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Coronation Street has picked up its second gong in two weeks by winning the top soap prize at the 2012 Broadcast Awards. :cheer:
The Weatherfield show was named 'Best Soap/Continuing Drama' at Thursday night's ceremony, which was held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.
Coronation Street triumphed in the category over fellow nominees Casualty, EastEnders, Emmerdale, Holby City and Hollyoaks.
The Broadcast Awards are not determined by a public vote, but instead use a panel of judges to reward excellence in television each year. Emmerdale claimed the top soap title at last year's ceremony.
Other winners on the evening included Downton Abbey and The Inbetweeners.
Coronation Street's victory comes just a week after the show was named 'Most Popular Serial Drama' at the National Television Awards.
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I put it all down to the return of that Dennis chappie
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The current Coronation Street set could be preserved as a historic monument, it has been revealed.
The Granada Studios set, including the Rovers Return and the Kabin, is apparently close to being listed by English Heritage and turned into a tourist *attraction, the Sunday Mirror reports.
Filming of Coronation Street is being relocated to the new MediaCityUK complex at Salford Quays this year after being approved by Trafford Council.
An English Heritage source said: "There's a really good chance it will be granted listed status in April. It's a truly iconic place that millions have grown up with, and a lot of historic TV moments have happened there. It would be perfect sense to turn it into a tourist attraction."
The present outdoor set was built in 1982 and *attracted half a million visitors a year on public tours of Granada Studios until 1999.
A brand new set will be built at MediaCityUK and the old site will be sold for development, but it can't be knocked down if it is granted English Heritage status.
An ITV spokesman said: "We are aware of the listing application."
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Dancing On Ice star Vicky Ogden has revealed that she wants a cameo in Coronation Street.
The professional skater, who joined the show this year, said that celebrity partner Andy Whyment - Kirk Sutherland in the soap - is taking her for a tour of the cobbled streets.
"Andy is taking me on set with him so I can follow him around and meet some of the cast. I'm a Corrie fan but I only ever get to see it from my sofa so it will be amazing to see it from behind the scenes," Ogden told the Daily Star Sunday.
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© ITV
"I'm hoping to get a cameo or get in a shot - that would be great.
She added: "We have a brotherly, sisterly relationship. He's incredibly hard-working and is determined to improve."
Andy Whyment recently admitted that he wants to stay in Coronation Street for as long as possible.
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Coronation Street producer Phil Collinson has revealed that he will be sticking with the soap until at least 2013.
Collinson was appointed as the show's boss in November 2009 and took office a few months later, succeeding Kim Crowther.
The programme's chief has now confirmed that he will remain in his position for the foreseeable future, overseeing Coronation Street's studio move to Salford Quays.
Collinson told the Manchester Evening News: "The show is moving to Salford Quays next year. That's a very big move for us. I'll see that through as producer. So that takes me into the middle of next year.
"I can't see beyond that at the moment. I'm happy to be creatively leading the show and still think I've got more stories to tell."
Discussing his role, he said: "It's a tough job. There are a lot of different responsibilities. But I really enjoy it. I was a fan of Coronation Street before I started working on it, so it really is a privilege."
Coronation Street has enjoyed a recent run of success by picking up the top soap prizes at the National Television Awards and Broadcast Awards. The show has also been delivering strong ratings to ITV1.
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Former Coronation Street actors Graeme Hawley and David Crellin are to star in the same stage play.
Hawley appeared in the ITV1 soap for four years as John Stape, who went on to steal Colin Fishwick's (Crellin) identity, and cover up his death by burying him at Underworld. Stape later died in a car crash after a brief return last year.
The pair will star in Saturday Night and Sunday Night at Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre from next month.
Graeme Hawley revealed that he was glad to appear in a new role after playing a villain for many years.
"It's a good way to go, 'that's done' from Corrie, and now for something completely different," he told the Manchester Evening News. "I'm excited to come and work at the Royal Exchange, it's a unique space.
"Corrie has been the perfect job for me. It's worked out great, there's never been a time when I was kicking my heels in the show, I was either in prison, on the run or dying. From a personal point of view I've been able to go away, do other stuff and return to the role over the months."
He added that he is pleased to have had a definite end for his previous character, saying: "It was also important for me that there was a line drawn under the character this time. If he hadn't been killed there would always be that thing of 'I could go back'."
On reuniting with his former co-star Crellin, Hawley joked: "Our characters don't interact that much in this production, which for David's life is probably a good thing. I might try to accidentally kill him in some shows just to put a twist back in it. But funnily enough it's like we're fated to work together - this is now our seventh job together as actors."
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning also stars This Is England's Perry Fitzpatrick and will run from March 1 to April 7.
Graeme Hawley recently revealed that he would like a part in Hollyoaks to round off a complete set of soap roles.
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In May at the Octagon Theatre in Bolton the world premiere of The Queen of the North will be played on stage - a tender, funny and insightful new play about the life of Coronation Street actress Pat Phoenix, who played Elsie Tanner.
Taking on the role of Pat Phoenix will be Lynda Rooke. Soap fans might recognise Lynda from Hollyoaks, where she played Jill Patrick from 1997-2000.
Lynda last appeared at the Octagon Theatre in the 1988 production of Corrie writer Jim Cartwright’s Road and was nominated for a Manchester Evening News Theatre Award for her performance.
Lynda will be joined onstage by John McArdle who will be taking on the role of Tony Booth, the well-known actor who lived with Pat during the last six years of her life. The couple eventually married in 1986 just days before Pat died. John McArdle has performed several times at the Octagon, most recently in last year’s production The Demolition Man, and is well-known for his TV appearances as Billy Corkhill in Brookside, and roles in Prime Suspect and Mersey Beat.
Lynda Rooke said: “I am so pleased to have the opportunity to take on the role of such a strong and inspiring woman. I’m extremely excited, and honoured, to play such a crucial role and was really impressed with the script as soon as I read it. Ron Rose’s writing is fantastic and I really hope that many people from Bolton and the North West who were fans of Pat Phoenix, or perhaps want to know more about her life, will come and see the production”.
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Bev Callard, who played Liz McDonald in Coronation Street, is set to play the mother in Little Voice at the Futurist Theatre in Scarborough. The play runs from Monday September 10 to Saturday September 15 and I'm waiting for the phone lines to open to book my tickets today.
Little Voice is one of my favourite plays, ever, written by Corrie scriptwriter Jim Cartwright. And Scarborough is one of my favourite places.
Let's just hope Bev does follow through and end up on the stage for this one as she's had some health problems that have meant she had to drop out of panto and out of the play Hormonal Housewives. In both Bev was replaced by ex-Corrie actress Margi Clarke, who played Jackie Dobbs. And that just wouldn't work for Little Voice. Bev is the perfect choice.
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Coronation Street star Malcolm Hebden was taken to hospital after falling ill in his dressing room.
The 72-year-old, who plays busybody Norris Cole, was checked over by studio medical staff before being sent to A&E for tests on Thursday.
He was given the all clear and back at work just a few hours later.
A Street source said: “It was nothing serious but our medical staff thought it was for the best to give him a thorough check over.”
Malcolm first appeared in Coronation Street in 1974, playing Mavis Riley’s Spanish boyfriend, Carlos.
He reappeared as Norris Cole in 1994, but gave up the role in 1997 before returning again in 1999 and eventually becoming owner of the Kabin in 2009.
