Coronation Street’s Sam Blakeman revealed the reason behind his latest struggles in Thursday night’s episode and viewers were shocked by the surprise admission
21:28, 01 Oct 2026Updated 21:28, 01 Oct 2026
Coronation Street’s Sam Blakeman has been keeping a shocking secret (Image: ITV)
Coronation Street has revealed the reason behind Sam Blakeman’s latest set of struggles.
Just as Sam seemed to be readjusting to life as best he can, things took another turn for the worse. Out of nowhere, the teenager was very snappy with Nick when he told him off for being on his phone and he then was seen being irritable with schoolfriend Hope Dobbs.
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In scenes that aired on Thursday night’s episode of the world’s longest-running TV soap, it was finally revealed why. Viewers may have thought he was acting out after accidentally pushing Rovers Return landlady Eva Price (Catherine Tyldesley) down the stairs in the pub and landing her in hospital.
Eva confessed to partner Ben that Sam was the one who accidentally pushed her and the teenager was summoned to the backroom of the Rovers to explain himself to his aunt, claiming that he had been looking for his phone.
Later on, Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson), who is a somewhat surrogate mum to Sam, questioned him on what had really been going on along with Nick and his partner Toyah. He finally said: ” I’ve been buying crypto. I wanted to transfer it back to myself before I lost it all.”
Cryptocurrency is a virtual form of money which utilises blockchain networks and investors can potentially earn a passive income via various investments and staking, and the purchase of a digital coin before selling it on for a higher price.
When it was pointed out that he hasn’t got any money, Sam confessed that he had pretended to be his dad, who runs the Bistro. Sam told Nick: “I applied for a credit card in your name through a different bank. I’ve got all the passcodes. I set up an email address to deal with everything.”
In disbelief, Leanne raged: “Do you know what? I can’t believe this. Megan or no Megan, illness or no illness, this is totally unacceptable. How much was it, Sam?” When pushed for the amount of debt he racked up, Sam admitted that it had totalled to more than £6,200.
Reacting to the latest scenes, one fan wrote on X: “Sam has f****d up royally,” whilst another said: “Bloody hell, Sam!” and a third wrote: “An unexpected twist for Sam Corrie today!”
Emmerdale’s latest episode saw a character brutally dumped, paving the way for a sad exit on the ITV soap, while another character’s lies could finally be exposed by a character
20:07, 28 Sep 2026Updated 20:07, 28 Sep 2026
Emmerdale Sadie’s lies could finally be exposed by a character(Image: ITV)
Monday’s visit to Emmerdale could seal the end of TWO characters.
We’ve got someone’s secret possibly being exposed by someone known for taking action. Then we’ve got a brutal dumping that no doubt deals a departure for a character after their recent crime.
Sadie King may have just exposed her lies about her faked relationship with Jimmy King. Fans know that she’s made out to Jimmy’s grieving widow Nicola King that they were having a secret relationship for three years.
She’s actually after his money, and she’s in cahoots with Robert Sugden to find it. So when she drunkenly let slip to Ruby that the recent fling she had in Paris was in December last year… will Ruby realise she can’t have been with Jimmy, and has lied?
Ruby could use this information to expose Sadie’s lies and her real plan, no doubt triggering her downfall. Question is, will Ruby keep quiet?
Elsewhere, Lewis Barton ended his relationship with Vinny Dingle after finding out Vinny caused the fatal crash that killed Jimmy, and caused Dawn Taylor’s death too. With Vinny facing prison, Lewis tearfully ended things with him.
So with Vinny facing prison and now having lost his partner, with the villagers also turning on him, will he flee? Will he take his punishment and go to prison, either way confirming an exit for the character?
It comes as Lewis actor Bradley Riches told the Mirror what was ahead. Bradley teased: “It’s always going to be hectic. For Lewis, he doesn’t know where the relationship is gonna go. But also, his people will be there to support him.
“There’s a lot of things going on but at the end of the cycle, what we are filming now for later on, it’s joyful and fun. Lewis becomes friends with the women in the village.
“We did a scene the other day where it was Lewis, Sadie King, Vanessa Woodfield, Manpreet Sharma and Ruby Miligan. We were all together having drinks, as Lewis invites himself, as he often does.
“There is drama happening there but it’s so much fun, comedy and silliness. I think it’s needed from time to time in soap.” Asked to describe winter on the soap, he teased: “Christmassy, togetherness, community, and vulnerability.”
Bradley also teased the repercussions of Vinny’s crime coming to light. He shared: “There’s a lot of layers to it. Vinny was responsible for killing Jimmy and Dawn, and it’s one of those things where Lewis has to navigate being there for Nicola but also deciding what to do about his relationship.
“It is gonna be overwhelming for him. Normally everyone babies him, and people make decisions for him, but I think maybe this is the first time where Lewis is like, ‘I’m gonna do what I wanna do,’ and he deals with the situation on his terms.”
Joe Marler has revealed that he put on a stone during filming for Celebrity Traitors after overindulging in the extravagant breakfasts that are on offer for players
21:04, 27 Sep 2026Updated 21:04, 27 Sep 2026
Joe Marler has revealed that he put on a stone during filming for Celebrity Traitors(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Studio Lambert/Paul Chappells)
Joe Marler has revealed that he put on a stone during filming for Celebrity Traitors. The rugby star, 36, was one of several famous faces to enter the famous castle last year before comedian Alan Carr walked off with the top prize.
“I was in the room, you put a card under the door, your food gets brought to you, you can have as much as you like. “There’s no interaction with anyone, any other contestants and then you’re taken to the castle.
“For the first bit of enjoying yourself, just watch what you’re eating, to go in there and put on eight kilos. Some people engage in a second breakfast, some people it would be their first breakfast. Some people it might be a third breakfast.”
During his time on the programme, Joe, a Faithful, reached the final and correctly sussed that Alan, along with Cat Burns, were Traitors. But in a shock move, he was banished in the final at the last minute, meaning that Alan could walk away from the show victorious.
Viewers are just days away from the new series of Celebrity Traitors, which will launch on October 1 and feature will feature a stellar line-up of names including Coronation Street legend Julie Hesmondhalgh, Little Mix star Leigh Anne Pinnock and singer James Blunt.
Maya Jama, best known for fronting Love Island, as well as best friends and comedians Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan will be seen taking part as well, amongst a host of others.
Before the official release date was confirmed, Joe appeared alongside Pointless star Richard at an event and it seemed as if the pair had accidentally revealed the launch date, although this turned out not to be the case.
It’s reported that he asked Joe if he had any advice for the upcoming group of contestants, and he said: “What is it, September 23, the next series?”
Then, Richard replied: “By the way, to point out, it’s absolutely embargoed that it starts on September 23. Let’s talk about what we call the events of September 23 this year … the cat’s out of the bag, isn’t it? Not to repeat it.” A BBC spokesperson declined to comment.
EXCLUSIVE Some of the biggest stars of Coronation Street, EastEnders and Emmerdale have united for a new staging of a classic play and looked back on their time on the world’s longest-running TV soap
17:35, 27 Sep 2026Updated 18:05, 27 Sep 2026
Twelve Angry Men is on tour across the UK
Coronation Street, Emmerdale and EastEnders have been the UK’s biggest soaps for decades and now the stars truly have aligned as a group of actors from each of them have united to take on a stage production based on a film that is often one of the greatest films ever made
Soap legends Bill Ward, Tristan Gemmill, Ben Nealon and Gray O’Brien have teamed up together to appear as four of the jurors in Twelve Angry Men, which follows a jury as they deliberate the guilt of a boy on trial for murdering his father. All four of them have gone on to carve out successful careers on the boards since their time on screen, but Gray, 58,who played the villainous Tony Gordon on Coronation Street, has admitted he would be keen to return to TV if the opportunity was there.
“It’s not that I choose to do theatre, I’ll be brutally honest. It’s because nowhere in telly will employ me. That’s the thing about men coming out of soaps. Look at some of the best actresses we have in this country, Suranne Jones, Katherine Kelly, they’ve all used Coronation Street as a springboard into other things but it doesn’t work that way for men and I don’t know why that is,” he tells The Mirror.
Tony was the second husband of Underworld boss Carla Connor (Alison King). Introduced as a ruthless businessman, things quickly turned evil and he raped Carla before tying her up in the factory and setting it on fire during a major siege week in 2010. Carla made it out alive, but Tony did not. Gray admits he had no idea where the character was going when he first signed up to appear, but didn’t expect things to pan out as they did.
“It’s only supposed to be about seven houses,” he laughs when discussing the increasingly dramatic nature of the programme. Prior to joining Coronation Street, Gray had appeared in Casualty and River City, but joining the Manchester-based soap was a poignant moment for Gray because his father was such a fan.
“My father was a huge fan of Coronation Street, everyone says they are the biggest fan, but he was. Unfortunately, he died in 2000 and I joined in I think 2007 so he didn’t get to see it and he would’ve loved the part,” he adds.
But the star is happy with his latest role as touring fits in with his lifestyle and ultimately has happy memories of his time on set. It’s a similar case for Bill Ward, who played Charlie Stubbs and, after years of high-profile storylines, one of which saw Charlie abuse Shelley Unwin (Sally Lindsay), his character was murdered by girlfriend Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford) almost 20 years ago.
“I loved it, and people do still talk to me about it,” he smiles, adding “It was a really, really great piece of writing. The writers, I was very, very lucky. The writers really, really wrote for that character, for Charlie Stubbs, and I always used to look forward to getting the next week’s script to see what he would be up to because it was always it was very thoughtful, but it was also very innovative. A lot of the kind of the absolute delight, and I loved my time on it.”
Following his stint in Coronation Street, Bill, 59, went on to play James Barton in Emmerdale, but has also enjoyed a stellar career in theatre, starring in productions of Legally Blonde and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie amongst a host of others.
Things are never safe in soap land and a decade on from Charlie’s dramatic exit, former Casualty star Tristan Gemmill, 59, arrived to play Tracy’s ex-husband Robert Preston. Like Charlie, Robert did not exit in a black cab and his departure from the street was also explosive – being shot through the door of the Rovers Return Inn on Christmas Day.
At the time, Tristan’s children were young and he recalls having to calm them down when they saw the hard-hitting scenes. “Being shot through the door of the Rovers was harsh. It a hell of an exit. We all watched it on Christmas Day with my kids. I thought ‘Oh, look, we’ve had Christmas lunch. Let’s sit down and watch Daddy’s episode of Coronation Street because it’s where he leaves the show.’ It was a big mistake! They got so upset and I spent hours calming them down!”
For Ben Nealon, who played Alex Harkinson on EastEnders but is better known for starring as Capt Jeremy Forsythe on Soldier Solider, the theatre is definitely home, but he is always pleasantly surprised when members of the public recognise him for his signature role.
“With Solider Solider, it’s strange. In some ways, was really lucky, and all of us who were in it were really lucky to be last bastion of a show that was on television when there were still only five channels
“We had 17 million viewers, which is bigger than Game of Thrones now. I’m still amazed that that people come up and say ‘Hey, Jeremy!’ because it’s such a long time ago.” When asked if there is one genre he prefers, Ben, 59, admits he feels “really lucky” to have had a career spanning over three decades to begin with.
“I love doing theatre because of the rehearsal process, the immediacy of it. Of doing, it changes every night based on where you are, what the audience are like.
“I think in television these days, very rarely do you get a chance to rehearse much at all. You might do a couple of rehearsals for the camera and then off you go, so to have that in-depth analysis that you get in a in a rehearsal room for two or three weeks is is a real joy, and, and I think why most of do this job.”
After decades of starring on stage and screen, the four actors are keen to discuss taking on roles of various jurors in a new production of Reginald Rose’s legal drama. “It’s things like social justice, immigration, racism, one man standing against a mob, these are all ideas that he comes back to again and again and again.
“And so I’ve sort of gone backwards into his other work, if you see what I mean, and tried to find reasons, and I’ve researched the period,” Bill says.
Having already hit a few venues in the UK on its lengthy tour, Tristan is thrilled with the way audiences have responded. He explains, “We’re finding that the audiences are, are really engaged because the, Reginald Rose, the writer, has, has structured it in such a clever way where, where by, at the, at the beginning, you just see 12 blokes walk into a room.
“You know that it’s a jury deliberating on a murder case, but you don’t know any more than that. And then as, as time goes on, you almost fill in the gaps backwards, so that eventually you know what everybody in the room knows, because they’ve sat in the court for three days and listened to the proceedings. So, the way he drip-feeds the information is, is really clever.”
Bianca Dyke appeared in series six of ITV’s Benidorm – but who is the actress’ real-life soap star father?
Benidorm Bianca Dyke star has famous actor dad in real life and fans will be floored
Benidorm fans will be stunned to find out that Bianca Dyke star Bel Powley is not the only famous member in her family.
Bel joined the cast of the ITV sitcom back in 2014, with the rest of the Dyke family: dad Clive (Perry Benson), mum Tonya (Hannah Waddingham) and brother Tiger (Danny Walters).
During their stint on the show, the family became firm favourites and famously had a rivalry with the Garveys who were also stopping at the Solana resort.
As for Bianca, she turned her attention to fellow holiday-goer Martin Weedon (Nicholas Burns), thinking he was a wealthy businessman, only to end things after realising he wasn’t.
Benidorm was not actress Bel’s first time on the screen. She shot to fame playing Daisy Millar in CBBC’s M.I. High from 2007 to 2008. Her other acting credits include the TV series Everything I Know about Love and the 2015 coming-of-age film The Diary of a Teenage Girl.
She also played Claire Conway in The Morning Show from 2019 to 2025 and is currently portraying Petunia Dursley in the upcoming new Harry Potter television series.
In real life though, Bel is the daughter of actor Mark Powley, who is best known for playing P.C Melvin in police drama The Bill from 1987 to 1990. He’s also appeared in several soaps including Coronation Street in 2001 as Rob Lucas and Emmerdale in 1999 playing Liam Hammond.
Talking about her childhood, Bel told Hollywood Authentic: “I never even really wanted to be an actor. I was really academic. But my dad’s an actor [Mark Powley], and my mum’s a casting director [Janis Jaffa]. So it was always kind of in the family.
“I went to a Saturday drama group called Youngblood Theatre Company, which was all improvisation-based, where I met a lot of my mates. A casting director came in once to cast a CBBC show called M.I. High about child spies, and I got the job.”
She added: “So I basically ended up being a child actor, to my parents’ dismay, because they thought I was going to be the first academic of the family. I ended up following in my dad’s footsteps.”
Bel is also married to fellow actor Douglas Booth. Douglas has starred in the likes of Great Expectations, Romeo and Juliet and ITV’s recent cop drama The Blame, alongside Michelle Keegan.
Douglas and Bel first met at a chemistry read audition over 10 years ago. Three years later in 2016, they worked together on the film Mary Shelley and a romance quickly blossomed.
Going from strength to strength Douglas proposed to Bel in July 2021 on Primrose Hill in London. Then in October 2023, Douglas and Bel made things official by getting married at Petersham Nurseries in Richmond.
“I woke up in the morning, and I was like, ‘I just want to do it all over again, right now’,” Bel told Hollywood Authentic before sharing: “I think in 10 years’ time, we’ll get married again.”
Coronation Street’s Eva Price actress Catherine Tyldesley has confirmed if Eva Price survives her attack by Sam Blakeman, while teasing some mystery new plots on the way
Coronation Street’s Eva Price actress Catherine Tyldesley has confirmed if Eva Price survives (Image: ITV)
With the character feared to be leaving after Sam Blakeman left her to die, actress Catherine Tyldesley, who plays her, appeared to confirm if she dies or not. Speaking to the Mirror and other press, the star told us about things coming up, and the fallout of Sam’s attack.
She teased events for the families involved, and even hinted at some worrying future storylines. This seems to confirm that Eva does not die, and will survive the attack.
Teasing the fallout and whether Eva can support Sam, given his mental health struggles, Catherine said: “What happened really scared her, and once she’s out of hospital, she’s genuinely in a lot of pain. She she’s kind of 50/50 initially, but very much appreciates the fact as well that it takes a while for certain medications to kick in with certain patients that are in the same position as Sam, and she fully understands that.
“In her eyes, she wants to take a step back briefly while she recovers, and hopefully Sam adjusts to his medication, and then her first thing will then be to get the family back together because that that is always at the forefront of her mind.
“She can’t stand any arguing. That’s always her first objective, to keep the family tight.” Catherine wasn’t expecting the attacker to be Sam. She said: “I was really surprised initially.
“But because of where Sam is at and because of his storyline, once I’d read the script, I was like, ‘Ah, okay, this makes a lot more sense’. Eva takes mental health very seriously, after what happened with Aidan.
“That that was the first time she’d come across a situation like that, and the first time that suicide had affected her. And since then, I think it’s really opened her eyes up to how important mental health is.
“It’s a difficult juggle for her because she’s got a family to protect. She doesn’t want to feel scared, but at the same time she feels deeply sorry for Sam, and she just wants him to get better. So it’s finding that balance that trust again, I suppose.”
It seems there could be some big scenes ahead for the Driscoll family too, or perhaps the wider family including Eva’s sister Leanne and Toyah. Catherine didn’t specify who would be involved, but it came after questions about Sam, and Eva’s relationship with Leanne and Toyah.
She teased: “I think we’ve got a few mountains to climb. There’s a couple of storylines coming up with the family at the forefront, and if Eva thinks her family is in any kind of jeopardy, which they certainly are, she turns into mafia wife style.
“She will do anything to defend her family, and that’s what I love about her. It’s my belief that if she had to kill for her kids, if she was pushed that far, she would. I think it’s an interesting part of her personality. She’s a very, very strong character.”
Emmerdale’s latest episode revealed that Jimmy King had secret voice messages hidden on his laptop, sent to his ex Sadie King before his death and found by his wife Nicola
Emmerdale’s latest episode revealed that Jimmy King had secret voice messages hidden on his laptop(Image: ITV)
Jimmy King’s secret voice messages to Sadie King left his widow Nicola King distraught on Emmerdale on Friday.
But the truth behind the messages could be bad news for Sadie, who’s hiding some secrets of her own. Sadie returned after Jimmy’s death in a car crash recently, and she claimed to Nicola she was in a three-year relationship with Jimmy behind Nicola’s back.
Of course viewers soon found out that Sadie had faked images of her and Jimmy together, and she was trying to get her hands on his money. That said, voice messages found on Jimmy’s laptop appeared to confirm he had been in contact with Sadie right before his death.
As Nicola found out from her son Carl that the messages were on the laptop, she decided to listen. She heard her late husband’s voice, talking to Sadie.
As Jimmy spoke, he asked Sadie whether she was comfy and in a hotel, leaving Nicola fearing they were meeting up just like Sadie had claimed. He then told her he had “the money”.
While this confirmed that Jimmy was giving Sadie money, it’s what he said next that sparked confusion over the reasons. The message also suggested Nicola’s fears that Jimmy was cheating might be nothing to worry about.
Nicola had stopped listening hen he mentioned the money, and she got upset and ran off. But a the earphones dropped, the audio kept playing.
It’s then that Jimmy vowed this would be the one and only time he gave her any money. He said he loved his wife to pieces and she would rightly “kill him” if she found out what he was doing with Sadie.
Jimmy appeared to rule out any other meetings, and his words almost suggested he was doing her a favour. So, clearly he wasn’t planning to run off with Sadie or leave the family behind, like Sadie had implied at some stage.
The true reasons for him seeing Sadie and giving her money has not been explained. But surely this voice note could dispute Sadie’s claims about what Jimmy was up to, and prove Sadie is hiding something.
So will Nicola or someone else hear the rest of the voice message, and confront Sadie? We know there may have been more than one message, as Carl had found messages. plural.
So, is there even more to find out from these that will expose the truth?
Toyah Battersby was briefly recast in Thursday night’s episode of ITV soap Coronation Street as part of a sad twist in Debbie Wester’s long-running dementia storyline
20:42, 24 Sep 2026Updated 20:51, 24 Sep 2026
Toyah Battersby was recast for Thursday night’s episode of Coronation Street (Image: ITV)
Toyah Battersby was briefly recast in Thursday night’s episode of Coronation Street. The Bistro waitress is normally played by Georgia Taylor, and she made her debut on the programme in 1997 alongside stepsister Leanne Batterbsy (Jane Danson), her stepfather Les and mother Janice (Vicky Entwistle).
But on the latest instalment of the world’s longest-running TV soap, the character was briefly played by another actress for a matter of seconds amid a stylistic twist to portray Debbie Webster’s dementia spiral.
The hotelier (Sue Devaney) is at the centre of a long-running storyline involving vascular dementia and in recent weeks, her condition has worsened. Debbie approached a woman and said: ” Excuse me, which way is the Rovers?”
The woman looked a little bit confused, and said: “It’s just round the corner…Are you OK, Debbie?” But Debbie immediately asked how the woman knew her name, and refused any further help as she stormed off.
It was then that it was revealed that the woman Toyah all along and, wearing the same costume, Georgia Taylor was stood in her place looking very concerned.
In the credits, the character is simply listed as Stranger, and she was played by actress Anya Williams.
Reacting to the scene, one fan wrote on Reddit: “I enjoyed that scene today. It hit hard. My first thought when debbie said how do you know my name. Was why didn’t the woman explain. Then when it panned to it being toyah I was like, wow.”
Taking to X, a second viewer said: “Very heartbreaking #Corrie scene Debbie not recognising Toyah. Dementia is a cruel disease,” and a third wrote: “Powerful scene with Debbie not recognising Toyah and us seeing it from Debbie’s POV.”
In recent years, Coronation Street has favoured the use of numerous storytelling devices like flashbacks, flashforwards, and dream sequences that have rendered it away from the naturalistic approach that made it famous.
Emmerdale has also tried this method before when dementia sufferer Ashley Thomas struggled to recognise Aaron Dingle.
For Debbie, the incident was just the latest in a series of bad turns amid her diagnosis, having recently believed she was back in the 1980s and working as a hairdresser.
It was previously confirmed that actress Sue Devaney will be leaving the soap in 2027 and, Debbie, more than aware of her mortality, recently told sister-in-law Abbie that she wanted to film her own eulogy for her funeral.
Sue previously spoke of the erratic nature of playing Debbie and wanted to make sure she was telling the story with “full impact.”
She said: “I find it really interesting to play and going into that deeper, next journey of the illness.
“It’s that thing of who’s gonna look after her around that time? Some days she’ll be lucid and normal and then other days she will have a bad day.
“That’s how it happens, so it’s been really interesting to play, it’s really moving. I speak to my friend who is a dementia specialist and she tells me the journey I’m going on and if I am doing it correctly.
“You wanna do it right and I don’t want to not tell the full impact that dementia has on somebody.”
Coronation Streetairs Monday to Friday at 8:30pm on ITV1 and is available to stream from 7am onITVX.
The Real Rooneys gives fans a real insight into the lives of Wayne and Coleen Rooney and also some surprising details of what goes on
Wayne and Coleen have opened their home to the Disney+ cameras
The Real Rooneys throws up some interesting and surprising scenes and a lot of nuggets of information and Wayne and Coleen which will be new for fans. Coleen says of the series: “We live in this in this extraordinary world, but we are normal at the end of the day.”
Wayne adds: “When you know you’re on TV or you’re doing something, you maybe tone things down a little bit, but at home with four young boys, that’s impossible. It’s real what you see.” Here are some of the more shocking and surprising things I spotted previewing the first four episodes…
WAYNE’S WINDOWLESS REQUEST
The Rooneys live in an incredible mansion with dozens of rooms and grounds which are big enough for them to race around in go karts, as we see on the show. But despite paying for the property, Wayne had just two slightly odd requests when it was built. He says: “I only wanted two things in here, a small little room with no windows, not because I am a psycho for playing PlayStation or watching a movie. And a snooker table. I didn’t really care what else.” Thanks to Coleen there is also other great rooms which have fun things in them like a swimming pool and a boxing ring.
COLEEN LUCKY TO BE ALIVE
Coleen’s mum reveals that her beloved daughter may never have met Wayne or survived beyond a brief childhood having been very ill as a small child.
Colette McLoughlin tells the cameras: “When Coleen was three, she got really sick. It turned out it was encephalitis, and her brain was swelling. She couldn’t walk. She couldn’t speak. She was stumbling her words. When we got to Alder High Hospital, she ended up in a coma. For 24 hours it was touch and go. She had to learn to walk again. All the coordination had gone, but I’m so grateful because she was alive.” This help she got at hospital is one of the reasons Coleen’s parents became foster carers.
WAYNE WATERWORKS AT TV SOAPS
Wayne admits now he is older he gets emotional about lots of things. The subject comes up when Kai’s football career is being discussed and he is asked if he will cry if his eldest son gets a scholarship at Manchester United. Wayne replies: “Probably. I cry at everything anyway. I’ve cried over some mad things, Coronation Street, X Factor, when Barry got pushed off the hill by Janine in EastEnders, I’m pretty sure I was crying.”
COLEEN CONSIDERED SPLIT FROM WAYNE
His bad behaviour down the years is well documented and Wayne is not perfect husband material in the series either. Like most married couples there are some rows and at one stage Coleen says: “There’s times where I think ‘Is the answer to see what it’s like if we were separated?’.”
She then adds: “But the we still care for each other, we still have good times. You know, we still love each other.”
At another point she tells Wayne: “It’s been a bit of a lads holiday for you, staying up all night. You can’t just keep doing what you do. It is not fair of everyone else. It is only you that can fix it because no one else is doing it. I’m just hoping that things change.”
KAI MOCKS HIS DAD
It seems Wayne struggles with early starts as he is shown sleeping through alarms and missing doing the school run on at least one occasion.
But one morning – seemingly the first time the Disney+ cameras are at the home – Wayne is seen up early, although he seems in need of coffee. His eldest son Kai is clearly not used to seeing his dad before school. With a grin he says: “Bro’s up for the cameras”.
Kai also states he is the best footballer in the family, and that he wants people to “know the name Kai Rooney” so he is a star footballer in his own right in the future.
WAYNE SOMETIMES HATES FAME
Wayne and Coleen take their two youngest children Kit, 10; and Cass, eight to Poland for an educational trip.
Initially it goes well and Wayne goes unrecognised but a trip on a horse drawn cart in Krakow blows his cover and he is soon swamped for autographs and selfies, and then family need to beat a sharp exit.
Afterwards Wayne reflects on what happened and says his level of fame has changed him as a person and he would love to be able to live unrecognised more often. He says: “I’m not a celebrity. People who know me know, know that I want to be as normal as possible.
“Back to when I was a kid, and you wanted to be a football player. That’s all I ever wanted to do, and didn’t care about fame or money or whatever. I just wanted to be a football player. I think I’d be such a better husband, dad, person, friend without it(fame). It affects places I go, things I do.
“I bought a mask I saw on TikTok[to use as a disguise], it looked incredible but it was terrible.”
WAYNE’S JEWISH ROOTS
As part of the break with Kit, 10; and Cass, the family visit Auschwitz because Kit asked to visit while learning about the Second World War at school.
Wayne tells the cameras: “I recently found out my mum’s mum, so me nan, her family were Polish Jews.”
He is told by producers that would make him technically jewish. Wayne replies: “I’m Catholic, but then I’ve always asked questions like, why aren’t we Jewish?”
Told it could make a whole spin off show he says with a grin: “Roo the jew!”
* Stream The Real Rooneys on Disney+ from September 24.
EXCLUSIVE: Emmerdale’s Katie Hill – who plays Sarah Sugden on the ITV soap – warns there’s a ‘rocky road’ ahead as she details devastating consequences for Charity
19:10, 23 Sep 2026Updated 19:10, 23 Sep 2026
What’s next for the pair?
Sarah Sugden star Katie Hill has revealed some tragic twists on Emmerdale in the coming weeks.
Fans will know Charity Dingle is currently under investigation for the death of Dr Todd but it was Sarah who killed her. In a shocking turn of events, Charity confessed to Sarah that the baby she thought was hers and Jacob’s was actually Charity’s and Ross’.
Now, actress Katie has warned there’s more trouble ahead for Sarah and Charity in the coming weeks in an exclusive chat with The Mirror at the Inside Soap Awards.
“When the producer told me, I was so shocked. I had no idea it was going to be Sarah that was the one to kill her. It was a massive shock. She didn’t do it on purpose. It’s not in her nature to kill someone,” she said.
“She’s just now found herself in this really sticky situation. And then obviously with the baby thing on top, finding out about that, she’s just acted on impulse. She’s so angry, and she’s thought, ‘This is what I need to do to get my peace,’ type thing.”
However, Katie warned that despite her confessions, Sarah will continue to struggle.
“I think she’s still struggling with the idea that she’s killed someone. We’ll see her go through a bit of a rocky journey with like parenting, sleepless nights,” she told us.
“I think she’s just revisiting what she’s doing over and over again. And the guilt obviously did set in with Charity and reporting her but she’s gone and taken all that back. It’s a rocky road ahead for Sarah.”
Just a few weeks ago, Sarah found out that Charity had lied about the baby’s parentage.
Speaking about the impact of the storyline, Katie revealed: “In Sarah’s eyes, this is the end. I don’t think she believes she will ever be able to forgive her. The dynamic between the two characters has shifted completely. Sarah is taking charge now, and while it’s obviously devastating for Charity, Sarah just can’t see a way past this.
“From this moment on, as awful as it sounds, Charity is essentially dead to her. She doesn’t want Charity to have anything to do with her or Leyla. Sarah is setting very strict boundaries, she’s nothing to her now.”
In a new magazine interview Lacey revealed her hopes and fears for the BBC comptition which kicks off at the weekend
Lacey Turner hopes to make her kids proud on Strictly(Image: Sarah Brick/Prima)
Lacey Turner has admitted she has jumped out of her comfort zone to take part in Strictly Come Dancing. The EastEnders star, who is best known for her long-running role as Stacey Slater on the BBC soap, has now been paired with Vito Coppola on the series.
Speaking about the decision to take part, she told Prima: “I’ve been asked to do Strictly Come Dancing before. I’ve seen co-stars like Jake Wood and Kellie Bright work at the same time as doing the show, and I don’t know how they did it.
“Now I’m not on EastEnders , it felt right. I’m nearly 40 and I want to start doing things I’m scared of. I want to go out of my comfort zone and push myself to see what I’m capable of. Maybe it’s a midlife crisis, but I want to show my children that they can do anything they put their mind to.”
As well as being well known in Albert Square, the Edgware-born actress, 38, has also appeared on TV shows including True Love and Call The Midwife, and starred as Molly Dawes in the military drama Our Girl. She was the first contestant to be announced as taking part in Strictly this year.
Asked what scares her about taking part, she added: “I’m nervous for people to see more of Lacey. I’m opening myself up to people criticising me, not just my character. I’m quite terrified of the whole thing, and while I tap-danced when I was younger, this is very different. I am a bit scared of letting people in, but you can’t live your life in fear.”
Lacey revealed at one point in order to juggle motherhood and being on EastEnders she “smuggled” her newborn daughter onto the set. She explained: “I don’t think I was allowed, but I wanted to get stuck back in, so she was partly raised by cast members, assistant directors and makeup artists. It was lovely to be able to go back to work and have her by my side, which is rare. The world is not set up for mothers to be able to do that.”
Thankfully ahead of Strictly there was slightly less pressure on her In terms of work and she has been making the most of family time away from the small screen in the run up to the intensive training she will now undergo. She married husband Matt Kay in 2017 and the pair have three children.
She said: “For the first time in my life, I’ve had a long-time off work, and it’s been lovely to be with my kids, potter around in my allotment and do things just for me. I genuinely love EastEnders and working, so I thought I would get bored during this break, but it’s been so lovely.
“Will I come back to EastEnders ? It will always have my heart and will be a big part of me. I love the show. I miss Stacey, so one day, I hope to go back – but when that is, I’m not sure. I just hope they don’t kill her off!”
* The full interview can be read now in the November issue of Prima, on sale today(Wednesday 23 September).
Coronation Street’s Sally Metcalfe may need to watch out as Lucy Parkinson attacked her on the ITV soap, before Lucy made a sinister comment about her murdered mother Rachel
21:04, 22 Sep 2026Updated 21:05, 22 Sep 2026
Did Lucy Parkinson have something to do with her mum Rachel’s death on Coronation Street?(Image: ITV)
Did Lucy Parkinson have something to do with her mum Rachel’s death on Coronation Street?
Fans fear it’s the case, and that her next victim may be lined up. Troubled teen Lucy has been lashing out ever since her mum Rachel’s death, and her father Richie’s imprisonment for the crime.
Tim Metcalfe’s cousin Richie had been charged, while he claimed it was self-defence, and that Rachel was abusive. Lucy backed this up and since then, private conversations have revealed Richie has asked Lucy to stick to his story.
Lucy’s been having nightmares though, with it clear she is struggling. With her making weird comments at times and displaying confusing behaviour, it was the latest comment, and her attacking Tim’s wife Sally Metcalfe, that has now rung alarm bells.
Sally had found a worrying drawing by Lucy, of a woman clutching her head. Sally asked if it was meant to be her mum and as Lucy grabbed it, it ripped and she blamed Sally.
Lucy started throwing things into her bag and was quite frantic, as Sally tried to calm her down. Suddenly, Lucy launched her phont at Sally, with it hitting her at speed, right in Sally’s face.
Sally was horrified, and the incident also left her with bruises. Lucy rushed off before being confronted by Tim, while he and Sally also discussed the situation.
With Sally and Tim taking Lucy in after Richie’s arrest, Sally is concerned Lucy needs more help than they can offer her. But perhaps Sally needs to watch out, as Lucy made a worrying admission to her dad Richie in a secret phone call.
As Tim slept on the sofa, a troubled Lucy told her dad how “it happened again”, before suggesting she had done something to her mum Rachel. Whether it was linked to Rachel’s death was not made clear, but Richie’s comments certainly teased the pair were hiding something.
Lucy said to him: “Dad, it’s happened again. I lost it this morning. I threw a phone at Sally. There’s something bad inside of me. What if I done to her what I done to mum.”
Richie replied: “It was your mum’s fault that happened, not yours. Just remember that. I’ll keep doing everything I can to protect you.” So what is Lucy talking about, and will Sally need to be careful?
EastEnders star Sophie Levy, who plays Priya, has left the show in an unannounced exit that left fans gobsmacked, as the BBC show’s official X account showed the cast’s emotional goodbye
Sophie Levy has left EastEnders(Image: WireImage)
The EastEnders cast have said goodbye to one of their stars in a shock exit that was not announced to fans. Sophie Levy, who played Priya Nandra-Hart, has left the show.
In tonight’s episode, Priya decided to quit Walford, terrified that Max Branning (Jake Wood) would do something drastic if he found out that she was pregnant with his child. She packs her bags and is driven off in a cab headed for Leeds.
It has now been revealed by the EastEnders’ official X, formerly known as Twitter account that these were one of Sophie’s last scenes. They shared a video of Sophie being given a huge goodbye from the cast, who chanted, “We love you Sophie, we do!”
Executive producer Ben Wadey then said: “We have just wrapped Sophie’s last scene with us on EastEnders. Congratulations, Sophie! We want to say a massive thank you on behalf of everyone at EastEnders for an extraordinary few years. It’s a really hard thing to come in and put on the shoes of a new character in the show and instantly become an icon.
“You’ve led so many amazing stories, you’ve had brilliant, unlikely partnerships with people like Martin, with Ian, with Jean most recently. I’ve been enjoying you actually driving Max Branning to have a heart attack by stressing him out so much. You’ve been extraordinary; you’re a delight to work with. You’re going to be very, very missed.”
He added that Sophie, who is pregnant, was onto a “more important adventure” next. Sophie then said that the EastEnders crew were like “family” and that she loved being on the soap. Speaking directly to the camera, she added: “I just wanted to say a massive thank you to all of the fans and the viewers of the show. I’ve been so proud and happy to be part of this family for three years. I can’t believe it’s been three years, it doesn’t feel that long but it also feels like it’s been forever!
“Thank you for having me. And let’s see. Watch this space, you knows if Priya will return.” Turning to the side to show off her baby bump, she signed off with: “See ya!”
EastEnders captioned the post with: “Sophie Levy Khan’s final day on EastEnders was an emotional one. From the moment she arrived, Priya has been an unforgettable character and leaves behind a Walford legacy to be proud of. We’re not crying, you are.”
Fans were shocked in the comments as they did not think Priya’s exit was permanent. “Wait she’s left for good?” one fan asked. Another said: “Shut the f*** up???? This can’t be Priya’s actual exit!”
A third added: “Wait a minute that was her actual last scene really I thought she would be gone for a bit and be back another great Eastenders character gone.”
Others said they thought she might return in time for Christmas, so that she could still be the pregnant woman in Max Branning’s bed at New Year. One said that it was “obvious” that Sophie would return: “She even says at the end of the video let’s see if priya will return ?? Do any of you even watch any of these videos before jumping on a bandwagon ! Its obviously just a temporary leave!”
Emmerdale villain Tom King – played by actor James Chase – will make his return to the Dales later this year in a devastating twist for Belle Dingle and her new partner Kammy
Emmerdale villain Tom King is returning
Emmerdale villain Tom King is returning to the Dales in a shocking twist.
Actor James Chase is reprising his role as the abusive Tom King for new scenes later this year. Belle Dingle – played by Eden Taylor-Draper – was targeted by her abusive ex-husband Tom.
Throughout their relationship, she was controlled by Tom, where he psychological abused her, cyber-stalked her and even harmed the family dog Piper to coercively control his wife.
He was convicted and sent to prison but now he is up for parole, and his unexpected return in Belle’s life threatens to turn her life upside down once again. Can the Dingles find a way to keep him in jail or will he manipulate those around him once more?
Emmerdale producer Laura Shaw said of the new storyline: “James’ return isn’t just about bringing back a familiar face; it’s about reigniting a complex and challenging story.
“When Belle gets the news that Tom is up for parole she’s forced to confront a trauma she battled hard to overcome. With her family and new partner Kammy by her side, we explore the lasting impact of Tom’s abusive actions on Belle as she fights to keep Tom away from the village.”
James Chase added: “Stepping back into Tom’s shoes is a responsibility I don’t take lightly. He is a character driven by obsession and a desperate need for control, and it is both fascinating and challenging to step back into that mindset.
“The audience knows exactly who he is and what he is capable of, so the challenge now is to show the lengths he is willing to go to in order to get what he wants, even if it means dismantling Belle’s life all over again. It’s a dark path, and I’m ready to see how far Tom will push it.”
Actor James left the show back in December 2024 after his character’s 10 month campaign of mental and physical abuse against Belle Dingle. He said of his departure: “One hundred per cent this is the right outcome for King.
“If the Dingles had gone after him and killed him, or even Belle kill him, I think that would be understandable but she and the family would be stooping to his level. By keeping it in the realms of legality, it is the right course of action.”
He added at the time: “This storyline has really resonated with viewers and, sadly, it’s been happening for a long time behind closed doors. Unfortunately, in real life, these things can go on for years.
“By doing the storyline for most this year, we have brought that feeling across – that you are trapped, you are with someone who is awful and you can’t find your way out of it. I feel really proud of what we have achieved and I’m especially proud of Eden (Taylor-Draper) who plays Belle Dingle. She is bloody brilliant and it has been intense. She has spent nearly every day crying.”
Emmerdale airs 8PM, weeknights on ITV1and STV or from 7AM on ITVX and STV Player and YouTube.
Miranda Hart has explained why she decided to sign up to Celebrity Traitors, which comes after years out of the spotlight as she dealt with a series of health struggles
Miranda Hart is making her television comeback with Celebrity Traitors(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody Burridge/BBC Creative)
Miranda Hart has explained why she decided to sign up to Celebrity Traitors following her “long term ill health issues.” The comedienne, 53, is best known for fronting her eponymous sitcom in the late 2000s but took a break from the spotlight after becoming increasingly unwell.
The TV star previously told how she had suffered a “tick-borne illness” while living in the USA as a teenager. At one point, she was diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, before eventually being diagnosed with Lyme Disease in 2020.
She said: “My decision making in life generally, and certainly work, is follow the joy. I haven’t done much TV work for a long time, having only recently come out of long-term ill health issues and when I was offered this, my whole body sort of relaxed, I smiled, and I just wanted to jump about like a schoolgirl with joy.
“It’s just fun. It’s outdoors, it’s games. All the stuff I love. It’s play basically. And I’m passionate about encouraging people to play more generally, and this game is that in spades.
“It’s a brilliant television show – the only flaw in taking part is that as a fan of the show it will be less fun to watch it with myself in it!”
Despite her new lease of life, the former Call the Midwife star, who secretly got married in late 2024, is still living with elements of her illness and is struggling to a point but has been able to manage her symptoms and insisted she felt well enough to join Claudia Winkleman’s hit BBC game show.
She added: “I’m still living with elements of ME, and that brings fatigue and pain to manage, but I have come to a point where I feel well enough to step out, and that’s also partly why I’m doing this.
“The joy of mucking about on television again will hopefully outweigh some of the challenges. And I think it will be challenging on my body, so it’ll be interesting, and it’ll take some courage as this is a big next step.
“When you live with a chronic illness, it’s invisible, so people don’t know that you’re sitting there in pain. But then it reminds you that everybody’s got their thing. So, I’m also really looking forward to making friends and looking after each other and hopefully they can carry me up a hill or whatever we’re going to have to do!”
Miranda, who will appear alongside the likes of Little Mix singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Coronation Street legend Julie Hesmondhalgh, and Love Island host Maya Jama, even teased that there could be a nod to her sitcom past.
She added: “When someone said on Instagram, “Oh, I hope you gallop in the castle,” I foolishly replied, Right, I now take that as a dare.” So that was idiotic of me.
“I will have to at some point gallop down a corridor. I’ll gallop when no one’s watching…or who would be the best person to encourage to gallop?
“I don’t know. I mean, Kenny probably doesn’t even know who I am. So, if I could get him to gallop…I could get a new generation galloping.”
Coronation Street actress Sally Dynevor has been a Weatherfield icon for more than 40 years
Met Gala: Phoebe Dynevor stuns in custom Victoria Beckham gown
Coronation Street legend Sally Dynevor is not the only actress in her family, and Netflix fans are sure to recognise her eldest daughter.
In 1986, Sally, 63, burst onto screens as Sally Seddon on the long-running ITV soap. She was first seen waiting for a bus when Kevin Webster (played by Michael Le Vell) drove past in his van and accidentally splashed her with water.
Initially, Sally was only supposed to appear on Corrie for a short stint, but she soon became the mechanic’s girlfriend and grew into the funny busybody fans know and love today.
Sally and Kevin welcomed two daughters into the world, but their romance didn’t stand the test of time, and Sally eventually found love with Joe Metcalfe (Joe Duttine).
Away from the ITV soap, life is much simpler for the actress, as she has been married to her screenwriter husband, Tim Dynevor, since 1995.
Happy couple Sally and Tim share three children: daughters Phoebe, 31, and Hattie, 22, and son Sam, 29. Both of the girls have followed in their footsteps and are enjoying careers in television.
Hattie stars on the BBC drama Waterloo Road, playing Libby Guthrie, the daughter of history teacher Neil (Neil Fitzmaurice), and has so far appeared in series 13 – 17.
She also appeared in the recently released gripping Netflix series Legends as Arabella, which also stars Steve Coogan and Tom Burke.
Who is Phoebe Dynevor?
Phoebe launched an acting career on the BBC drama Waterloo Road, playing Siobhan Mailey between 2009 and 2020.
She went on to land the role on the Netflix series Bridgerton, playing Daphne, the wife of Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, played by Regé-Jean Page, between 2020 and 2022.
She has since starred in a long list of popular television shows, including The Musketeers, Dickensian, Snatch, and Ten Percent. Away from the small screen, Pheobe has starred in the movies The Colour Room, Inheritance, and Thrash.
Phoebe recently married actor and producer Cameron Fuller at a chateau located in Provence, France. Her husband is the son of producer Brad Fuller, who specialises in horror films, including The Purge franchise and A Nightmare on Elm Street.
On-screen, Cameron, 32, has appeared in shows such as The Last Ship, Insecure, Into the Dark, and The Goldbergs.
He has also worked as a producer on numerous films, including The Astronaut, Dead Sea, and The Girl in the Woods.
Taking to Instagram on Thursday (September 17), the new Mrs. Fuller shared two photographs from the big day, including a black-and-white picture of her and her new husband kissing under a floral-adorned wooden arch. “Married my best friend,” she sweetly captioned the post.
Proud mum Sally was quick to respond, as she gushed in the comments section of her daughter’s post: “Best weekend of our life. Beautiful Phoebe and Cameron. Love you both so much.” Sister Hattie also shared: “The best weekend ever.”
EXCLUSIVE Coronation Street actress Sair Khan, who plays Alya Nazir on the ITV soap, has teased drama with the Barlows, and told viewers to watch out for Idris Nazir
There could be trouble in paradise for Coronation Street couple Alya Nazir and Adam Barlow very soon(Image: ITV)
There could be trouble in paradise for Coronation Street couple Alya Nazir and Adam Barlow very soon.
Sair Khan teased drama with the Barlows, an “uneasy journey” for Adam and Alya, and Sair also teased we should watch out for Alya’s villainous relative Idris Nazir. Sair spoke exclusively to the Mirror while promoting This Girl Can’s recent campaign, Move for 10.
The campaign aims to empower women – particularly those from underrepresented groups or communities – to reconnect with their bodies and find joy through movement. Sair spilled all about what was ahead on the cobbles, and whether she thinks her character Alya’s romance with Adam will last.
She said: “I think for Alya and Adam, there’s definitely not going to be an easy journey. As much as I want to see them committed, it’s not going to be the easiest journey for that to happen. So keep watching just for that. There might be a few obstacles in the way.”
Hoping to revisit the past, she added: “Don’t forget Tracy Barlow was actually responsible for Alya’s father’s death. I guess somewhere that’s not forgotten, even though time has passed.
“So, there is a lot of history there, and a lot of untapped potential either way, whether that’s them repairing and being unlikely friends, or there being a fallout.” Teasing Barlow drama on the way, Sair said she hoped Alya and Adam will make it through.
She said: “I really like the idea of them as a power couple, they’re both serious about their work, they’re kind of a modern day version of what we’ve seen before. I love working with Sam [Robertson] as well, and I really hope it does continue.
“Who knows, their relationship might get more serious in terms of the drama, which you can’t avoid if you’re in a soap opera! I know that Alya is going to be getting in between some of the Barlow drama, but, they’ve been so great with me and really welcomed me into that family, so I’m here for it. I’m here for the drama.”
As for Idris, Sair said she hopes Alya catches him out and holds him to account over his recent manipulation tactics. She said: “I think everyone would be wise to proceed with caution when it comes to Idris!
“As much as he’s family, he’s also a businessman, and he wants to look out for himself, and he’s not come from money and he’s come into it. I think he’s got the taste for success and he won’t necessarily let anyone or anything stand in his way.
“I would like to see him go further, and I would like to see Alya realise the way that she was gently manipulated into giving over her shares of Speed Daal, because at the moment, I think maybe it’s been a bit glossed over, or he’s made her think it’s her idea, whereas is that what she really wants? But there’s always time. Maybe she’ll get it back one day.”
Sair also spoke to us about her reason for taking on the Move for 10 challenge, revealing the positive impacted it has had on her. She told us: “I’ve always admired the This Girl Can campaigns that they’ve run since 2015.
“I just think it’s such a positive and encouraging message that they always send. I think this particular campaign really hit me in a different way. I’m in such a different stage of life than I was when I first started on Corrie.
“I think the campaign really resonated with me because it’s just so easy to do. I think that’s what I need at the moment, to just be able to slot something in into my life without too much fuss.”
She went on: “It’s just difficult because it’s all about balancing, with work and family life, but I almost think that that’s a bit of a myth these days, because sometimes you can do it all, and other weeks work is really busy, or someone at home is sick, and there is no balance to be seen. And I think in those times, you just have to be realistic with your expectations of what you can achieve and just do what you can.
“That’s why the Move for 10 really appealed to me, because it was something realistic, which meant I could still prioritise my own well-being, and still manage to do what I needed to do for my family and what I needed to do for work. I think that’s so important.”
Sair features in This Girl Can’s recent campaign – Move for 10 – which encourages women to move for 10 minutes, 10 times a month. Empowering women to reconnect with their bodies and find joy through movement, unlocking the powerful benefits that small but regular sessions can offer. To find out more search,This Girl Can Move for 10.
Coronation Street fans think they know what Lucy Parkinson has planned for poor Sally Metcalfe, who appears to be a target of the troubled teen amid some dark behaviour
Coronation Street fans think they know what Lucy Parkinson has planned for poor Sally Metcalfe(Image: ITV)
Fans of Coronation Street think Lucy Parkinson’s plans for Sally Metcalfe could get very sinister.
While Lucy has been lashing out at Sally, who has been caring for her since her mother Rachel’s murder, and her dad Richie’s imprisonment for the crime, she also appears to be setting her up. Things are set to continue when next week, Sally is alarmed by a picture Lucy has drawn.
Sally is soon confiding in her husband Tim Metcalfe about Lucy lashing out, and the drama with the picture. But with Sally not sure she can keep looking after Lucy, there could be worrying twists ahead.
Some fans now think they know what Lucy’s plan is, and where this might lead. With Lucy also targeting the kids Sally and Tim have fostered, will Lucy have them taken away from them?
One fan predicted: “After watching tonight’s episode, I’m sure Lucy’s plan is that Tim and Sally lose custody of Joanie, Shanice and herself.” Another fan said: “I am really worried for Sally, she’s either going to get hurt or Lucy is going to get her reported to the care worker which will have consequences for the other kids.”
A third viewer said: “Tim and Sally will be lucky to get out of this alive and still together.” A fourth fan commented: “She really seems to have it out for Sally and manipulates Tim.”
Another theory saw fans wonder if Sally would be attacked. One said: “I strongly suspect this is all building up to Lucy losing it and attacking Sally.” Another said: “There’s going to be a potential stabbing for Sally.”
Another fan wondered if Lucy had targeted someone else before Sally. They said: “After seeing Lucy had obviously given herself the mark and blamed sally, do we think this isn’t the first time she’s done this?
“What if she’s hurt herself before, and blamed her mum, so her dad killed her out of anger?” It comes as some fans speculated over who attacks Eva Price next week, after spoilers teased someone hurts her.
It’s not yet clear if Eva falls down the stairs or is pushed. One theory is that Lucy attacks her after drama airing next week. Other names thrown into the mix as possible attackers are Jodie Ramsey and Ross Wilkes.
Emmerdale’s Joe Tate takes a sickening revenge on Caleb and Ruby Miligan next week, as spoilers reveal the moment he buries Ruby alive in a coffin, leaving her facing death
Emmerdale spoilers: Joe buries Ruby alive
Ruby in Emmerdale could die next week, as Joe Tate’s extreme revenge plan sees her buried alive.
Caleb Miligan and his wife face danger as Joe wants payback, blaming them for the death if his partner Dawn Taylor. So when Joe asks Graham Foster for a favour, we later see exactly what Joe has planned for them.
Spoilers for next week reveal that Joe struggles to deliver the eulogy at Dawn’s funeral, so Kim steps in. As Kim vows to keep the family together, a grieving Joe walks away. As Joe approaches a grave, it becomes apparent he’s buried Ruby alive.
As Joe torments a weakened Caleb about his wife Ruby, she wakes up in a coffin, unable to escape. As Ruby slips unconscious, Caleb begs Joe to release her but he refuses.
Vinny admits to Nicola and Joe that he was responsible for the car accident that killed Jimmy and Dawn. As Nicola heads to the pub to confront Gabby, she publicly reveals how Vinny caused the fatal crash while on the phone to Gabby.
Cain tells Moira that Sadie opened up to him about the loss of their child. Sarah and Jacob are relieved when Ross confirms he has no intention of fighting for custody of Leyla.
Lewis worries about his future with Vinny, while Kev panics that Nicola will find out he knew about Vinny causing the crash. It comes as scenes this week sparked death fears for Charity.
In the latest episode, Charity was struggling with Sarah refusing to change her statement – the police statement that had her charged with murder. Things came to a head when drugs were found in Charity’s cell, and she was told she would need to undergo a full body search.
Charity experienced a panic attack as memories of her horrifying assault at the hands of Dr Todd came flooding back, as the police prepared to force the search. Charity was placed in segregation after lashing out, where she was clearly traumatised.
As Mack feared for his wife’s safety and feared how she would cope if she remained in prison, Mack warned Sarah that she could have another death on her hands, meaning Charity, if she didn’t tell the truth. But will Charity be released?
EastEnders fans think they know what brings Stacey Slater back to Walford amid reports actress Lacey Turner is filming a few episodes for the BBC soap during her Strictly stint
16:45, 13 Sep 2026Updated 16:45, 13 Sep 2026
Stacey Slater is returning to EastEnders, according to new reports(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Jack Barns/Kieron McCarron)
Stacey Slater is returning to EastEnders, according to new reports – and it’s very soon.
Lacey Turner is said to be reprising her role on the BBC soap, while she’s starring on Strictly Come Dancing. According to the reports, Stacey could be back in time for Christmas and the big New Year’s Day 2027 episode.
While nothing has been confirmed, it’s thought Lacey will be filming for a handful of episodes, reprising her role around October and November time. Given filming is often around six to eight weeks ahead of transmission, this could mean Stacey is back for December and New Year.
This detail has left many fans convinced they have figured out what brings Stacey back. Some think the episodes are tied into the return of her brother Sean Slater, while others wondered if this means Stacey could be the pregnant woman in Max Branning’s bed, yet to be identified.
A fan posted on social media: “Stacey only seems to be back for a few episodes which must link in with Sean returning. Lacey couldn’t have come back to film anything without it being noticed.”
Another fan said: “Great that Stacey is coming back. I did wonder at the start if it may be her in Max’s bed, but they didn’t part on good terms when she left for Brazil because of Max and Zoe.
“To be cosying up to Max again seems a bit strange. It might be to do with the Vic as she helped Kat.” A third fan said: “I think the best outcome would be if she was the pregnant woman.
“I know it’s probably Priya but that feels to obvious. I don’t really want Max to have another kid, but I’d rather he have one with Stacey than Priya.”
One fan theorised: “Streets are saying stacey is the pregnant woman in max’s bed nyd 2027.” Another said: “Stacey back around new years? How do i make sure she’s not the pregnant woman in max’s bed?”
A further post read: “Stacey is returning for a guest stint but they’ll probably have her involved with Max.” A final comment said: “Will she be the pregnant woman in his bed or will he cheat on Linda with her? Lbr it’s going to be one or the other.”
On Stacey’s apparent comeback, the source told The Sun: “Lacey has created one of the soap’s most iconic character’s in Stacey Slater. She is loved by the fans.
“So the fact that she’s agreed to return, even if it’s only for a handful of episodes, will come as a huge boost for the loyal viewers. Lacey returning for a few episodes to turn the tide. This is not a permanent return.”
They added: “It’s going to take more than Lacey returning for a few episodes to turn the tide.”
There is a lost EastEnders Christmas special which showed groundbreaking gay character Barry Clark come out to his homophobic dad.
In 1986, bosses on the BBC drama cast the first ever gay couple on the soap with Michael Cashman and Gary Hailes playing Colin Russell and Barry.
The two characters were the first openly gay couple to share a kiss in a British soap. Gary Webster joined EastEnders in 1987 playing Barry’s protective older brother Graham Clark who accepted his sibling was a homosexual man.
Former Minder star Webster has now revealed that an entire Christmas episode was filmed in 1987 around Barry emotionally revealing his sexuality to their father, who hated homosexuals.
Webster insists the unique episode was in the can and due to air on Christmas Eve but when he sat down to watch it, bosses had lost their nerve and left it on the cutting room floor instead airing an episode forcing on Pauline and Arthur Fowler’s broken oven and Sharon Watts coping with Christmas with her parents Angie and Den separated.
None of the scenes were ever shown on the soap.
Webster said: “I was very proud to be a part of that storyline, absolutely. “That was really groundbreaking writing. Not only having Colin and Barry’s relationship out there, accepted or not accepted. It wasn’t for effect it was a reflection of what was happening to people in those relationships.
“It was fantastic writing, the idea that his brother would be fully accepting of it as well, when everyone thought the brother would find it unacceptable. At that time they could have gone further. I remember we shot a whole Christmas episode of the father of Barry and Graham – my character – finding out his son was gay, and he wasn’t accepting of it. It had all been building to that culmination of the father coming into the pub.
“We filmed 15 scenes and it was a whole episode at Christmas. I sat down to watch it at Christmas and they had pulled it and had shot something else. I think they just lost their bottle a little bit at that time.
“No, never broadcast. I don’t what happened to it. All I know is that my parents were sitting down with my aunt and uncle, my current girlfriend at the time was sitting down with her parents on Christmas Eve. I’d told them I’m featured in this episode a lot, this is going to be a big episode. I was sat down on my own, I saw the opening scene and I suddenly realised, ‘Oh my god! This has changed. This is not the episode that we shot.’
“Back in those days if you got an episode on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day it was the pinnacle of your career. Then I thought, ‘I just look like I’m a big liar. Now I’m going to have to take the flak of people going, ‘Right, so you were going to be in a big episode?’ Everyone doubted me for years afterwards.”
Webster – who stars in new independent British horror movie Harbinger – believes the episode was dropped because bosses on EastEnders feared the British public weren’t ready for it.
Despite that history-making episode never making it to television screens, Webster says being a part of the Colin and Barry story is one of the proudest acting jobs of his long career.
He said: “To be a part of that storyline, to work with Gary Hailes and Michael Cashman who played Barry and Colin – I still keep in contact with them both – I look back on that and I am proud of my part of that storyline. It was EastEnders at its very best. “What everyone forgets, people in my industry and in that London scene, we probably lived in a bit of a bubble than what was going on in the rest of the country.
“I felt that maybe people at that time weren’t ready for that yet. But I think people are ready for it at any time. You have to have more faith in the public.”
Webster made a return to EastEnders in 2016 as new character Neville Peacock. The actor still watches the soap and insists it is vital it remains on screens as it is a hotbed of new talent.
He said: “EastEnders is in a battle but I still think the basics and foundations are great, the same with Coronation Street and all the soaps. They are a great breeding ground for great talent whether it’s in front of the camera or behind the camera. People still like that regularity of storyline and characters they now and love. It’s just getting it out there, because there are so many other platforms.
“I did about four episodes of EastEnders as a different character in 2016. There was some hope that I might return. Hope is one thing, reality is another. It doesn’t bother me if something doesn’t quite work out, that’s just the nature of the business we’re in.
“If they called me again I would be thrilled and honoured to be in the show. “I still think there is a lot of value to the soap operas. In this country we do them extremely well. It’s a hot bed for new talent, discovery of new talent across the board that we would lose at our peril. If we allow that to just slip away I think the industry would suffer across the board. I’m a great advocate of retaining all those returning dramas.”
The BBC declined to comment but a soap source said EastEnders had “a rich history of championing LGBTQA+ storylines and characters over its 41-year tenure”.
EastEnders have announced that Amy Mitchell will become the victim of grooming as part of a harrowing new storyline and bosses have teamed up with various charities to highlight the important issue
21:31, 10 Sep 2026Updated 21:31, 10 Sep 2026
Amy Mitchell will become the victim of grooming as part of a harrowing new storyline on EastEnders (Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC STUDIOS)
The long-running BBC soap, which began in 1985, has never shied away from tackling tough topics and the latest in a long line of issue-based storylines will feature Amy, who is just weeks away from her 18th birthday, fall into an unhealthy relationship with corrupt police officer Craig Ingram.
With Amy (Ellie Dadd) having admitted responsibility for Joel’s attack, Craig gains Amy’s trust by agreeing to keep her confession a secret from the police. Unbeknownst to Amy, Craig has been suspended from public police duty following a series of complaints at work, and he uses his position of power to elicit control.
Believing Craig to be the only thing that stands between her and serious consequence for the attack on Joel, Amy is incrementally manipulated and groomed by Craig over a series of months and will eventually find herself in danger when Craig.
In upcoming scenes, Craig will create an environment where Amy believes he is the only person she can trust. Bosses of the soap have teamed up with Barnardo’s and End Violence Against Women Coalition to bring the storyline to the screen in the way they see fit.
Ben Wadey, EastEnders Executive Producer said: “When telling a storyline like Amy’s, we have a huge responsibility to highlight and raise awareness of the warning signs of grooming. We’re grateful to be working with Barnardo’s and End Violence Against Women to help us tell this story.”
Lynn Perry, Barnardo’s Chief Executive added: “We welcomed the opportunity to provide expert advice on this storyline – which is a powerful reminder that there is no stereotypical victim or perpetrator of grooming.
“Young people from all walks of life can be targeted and fall victim to controlling behaviour – and many are often unaware that they are being groomed. We hope this important storyline can highlight how subtle the signs of grooming can be and how it builds over time.
“To any viewers who recognise themselves in this story – who may be currently experiencing abuse or might have in the past – we hope this storyline shows you that the abuse was not your fault and we encourage you to seek support. We appreciate the writing team’s professional curiosity and determination to get this story right.”
Janaya Walker, Interim Director at End Violence Against Women Coalition added: “We’re proud to have worked with the EastEnders team on this storyline about grooming and police-perpetrated abuse, which has been delivered with sensitivity and care. On-screen portrayals like this have the power to shift attitudes and increase understanding of abuse across society.
“This storyline will help raise awareness about how those in a position of trust can abuse their power to target women and girls. We hope it can play an important role in making these experiences visible and help victims watching at home to understand that what happened to them was abuse, and to seek support.”
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
