Cosy crimes and gritty sagas by Corrie Blog editor Glenda, published by Headline. Click pic below!

Tuesday 19 March 2024

Spoilers for next week's Coronation Street - March 25 to 29 2024

Here are the major storylines for the week ahead on Coronation Street, all wrapped up nicely in 50 words or less.

Monday 25 March to Friday 29 March 2024



Damon wants to get the job done, Paul struggles to blend in at dinner, Roy could sleepwalk into more trouble, Daisy and Glenda have unwelcome visitors, Steve trusts Ken's dating advice, it's judgement day for Joseph.

See the full week's preview with pictures at Corrie.net  

Note: If you still see last week's previews when you click through to Corrie.net, please refresh your browser

Glenda Young
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Monday 18 March 2024

Preview of tonight's Coronation Street - Monday 18th March 2024


Monday 18th March 2024

MAX DROPS ROY IN IT In the cafe an internet sleuth listens as Roy tells Nina and Yasmeen he has been asked to go back to the police station to be interviewed. After hearing David and Shona speculating whether Lauren’s dad’s far right group could be involved Max decides to secretly pay Reece a visit in prison and tells him how Roy is wrongly suspected of Lauren’s murder when all he did was clean the flat for her. Later in the cafĂ©, Roy finds himself alone apart from two dodgy men sitting at a table. When one of them gets up and locks the door, Roy realises he’s in danger. 

TRACY DISCOVERS TOMMY’S SECRET TRAVEL PLANS Amy convinces Steve that it’s best if she tells Tracy about Tommy’s move to Spain. In the Rovers, Steve can’t help himself and breaks the news to Tracy that Tommy has accepted a job as football coach in Spain. Did she know? Steve suggests to Tracy that with Tommy out of the way, they could give their marriage another go. 

GEMMA AND CHESNEY TAKE JOSEPH TO OAKHILL Despite things still being frosty between them and Ches sleeping on the sofa, Gemma and Chesney put on a brave face and visit Oakhill with Linda and Joseph. But it is clear something is bothering Joseph. 

LEANNE FEELS INSPIRED Simon’s pleased to see Nick and Leanne getting on well. When Leanne reveals that Rowan gave her some sound advice, Simon suggests she joins him for the next Institute. Rowan’s delighted to see her again.In the hotel bar, Leanne and Simon compliment Rowan on his seminar. Rowan basks in their flattery and tells them he hopes to see them again. Leanne enthuses to Nick about the seminar and how she found  inspirational.

MUM’S THE WORD FOR DYLAN When Sean admits that he hasn’t told Violet anything about Dylan’s predicament, Eileen’s horrified and points out that she has a right to know. Eileen puts pressure on Sean to call Violet, but Dylan reveals that he’s already spoken to his Mum and she can’t attend the court hearing as she’s in Ibiza. Is he telling the truth?

Glenda Young
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Sunday 17 March 2024

Comedian Helen Lederer joins Coronation Street




Acclaimed comedian and actress Helen Lederer is to guest star in Coronation Street next week alongside soap legend William Roache CBE.

Silver Fox Ken Barlow will prove he still has what it takes to woo the ladies when he catches the eye of Elspeth, played by Helen, during a singles cocktail night at the Chariot Square Hotel.

Having sent drinks over to Ken and his son in law Steve, Elspeth is invited to join them, leaving Steve gutted that his octogenarian father-in-law has managed to hit it off with an attractive lady whilst he hasn’t met anyone.

Below Helen chats about how much she enjoyed her brief visit to the cobbles and how she would love to return for Elspeth and Ken to pursue their budding romance.

Helen will appear in the episode on Wednesday March 27th on itv1 and itvx.

How did the role of Elspeth come about? 

It came out of the blue but for me Coronation Street, of all the soaps, is the most substantial and ironic with such humour, it's really a class act. So when you get the call for Coronation Street you drop everything. And to be offered a part playing a role opposite William Roache is even more exciting, I had met him once before when I sat next to him at an event and I thought what a lovely man he was and so personable. So for me to be offered this brief role was a joy.

You have had such a varied career working alongside incredible actors how did you feel on your day filming on Coronation Street, do you still get nerves?

I do indeed but as I'm older now, I recognize it for what it is and so I try and put them in a compartment and tell myself it is okay. I talked myself through it. It was a very rainy day up in Manchester and I was so excited to see the words ‘Coronation Street’ on the side of the building so I got a photo taken like a tourist before I went in. What struck me was how amazing everyone was and how comfortable they made me feel. From the word go everyone couldn't have been nicer. They were just so very friendly. I met Amy Robbins who I shared a dressing room with so that was fun and the day just got better and better. 

What was it like working with the Corrie actors?

The icing on the cake was being shown around by the lovely Sue Devaney who plays Debbie as I was filming in her hotel, she was amazing. I got settled and I just watched in awe as all these people came onto set and were so professional. To be there and watch these incredible actors who are so comfortable and brilliant at what they do was a joy. Simon Gregson who plays Steve is hilarious, so funny and Bill was such a charming lovely man. The three of us sat at the table and in between takes we had wonderful conversations about Scrabble and other board games we love. It was so random. Everyone really put me at my ease.

We only meet her briefly but tell me about Elspeth how would you sum her up?

Elspeth is quite a forward person. She is someone who is not afraid to put lipstick on and her hair done, make an effort with her nails and pull the velvet draped dress over her slightly fuller figure and sit at the bar by herself with an open heart and an open mind. She is bold and proud to be there on her own and speak to people.

Can you tell us what she does when Ken catches her eye?

This is where she is bold, she does something which is often something that men will do to women. She gets Debbie to send over two drinks to Ken and Steve to get Ken’s attention. I think bold is a very keyword now for this generation of women of a certain age who still want to live their life. If she wants to have a chat with a person she thinks ‘I'll do that’. So many people would have the fear of being rejected but she doesn’t. She takes the initiative and she is not disappointed as Ken is open to getting to know her  

That’s a great attitude to have, was she fun to play?

Yes, why close the door? At this stage of our lives we should grab every moment. What is the worst that can happen, someone might say no and that is her attitude. Being older you just have the attitude of some you win. Some you lose. Otherwise you'd never do anything. So it's a case of sort of saying look up, look up, don't look down.

What was Bill like to work with?

Well I can see why Elspeth is interested in him, he is a real silver fox with very chiselled cheekbones! I was very conscious of all the history. There's a certain pedigree and I'm very respectful of that. What really struck me was how dignified they were, and also having the grace to connect with a new person, they took time with me and I went away thinking what nice people.

Obviously what you know who knows what the future holds, but Elspeth and Ken do hit it off? You are busy, but would you be open to spending a longer time on the cobbles?

The answer to that is ‘most definitely’. Ken had Steve to deal with but he was certainly interested in her. He definitely made sure he got her number, he initiated it. So who knows one day he might actually call her and I can come back to Weatherfield.


Saturday 16 March 2024

Coronation Street Episode Review Friday 15 March 2024


I am made it there and back, Northern Lights ticked off the bucket list (just) and Iceland did not erupt!  So back to Weatherfield where it appears events took a grisly turn in Lauren's flat with apparently everyone being accused of a murder and no-one has a body!  Daniel feels he has dodged a bullet and he is convinced that Master Max is responsible for his police interview.  He challenges Max on the Street but makes no impression on the lad and is only stopped from assaulting him by Ken.  The missing person is the subject of gossip all over the Street and the internet trolls are out in force alleging that Roy should be answering questions.  Suki from the paper later comes into do another missing persons appeal and says that comments on the earlier article have now been disabled.  However DS Swain arrives to arrest Roy Cropper on suspicion of murder.  Suki gets her headline and one of the observers manages to video Roy being taken away in a police car - simply because he likes bats and steam trains apparently.


To help Simon reform he is going to a meeting of "The Altovalent Institute" at Chariot Square Hotel, Debbie is more interested in selling Leanne and Nick a wedding event - she has a few spare dates so how about a booking - some people book 2 years in advance.  Nick eventually mans up and admits that he loves Leanne but does not feel they should be marrying at this moment.  They argue and Simon seems fired up with his session with "The Institute".  Leanne remains at the hotel to talk to Debbie and gets into conversation with Rowan who overhears her conversation and starts on about mantras and rebooting and so on.  Leanne admits to being a worrier and Rowan's face looks as though he is calculating,  Rowan talks to Leanne about needing to live authentically and fully.  Lots of mumbo jumbo there to unpack.  Later Nick and Leanne agree they want to be together - but perhaps forget the wedding for now.  


Joseph is keen on going to Oakhill, unlike Gemma who appears only to be able to shout at everyone all the time.  And in case we had all forgotten they were related Linda had lunch with her daughter.  Izzy seems less than enamoured of her mother's plans for Joseph and the lack of equal concern for Jake which enables Izzy to hand out a piece of her mind.  I am not surprised that Izzy is angry and when Gemma asks for equal treatment for the quad squad, Linda nearly has a meltdown and Izzy storms off!  However later on the pressure on Gemma from Paul, Chesney and others means it looks like he will be going to Oakhill after all there is the archery and games coding to be considered.


Eliza has both Stu and Dom twisted around her little finger.  After months of things going back and forth Dom and Stu have a proper discussion and Stu then gets Bridget to agree to a new plan.  Dom tells his German family about his daughter and before long Eliza will be heading to Hamburg to live with people who have only just found out that she exists and Stu is paying for her to attend an International School in Germany.  


Toyah lets slip to Steve that when Amy lunched with her mother Tommy O was present as well.  Steve does not want to damage his relationship with his daughter and accepts that she has to know about Tommy.  Toyah later apologises and buys Steve a drink.  Collecting a curry in Speed Dahl Steve and Amy talk - she says she was curious about how serious Tommy O was to be with Tracy.  Steve lets slip that Tommy may be moving abroad.


Roy, being Roy, wishes to cooperate with the police.  Roy admits to cleaning the flat whilst wearing gloves - second nature in his job after all.  Roy confirms that the money under the mattress was the wages he had paid - the notes have his fingerprints and he paid her an extra £27 to round up the amount he was paying.   DS Swain says that no body has been found but that they are of the opinion that Roy was the last person to see Lauren alive (and we all know what that means).  Roy confirms he had Lauren's phone number and yes there were a lot of messages as she was not always entirely punctual.  And Roy denies any online contact and did not follow her on social media.  Roy had no knowledge of Lauren undertaking sex work.  But he is not entirely surprised recalling that she once offered herself to him.  Roy knows that her values were warped due to her father and his associates.  The broken chair had traces of Lauren's blood and tissues on it.  However DS Swain has a condom wrapper which does have Roy's fingerprints - but he found it after removing his gloves.  Roy is eventually released on police bail and placed on curfew which as Roy acknowledges will kibosh his cabaret career.  Whilst Roy believes the truth will prevail, Dee Dee seems less certain.

Strangers in bars rarely remain strangers for long.  Leanne ought to know better than falling for a smooth talker given her history but you never know.  I assume that Eliza needs a couple of years out for exams or similar, so a path is being provided.  I am liking the scenes between Steve and Amy as they negotiate Tracy's decision - but what will Tommy O actually do?  And is there anyway Linda can become more or less permanent and rebuild a proper relationship with Izzy and work with Gemma and Chesney?  No doubt all this and more will be covered next week.

Written by Carmel Morgan and Jan McVerry.  Directed by Merlyn Rice.

Kosmo

GRITTY SAGAS BY CORRIE BLOG EDITOR GLENDA YOUNG, PUBLISHED BY HEADLINE. CLICK PIC BELOW!

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