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Coronation Street star Natalie Gumede has thanked fans for her National Television Awards nomination in an interview with Digital Spy.
The actress, who plays unstable Kirsty Soames, has made the shortlist for the 'Most Popular Newcomer' prize ahead of the ceremony on January 23.
Gumede featured on the category's longlist when it was announced back in September, but public voting has now put her in the top four alongside EastEnders' David Witts (Joey Branning), Emmerdale's Liam Fox (Dan Spencer) and Hollyoaks' Joseph Thompson (Doctor Browning).
Speaking to Digital Spy about the nod, Gumede commented: "It's lovely and a real honour. It's wonderful that people have voted from the longlist to help me get to the shortlist stage. I'm really lucky that we've had that support, and I'm very grateful for it."
Kirsty has been one of Coronation Street's most prominent characters in recent months, taking centre stage in a dark domestic violence storyline with fiancé Tyrone Dobbs.
Tyrone is currently plotting to escape Kirsty's vicious attacks but cannot do so until he ties the knot with her, which would give him parental rights over their baby daughter Ruby.
She continued: "What's been so wonderful about this storyline is the public support. It's been really overwhelming because I play the villain, so that support was not something I ever expected.
"If that support continued and I won at the NTAs, then that'd be lovely. But I feel very lucky and very happy to have got to the shortlist stage."
Alan Halsall (Tyrone) and Michelle Keegan (Tina McIntyre) have also secured nominations for Coronation Street as they are both in the running for the 'Serial Drama Performance' gong.
Gumede said: "I'll be happy if either of them win. Obviously I think they're both hugely talented.
"I've worked closely with Alan and I think it'd be wonderful if he won after his high level of performance, the consistency and the work that he's put in over the years on the show. It'd be really magical.
"But I think Michelle or Alan winning is a win-win for Corrie - all of us would be delighted."
Meanwhile, on the hotly-contested battle for the 'Most Popular Serial Drama' prize, she added: "Corrie's been really strong in the past 12 months, so I think we deserve it as much as anybody else - but that's obviously up to the viewing public!"
The National Television Awards 2013 airs live on ITV1 from 8pm on January 23.
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Coronation Street star Jennie McAlpine has told Digital Spy that the show's characters will turn against Tyrone Dobbs when he is falsely accused of domestic violence.
Tyrone (Alan Halsall) has a horrendous ordeal ahead in the coming weeks as vengeful Kirsty Soames reports him to the police, maliciously alleging that he is an abusive partner.
Kirsty's accusation will cause a stir on the street, but it seems that most of the local residents will be firmly on her side.
McAlpine, who plays Tyrone's lover Fiz Stape, told Digital Spy: "Fiz is obviously disgusted with Kirsty, but it doesn't surprise her. After being initially upset, she quite quickly wants to prove that Kirsty is the bad guy, but there's no-one believing Fiz on the street.
"I've had this before, you see - no-one believed me. I hope [that changes] and I'll say, 'Remember this happened last time, you all hated me and I didn't do anything wrong? Well this is the same, so next time anything like this happens, just assume that I haven't done anything wrong, because that's probably going to be the case!'"
She continued: "There's only a very close-knit team that believe Tyrone. It's only the people who know for sure, which is Tommy, Tina, Fiz, and possibly Kevin, but possibly not. So really there's just us three against the whole street, which includes Sally Webster!"
McAlpine added that she will miss working with co-star Natalie Gumede, who plays Kirsty, if her unstable character eventually gets her comeuppance.
She said: "Nat's been brilliant. She's brilliant at all the stuff that she does - I think she's fab. I don't know what will happen. She probably will have to get her comeuppance, but we'll see - that could happen in different ways."
Coronation Street airs Tyrone and Kirsty's dramatic wedding episodes next Monday (January 21) at 7.30pm and 8.30pm on ITV.
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of course sally leading the charge
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Coronation Street domestic violence victim Tyrone Dobbs won't suffer "much more" of Kirsty's abuse, it has been hinted.
Natalie Gumede, who plays the violent Kirsty Soames, was speaking to itv.com following the latest twist in the soap's flagship winter storyline.
Last night, Tyrone's carefully-planned sham wedding came crashing down, with Kirsty promising her fiancé that she isn't "finished" with him yet.
However, Gumede said: "Tyrone's had enough and so I don't think he'll have to suffer too much more."
Of filming the special double bill, which earned the show an audience of over 10 million, she said: "The episodes were fantastic to film and I was so proud to be a part of them.
"It was so nerve-wracking exposing Fiz and Tyrone's relationship in front of everybody, especially as so much of the storyline has been behind closed doors."
Gumede's co-star Alan Halsall, who last week told Digital Spy that the wedding would "shock" fans, added that Kirsty's "bruise-like" purple dress was "quite fitting".
Coronation Street continues all week, with the storyline taking further twists on Wednesday (January 23) and Friday (January 25).
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Meanwhile, although some reports today have suggested that Kirsty Soames will definitely be leaving Coronation Street this year, a spokesperson told Digital Spy this morning that nothing is confirmed yet.
While it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see Kirsty bow out in the next few months after Natalie Gumede's recent comments about her villainous character having a "shelf life", the official word is that Kirsty's ultimate fate has yet to be planned.
In the meantime, the week commencing Monday, February 4 is a big one for Kirsty and Tyrone. When Tyrone's solicitor advises him to plead guilty to the charges he's facing after Kirsty falsely accuses him of domestic violence, the mechanic hatches a desperate plan to flee Weatherfield with Fiz and baby Ruby…
Read more: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s3...#ixzz2Ii86Nfjb
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Coronation Street star Jennie McAlpine has revealed more details of Fiz and Tyrone's upcoming runaway storyline.
The couple try to flee Weatherfield with Tyrone's baby daughter Ruby in early February, fearing it is their only chance of a happy future following Kirsty Soames's twisted schemes.
Tyrone comes up with the idea after Kirsty falsely accuses him of domestic violence, and Fiz ultimately decides to go along with his plans.
McAlpine, who plays Fiz, told TV Times: "She's in love with Tyrone and knows he's the innocent party here. When he says he wants to take Ruby, Fiz tells him, 'I think that's a bad idea but I'll come with you'.
"It's because she can't live without him."
She continued: "Kirsty turns his closest neighbours against him. People he regarded as his friends start saying, 'We thought we knew him but obviously we didn't'. When Sally Webster takes Kirsty's side, it destroys him."
While viewers will have to wait and see how far Fiz and Tyrone get with their attempt to escape Weatherfield, McAlpine tipped the pair to stay strong and united.
She said: "These two are destined to be together. They're the perfect match, or at least they would be if they were both free. Then they would just get married. However, Kirsty is the spanner in the works. As long as she's around, things are never going to go well for them."
Coronation Street continues on Wednesday (January 23) at 7pm on ITV.
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NATALIE GUMEDE has indicated her violent character is set to leave Corrie – hinting she must face the consequences of her actions.
On Monday night, viewers saw raging Kirsty expose Tyrone’s affair with Fiz at the altar before returning to their house and menacingly turning on him.
And Natalie — who admits “a small part” of her wanted Kirsty to redeem herself — says she has now accepted the character’s evil habits will be her downfall.
She told TV Biz: “I’m aware that Kirsty has a shelf life and I’m happy with that. People need to see a consequence and there will be a climax.
“Kirsty has plenty more to say before that climax arrives though and viewers will see a new, darker side to her. But her reign of terror can’t last forever.
“There was a point when I thought she could be redeemed if she went to counselling. But at this stage, it’s too late — there is no way back for her.
“Her redeeming features are disappearing as she grows more desperate. She is completely obsessed with Tyrone (Alan Halsall) and is clinging on to him.
“She doesn’t care if he loves her or hates her as long as she has power over him — and it is much more calculating than when she was abusing him physically.
“She is a messed-up individual who is crossing into villain territory and it’s important for the story that at some stage she faces the consequences.
“I’ve been so lucky to be a part of such a fantastic storyline. The platform Corrie has given me has been wonderful — I’ve loved every second.”
Kirsty has put fiancé Tyrone through hell in recent months, attacking him on a number of
occasions. This week Kirsty even has the front to accuse Tyrone of beating her up after she tumbles down the stairs while trying to attack him.
But Natalie revealed acting out that emotionally-charged scene was easy in comparison to struggling through filming for their explosive wedding wearing a suffocating corset.
Natalie said: “If Kirsty can’t use her fists, she’ll use her brain to manipulate people. Accusing Tyrone of domestic abuse is typical of that.
“But the scene that sees her fall down the stairs was done really quickly. I was far more daunted by filming their disastrous wedding.
“It was such a huge scene for Corrie and on top of that I had to wear a corset. Playing emotion when you are restricted like that is really hard.
“I couldn’t breathe in the same way so working myself up was tough and I struggled to concentrate. I don’t know how the Downton Abbey girls do it.”
Natalie, who joined the soap in September 2011, has won a string of nominations for her portrayal of abusive ex-policewoman Kirsty.
She is up for the Best Newcomer award at the National Television Awards tonight, while Alan Halsall is nominated for Best Serial Drama Performance. He is up against co-star Michelle Keegan, who plays Tina McIntyre.
Natalie said: “I’m so grateful for the nomination. I’ve had a wonderful time and have learnt so much from the people I work with.”
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Hope she wins the Best Newcomer award, she has played the role of Kirsty really well. deserves every success for the future.
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She'll kill herself and blame Fiz or Tyrone
