Controversial Storyline for Corries 50th - Contains Spoilers

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Coronation Street's upcoming tram crash plot is costing ITV more than £5m, it has been claimed.

According to the News of the World, the logistics of the live show mean that much of the set will be demolished and rebuilt twice, costing £4.23m - making it the most expensive soap storyline ever.

A source said: "We wanted to celebrate our 50th anniversary in style - and doing that doesn't come cheap.

"It'll be the most expensive plot ever screened on British telly. But we reckon our viewers will think it's money well spent and a good way to start our next 50 years."

Meanwhile, £188,000 will be spent on salaries, catering and costumes, experts and stunt co-ordinators will cost £285,000 and a further £187,000 will go on safety precautions. Services from special effects experts have also come to £245,000, making a grand total £5.3m.

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Coronation Street producer Phil Collinson has said that it was important to come up with an "extraordinary" event to mark the soap's 50th anniversary.

The show's team have created a dramatic disaster storyline for the milestone, which will see an explosion and tram crash change life in Weatherfield forever in next week's episodes.

At a Coronation Street press conference on Friday, Collinson was asked whether soaps now rely on big stunt storylines in order to grab viewers' attention in the current TV climate.

He replied: "I think that television has changed. Programmes like Coronation Street and dramas have to stand up against massive pieces of event television like Strictly, X Factor and the celebrity jungle - events that you just come to because it's special, different and unusual.

"We had to do something like that to mark this [anniversary] really - we had to do something extraordinary. When soaps and drama push the boat out now, it has to push it out really far - you can't hold back anymore. Viewers go to the cinema and they see all kinds of special effects and 3D, which makes you feel like you're right in the middle of the movie.

"I think the days are gone where television drama can sit back and leave it to your imagination - I think that's not what we can do anymore. We have to compete against those great big juggernauts now, and I think that's what we've done."

Seven episodes of the show will air on ITV1 next week, including an hour-long live broadcast on Thursday.

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Coronation Street star Bill Roache has promised that the soap's characters will not be overshadowed by stunts in next week's 50th anniversary episodes.

In tomorrow night's double bill of the ITV1 show, a terrible series of events begins as a devastating explosion occurs at the Joinery bar, causing a tram to fall from the viaduct above and onto the cobbles.

As well as causing the deaths of some much-loved characters, the disaster is expected to send a number of current storylines in new directions as the street's residents find their lives changed forever because of the crash.

Speaking at a Coronation Street press conference on Friday, Roache explained: "One thing that impressed me is that often when you have a big event, the event dominates, but with this, it doesn't dominate. The characters are just as strong and everything works together."

The actor - who has played Ken Barlow since the soap's first episode - added: "I can't tell you what a skill it needs from the producer, the writers, the technicians and everybody to get that balance of the individuals and the big event, all merging into one. It's an incredible achievement."

Corrie's producer Phil Collinson explained that, as part of the aim to focus on the characters, there will be a delay before the emergency services arrive on the scene following the tragedy.

He said: "The emergency services arrive in the middle of Tuesday's episode - a little bit later than they ordinarily would do. There is a reason - there's an RTA which stops them getting through for a little while. That was very deliberate, because this is Coronation Street and what we wanted to put at the heart of this was our characters coping with this terrible tragedy."

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Coronation Street star Ben Price has admitted that he is glad fans are about to discover the soap's 50th anniversary secrets.

The actor - who plays Nick Tilsley on the ITV1 show - confessed that it has been difficult to keep quiet about the special week of disaster episodes which begin tomorrow night.

Bosses have confirmed that a number of much-loved characters are to lose their lives due to the upcoming Joinery explosion and tram crash, but the identities of the casualties will not be revealed until transmission.

Speaking to the Daily Star Sunday about the anniversary storyline, Price commented: "It was amazing to film. I feel very privileged to be here for the 50th anniversary.

"We all watched the episodes a few days ago and I can tell you that they're very emotional. Everyone feels very proud. We've all worked so hard and can't wait for fans to see them.

"It will be a massive relief for everyone to finally see who dies as we have had to keep our lips sealed for so long."

Nick will be among the characters left in jeopardy next week as he is in The Joinery when the ferocious explosion takes place.

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Transcript of Corrie Press conference

On Friday afternoon, Coronation Street stars Bill Roache (Ken), Michael Le Vell (Kevin), Jennie McAlpine (Fiz) and Antony Cotton (Sean) joined producer Phil Collinson to field questions from the media at a press conference to promote the soap's 50th anniversary storylines. Many of the more interesting snippets from the conference have already appeared in our news section over the past couple of days, but here, Soap Scoop presents the full Q&A. Read on to hear what Bill, Michael, Jennie, Antony and Phil had to say about the tram crash and more.

It's been confirmed that some characters will die next week - when will their identities be revealed on screen?
Phil: "Not until the end of the week, really. We try to wring every ounce of drama and emotion out of it. The whole week takes place in real-time - there isn't a day passing between the episodes, it's literally the next minute. They're just massively action-packed, so we try to hold all of our secrets right to the end of the week."

How did the cast feel when they watched the disaster episodes for the first time?
Michael: "I thought it was amazing. I nearly cried at the end! I thought it was fantastic - just seeing the devastation on the screen, it was quite emotional!"
Bill: "What Michael said was right. I had tears of pride to belong to a team who can produce something like that. I think it's not only one of the best things on Coronation Street ever, I think it's one of the best things on television ever."
Antony: "It's weird watching it! I watch it now as a viewer, because it's all a piece-meal - we all do our little bits in different places, and now it's all together. I'm a fan of the show anyway, but it's watching it as a viewer like everybody else. It's absolutely gobsmackingly amazing."
Jennie: "We were sat - me, Vicky Binns, Julie Hesmondhalgh and Jane Danson was in front of us. Everyone got up but we were sat there for about 15 minutes afterwards - I felt sick! I'm so pleased that the viewers are going to get 24 hours between each one, because watching them all together was quite horrific! Amazing, we were just in shock - just brilliant!"


What would cast members who have passed away think about the anniversary episodes if they were here today?
Bill: "There's better technology now, you have to accept that. When they did the train crash way back in the 1960s, we didn't have half the impact. I think they would have been proud - like I said I was - and impressed, because it is impressive. They've got the best teams, the best experts in every field, and Phil Collinson masterminded it. I think everybody from the past would have been really proud that we've got to this point."

How has Corrie lasted 50 years? What was in that first script that secured the show's long-lasting success?
Bill: "In 1960, when we came, there was a new realism sweeping through the theatre - I've said this a lot, it's been quoted a lot… Tony Warren was a man of his moment, who produced on television the realistic kitchen-sink drama Coronation Street. It had a colossal impact - never before had ordinary people struggling against adversity been seen in this realistic, gritty way. Tony laid the foundation for that and most [important was] the humour, which I think essentially is a Lancashire thing - to see the humour in serious situations. It's not being funny - it's seeing the humour in serious situations, like Blanche's Alcoholics Anonymous scene. So Tony set the criteria, and as long as we stick with that, it can go on forever."

Was the show's magic obvious from the start?
Bill: "Well, we all realised there was something unusual happening here - there was something really, really good. I mean, I was an arrogant little sod at the time and said, 'I don't want to do it' - I'd just got a lead in a play, things were looking good for me and it was only going to run for six weeks. It was only when it started and we got into it that we realised it was something special and great, and I'm very proud and very lucky to have been in it."


What was it like to film the anniversary episodes?
Bill: "Hard work was the predominant thing! We were working from ten at night until five in the morning for a three-week period, so it was hard work, but you don't mind hard work if it's going to produce something like that. We all knew this year was going to be tough, and it has been. But it has been fruitful and worthwhile."
Antony: "There was a seven-week period where it was predominantly night shoots, and then there was a three-week period where it was all night shoots. Some poor sods were in every single day. I was one of the lucky ones because I was in The Rovers."
Michael: "I was one of those ones who was in most nights, but to break the night up, because the canteen was shut, you'd just treat yourself and get a takeaway and sit round the table with the rest of the cast at midnight. It was a great atmosphere - it was a tremendous atmosphere."
Bill: "There was a tremendous feel that something special was happening."
Phil: "It was an amazing place to be on those three nights when the tram was in position and the buildings were collapsed. Danny Hargreaves did all of our physical effects - all of the flames and explosions and collapsing. Most of the week is all Danny - it's real fires and it's real rubble collapsing on people. So there was an astonishing atmosphere to stand at the end of Coronation Street and see it on fire and ablaze. A couple of the cast said to me that it wasn't difficult to act some of the more emotional sequences, because it felt very real to be standing there."

How are you feeling over the upcoming live episode?
Michael: "It's a continuation of the last seven weeks - it's just carrying on that excitement, because it is exciting. For any of us who've done live theatre, it's like that - but hopefully in front of about 20 million people! That'll be the difference!"
Jennie: "I don't have to move very much, I can tell you that - which is quite good! So I'm lucky - I'm fine! But I think my husband has to move quite extensively."
Phil: "Graeme [Hawley] actually is the actor in more sets than anybody else. We're going to be putting him in a golf buggy and spinning him all over the place! He's all over!"

Could snow affect the live episode?
Phil: "I think that is part of the experience of live. It's why we wanted to do it - and it's why we wanted to do it right in the middle. The first episode [of the week] could have been the live one, actually - it's a brilliant episode, it's beautiful and dramatic with amazing performances. We didn't want to do that - we wanted to put the live episode right in the middle, with fire, explosions, flames, stunts, death and fire engines - just everything we can throw at it. It's amazing, huge and - fingers crossed - astonishing. But you know what, that is what live is all about. If it snows, we'll plough on. If it rains, we'll plough on. If something falls out of the sky, we'll plough on regardless. If any of those things happen, the audience will enjoy it even more. That's the business of live and that's what we're embracing."
Antony: "There'll be so many people on the street, you won't even see snow! There'll be about 700 people and extras!"


Was any research done into real-life accidents?
Phil: "Yeah, we talked extensively with the emergency services. The emergency services arrive in the middle of Tuesday's episode - a little bit later than they ordinarily would do. There is a reason - there's an RTA which stops them getting through for a little while. That was very deliberate, because this is Coronation Street and what we wanted to put at the heart of this was our characters coping with this terrible tragedy. We had fire and police with us throughout the filming, advising us on how they get people out of buildings and how they put fire out. We've also had a massive amount of support from GMPTE, who run the tram system in Manchester. So we've had tremendous support from all over the place."

Monday's first episode opens with a CGI shot showing beyond the viaduct and wider Weatherfield - how did that come about?
Phil: "Obviously the shot develops into, for the first time, a glimpse of Weatherfield and beyond the beginning and end of Coronation Street and Rosamund Street. So when we saw that shot for the first time, it just felt very epic and brilliant, and it just felt like a really lovely way of starting the week - saying to the world, 'Here's a big shot, it's going to be a little bit unusual this week and a bit different'. So that was the reasoning behind that. We didn't originally plan to do that, but when we saw the shot, we thought that'd be a beautiful thing to do."

Is this the first time that we've seen such a shot?
Phil: "It is, I believe so. And then as we go on in the week, we look the other way as well and we see even broader Weatherfield. Careful viewers, if they pause their TV afterwards, will be able to see the Red Rec and all sorts of landmarks that have gone in there. It's been created with a lot of love and reference to a lot of landmarks that we've spoken of for many years."


Molly and baby Jack end up trapped in rubble at the Corner Shop - how did you film those scenes with the baby?
Phil: "Obviously the safety of the baby was absolutely paramount. A lot of the sequences you will see were filmed with a really brilliant, clever, absolutely terrifying doll! It's absolutely, terribly realistic - it moves and everything! Then, any scenes where you see the baby moving in Molly's arms were actually done on a specially-built little section of set. You'll see all of it in close-up - it looks like they're buried in the middle of that, but they're actually not - she's sat very comfortably with the baby. So actually the baby just sits there in her arms. It will look like the baby is buried in the middle of that and he gets quite distressed - very deliberately so, because it has to be realistic, this. The plot is all about Molly and Jack and fighting to get them out of where they're trapped, so we wanted to do it justice. It's sometimes quite difficult to watch, but the baby is very, very safe."

Does this week of episodes set the benchmark for future episodes?
Phil: "I hope so, that would be nice. I think the viewers will have to tell us, really. I mean, Coronation Street has always done big stunts - they collapsed a house right back in 1965, and then in '67 a train came off the viaduct. A lorry ran into The Rovers, The Rovers has burned down - there's a million and one stunts. It's always had that in its DNA - it's always had times where it's event television. I think it's a fantastic week of television. I hope it's a benchmark - we're not doing it again! [laughs] Someone else can do it!"
Bill: "One thing that impressed me is that often when you have a big event, the event dominates, but with this, it doesn't dominate. The characters are just as strong and everything works together. I can't tell you what a skill it needs from the producer, the writers, the technicians and everybody to get that balance of the individuals and the big event, all merging into one. It's an incredible achievement."


How much did it cost to film the tram crash?
Phil: "It cost a lot of money… We had to ask ITV for an awful lot of money, and they said yes. When they said yes, I wished I'd asked for more! [laughs] But there you go, I'll learn next time! Not that there'll be a next time!"

Do soaps need big events like this to capture the public's attention in the current TV climate?
Phil: "I think that television has changed. Programmes like Coronation Street and dramas have to stand up against massive pieces of event television like Strictly, X Factor and the celebrity jungle - events that you just come to because it's special, different and unusual. We had to do something like that to mark this [anniversary] really - we had to do something extraordinary. When soaps and drama push the boat out now, it has to push it out really far - you can't hold back anymore. Viewers go to the cinema and they see all kinds of special effects and 3D, which makes you feel like you're right in the middle of the movie. I think the days are gone where television drama can sit back and leave it to your imagination - I think that's not what we can do anymore. We have to compete against those great big juggernauts now, and I think that's what we've done."

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As the soap first announced its 50th anniversary disaster on July 7, there's been five long months of intense speculation surrounding this massive storyline - so there was definitely an air of excitement in the room as the lights dimmed and the events that everyone's been talking about started to play out on screen.

Many of you will already know that there's a special twist to proceedings from the very beginning of tonight's first episode, as it starts off with a stunning shot showing life beyond the viaduct and wider Weatherfield.

The special shot certainly makes for a beautiful opening and it's fantastic to see the street in context after so long - cementing the idea that this is just an ordinary street with ordinary people, which looks to be all-important for this 50th anniversary week as it'll be the human touches which take centre stage despite the disaster.

Tonight's first episode is very much a continuation of the build-up we've been seeing over the past few weeks as many of the soap's ongoing storylines are coming to a head, although the pace ramps up more than a few gears as the episode progresses, coupled with the sense of foreboding as we know what's coming.


Despite being excited to see the tram crash - which occurs in episode two - it's important to say that there's no sense of impatience as we wait for the big event to take place. The storylines that the Corrie team have set up have been so gripping that I was as interested to see where those were going as I was to see the crash itself. It's a real credit to the writers that, with the biggest soap stunt ever about to occur, our attention can still be captured by the characters that we care so much about and tune in each night to see.

The classic Corrie humour is also present in the episodes as Leanne's hen night leads to some funny moments and lines at The Rovers. It's clear throughout that the producers are respecting the show's heritage with this - yes, there's a big stunt on the way, but we're not suddenly seeing a whole new Corrie on the show's 50th anniversary. It's bigger and better in terms of stunts and visual effects, but it's not at the expense of familiarity and won't alienate any long-term viewers.

I don't want to give too much more away about what we saw on screen, as part of the magic of watching tonight's two episodes was seeing the moments that we haven't heard about in spoilers, or those that play out a little bit differently than we might expect.


However, it's no secret that Molly and Tyrone's story will be one of those to reach a climax tonight and Alan Halsall gives a standout performance as his heartbreak turns to anger after Molly drops a bombshell.

Although less prominent tonight, Jane Danson and Alison King are as brilliant as ever in their respective portrayals of the love-torn Leanne and always-complex Carla.

Graeme Hawley and Becky Hindley continue to impress in the twisted tale of John and Charlotte, and fans may also be struck by Ben Price's performance as we see more of that elusive softer side to Nick Tilsley.


The stunt itself is also something that's best to see for yourself than read too much about beforehand, but it more than lives up to the hype - so credit must also go to special effects supervisor Danny Hargreaves, his team at Real SFX, as well as visual effects company The Mill, who worked on the CGI.

One thing I will say is that the stunt isn't just one moment. As producer Phil Collinson recently said that Corrie will "wring every ounce of drama and emotion" out of the disaster's aftermath, the team do the same with the bar explosion and the crash - it's certainly not all over in a flash!

Once the screening of tonight's two episodes were over, we were also treated to the first look at the stunning video montage of the entire week. While there was a round of applause after the episodes were screened, the montage was greeted by more of a stunned silence at first! It really is an amazing video.

All in all, it looks like fans are in for a fitting tribute to 50 years of Coronation Street. I can't wait to see what's in store for the rest of the week…

[Perdita]

Coronation Street's 50th anniversary week begins with a bang tonight as an explosion destroys The Joinery bar and causes a tram to career from the viaduct above, leading to a night of terror and tragedy on the cobbles. During the early stages of planning for the spectacular episodes, producer Phil Collinson recruited expert Danny Hargreaves and his team to create a number of real special effects for the occasion, as fire, explosions and other stunts will leave some much-loved characters in jeopardy. DS recently spoke to Danny about his work on the milestone block of episodes.

When were you first approached to take on this role for Corrie's 50th anniversary?
"It was mid-way through the summer - I know Phil Collinson from working on Doctor Who with him, so he contacted me directly and told me about this project. He didn't reveal too much at the time, but I came up for a meeting along with [visual effects company] The Mill, who were responsible for the CGI, and Phil sat down and he explained what he wanted to do. That was the point when I realised it would be quite a task! It took roughly two or three months to put it together before we started filming and a lot of meetings. It was a long process, but before we knew it, we were getting ready to set fire to things!"

What were the early discussions with Phil like?
"He basically asked us how we would crash a tram off the viaduct, and there was many different ways we could have done it. We could have put a real tram in there and forced it into the set by firing it down, but we decided to go to the CGI option for that particular part. But I wanted to have a physical aspect to it as well, and the viewers will see that. We had the front end of a tram crashing into the Corner Shop, and the tram was specially built for the show. So it was a combination between the two - the CGI and the physical. Hopefully it works well! There'll be so many effects and stunts in the episodes."

Do you feel like you've been able to put your own stamp on the episodes?
"Yes, definitely. I work a lot with action and like to have lots of stuff going on - lots of explosions and stuff. So I'm very used to creating disasters - it's very normal for me! I wanted to make sure we had those real, physical effects and had the characters at the heart of the action."

What were the Corrie cast like to work with when you were creating these episodes?
"They were great. It can be very, very challenging for the cast to get involved with something like this, but there wasn't anyone who had any problems. Everyone was great and really got stuck in. I was very impressed. Like I said, I've worked on a lot of TV dramas and the cast here were brilliant - really, really good."

Is it true that we can expect some live special effects in Thursday's live episode?
"Yeah, but I'm not quite sure how that's going to be done yet! I've just started back at work to concentrate on the live episode, and I've got a team working on it at the moment. It's all coming together - it's a big, big task, but it's going to be pretty immense."

Having special effects and stunts in a live episode sounds like it could be very challenging - would that be a big feat if all goes to plan?
"Yeah, it would be. We are doing physical effects for the live episode. Most of the big stuff that we've done was all filmed weeks ago and appears in the other episodes in the week. But there is still a physical effect that's going to be used on the live as well, so I'm just trying to put that together at the moment."

Did you feel a lot of pressure as you took charge of this massive occasion for Corrie?
"Oh, incredibly - this is a massive show! It's played out in so many households - and whether you're a fan or not, everyone knows it. It's great to be involved at any point, but particularly in the 50th anniversary. I'm really excited, very lucky and very happy about that!"

There's been so much hype and anticipation surrounding these episodes - do you think they can live up to people's expectations?
"You'll have to tell me! But these episodes definitely kept me busy in the weeks that we were filming - I haven't been this busy on a drama for a long time. I hope it pays off."

Has this been the most challenging project of your career?
"I think it's been challenging in the sense that it's such a high-profile project. Like I said earlier, everyone knows Corrie and the media interest has been huge - quite rightly so, as it's a great show! So there has been a pressure to make sure that this is delivered correctly and that everything looks real. How people respond to it remains to be seen, but I'm very proud of it."

Have you been a Corrie fan yourself over the years?
"Unfortunately, working in television means that I don't always get a chance to watch television, but I do watch some of it and I know all of the characters. I've grown up with the show and it's quite funny working on the street that you've grown up with! It was great fun."

How does this compare to working on Doctor Who?
"I think with Doctor Who, there is that feeling that you can get away with things, as the setting will be a spaceship or something! But with this, it had to look real and that was the main thing. Because of that need for attention to detail, everyone has worked really hard - from my department, from the CGI department and from the art department here at Coronation Street. The art department have worked really hard to make this look as real as possible, and all credit to them. It's been an amazing task!"

Was there anything you'd hoped to do with the episodes but couldn't because there were restrictions?
"Not really, to be honest. I've been heavily involved in the whole design of it and there isn't anything that we haven't been able to do. We've just gone with it. I've worked closely with The Mill and I also worked with them on Doctor Who, so we have a very good working relationship - they know what they can achieve and I know what I can achieve. It comes together beautifully."

[alan45]

I just hope with all the hype and money spent on this week that we are not disappointed

[Chris_2k11]

I just hope with all the hype and money spent on this week that we are not disappointed

I don't think we will be (hopefully!)

[Rain_]

Pity the identities of the cast killed weren't kept under closer wraps like who killed archie, but it should stil be good.