Vicky Binns (Molly Dobbs, Corrie)
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Kevin and Molly's clandestine affair in Coronation Street reaches its greatest turning point on Christmas Day as the loved-up pair resolve to reveal all to their respective partners - Sally (Sally Whittaker) and Tyrone (Alan Halsall) - in order to finally be together without having to sneak around behind everyone's backs. Their plan to leave their partners, however, takes a shock turn when Sally makes the earth-shattering revelation to Kevin (Michael Le Vell) that she has breast cancer. Stunned to the core, guilt immediately sets in for Kevin - will he decide to stand by his wife? And even if he does, will he be able to stop Molly (Vicky Binns) in time before she confesses all to Tyrone? We recently caught up with Vicky to hear what she has to say about Weatherfield's festive editions and her take on Molly and Kevin's affair.
What is it that Molly sees in Kevin?
"I think what Molly sees in Kevin is the fact that he's in charge. She's got complete control over Tyrone and this is suddenly hugely exciting that she's not really got control of [Kevin] and he's a gameplayer and he manipulates her in a way. She finds that really intriguing and exciting and it's the chase with her - she can't quite get him and doesn't quite understand him. He's a complex character which is the polar opposite of Tyrone."
Molly can't bear being with Tyrone, but Kevin seems happy with Sally - does Molly struggle to deal with that?
"Yes, massively. In a way, she's more truthful to her feelings than Kevin, what with him being older and less emotionally available. Molly's put her whole heart 100% into her relationship with Tyrone, but Kevin - probably because of experience and being an older heart - he can hold himself back and go back to his family. He has a lot more to lose as well and he's probably not as much of a risk-taker. He's older, he's got all the kids and he can see a future where he and Sally could grow old together and settle down, whereas Molly's embarking on the very start of her life."
Is Molly upset by her revelation that Kevin's got less to lose?
"I think it shocks her to the core because she's so naïve to it and that's the first time she's ever been treated like that by a man. Tyrone puts his whole heart into everything and he's the only person she's ever been in love with and that all went very well, so it absolutely devastates her that he's able to pull away and go off with the family. It provokes these jealousy feelings towards Sally. It's of course not 'just', but it's just the way it happens. She resents Sally and resents this happy marriage and we're seeing this new side to Kevin because it's quite weak of him, really."
Do you think Kevin would be happy without Sally?
"I think Kevin and Sally have got something that's irreplaceable. The time they've been together, everything they've gone through together, they've got children together - I think they're soulmates and kindred spirits."
Are you surprised Molly's attempted to shatter that, then?
"I'm not surprised because I don't think she's actively attempted to shatter that. She's not aware of what it is to be married and be with someone for that time. She's naïve to think she could even come close to that with Kevin. What she's done is wrong and I think that's interesting within that character, because people do do things that aren't right and people do things they shouldn't do and react selfishly to things because they want to survive and they want the best for them. People aren't all good or bad, they do wrong things. That's what's interesting about playing her as well, it's not just playing someone who's completely moral."
What happens on Christmas Day between Kevin and Molly?
"It really is a rollercoaster Christmas Day for Molly and Kevin. The day ends so differently than it started out. Molly is trying to make do - it's Christmas Day and she's got all her family round and she's in the kitchen dealing with everyone and they have no idea she's got this whole other world with Kevin. She's basically just trying to get through Christmas Day. She's threatened Kevin that she's going to leave him and make do with her life. I think in some ways she believes it and she's going to try and make the best of a bad situation. Kevin doesn't like it because of course Molly then has control, so he comes round and they hatch a plan which is outrageous but very true to those characters together - they do feed off each other's excitement - so they decide to go for it and make this outrageous choice. They both just get swept along in the excitement of it all - it's so wrong, it's right."
The plan is to go for it and tell everyone?
"The plan is to leave their respective partners. I don't think either of them know how that's going to happen or how they're going to do that but they certainly come to that decision. The end of the episode is will they or won't they leave their partners - will they or won't they have the guts? Reading the episode it doesn't end where you think it's going to end at all. It's a real surprise!"
Vicky Binns on Kevin, Tyrone and Auntie Pam
Corrie's dramatic Christmas Day episodes see Molvin - Molly (Vicky Binns) and Kevin (Michael Le Vell) - reach the decision to tell their respective other halves about their affair. Kevin's world, however, is rocked by Sally's (Sally Whittaker) revelation that she has breast cancer.
Will Kevin stand by his loving wife? And even if he decides to stick with Sally, will he be able to break the news to Molly before she rips Tyrone's (Alan Halsall) world apart?
Click here to read the main part of my interview with Vicky Binns. Alternatively, read on to see what Vicky had to say about why Molly's with Kevin, whether Molly's unhappy with Tyrone and Auntie Pam's (Kate Anthony) involvement in the plot.
Is it just about the sex with Kevin?
"Initially it was. It was pure chemistry and it was lust between them and all the excitement of an affair. In their minds there was no way it would go any further. They would just embark on these little dalliances which were fun for both of them and then just get on with their lives separately. I think Molly was genuinely naïve to that because she's young and inexperienced, Kevin knows better and knows the magnitude of affairs because he's had them before so I think he was a little bit wiser."
When do you think Molly realised it was more than sex? Was it when they went to the show home?
"I think you're right, actually. Those episodes - it was the danger of them starting to think, 'Let's just imagine for a minute'. They've spent so much time together and ; as is the way with affairs - the time that they spend together is so precious and so exciting and intense, then she's going home to Tyrone and looking at him with different eyes and seeing the reality of him. I think she just realises that her life could go in two paths."
Is Molly unhappy with Tyrone?
"I don't think the affair started because she was unhappy with Tyrone, it started because of lust and it sort of happened to her and she went with it but I think what it's done is flag up the fact that reality has kicked in with Tyrone and now because she's had something more, the big question which she is coming to realise is, 'Will Tyrone be enough for her?'"
What happens when Molly discovers the truth about Kevin's trip away?
"He's sneaking about and he - as Kevin does - gets backed into going on this trip and he's never willing to make any grand gesture by not going, he goes along with what both women want so he decides to go to Paris, but he does it behind Molly's back so ironically he manages to cheat on his mistress with his wife! (Laughs) He's having his cake and eating it at the moment."
Is that the final straw?
"I think when she finds out, she realises that she's lost control so she's desperately trying to get control back. The only control that she has is to finish it, so she plays a little game with him and says it's over just to see if he'll fight for her."
Do you think Auntie Pam should be playing a bigger part and maybe being more inquisitive?
"I think it's interesting that that's the character that knows because she's on the periphery of Molly's life and indeed the storyline. She's a bit of an oracle and I think she's just there as a rock. Molly knows Pam is never going to tell on her and she'll always ultimately be on Molly's side. I think she's protecting Molly as best she can by believing her that the affair's over. She's genuinely shocked that it started up again and genuinely angry that Molly's lied to her all this time. I love that character because she's straight down the line. Her relationship with Molly is really honest, she's probably the only person who doesn't flower things up and they just speak really honestly with each other."
How do you think Molly would cope if she discovered that Tyrone was having an affair?
"I think she would actually fall to the floor with shock that somebody else would want him. I don't even think that she would believe it. It would absolutely pull the rug from under her - it'd be fantastic and hilarious. I've seen that before with people who just can't believe that someone else could fancy their husband - they think it's only them! The fact that she would be so angry with herself that she could be deceived by Tyrone. She thinks she understands him completely and she's got him by the balls."
Vicky Binns (Molly Dobbs, Corrie)
Coronation Street's Molly Dobbs - played by 27-year-old Vicky Binns - breaks her husband Tyrone's heart next week when she drops the bombshell of all bombshells and reveals that she's leaving as she no longer loves him. On the anniversary of Vera's death, Molly gathers her thoughts and sits down with Tyrone, who's not prepared in the slightest for what she has to say. Dumbfounded by her shock decision, Tyrone watches on as she packs her backs and walks out of the house and their marriage. Here, DS catches up with Vicky again to hear how Molly's reached such a drastic decision, how Tyrone reacts and where they both go from here.
Molly reaches the shock decision to leave Tyrone next week, how does she get to that point?
"By desperately trying to get back control and by doing what she thinks is right. She's almost trying to punish herself. It'll break her heart to leave Tyrone but she thinks that's the right thing to do for everyone involved. She realises she's lost respect for Tyrone and therefore doesn't love him like she did and if she doesn't respect him, maybe it's best if she's not there. She feels terribly guilty about everything that's happened and her emotions, but she's just trying to cling to some control over her emotions and do what [in her mind] is the adult thing."
What would you say to those who think that the decision is selfish?
"I think it's fantastic that everyone's got opinions and I'm not trying to justify whether it's right or wrong - that's why we do it really. We put on the storyline and then people make up their own minds about it. I think most people in these situations do what they think is right - they're trying to do what they think is best for everyone. I think she feels that the more selfish option would be to stay with Tyrone because she's loved someone else more. She can't possibly have any respect for him to just stay with him for the sake of it. She feels that ultimately Tyrone would be better with someone who could love him absolutely. People are led by their emotions and it's being responsible for your actions. Suddenly those actions and decisions that they made however many months ago - one night in a hotel, what does that matter? - and you think it's solely about you and them and not anyone else, but of course there are huge consequences to all the decisions that we make and it's all coming back on them."
Does she leave Tyrone because she hopes Kevin will leave Sally in the end?
"I don't think she's as sure - I don't think that's why she leaves Tyrone. She leaves him because of doing the right thing for her and Tyrone's relationship and losing absolute love and respect for Tyrone. In her way that punishes herself. Whether there's hope for her and Kevin is now irrelevant because what's happened in her mind is that she's not in love with Tyrone and therefore it's unfair to stay with him - she's fallen out of love with him so the selfless thing to do is not be with him."
How do things stand with Kevin at this point?
"She has absolutely no idea, all she can do is make her own decisions she doesn't know where Kevin's going to go. I think she hopes that Sally's going to get better and that maybe ultimately her and Kevin will be together. She's still got her mind on the idea that they can at some point be together."
How does the split come about?
"Tyrone, for the first time in his life, makes this huge decision - after getting the new job in Chester which Molly's delighted with, he decides not to take it because - ironically - he wants to do the right thing for Kevin and to help him through the tough time he's having with Sally. That's the last straw for Molly. That was the ultimatum in her mind - either they move away and be together or she leaves him - and in a way, Tyrone made the choice because he said, 'I'm not going to move away, I'm going to stay and work with Kevin'. That's when Molly thinks, 'I can't be with you'."
Is it a public split?
"Of course! You've got to have a few of the nosy neighbours involved! It's so fantastic to see a great character like Tyrone so vulnerable."
How does Tyrone react?
"It's interesting because Molly basically becomes the adult and Tyrone's the child which is true to those characters, I think. She takes control and all the time in her mind I think her mantra is, 'Be cruel to be kind'. That's exactly what she's trying to do through the whole thing and think he will get over this. She knows she's breaking a child's heart but it's the right thing to do ultimately. It completely breaks her heart to do it but that's almost selfish that she would be upset about it so she is the parent in the relationship and she's very cut and dried saying, 'This is what's going to happen: I'm not in love with you, I'm leaving you, now you have to process this and deal with it'."
What's it been like being part of such a huge storyline?
"It's fantastic. Literally every week - we get the scripts in blocks of five - we go, 'Oh my God! We're going this way now? Oh my God, they're splitting up!' They haven't held back and I think they've been true to all the characters and their reactions. It's been a brave storyline and they've not been afraid of testing all those characters. It's a storyline of three marriages really because Kevin and Tyrone are friends as well. I'm so privileged and really enjoying it. It's so challenging emotionally because you've always got to find the truth of that character and find why she's doing it."
Corrie's Molly on the aftermath of the split
I recently caught up with Corrie actress Vicky Binns again to chat about the latest twist in her character Molly Dobbs's story arc.
Molly and Tyrone's attempt to make a fresh start in Chester was thwarted when the mild-mannered mechanic discovered the cancer ordeal his best friend Kevin's wife Sally was going through. Completely unaware that his decision sealed the fate of his marriage, Tyrone's flummoxed when Molly reveals that she's not in love with him any more.
Molly stops short of revealing the true reason behind her sudden decision, though, and moves into the flat above Dev's corner. In the wake of their separation, Tyrone correctly guesses that Molly's been having an affair but quickly jumps to the conclusion that Dev's her mystery man.
If you've not read my full interview with Vicky, then click here to have a read. Alternatively, read on to find out more about the aftermath of the split and teasers as to where it all goes from here...
Tyrone jumps to conclusions about Molly and Dev being an item, doesn't he?
"I think he's in such a spin and so dazed and confused because he's had absolutely no idea of any of the build-up to this, so suddenly his wife who he wants to have children with at any moment - this marital partner who's completely settled and completely safe - just leaves him out of nowhere and goes to live in her boss's flat!"
Could you ever actually see Molly and Dev together?
"Definitely not! He's nine foot tall for a start and I'm five foot nothing!"
Auntie Pam's on Molly's side though, right?
"Yeah, she is. She's great because she gives Molly a hard time and she's by no means flowery and easy with her but Molly's family and she's always going to do what's best for Molly - that's where Auntie Pam's loyalties lie, with her niece. I suppose she's quite judgmental for someone who's had a few affairs herself!"
What's the reaction of everyone else on the Street?
"She's on her own because of course no-one understands what she's going through and what's happened. They're all a bit confused and Jack just wants them desperately to get back together. She'd be mortified for Jack to find out what she's done because he's a father figure and grandfather figure for Molly, so he'd be the last person that she would want to be involved in any of this and she knows that by breaking Tyrone's heart, she breaks Jack's heart. It's an impossible situation because everyone loves Tyrone and everyone looks at her like she's stamped on a kitten."
What tactics does Tyrone employ to win Molly around?
"Tyrone doesn't do tactics, Tyrone does honesty, Tyrone does his heart on his sleeve, Tyrone does confused, bewildered - therefore [inevitably] he goes to Jack for marital advice who's probably the worst person he could go to to find out how to work on Molly because Jack doesn't understand her either. Tyrone gets some terrible advice off the boys, Jack and Steve."
What do you think Jackie Dobbs would have to say about it?
"I don't think she would have Tyrone's best interests at heart. I think she'd basically still be out for what she could get. She wouldn't be bothered about her son's heart being broken, the first thing she would think of is what she could get out of this situation. She would have no faith in the romance of a couple being together forever so I don't think she would be shocked or indeed worried about Tyrone."
Where does it all go from here for them?
"I have absolutely no idea! She's trying to put her life back together and make do and get control back... Then another scenario comes along..."
DS
