Section: TV:Soaps

IT is set to be one of the most momentous occasions in soap history.

For the first time ever, ITV‘s landmark shows will be combining for an epic hour of soap drama that is being teased as changing the course of both programmes forever.

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This January, Coronation Street and Emmerdale will join forces for the aptly titled Corriedale to herald the stars of the new ‘soap power hour’.

It’s a clever, bold and HUGE move by ITV with both programmes having faced mass cast axings, job cuts, dwindling ratings and general backlash from fans over the past few years.

It is hoped by executives that the special show will help to revitalise both shows and kickstart a new era for the programmes – as well as being a clever way to conceal the fact they’ve both lost 30 minutes of screen-time a week.

From next year, both shows will air for just 30 minutes per night – the equivalent of five episodes per week unlike the current six.

But with the epic stunt set to take place, which is currently being filmed on long night shoots and being kept tightly under wraps, there promises to be the deaths of fan-favourite characters from both programmes.

Being such a historic moment in TV means that it should come with an utterly unforgettable death that will go down in the soap history books.

With only one chance to get it right, here is who I think ITV should kill off now.

Eric Pollard

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Yes, you read that right.

Emmerdale bosses need to make an impact and as such, they should volunteer their longest-serving character ever as a sacrifice.

Not only would killing Eric off be the biggest unexpected twist that would have people gasping up and down the country, it would lay the foundations for the village to truly be changed forever.

Having been portrayed by Chris Chittell since 1986, he has become part of the foundation in the Dales.

But as an avid viewer, it hasn’t gone unnoticed that he has fallen into a rather bumbling repeated pattern of storyline in recent years.

Fans often see Eric disappear from screens for a number of weeks before popping back up to have a new brief crisis.

It quickly results in him snapping at anyone in sight and becoming public enemy number one with his grumpy old man act.

But just as quickly as the crisis arises, he soon realises the error of his ways and makes peace with his family and friends in true story-telling fashion.

Frankly, we’ve seen it multiple times and we really don’t need to see it again.

If bosses aren’t planning on placing Eric in a new mass murder plot or turn him into the Dales’ next gangster, I fear his potential plots have naturally come to an end.

Be brave Emmerdale and let go of your longest player if you truly want a memorable moment.

April Windsor

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The other character I think Dales bosses should be offering up to meet their maker in the crossover could not be more opposite to Eric.

If they don’t make their big death the village OAP then yes, a wayward teen schoolgirl is the next best way to go.

Played by Amelia Flanagan, April has been one of Emmerdale’s biggest success stories in terms of transition from very young child performer to a teen actress who is able to hold her own when it comes to lengthy and gritty storylines.

However, her transition from wise-beyond-her-years 10-year-old to a reckless and easily-influenced 15-year-old has never sat right.

Over the past 12 months, goody-two-shoes April has become soap’s most troubled teen ever out of nowhere.

She went missing for months, became homeless, began underage drinking, went through a heartbreaking teen stillbirth whilst living on the streets and has now found herself a drug mule in a shocking county lines storyline.

I can’t help but think this unexpected character development could be for one bigger reason.

Having faced many brushes with death over her chaotic year, the soap stunt could be the perfect time to portray a real story of a teen tragedy.

Seeing a teenager killed off would have the shock factor to last years if done correctly.

April meeting a tragic end also allows for the soap to delve into family heartache and tragedy following her potential passing.

MY EMMERDALE VERDICT: Emmerdale needs to go to the extremes and for me, it’s either the show’s oldest character or on the flip-side, one of their youngest.

Sean Tully

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When it comes to who Corrie could offer up for their soap death, the first person that comes to mind (and, let’s be honest, most fans’) would be Sean Tully.

How Sean has scraped through 22 years on the Street boggles the mind.

As both a TV journalist and viewer of the programme, I am yet to encounter anyone, either personally or professionally, who would make a campaign to save Antony Cotton’s character from getting the axe.

Of course, Sean does have many ties to the faces of Weatherfield and would likely see some moving performances from them in the aftermath of his passing.

But with the character having truly lacked a notable storyline for close to 10 years, his spot on the soap is purely taking away space from another character who could help provide a much-needed boost to the already fledgling soap.

And let’s be real, Corrie needs to be saving all the money it can amid the ongoing cash crisis.

Whilst killing Sean off would realistically go rather unnoticed in the long-run of the soap, marking the end of such a universally disliked character will have soap fans rejoicing in their droves and for that alone, Coronation Street will have achieved a milestone.

Dee-Dee Bailey

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This is a tough one to say.

But with actress Channique Sterling-Brown having confirmed she has quit the soap for pastures new, killing her off in the New Year stunt may be the only thing that allows her to be remembered as a legacy character.

It is safe to say, amid a crowd of unnecessary and irritating new characters since the pandemic, Dee-Dee has been a true breathe of fresh air.

She exudes classic Corrie and Channique is a formidable actress.

But with her choosing to walk away after just four years, I worry that she’s about to fall into a bad trap.

We have seen it time and time again with incredible actresses leaving soap after just a few short years at the promise of breaking out into even bigger roles.

But despite their talent, they fade into the abyss and the characters are too forgettable to encourage bosses to ever bring them back.

Case and point Amy James Kelly, who played Maddie Heath on Corrie between 2013 and 2015.

She rocked Weatherfield to its core but with Amy quickly being predicted for bigger and better things on Corrie, she quit before she became too tied down to the role.

But her star power soon faded and she failed to be the big star everyone had hoped and Maddie became forgotten about much quicker than expected.

I’d hate this to happen to Channique but I fear it may be written in the stars.

But if bosses decide to place Dee-Dee at the forefront of their most anticipated episode since 2010’s Tram Crash (which did wonders for the legacy of Molly Dobbs played by the iconic Vicky Binns) then they will cement her in the history books for YEARS to come.

Whilst I don’t want to see Dee-Dee die, it could be her only hope of remaining a Corrie icon.

MY CORONATION STREET VERDICT: When it comes to the Corrie death, bosses either need to take one for the team and free audiences from an abysmal character or preserve the legacies of who could have been a Street Queen.

CORONATION Street fans have been left with their mouths open after discovering TWO of the soap’s legends once were a couple.

What is even more surprising, is that these pair of actors were on the soap almost a decade apart.

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The soap stars in question are Phil Middlemiss, who played love rat Des Barnes in the 90s, and current Corrie star Alison King, who is known for her role of Carla Connor.

Reddit sleuths have unearthed an old article from October 8, 1995 that confirmed they were once a couple who were “madly in love”.

The story was from when actor Phil was at the height of his Corrie fame.

Alison, however, who was just 22 at the time, was not famous and was referred to as a “surf shop girl” in the story.

In the article Phil claimed that he had “bedded 100 women” but was now “in love” with Alison.

Posting the story on the discussion forum, fans went wild at this revelation.

One wrote: “No way!!”

Another added: “How random,”

This Corrie fan said: “I still can’t get my head around this!”

A fourth added: “Small world!”

According to reports the pair dated for five years, Phil telling the Scottish Daily Record: “I’ve never been happier. She is a wonderful girl. I love her to death.”

They reportedly met at a Tenerife bar in March 1995, before splitting in 2000.

Phil confessed: “I was in love with Allie. She’s the only person I’ve ever really loved.

“But she was working in London and I was in Manchester.

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“In another life, if I had been a bus driver and she had worked at the local baker’s shop, we would have got married and had kids by now.”

Corrie fans will well remember lothario Des Barnes who graced the cobbles throughout the 90s.

Actor Phil was a regular fixture of the ITV soap from 1990 to 1998 when he quit the show.

Phil’s character Des was known for being a charming ladies man.

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On the soap he was married to Natalie Barnes, the Rovers landlady played by Loose Women star Denise Welch.

However, during his time on Coronation Street, Des went onto to also have an off-again romance with Raquel, who was played by the legendary Sarah Lancashire.

Raquel later moved onto her famous screen partner, Curly Watts, but it was Des that played havoc with the pair in a bid to get revenge on Raquel leaving him.

Des even sabotaged their engagement party as an act of jealousy and rage.

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Since quitting the cobbles in the late 90s, when his character was killed off, Phil has enjoyed a varied career mixed with a series of personal setbacks.

In 2012, the actor faced bankruptcy after a film he had put his life-saving into in 2008 failed to take off as a result of the financial crisis.

It forced Phil to take money from family and friends as he told the  Manchester Evening News: “It was partly-funded by myself but I didn’t have the money to fund the rest of the film.

“Filming came to a grinding halt. It was nearly three-quarters of the way along the line. It has been a difficult time. Three-and-a-half years is a long time to fund myself without any income.

” I have had to get money from family and friends.”

Meanwhile, his former girlfriend Alison joined the soap in 2006, almost a decade after Phil left, and six years after their split.

The actress’ character Carla is best known for being the boss of the knicker factory, Underworld.

Over the last two decades she has been involved in numerous high-profile storylines, from steamy affairs to battles with alcoholism.

This is turn has seen her win numerous awards, including Best Actress at the British Soap Awards in 2012.

Coronation Street Spoilers: News & Cast Updates

The beloved British soap has been captivating audiences for decades.

The show follows the lives of the residents as they navigate love, loss, family drama, and community struggles.

Here’s the latest on:

EMMERDALE and Coronation Street have officially begun filming crossover episodes in a historic first for ITV.

ITV has pulled off the ultimate soap shocker with the first-ever Coronation Street and Emmerdale crossover – and it’s been called Corriedale.

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Cameras are rolling on this one-off extravaganza, bringing together the nation’s favourite telly titans.

Expect Weatherfield’s lot to collide with their Yorkshire neighbours in a whirlwind hour of drama, secrets, and epic soap action.

Fans are already buzzing about what could go wrong… or right!

The two soaps are going all out, with production teams cooking up a jaw-dropping stunt that promises life-changing consequences for the characters involved.

ITV Executive Producer for Continuing Drama Iain Macleod said: “It’s beyond exciting that filming is underway on Corriedale.

“There is a massive buzz around both the Leeds and Manchester sites and the images coming out of the shoot are utterly spectacular.

“And that’s before we’ve even got to all the brilliant transpennine interactions between characters from the different shows!

“As a soap fan myself, I think my head is going to explode when the episode airs next year.

“It will be mind-blowing, historical and unmissable.”

There will also be an interactive twist for fans to determine one part of the episode.

A vote will be opened allowing soap fans to choose which Emmerdale and Coronation Street character will share a carefully-written scene together as part of the episode.

Corriedale is set to hit screens on ITV and YouTube in early 2026 – kicking off the brand-new soap power hour.

From then on, Emmerdale will roll out at 8pm, followed by Coronation Street at 8.30pm, every weekday in a double dose of drama.

The schedule change sees both soaps lose one episode a week amid dwindling ratings.

Biggest soap stunts

By Conor O’Brien

Soaps are no stranger to dramatic stunts in the storylines. Not only do these moments create a spectacle for viewers, they also fundamentally change characters’ lives.

Here is a look at some of the biggest soap stunts from over the years.

CORONATION STREET

• Tram crash (2010): The ITV soap marked its 50th anniversary with a intense tram crash – and live episode to boot. Overall, the crash and its effects were broadcast across a week in December 2010. Its resulting chaos saw regular characters Ashley Peacock (Steven Arnold) and Molly Dobbs (Vicky Binns) die.
• Richard Hillman tries to kill the Platts (2003): Of all the men unlucky-in-love Gail tied the knot with, Richard Hillman (Brian Capron) is probably the one she regrets most in hindsight. In 2003, murderer Richard tried to kill his step-family: first by gassing them with car fumes and then driving Gail (Helen Worth), Sarah (Tina O’Brien), David (Jack P. Shepherd) and Bethany (Amy and Emily Walton) into a canal.

EASTENDERS

• Queen Vic fire (2010): In September 2010, EastEnders bid farewell to matriarch Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor) as a permanent fixture on the soap – she returned as a guest before the character’s death in 2016. In the build-up to her initial exit, Peggy had trapped crack cocaine-addicted son Phil (Steve McFadden) in the Queen Vic. However, he escaped and set the boozer on fire.
• Bus crash (2017): In April 2017, a total of 11 Albert Square residents had their lives at risk in a terrifying bus crash. The stunt saw a double decker bus – the 764 to Barking – lose control and crash through the Albert Square market before hitting a low-level bridge. Notable passengers at the time included Denise Fox (Diane Parish) and Louise Mitchell (Tilly Keeper).

EMMERDALE

• James Barton’s death (2016): Interestingly about James’ (Bill Ward) death was that it came in a spiral of events. After wife Emma (Gillian Kearney) locked James up in a jealous rage, he escaped and they tussled on a bridge over the bypass. Emma pushed him and James fell into traffic, in turn causing a 12-vehicle pile up, As well as James dying, key characters including Ashley Thomas (John Middleton) and Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry) were injured.

EASTENDERS legend Rita Simons has married her “best friend” in a stunning rural wedding.

The BBC One show alum, 48, only revealed the pair had got engaged back in January, with a sweet Instagram upload.

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Now Rita, who is best-known for playing EastEnders‘ Roxy Mitchell, has tied the knot with Ben Harlow in the same year.

The actress took to her social media grid to reveal the happy news as well as a handful of snapshots showing her stunning boho bridal look.

Rita opted for an off the shoulder flowing cream dress adorned with a floral print for the ceremony in Carlisle, Cumbria.

She styled her blonde hair into waves and a half-up style with fresh make-up.

Her new groom Ben opted for a handsome beige suit and crisp white shirt.

The lovebirds shared images showing them enjoying a kiss while in front of a lake as well as holding hands when strolling through a park.

Rita also gave a snapshot of the ceremony, too, with the pair looking blissfully in love as they read their vows in a wood-floored barn.

She then hopped onto the stage with Blue’s Duncan James during the wedding reception to mark their special night.

In her emotional caption, the soap star wrote: “Well this happened yesterday!

“I married my best friend @benjyharlow. Just a little teaser before I have the good stuff from @the.event.editor content creator.”

She added: “I can’t even put into words how special our day was…mostly because we have the most incredible bunch of humans who love us unconditionally and who were prepared to travel to @hiddenriverbarn from all over the world to share our day.

“We love you all. You know who you are …sorry there’s gonna be a ton of pics to follow!

“The stars of the day were (apart from my babies @jaimee_silv @maiya.sammy ) @therocketscollective who rocked SO hard for the entire day and night! (Videos incoming!)”

She then told of All Rise singer Duncan’s role in the special day and added: “Thank you my darling @mrduncanjames for giving me away, I love you forever.”

EastEnders stars who QUIT

MICHELLE Collins has seen her second EastEnders stint boost her bank balance. Yet what stars have quit this year?

The Sun exclusively reported how Michelle, 62, was down to £20,000 in her company accounts when she agreed to a shock back-from-the-dead return to Albert Square last year.

Her character, Cindy Beale, was presumed dead off-camera in 1998.

Yet what about the 2024 exits?

Earlier this summer, loyal soap fans appeared to note how Stevie Mitchell had “quit” the long-running series.

It came after Alan Ford enjoyed just six-months on-screen.

Bobby Beale actor Clay Milner Russell also left this year after five years in Walford.

Fans also feared Martin Fowler actor James Bye would “quit out of boredom” over recent storylines.

Additionally, a host of stars have quit the BBC soap for Hollywood fame.

One of the most successful stars to come from the BBC One soap is Rob Kazinsky.

He played Stacey Slater’s brother Sean Slater from 2006 to 2009, he has starred in Hollywood blockbusters Pacific Rim and Captain Marvel.

Ben Hardy, who quit EastEnders as Bobby Beale almost a decade ago, went on to break Hollywood the following year, when he starred as Archangel in X-Men: Apocalypse.

Since then, he has played Roger Taylor in Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, and he starred in Michael Bay’s Netflix movie 6 Underground.

Michelle Ryan played Zoe Slater until 2005.

She starred as the lead in short-lived American series Bionic Woman from 2007 to 2008.

HAPPY ENGAGEMENT

The pair’s wedding comes just nine months after their engagement.

In the Instagram picture back in January, Rita can be seen showing off her engagement ring as she poses for the camera, while Ben beams for the camera as he sits beside her.

Captioning the post, Rita wrote: “… so this happened!”

The actress then added two sparkling ring emojis and an excited face.”

Rita and theatre actor Ben first met in 2017 when they both starred in the touring production of hit musical Legally Blonde.

They started dating a couple of years later after Rita split with her first husband of 14 years, Theo Silveston.

The former couple had met in 2004 and welcomed twin daughters together before they separated in 2018.

Their divorce was finalised in 2020.

Rita joined EastEnders as Roxy in 2007 and became a fan favourite before she was brutally killed off alongside on-screen sister Ronnie in a tragic New Year storyline in 2017.

She went on to appear on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here in 2018 before joining Hollyoaks last year as Marie Fielding.

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A REAL life Coronation Street couple have shared a slew of snaps from their dreamy getaway to the posh Greek island of Santorini.

Actress Sally Carman and her co-star husband Joe Duttine appear to have had the trip of a lifetime after jetting off to the sought-after location in the Mediterranean.

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The Abi Webster actress looked glam as she uploaded a series of snaps from hers and Joe’s loved-up getaway.

Joe, who plays Tim Metcalfe, could be seen beaming alongside his proud wife in one of the couple’s shots from the getaway.

Sally simply captioned the snaps with: “Santorini sun.”

It appeared to be no expense spared as Sally shared a photo of the pool at their resort which overlooked the sea and featured a floating bed in the middle of the water.

In another candid snap, Sally looked the picture of happiness as she sipped on a cocktail through a straw as she enjoying a sunset tipple.

She wore a leopard-print headband in the picture and kept her make-up simple.

In one of the other photos, Sally could be seen laid by the front of a boat wrapped in blankets as it appeared she had taken a tumble.

Their Corrie co-star Samia Longchambon commented on the snaps: “Gorgeous every bit”

Another fan added: “Lovely photo of you Sally. Enjoy yourself.”

As fellow soap actress Sue Devaney added: “Oooooooh I want to hug you in all that there cuteness of yours!!

“Stunning stylish sexy Sal in Santorini! So beautiful xx.”

Sally and Joe began romancing one another after meeting on the set of the ITV soap opera.

They tied the knot in Salford in 2022.

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A FORMER Hollyoaks star is unrecognisable after quitting fame and launching an international property career.

The star will be back in people’s minds as his on-screen sister has announced she is making a return to the Channel 4 soap.

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Zoe Lister is making a shock return to the Channel 4 soap – eight years after her last appearance.

The actress – who played Zoe Carpenter in the long-running soap – spent four years between 2006 and 2010 on the show.

She went on to make a brief return in 2017 before bowing out for good.

And more recently she’s found worldwide viral fame as the voice of the Jet2 Holidays advert that’s become an internet sensation.

But now The Sun has revealed that Zoe will be going back to the job that made her famous.

A source said: “Zoe will be returning to Hollyoaks for a brief stint soon.

“She’s really excited and it’ll be a huge treat for fans as the show celebrates its 30th anniversary.”

However it will spark theories on where her former on-screen brother Stephen Beard is these days.

His character Archie was involved in some huge storylines, including drug addiction and being kidnapped by gangsters,  throughout his two years on the soap.

Viewers last saw Archie on screen in 2010 when the character exited after falling out with his friends due to his continuing drug habit.

And now the former actor has given up a life of fame and reinvented himself as a property expert in Dubai.

It’s world’s away from Hollyoaks!

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EASTENDERS actress Jessie Wallace has made her social media comeback after darting out of the NTAs after-party in tears.

The soap star left partygoers at The O2 Arena stunned when she fled the venue inconsolable.

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Before she was left in tears, she was seen dancing with her co-stars and being labelled as the “life and soul of the party”.

Now, Jessie has taken to Instagram to share a collection of snaps from the evening and has made no reference to the reasoning behind her tearful exit.

The Kat Slater star, 53, shared images from both before, after and during the NTA ceremony in which she could be seen beaming from ear-to-ear.

Keeping coy about her tearful antics, Jessie captioned the snaps: “What a great night! Thank you to everyone who voted for @bbceastenders and my pal Steve and the gorgeous @jacjossa you are AMAZING!

“Love all me EE faaaaaaamily.”

Jessie cuddled up to many of her co-stars in the pics including Michelle Ryan and Jacqueline Jossa.

She even included a shot from the after-party in which she could be seen with Love Island host Maya Jama.

Jessie’s night turned eventful unexpectedly when she was seen running through the after-party in tears.

Jessie, 53, had been seen in high spirits during Wednesday night’s ceremony at London’s O2 Arena.

She was later spotted at the official after-party with her colleagues, including Scott and former co-star Charles Venn.

An onlooker said: “Jessie was the life and the soul of the party and was on a high after they’d picked up their big award.

“She was seen chatting with Charles and a few other people and was having a real laugh.

“But then suddenly out of nowhere she just burst into tears in front of everyone.

“Scott was like a superhero and just scooped her out and took her out of the party.

“No one could work out why Jessie was in tears. People just looked a bit baffled.”

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JON Richardson’s future on Waterloo Road has been confirmed after Jason Manford quit the show after just one series.

The comedy star announced he was joining the show after an April Fools prank claiming he was retiring from comedy to become a teacher.

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He soon announced that was he was actually joining the cast of the school-set drama.

And now The Sun can exclusively reveal that he won’t be a one-series wonder like Jason who bowed out after his first year.

A source said: “There were worries by some that after Jason’s one series stint that Jon would follow suit but that’s not the case.

“He’ll be sticking around for the foreseeable and is really enjoying acting now.”

The star will play the school’s new media studies teacher, Darius Donovan. 

The BBC blurb teases: “With tons of charm, this new teacher knows how to put on a good show, and viewers can expect his arrival to stir things up at Waterloo Road.”

Last year Jon and ex-wife Lucy Beaumont announced their split.

Jon and Lucy tied the knot in 2015 after two years of dating.

The two share one daughter Elsie Louise, eight.

In April last year they announced that they had gone their separate ways.

A statement shared by PA news agency said: “After 9 years of marriage, we would like to announce that we have separated.

“We have jointly and amicably made the difficult decision to divorce and go our separate ways.

“As our only priority is managing this difficult transition for our daughter, we would ask that our privacy is respected at this sensitive time to protect her well-being.

“We will be making no further comment.”

Waterloo Road will return to BBC One and iPlayer on Tuesday September 23.

EAGLE-EAYED Coronation Street fans think they’ve worked out another link to the cobbles for DI Costello (played by Daon Broni).

ITV viewers have previously expressed their suspicions about the detective inspector, thinking he is hiding his role in the death of his colleague DS Lisa Swain’s late wife Becky.

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After Friday’s episode of the soap, fans now think Costello has a connection to another character as the gripping storyline continues.

Dee Dee Bailey’s new love-interest Ollie appeared to take an interest in Lisa and viewers have flocked to Reddit to share their theories about his connection to Costello.

Somebody wrote: “So I’ve a new theory about Ollie and I’ve a feeling it’ll soon become popular. I think that he’s either related or connected to Costello.

“If you think about it, they came in around the same time and came to the forefront about the same time. Are both around the copshop alot lately. Both are inquisitive to people lately making sus comments.

“Who’s to say that it’s not a big corruption involving Costello, Ollie, the Radcliffes and Becky along with the infamous Tia Wardley.”

Another fan expressed: “Costello has been in it for over a year since the Joel case. But you could be onto something alright.”

Someone else responded: “I think there might be a twist that Ollie might be related to Costello and there’s a twist that he’s Costello’s son.”

The name Tia Wardley has been hanging over Lisa and her girlfriend Carla Connor for months, in connection to Becky.

In Friday’s bombshell episode, Tia finally arrived on the cobbles to explain herself – just in time for the women’s engagement party.

In the instalment, DI Costello was seen desperately trying to cover his tracks and hiding what he really knows about the mysterious Tia Wardley.

Tia turned up at the Bistro and told Lisa and Carla all about her connection to Becky.

She claimed to have been involved with the Radcliffe brothers and revealed that Becky had helped her escape her troubled life out of the goodness of her heart.

Lisa seemed genuinely touched that the truth meant that Becky had been a good cop – and had helped the woman escape a bad situation.

But after leaving the Bistro, the woman met up with Costello – and the truth soon emerged. The woman was not the real Tia Wardley.

She told Costello: “I gave them the full Meryl Streep. Really milked it. Looked like the blonde one was going to cry.”

And when the potentially dodgy cop questioned whether she actually managed to trick Lisa, the faker added: “They didn’t have a clue what the real Tia Wardley looked like, so yes…”

In addition to the on-screen confession, the credits also named her as “Fake Tia Wardley” confirming that she is definitely not the real woman Lisa and Carla were looking for.

But as Lisa and Carla made their way home from the celebrations, Lisa suddenly felt a chill.

It was then revealed that someone had been watching the couple, leaving the detective feeling completely unnerved.

Coronation Street fans will have to continue watching to find out who was following the pair and to who the real Tia Wardley is.

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SAMIA Longchambon is looking absolutely radiant in the snaps from her latest holiday.

The Coronation Street actress, 43, has been soaking up the sun in Corfu with her husband Sylvian.

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Samia took to Instagram to share some photos from the trip, showing her and her beau looking loved up with glowing skin from the sizzling summer temperatures.

“Had a Mamma Mia moment on a cute boat in Corfu,” Samia captioned the carousel of four photos.

The first of the series shows Samia posing alone on a white boat with blue detailing.

She’s slightly leaning back, supporting her weight with one arm and holding her beach hat nonchalantly over her leg with her free hand.

A pair of sunnies and her fluffy fringe cover most of her face, but Samia’s ear-to-ear grin is clearly visible.

She’s wearing a simple blue bikini top and brown shorts in the snap: an effortless outfit that is as comfortable as it is stunning.

The other photos feature another shot of Samia alone standing in front of a gorgeous sea and landscape view, a lovely couple’s “plan-did” of her and Sylvian with their arms around each other on the same boat, and a beautiful sunset.

Fans of the former Dancing On Ice contestant took to the comments section of Samia’s photos to praise her outfit and wish her a wonderful holiday.

“You look stunning,” said one user, following it up with emojis of a flame and a heart.

“Oh my gosh such fabulous pics and you look amazing wow x have the best time,” and “Stunning as always, the picture of the sunset is beautiful,” shared others.

Samia has been a core member of the Corrie cast since the year 2000.

Debuting as Maria Connor, she’s been a beloved member of the show ever since.

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CORONATION Street star Adam Hussain has broken his silence after quitting the soap.

The 24-year-old, who played Dev and Sunita Alahan’s son Aadi for five years, insisted it’s “not goodbye forever”.

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The ITV actor joined Corrie in 2020 when he took over from Zennon Ditchett, who had already played the character for ten years.

He announced his plans to leave in April this year – and has now revealed he’s landed a role in a new feature film.

In a video message shared by Coronation Street, Adam says: “I just want to say thank you so much to everyone for watching Aadi on Corrie over the years.

“These past five years have been so educational and such an experience.

“I’ve made friends that will last a lifetime.

“And I’ve grown not just as an actor, but as a person as well.

“But I just want to say that it’s not goodbye forever, more like a see you later.

“And if you want to keep watching me, then I will be around in other stuff so keep your eyes peeled.”

In an interview with the Mirror, Adam – who has been auditioning for new roles since filming his final scene in June – said: “I want to spread my wings a little, go out in the big world and see what else I can do.

“I am really excited as I’ve got a new role in a horror feature film. I can’t say too much yet, but I am looking forward to it.

“It’s very relieving to know I can always return whenever I want to.

“And they’ve told me the door will always be left open if I ever want to come back.”

He was flooded with support from fans in the comments.

One said: “Such a huge talent… all future tv and film dramas should count themselves very lucky that he is now available!”

Another added: “Wish you were staying! Your character had so much potential and would have loved to see your journey but wish you well in the future.”

Someone else wrote: “You are an amazing actor so we hope to see you back on TV very soon. All the very best buddy.”

EMMERDALE has been hit by hundreds of Ofcom complaints regarding a ‘violent and tasteless’ soap death.

Viewers were left heartbroken when killer John Sugden claimed his latest victim.

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The August 21 episode saw Mackenzie Boyd shot in the back with an arrow.

The mechanic had worked out that John had killed Nate Robinson months ago.

Mackenzie fled into the woods, but John prevented his escape by firing an arrow at his back.

A final flashback saw John throw a heavy rock down at a helpless Mackenzie.

Viewers later saw blood stains in John’s van and a body covered by a sheet – seemingly confirming Mackenzie’s death.

The latest data shows Ofcom received 158 complaints following the grisly scenes.

After John’s brutal actions played out, fans soon took to X to complain.

One wrote: “Love emmerdale but this all seemed a bit much with the violence and the crossbow seemed in bad taste what with the recent real life tragedies.”

Another added: “@ofcom complaints incoming and this time you take action.”

A third said: “The writers have really crossed line bow and arrow after crossbow killings not right.”

A fourth chimed in: “Isn’t this a tad violent for early evening.”

While a fifth remarked: “A bit distasteful isn’t it having a serial killer kill someone with a bow and arrow havent you got any compassion for a presenter who lost his entire family by a bow and Arrow in real life.”

It came after the real life murder of three people by crossbow killer Kyle Clifford in July of last year.

 The Sun previously revealed that Lawrence Robb, who played Mackenzie, had filmed devastating murder scenes for his character.

A source said at the time: “The scenes are going to be really harrowing for fans to watch.

“Mackenzie has been in so many scrapes and dangerous positions but this time it looks like he’s bitten off more than he can chew. 

“Viewers will be on the edges of their seats watching what happens.”

Some fans believe Mackenzie may still be alive – as his corpse was not directly shown.

Emmerdale airs on ITV1 and ITVX.

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HELEN Flanagan has hit back at cruel mum shamers while wearing a tiny bra and defending her boob job decision.

The former Coronation Street starlet, 35, has taken to Instagram to defend her boob job after cruel trolls left nasty comments on a recent snap she shared online.

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Over the weekend, Helen shared some glam snaps of her donning a chic dress.

Cruel trolls were quick to share their thoughts on her look, with one writing at the time: “Who on earth is she? dress is too small anyway.”

And in a sizzling video where she donned lingerie earlier this summer, another troll penned: “You really should save that for the bedroom.”

But now Helen has hit back at the haters with a defiant message.

Taking to her Instagram stories on Sunday, Helen explained how she attended the “most beautiful wedding” over the weekend before showing everyone her Pride outfit.

Helen could be seen donning a tiny bra with a silver sequin suit.

She then said how she would “probably get nasty comments” because she’s showing off her cleavage.

Helen went on to add how she has three kids and breast fed for around three years in total.

“Honestly, when I finished breast-feeding, I could have tied my boobs in a bow. They was so bad,” she confessed.

The next slide then saw Helen showing off her boob job after three pregnancies in an Instagram reel.

She explained how she went under the knife because she was “so self conscious”.

Helen then spoke to her fans again in the next slide where she said she has naturally always had “really big boobs”.

“Before I had kids, I had natural E cup boobs,” she confessed.

She later added how she gets comments “all the time” where people say “oh, you’re a mum, you should cover up” and “your kids would be ashamed of you”.

I don’t think there’s anything shameful about being confident or about being sexy. I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

Helen Flanagan

Helen hit back saying: “This is actually my body.”

She noted that even though she has had surgery from breast feeding and had excess skin, despite having had an implant put in each of them – they are now their natural size and how they always were.

“Should I be ashamed of how I look because I’m a woman and this is how I look?” she asked.

“So, I don’t think there’s anything shameful about being confident or about being sexy. I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

“I don’t understand how that makes you a bad mum?” she said, sounding confused.

“I’m not perfect, but I try and show my children the importance of being kind,” Helen added, noting how she would never want them to “drag other women down”.

She explained how she wants her daughters to grow up being kind to other women, and kind in general.

“That, I think, is good parenting,” Helen slammed before making a dig at people who call her out for wearing a low cut dress, adding “that’s not nice”.

“That’s bad parenting,” she added.

Helen went on to say how she wants her daughter to dress in ways that make her feel confident as she grows up.

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