Controversial Storyline for Corries 50th - Contains Spoilers

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".

So Ashley has met the grim reaper along with Charlotte and Molly tomorrow. But who will be the 4th death. Janice maybe.

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Originally Posted by Chloe O'brien

So Ashley has met the grim reaper along with Charlotte and Molly tomorrow. But who will be the 4th death. Janice maybe.

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Maybe Miss Mouthpiece Kym Whatshername

Lives hang in the balance and long-running storylines come to a head on Coronation Street tonight as the soap officially reaches its 50th anniversary.

Last night, events on the cobbles took a tragic turn as Ashley Peacock was killed by falling debris as The Joinery crumbled.

In an hour-long episode airing this evening, the future of several other characters remains uncertain as the fight for life continues at the hospital, where Peter Barlow, Sunita Alahan and Fiz Stape are all receiving urgent medical attention.

Back on the street, Rita continues to lie trapped beneath the wreckage at The Kabin - and her close friends remain oblivious because they still think she has headed out for the evening.

Meanwhile, Molly carries on waiting to be rescued in the destroyed Corner Shop. The emergency crews reach her and set to work - but whether they will get her to safety in time remains to be seen.

Promotional shots released showing Molly's storyline appear below:

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COPS are throwing a ring of steel around tonight's live episode of Coronation Street over fears it has been targeted by AL-QAEDA.

They were tipped off that the ITV1 soap's historic 50th anniversary broadcast from Manchester could be hit by a terror strike.

Corrie stars will undergo full body searches with cast and crew passing through airport-style scanners before being frisked in security checks at the show's studios.

Anti-terror police acting on intelligence are sending extra officers to guard the nation's favourite soap - which has already hired an army of private security staff.


A source on the show - whose millions of fans are on tenterhooks after Weatherfield was hit by an explosion and tram disaster - said last night: "It's a nightmare scenario.

"For Corrie bosses there is the possibility of this tragic episode turning into a real-life tragedy."

Greater Manchester Police confirmed they were taking the intelligence seriously. A spokesman said grimly: "This is a public, high-profile event. The risk is consistent with the UK terror threat, which is currently severe.

"ITV have taken on a private security firm and our officers will assist them."

The show source said: "More than 15 million are expected to watch the show and the fact it's going out live makes it an obvious target for maximum impact.

"Al-Qaeda are desperate to pull off a 'spectacular' in Britain. The police clearly are acting on fears that a strike on the Corrie studios is a very real possibility."

The biggest TV audience of the year is poised to tune into the soap tonight as a string of characters are revealed to have died in the fictional disaster that brought mayhem to the famous cobbles.

The source confirmed: "Everybody involved in the show - from cast to runners - will have to pass through a load of rigorous security checks. They'll be individually body-searched and will have to pass through airport-style metal detectors."

Among stars in tonight's episode are veterans Bill Roache, 78, who plays Ken, and Barbara Knox, 77 - alias Rita.

Disaster scenes - also starring Jane Danson, 32, and Michael Le Vell, 45 (Leanne and Kevin) - have been seen this week.


The source said: "The bosses have spent tens of thousands on security for the safety of everyone on the show. Cast members have been told the live broadcast is a potential terror target.

"But they've all vowed, 'The show must go on'.

"Everyone is on edge anyway because it's so rare to film Corrie live. This has only heightened the air of tension around Weatherfield."

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...on-Street.html


:eek:

TRAM crash victim Ashley Peacock returns from the dead to feature in tonight's live Corrie episode.

Viewers saw Ashley, played by Steven Arnold, die a hero last night after holding up a collapsing wall.

He held on long enough for Nick Tilsley (Ben Price) and Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) to crawl out of the wrecked remains of the Joinery Bar.

But tonight wife Claire's phone will ring in the Rovers and Ashley's voice will be heard with a message from beyond the grave.

She will turn the phone volume up and the pub will fall silent as Ashley is heard saying: "Hi Claire, it's me. They're digging us out now...

"But I just wanted to tell you that I love you and I can't wait for us all to move to France together. Ta-ra love and I'll see you soon."

STEVEN is starring in panto in Jack and the Beanstalk at Ports-mouth's Kings Theatre.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...-the-dead.html

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Originally Posted by alan45

Maybe Miss Mouthpiece Kym Whatshername

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A bit of wishful thinking there, alan?

Celebrity chef Gino D'Acampo has claimed that he knows the secrets of Coronation Street's 50th anniversary week.

Fans of the soap have been left guessing about the future of their favourite characters since a tram crashed onto the cobbles in Monday night's double bill, causing chaos and carnage.

However, speaking to the Manchester Evening News, D'Acampo declared that he found out the identities of the casualties back in October.

The former I'm A Celebrity… winner explained: "I know who dies, but I'm not telling. I was one of the first to even see the tram crash set six weeks ago now.

"I had been filming Countdown over at Granada, and some of my friends took me on a tour of the Corrie set - the tram had just been put into place."

One Corrie favourite perished in last night's episode, and three more deaths are expected to be confirmed over the rest of the week.

The ITV1 soap airs an hour-long live edition tonight at 8pm.

Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell has admitted that he hopes Kevin and Sally Webster can stay together - should she discover his recent affair.

Sally (Sally Dynevor) remains in the dark about her husband's exploits with Molly and that he is the father of her son Jack. However, as the the 50th anniversary is celebrated with a live episode tonight, Le Vell told Digital Spy that "a lot of the storylines are coming to a head", in what he promised will be a "tremendous" hour of TV.

Despite their previous marital troubles, the Websters have remained a strong family unit - something the actor does not want to change.

"Yeah, I am hoping that they see things through and stick together," he said. "Hopefully, if the truth ever did come out, Tyrone would also understand and still be Kevin's mate. But who knows what will happen?"

He praised co-stars Helen Flanagan and Brooke Vincent who play his on-screen daughters Rosie and Sophie.

He added: "And also Sacha Parkinson, who's one of the Webster family now. I think that all three of them are tremendous - they're great young girls and great young actresses."

There is no way that Tyrone would understand Kevin sleeping with his wife! How could they remain friends after that?! That would just be ridiculous.
I hope Tyrone really gives it to him. Cos Kevin deserves all he gets.
Kevin has been having an affair with Molly lying to Tyrone's face. Trying to help him through his problems. When all the time he is the one that has been the problem. Not to mention the fact that he's Jack's father.
No they'll have to give it 6 months at least till they can even begin to talk to each other again. Coronation Street is not Eastenders lol. Eastenders is my soap, but the stuff with Max/Bradley/Stacey, and how quickly everyone got over it was just unrealistic.

but in soapland, feuds are very quickly forgotten and former enemies become friends in next to no time

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Originally Posted by Perdita

but in soapland, feuds are very quickly forgotten and former enemies become friends in next to no time

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Yeah, it just happened in Neighbours too, with Libby forgiving Steph for her betrayal.

Bookmakers are hoping for a Bobby Ewing moment as they continue to take bets on whether Coronation Street stalwart Ashley Peacock is actually dead, despite millions of viewers seeing him apparently crushed in the rubble of The Joinery.

William Hill is still offering odds of 1 to 100 on the butcher, played by Steven Arnold, dying during the show's 50th anniversary.

Long-serving Ashley appeared to meet his end beneath a falling beam after heroically passing Peter Barlow, played by Chris Gascoyne, to rescuers during Wednesday's episode.

A spokesman for the firm said: "It is not impossible that this is Coronation Street's Bobby Ewing moment and that it will shortly be revealed the whole thing has been dreamed by Ken Barlow, who will wake up in a future edition to reveal it was all a dream.

"The only person losing out is us and should anybody wish to take up the wager they can invest their cool £100 for a £1 profit."

The firm is offering odds of 50 to 1 that Ken will wake up and realise the tram crash which rocked the street is actually just a dream.

The character of Bobby Ewing, played by Patrick Duffy in the hit American soap Dallas, passed into TV legend when he was killed off at the end of one series only to be written back into the show in a famous scene where his on-screen wife, played by Victoria Principal, woke up to find him in the shower and realised his death had all been a dream.

Coronation Street stars have been banned from changing their hairstyle in the run-up to the soap's live episode. The milestone event focuses on the aftermath of the tram crash disaster, and picks up where the cast left off filming two months ago.

Graeme Hawley, who plays hapless John Stape, told the Mirror: "We've not been allowed to cut our hair, lose weight or put on weight.

"The morning of the live episode they are going to get pictures of how we looked when the tram crashed in order to get our hair exactly the same."

Sixty-five members of the cast will be involved in the hour-long transmission, which comes 10 years after the soap's last live broadcast.

Graeme, whose character was seen clobbering barmy Charlotte Hoyle (Becky Hindley) with a hammer on Monday, has one of the busiest roles in the episode, and has to whizz between sets.

He said: "I've got to sprint so fast from scene to scene that I've been asked to beef up my shoes with special grips because I'm worried about slipping over.

"In one scene I'm in the alley and then exactly one minute and 40 seconds later I'm due inside the Stapes' house. They are filmed on two completely different sets."

He added: "The worst thing is that on screen it only looks like I've done a six-foot walk so I'm not supposed to be out of breath - I've no idea how I'm going to cover that up."

ha, thats sounds like something worth watching.

Coronation Street's producer Phil Collinson has spoken out in praise of tonight's live episode, hailing the special broadcast as "brilliant".

Earlier tonight, the soap's cast and crew performed live to the nation to mark the programme's 50th anniversary as the aftermath of Weatherfield's tram crash disaster continued to unfold on screen.

Events featured in the live transmission included the death of Molly Dobbs and the birth of Fiz Stape's daughter Hope.

Fans also saw Peter Barlow marry Leanne Battersby while seriously ill in hospital, before he flatlined in a dramatic cliffhanger.

In a statement, Collinson commented: "I'm so proud and gobsmacked at how brilliant it looked - it was like seeing it for the first time. I'm stunned and amazed."

The highlight of Coronation Street's 50th anniversary celebrations takes place tonight as the ITV1 soap broadcasts an hour-long live episode. Show bosses have promised to deliver some spectacular and explosive scenes in the special transmission, and with several long-running stories coming to a head, fans will also be hoping for some twists and surprises tonight.

Who will survive the tram crash disaster? Who will die? Will anyone fluff a line? And what other shocks could be in store? Join Digital Spy here from 8pm as we provide live coverage and eagerly await the answers to these questions and more. And don't forget to add your thoughts using the form below!

8.00pm: The ITV1 announcer promises "distress and horror" and the live episode is upon us! With no opening titles, we see snapshots of the key characters and that nice CGI shot of wider Weatherfield again. The emergency services try to get everyone away from The Joinery on the street, but David rushes over to the wreckage as Nick stumbles out.

8.01pm: Peter has arrived at the hospital. We see Charlotte's body at the Stape house, and the chaos continues on the cobbles.

8.02pm: A distressed Claire is comforted by Audrey as she demands to know what's going on. At The Rovers, Becky confronts Kylie about her shock reappearance. Kylie then announces that she took Max to see if Becky would miss him! Becky and Steve rage at Kylie.

8.03pm: Sally demands to go in to see Molly and comfort her, but the Webster girls and Sian are horrified. The emergency services finally agree to let her in - under strict conditions.

8.05pm: Tyrone and Kevin hear that the baby needs a blood transfusion. Also at the hospital, Fiz frets that she could be having a miscarriage as Owen, Katy and Chesney arrive. Katy and Chesney agree to stay - and John is relieved to hear that Chesney hasn't been home. Suddenly, Fiz's labour pains get worse…

8.06pm: Audrey tells Claire everything at Roy's Rolls. Claire screams in anguish at the news, branding Ashley an idiot for his heroic actions. Dr Carter tries to calm her down, but it's clear that there's no comforting Claire…

8.07pm: At the pub, a brazen Kylie starts to demand more money. She wants another £5,000 - admitting that she's "invested" the money she received in the first place.

8.08pm: Becky tries to reason with Kylie, but an angry Steve orders her out. At the café, Roy and Hayley try to comfort Claire.

8.09pm: Mary arrives at the café and grips Norris in a tight hug! She explains that she heard about the crash on the radio and rushed over.

8.10pm: At the pub, Sean asks Maria for news about Jack. Kirk and Maria share a hug, and Lloyd and Cheryl also discuss recent events.

8.11pm: Anna bursts into the pub, fretting that she can't find Gary. Eddie agrees to help her find him. As Jason enters the pub, everyone applauds in recognition of his heroism.

8.12pm: We see Gary having more flashbacks to his horrifying time in Afghanistan. Carla and Leanne are at the hospital and hear from the doctor that Peter needs an urgent operation as he has internal bleeding. It transpires that his condition is very serious, and if Carla and Leanne have anything they need to say to him, now is the time to do so. We then go to the first advert break…

8.17pm: Back from the adverts. Everything seems to have gone well so far! Sally is now with Molly and the emergency crews encourage Sal to talk to her friend as this will help. At the hospital, the doctor explains that there may not be enough blood for the baby.

8.18pm: Tyrone admits that he's not the biological father and cannot donate any blood, leaving Kevin facing a massive dilemma. At the pub, Kylie goes to storm out, vowing that she'll find Becky when she needs her. Back at the hospital, Dev is by Sunita's bedside as she panics, waking up from a nightmare.

8.19pm: Dev assures Sunita that the destroyed shop doesn't matter - he has everything he needs in her and the kids. He cries as he realises how he could have lost Sunita, but she's keen to look to the future, saying they need to make a fresh start now.

8.20pm: At the café, Graeme is comforted by Tina as he mourns the loss of Ashley. Meanwhile, Nick has been given a clean bill of health at the hospital - but he can't believe what's happened to Ashley.

8.21pm: Nick tells David that he wants to see Leanne, but David warns him to stay away. In Fiz's hospital room, she's panicking as her pains are getting worse - but the nurses refuse to give her any pain relief as it's now too late for that.

8.22pm: Carla and Leanne see Peter at his bedside. Carla gets particularly close and it's clear that she's heartbroken. Peter becomes breathless and warning bells go off from the machinery around him. The doctor arrives and tries to resolve the situation.

8.23pm: A distressed Leanne vows to get Peter down the aisle. Peter suggests that they have the wedding now…


8.24pm: Fiz gives birth to a baby girl, but the new arrival has to be examined by the nurses and they take pictures of the baby. Fiz is shocked to realise that the baby isn't crying - and she hears that the newborn child has to be taken to ICU.

8.25pm: The rescue teams are still working to free Molly. Sally keeps her chatting, telling her that her baby needs her and she should hang on.

8.26pm: Sally suggests that Molly could make things up with Tyrone once she's free. The attempts to free Molly continue.

8.27pm: Kevin tries to get rid of Tyrone, telling him that Molly needs him. Tyrone reluctantly agrees to leave the hospital while Kevin stays.


8.28pm: In Peter's hospital room, Leanne is distressed to realise that Peter is giving up. The doctors agree that a wedding could take place at the hospital - and Ken agrees that it's a good idea if it's what Peter wants, but Carla is clearly unhappy.

8.29pm: At The Rovers, Becky frantically tries to convince Steve to go along with Kylie's demands, but Steve firmly says that they have no more money. As they move to the main part of the pub, Sean tells Steve about Ashley's death and how they're looking after Freddie and Josh for now. Izzy shares the news of Fiz's baby and everyone in the pub makes a toast.

8.30pm: Fiz and John go to visit the baby, but Fiz is very distressed that she can't give her little girl a cuddle. Fiz decides that her baby should be called Hope.

8.31pm: John suggests bringing Ches and Katy in, but he's disturbed to hear that they're heading back to the Stape house. Again, we see Charlotte's body lying there. How will John get out of this one? We're left to ponder that as another ad break begins…

8.35pm: Nick has come to see Leanne and she says that she needs to talk to him.

8.36pm: A grief-stricken Claire enters the pub and is comforted by her neighbours. Steve explains that the boys are asleep upstairs, and Claire admits that she's dreading the thought of having to wake them up.

8.37pm: At the hospital, Leanne tells Nick that she's about to become Mrs Barlow. She says she's doing it for herself as she loves Peter. Nick coldly suggests that she may not have a future with Peter and seems reluctant to let Leanne go.

8.38pm: Finally, Nick agrees to respect Leanne's wishes, but he's devastated. On the cobbles, Ches and Katy are back in the street, but the police won't let them inside the Stape house. John has also made it back and blags his way past the cordon!

8.39pm: Anna finally finds Gary at the house. At the hospital, Kevin confesses to the doctor that he's Jack's father - but insists on strict confidentiality. The doctor admits this may not be possible…


8.40pm: Sally continues chatting to Molly at the Corner Shop wreckage, but she's in a bad way and is drifting in and out of consciousness.

8.41pm: John enters his home through the back door, grabs the hammer and gets to work on hiding Charlotte's body. At the Windass residence, Gary seems confused about where he is - confusing the situation with his Afghanistan nightmare. He's plagued with guilt over the fact that he wasn't able to help in the disaster.

8.42pm: Janice has arrived at Peter's bedside, and we hear that Deirdre is busy looking after Simon.

8.43pm: Peter and Leanne's bedside wedding begins, but it's clear that Peter is in a bad way. Unable to cope, Carla leaves the room. At the café, Norris is still struggling to get in touch with Rita, but he doesn't suspect that anything's wrong.

8.44pm: In the wreckage of the Corner Shop, Becky pockets the cash that's lying round and goes through the safe. Meanwhile, John drags out Charlotte's body as we go into the final advert break…


8.50pm: Molly tells Sally that she's dying. She says: "He chose you because you are beautiful inside as well as out". Sally is baffled.

8.51pm: At the pub, Graeme tells Tina that he's planning to identify Ashley's body. As Claire's phone buzzes, she hears Ashley's emotional voicemail and it's a poignant moment for everyone as she puts it on speakerphone.

8.52pm: A police officer finds John with Charlotte near The Joinery and he claims that he found her among the wreckage. Has he got away with murder?

8.53pm: Molly tells Sally that she regrets everything apart from Jack, but Sal still doesn't realise what she means. Sally wants to get Tyrone, but an emotional Molly says that she doesn't want to die alone. She tells Sally not to be nice to her as she can't cope with it. She says: "We loved each other for a while - he chose you, you and your girls, not me and my boy."

8.54pm: Molly adds: "I didn't want to hurt you, I don't know. Jack's not going to have his mummy - he's going to need his daddy." As Sally says that nobody knows who Jack's dad is, Molly finally reveals the heartbreaking truth: "It's Kevin - I'm sorry."

8.55pm: Sally is absolutely devastated as Molly begs her not to hate her. Molly begs Sally not to leave her, but her hand goes limp…


8.56pm: Unable to speak properly, Peter struggles with his vows but finally finishes.

8.57pm: John hears the shocking news that Charlotte has a weak pulse and is still alive! In Peter's room, he and Leanne are officially proclaimed husband and wife and they share a kiss…

8.58pm: Suddenly, Peter's heart stops beating and Leanne screams in distress. The doctors try to help him… Back on the cobbles, Sally sobs as she approaches Tyrone. Emotional, Tyrone realises that Molly is dead as the end credits roll…

8.59pm: So that's it! After months of planning it's all over! From what I could tell, it all seemed to run impressively smoothly and was excellently done all round! Well done Corrie and here's to another 50 years!

CORONATION Street legend Jean Alexander, who played the iconic Hilda Ogden, blasted the show ahead of its 50th anniversary live show saying it's lost its identity.
Jean warned bosses the soap was missing depth because it was chock-full of lazy jobless layabouts, rather than the hardworking characters from her day.

The actress, who starred as Weatherfield cleaning lady Hilda for 23 years, said Corrie's young characters were too concerned with their clothes and make-up.

The 84-year-old, whose character stole the nation's hearts with her trademark rollers and headscarf, added she would never want to return to the cobbles because it concentrated too much on glamour and shock tactics rather than old fashioned drama.

Jean, whose last appearance on the soap on Christmas Day in 1987 earned it 27 million viewers, said the soap is "not the same as it used to be".

She added: "It hasn't got the character that it used to have. It's lost its identity somehow for me.

"You look at all the people in it - the young people in it particularly - and hardly any of them have got a job and those who have are only being paid in buttons.

"And yet you never see them in the same clothes twice running. They've got all the latest fashions, the make-up, the hairdos, all this.

"Poor Hilda could only get a pinny off the market every once in a while. It shouldn't be like that - it's too glossy now."

Jean left the soap after her character won a job as a Derbyshire doctor's housekeeper, but vowed she would never return even though writers had begged for her to come back.

She said: "It's a mistake. Hilda would be a different person now. She's now achieved her ambition of having some status.

"She wouldn't be the old scrubber Hilda now - oh no. The public would be disappointed - they'd expect to see Hilda the same as she was before.

"It's quit while you're ahead, me. And I did."

Very well done to all cast and crew for a brilliant live episode :bow: :thumbsup:

You didn't see anything whooooo!! Magic!!

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Originally Posted by Siobhan

You didn't see anything whooooo!! Magic!!

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Could you ''magic'' me tonights Euromillions numbers

Sally Dynevor has admitted that preparing for Coronation Street's live episode was a "daunting" experience.

The actress's character Sally Webster played one of the most significant roles in last night's special 50th anniversary broadcast, as she finally heard the truth about Molly Dobbs's affair with her husband Kevin.

In a tragic twist, Molly dramatically came clean to Sally before dying from the injuries she sustained in the street's tram crash tragedy.

Speaking during a webchat on Corrie's official site last night, Dynevor commented: "We've been rehearsing for two weeks. We never normally get that long. I was very nervous because I had so much dialogue.

"I sat in the dressing room on my own and tried to stay calm before the show. I've done theatre before Corrie, but this was much more daunting. The hardest part was the scene where I had the long speech with Molly."

She added: "The atmosphere was electric backstage. It was amazing. Thank you for supporting Corrie and keep watching - the next few weeks will be amazing."

Coronation Street's live anniversary edition averaged over 14m and peaked at nearly 15m last night.

The hour-long broadcast, which saw a dying Molly tell Sally about her affair with Kevin, pulled in 14.03m (52%), while the audience peaked at 14.87m (52.8%) between 8.50pm and 8.55pm.

Despite the colossal figure, which is the show's best since 2003, it was unable to top EastEnders Live in February, which logged 14.9m and peaked at 16.6m.

Only 6.16m (25.3%) chose yesterday's Pat-centred instalment on BBC One, however, as the Albert Square serial fell foul to an hour of Emmerdale, which mustered 8.13m (34.7%) from 7pm.

This in turn boosted BBC Three's EastEnders repeat, which won the day's highest multichannel broadcast, grabbing a hefty 1.6m (7.1%) at 10pm.

Coronation Street: 50 Years, 50 Moments concluded with 6.8m (27.2%) in the 9pm hour, before a repeat of Coronation Street Live airing at 10.35pm on ITV1 picked up 1.89m (13.4%).

Coronation Street star Vicky Binns has revealed that she was thrilled with her dramatic exit from the soap.

The actress performed her final scenes as Molly Dobbs in an hour-long live episode last night as the shop worker died from the injuries she sustained in the tram crash disaster.

Shortly before passing away, Molly was at the centre of a final dramatic twist as she came clean over her affair with Kevin Webster as she spent her dying moments with his wife Sally.

Speaking during a webchat on Corrie's official site last night, Binns commented: "Now it's finished I'm feeling overwhelmed. Very elated. It was difficult to play the dying scenes. Definitely a challenge as it's something I've never done before. I was honoured to do it."

She added: "I will miss everyone but what a way to leave!"

Binns said that she would miss working with screen husband Alan Halsall (Tyrone Dobbs) the most and named their wedding storyline as a "brilliant memory".

In a final message to fans, she said: "Thanks everyone for watching and your support."

Molly was the second casualty of Corrie's 50th anniversary week, following the death of Ashley Peacock (Steven Arnold) in Wednesday night's episode.

Coronation Street star Ben Price has admitted that he felt genuinely emotional as he performed his scenes in last night's live episode.

In yesterday evening's special 50th anniversary broadcast, the actor's character Nick Tilsley emerged from the wreckage of The Joinery following the tragic death of Ashley Peacock (Steven Arnold) in the destroyed building.

Subsequent scenes saw Nick go for a check-up at the hospital, where he soon faced fresh heartbreak with the discovery that his secret lover Leanne Battersby planned to marry seriously-ill Peter Barlow at his bedside.

Speaking of the live transmission, Price commented: "I remember thinking as it was about to start, 'Oh s**t this is landmark television!'

"Once it started I was so immersed in it, it was like really being there. The [tram] crash was so real and I really felt the loss of Steven Arnold when we talked about the fact that Ashley had died."

Last night's live episode also saw Molly Dobbs pass away, while Peter's future is currently uncertain after he flatlined in a dramatic cliffhanger.

A double bill of Coronation Street airs at 7.30pm and 8.30pm tonight, when the fates of more characters are expected to become clear.

Former Coronation Street star Brian Capron has praised the soap's cast and crew for last night's live episode.

The ITV1 show yesterday marked its 50th anniversary with a live transmission which featured a birth, a death and a marriage in the aftermath of the street's tram crash tragedy.

Capron - who played Weatherfield villain Richard Hillman - told This Morning today: "I thought it was absolutely superb - so much incident, plot twists and superb production values. The planning that must have gone into it was terrific."

Asked whether live episodes of soaps are merely publicity stunts, the actor replied: "I think that's what people say, but my angle on it is that - amazingly enough - when you do a normal recording, the best take is nearly always the first take. Often you have to go again because of something technical, but when you do the second take, you sometimes just don't have that freshness and energy.

"I thought they were obviously all up for it last night - they had that extra edge. Also, in a way, it's rather nice to do your first performance and know it's going to go straight out."

Coronation Street's 50th anniversary week concluded tonight with a fresh rescue attempt, a heated showdown between Kevin and Sally and the end of the road for bunny boiler Charlotte Hoyle.

As the aftermath of the soap's tram crash disaster continued, hapless John Stape crept into Charlotte's hospital room and prepared to get rid of her for good by unplugging the machine that was keeping her alive.

However, just before John could commit another sinister act, he was interrupted by the arrival of Charlotte's parents at her bedside. To his relief, though, the doctors later reported that the twisted schoolteacher had permanent brain damage and - still posing as Colin - John agreed that they should switch off her life support machine.

Meanwhile, Peter Barlow survived life-saving surgery at the hospital - but the doctors warned that his battle was far from over, meaning that his future still remains uncertain.

Back on the cobbles, Rita's plight was finally discovered after Nick Tilsley revealed that her plans for the evening had been cancelled, meaning that she was in The Kabin when the tram hit.

Subsequent scenes saw Rita rescued from the shop and taken to hospital. After hearing about the nature of the disaster, the show favourite delivered a memorable line as she quipped: "What is it with me and trams?"

Elsewhere, the Websters' marriage dramatically hit the rocks as Sally told Kevin that she knew the truth about the paternity of baby Jack. As Sally made it clear that her husband was no longer welcome at the house, it appeared that their relationship could be over for good.

With the soap's anniversary week having now claimed three casualties, speculation over the rest of the characters continues as the birthday storylines were promoted with the tagline "Four Funerals and a Wedding"

BAR owner Nick Tilsley will be at the centre of a probe into the gas blast which caused the Corrie tram crash disaster.
Shocked residents will begin to point the finger of blame.

And their list will include Nick and builder Owen Armstrong, who led the team renovating The Joinery - under the tram viaduct arches.

Nick is tormented by the explosion, and may flee the Street as a result. Actor Ben Price, 38, who plays him, said: "He does feel very responsible.

"There are all types of blame as to why there was an explosion and why people died. But it's his bar."

Ashley Peacock and Molly Dobbs both perished - and Peter Barlow was left with his life hanging by a thread.

Viewers saw Nick escape from the wreckage of The Joinery in Thursday's live episode.

A fire officer arrives on Monday to investigate the gas problem in the kitchen of the bar - and ask why it wasn't reported.

Ben said: "That's worse for Nick than being trapped.

"The aftermath really takes its toll on him." He said seeing young dad Ashley crushed to death will have a huge effect on Nick.

He added: "The tram crash changes Nick's life and perspective. Viewers will see a different side to him."

Hot ratings

THE biggest Corrie audience for nearly seven years watched Thursday's hour-long live episode, it was confirmed yesterday.

The show, which produced a near-seamless performance by the 65-strong cast, was watched by 14.9million - more than half of the night's TV audience.

The Apprentice: The Final Five, which was broadcast at the same time, drew just 2.5million.


Peter Fincham, ITV's director of television, said: "I'm delighted. It is testament to the fantastic work of a hugely talented team."


It was the biggest Street audience since February 2004, when 16.3million saw Tracy Barlow gatecrash the wedding of Steve and Karen McDonald to reveal that Steve was baby Amy's dad.


Corrie's last live transmission, on its 40th anniversary in 2000, pulled in 15.6million viewers.

EastEnders' live broadcast last February, to mark its quarter-century, attracted 16.6million.

The Sun

The Queen has sent a congratulatory message to the cast of Coronation Street for their 50th anniversary.

According to the Daily Star Sunday, a letter from Her Majesty was read out by executive producer Kieran Roberts at Manchester's Hilton Hotel where the birthday celebrations took place on Friday.

Video messages were also played from Snoop Dogg, Prime Minister David Cameron, Steven Gerrard, Julie Walters and Ant and Dec, while Bill Roache (Ken Barlow) received a special letter from Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who is apparently a huge fan of the show.

A source said: "There was a lot of back-patting going on, congratulating each other. It was a good do, though, and ITV spared no expense in making it a night to remember. The party went on until nearly two o'clock and by that time there were some pretty good shapes being thrown on the dance floor.

"The bar bill must have been pretty hefty as no-one was holding back on the champagne. They tried to behave despite all the booze because no-one wanted to bring shame on the soap on such a special night. They are carefully watched these days and no-one wants to attract any bad headlines."

Street stars from past and present attended the party, including Johnny Briggs (Mike Baldwin), Liz Dawn (Vera Duckworth) and Tracy Shaw (Maxine Peacock).

Graeme Hawley has praised his former Coronation Street co-star Becky Hindley, confirming that she was "brilliant" to work with on the soap.

Last week, fans saw Hindley make her final appearance as crazy Charlotte Hoyle as the bunny boiler became one of three characters who lost their lives in the show's 50th anniversary week.

Hawley's character John Stape furiously attacked Charlotte with a hammer in a double bill which aired last Monday. He later encouraged her parents to turn off her life support machine after doctors confirmed that she was unlikely to wake up from a coma.

Speaking about Hindley in an interview with PA, Hawley commented: "She has been absolutely fantastic to work with. It's been brilliant. We never knew this storyline would go that way when she first came in to do a couple of episodes with Colin [Fishwick].

"She has made so much out of that part. The whole storyline has been fantastic and one of my most enjoyable times here."

Charlotte had been a thorn in John's side for several months after they both covered up Colin's death, which occurred during a heated bust-up at the Stape household.

Hawley's screen wife Jennie McAlpine (Fiz) and Corrie producer Phil Collinson have also praised Hindley in recent days.

The live episode was amazing! :clap:

Best performance for me was Molly's. :thumbsup:

Coronation Street fans have now seen the last of the soap's 50th anniversary deaths, Digital Spy can confirm.

Last week, viewers saw Ashley Peacock (Steven Arnold), Molly Dobbs (Vicky Binns) and Charlotte Hoyle (Becky Hindley) all perish as the soap marked its milestone with seven special episodes which saw disaster hit the cobbles.

However, as the celebrations concluded on Friday night, some fans were left wondering whether there was more tragedy to come as trailers for the 50th anniversary had contained the tagline "Four Funerals and a Wedding".

DS can now confirm that the mystery fourth death was the taxi driver and father-of-three mentioned by firefighters in Thursday night's live episode. He had been close to The Joinery when the bar exploded.

Corrie bosses had created the "Four Funerals" tagline as a red herring in a bid to increase the speculation and secrecy surrounding the high-profile week of episodes.

Show producer Phil Collinson today confirmed to DS: "It was vital that we created as much anticipation and intrigue as possible for anniversary week. The 'Four Funerals' tag was too good to resist and encouraged the speculation about who would and who would not survive this terrible week in Weatherfield.

"In this case, speculation became a big part of the viewers' identification with the drama and therefore enhanced their enjoyment of it."

Ashley's passing was confirmed last Wednesday as he died a hero while trying to save Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) in the crumbling Joinery. Molly died in the next evening's episode due to the injuries she sustained in the tram crash.

Meanwhile, Charlotte's demise began when John Stape furiously attacked her with a hammer just before the tram hit. After making her terrible fate look like part of the carnage on the cobbles, John later advised Charlotte's parents to turn off her life support machine once doctors explained that she would not wake from her coma.

Im very angry about thi whole taxi driver business