominated dishes whittled down to three, before a live cook-off takes place on This Morning - judged by chef Phil Vickery and members of the Corrie cast - to determine a winner.

The chosen meal will then be served up to Weatherfield residents in a forthcoming episode of Coronation Street, providing some competition for Betty's signature dish.

Betty Driver - who plays the long-standing barmaid - commented: "I'm immensely proud and somewhat protective of my hot pot so I challenge anyone to give it a run for its money!"

The winner will be announced on Monday, January 24.

[Perdita]

As we reported last November, Coronation Street bosses have teamed up with ITV's This Morning to give fans the chance to create a new meal for the Rovers Return menu.

Viewers were given the chance to apply online via the ITV website, revealing full details of their creation, its secret ingredients and providing testimonials from family and friends.

The 'Cook a Dish For Corrie' competition closed for entries on January 4 and has since entered a new stage as a longlist of ten meals have been drawn up for the semi-final.

Now fans have the chance to choose their favourite via an online vote which will see the ten dishes whittled down to three. Voting has been open for a few days and it's the final chance to have your say as the poll closes at 12pm tomorrow.

Details of the ten finalists, their meals and the all-important secret ingredients follow below:

1. Andrew McDowell
Dish: Andy's Pork, Mushroom & Kale Pie
Secret Ingredient: Old English dry cider

2. Barbara Hobbs
Dish: Barbara's Golden Chicken Surprise
Secret Ingredient: 20 golden vegetables and herbs

3. Carl Heer
Dish: Carl's "Nowt else" but Newton & Ridley's ale steak and Stilton pie
Secret Ingredient: Just great crisp short pastry marinated braising steak with a sprinkle of Stilton before baking

4. Carol Evans
Dish: Carol's Curry Pot
Secret Ingredient: Meat, Indian spices, masala mash - and plenty of love and passion!

5. Deborah Lord
Dish: Chicken Surprise with sweet potato mash and seasonal veg
Secret Ingredient: It changes every time she makes it!

6. Josh Parr
Dish: Josh's Sweet Puds
Secret Ingredient: Vanilla Oil

7. Julia Kiss
Dish: Julia's Special Corned Beef and Potato Pie
Secret Ingredient: A vegetable stock cube crumbled in

8. Mal Bersey
Dish: Mal's Corrie Cobbler
Secret Ingredient: 'Newton and Ridley's' ale

9. Stephen Percival
Dish: Black pudding wrapped in bacon on a corned beef mash finished with crispy onions
Secret Ingredient: Corned beef

10. Tony Das
Dish: "Rovers Ratatouille, I said Rovers Ratatouille!"
Secret Ingredient: Elliot's black pudding and sausage

Once the final three have been chosen, a live cook-off will take place on This Morning on Monday, January 24 to determine the winner. The successful dish will then be served up at The Rovers in an upcoming episode of Corrie, securing a unique place in the soap's history.

Full details and the online voting form can be found on This Morning's website.

[alan45]

Move over Betty's Hot Pot. Marilyn's Corrie Cobbler is taking your place. Marilyn Bersey from the Isle of Wight has won the ITV competition to 'Cook a Dish For Corrie'.

A panel of three judges, including celebrity chef Phil Vickery, voted Mal's Corrie Cobbler the top dish over the other contestants. Her recipe will now replace Betty's Hotpot on Coronation Street.

Before the winner was announced Mal, who's been a fan of the show since it began, said "It would be wonderful to be a part of something that's been a part of my life for 50 years."

Find out more about Mal and get the recipe for her Corrie Cobbler at ITV's This Morning website.