It’s home to a 170-year-old pub, world-famous golf, medieval cathedral ruins and a legendary bakery that all visitors have to try.
The town is the perfect place for a weekend trip(Image: Nicola Roy)
Summer is almost here, making it an ideal opportunity to escape for a short break. If you fancy visiting somewhere with outstanding cuisine, stunning scenery, a fascinating past and a calming atmosphere, there’s one spot that deserves a place on your travel list – and once you visit, you’ll want to come back again and again.
Home to one of Britain’s most ancient universities, St Andrews on Scotland’s east coast is truly unique. Where else might you find a 170-year-old pub a stone’s throw away from an Oliver Bonas? It’s a location I’ve visited so many times, yet every trip uncovers something new to experience.
On a weekend getaway to Lower Largo, a tiny village in Fife, we popped into St Andrews for the afternoon. From Edinburgh it’s approximately an hour and a half’s drive, while from Glasgow it’s an hour and three quarters.
Whether you’re enthusiastic about it or not, most people probably know that St Andrews is primarily known for its golfing legacy.
The Old Course, one of the world’s most famous courses, boasts an iconic landmark that demands a picture, no matter how frequently you’ve been.
The Swilcan Bridge, constructed over 700 years ago, was our initial stop on this outing. Located on the course’s 18th hole, stepping onto the green feels extraordinary, yet it offers the ideal photo opportunity. You’ll inevitably come across fellow tourists, so you may need to queue briefly for your photo opportunity, but it’s absolutely worth the wait. Just a two-minute walk away sits the fantastic Jigger Inn pub, which was our next port of call for a bite to eat.
Dating back to the 1850s, the Jigger Inn is a cosy, welcoming pub with roaring fires that gazes out over the golf course. There’s a brilliant selection of drinks at the bar, or you can sit down and order from the menu, which is exactly what we chose to do.
Nobody will convince me there’s a better combination than a caesar salad, chips and wine, and the Jigger Inn delivered all three brilliantly.
Suitably fed and watered, it was time to explore the town itself. It’s not the largest, with most shops and attractions spread across roughly three main streets, yet you could happily wander around for hours without getting bored.
St Andrews is a truly remarkable place, with its medieval heritage plainly visible as you stroll through its streets. The university began teaching in 1413, which is extraordinary to think about, particularly given that it remains a thriving academic institution to this day.
There’s no denying it’s an exceptionally wealthy area. Students from all corners of the world move here to study, and its multiculturalism only adds to its charm. It’s also famously where William and Catherine first met and sparked their romance.
One of the main attractions is the ruins of St Andrews Cathedral, located close to the waterfront. It was built back in 1158, and was previously the largest church in Scotland. Little remains of it today, and it has since been transformed into a graveyard.
Sadly, there was ring fencing surrounding numerous graves due to possible structural concerns, but it’s still a haunting yet captivating place to explore.
There’s so much going on in St Andrews that you nearly overlook the sea being right there. Just past the Old Course sits the celebrated West Sands Beach, which actually appeared in that memorable scene at the start of Chariots of Fire.
Had it been a bit warmer, this would have been the perfect location for a walk, but the wind was battering us from side to side so we opted to retreat into the shelter of the town centre.
St Andrews is brimming with superb shops, from high street names such as H&M and Jo Malone to independent boutiques and retailers that you won’t discover elsewhere. As a passionate reader, I was keen to visit Topping and Company, a popular family-owned booksellers with a handful of stores across the UK.
The staff were friendly and helpful, and the range of books available were outstanding. There was an entire table of signed first editions at the front of the shop, and the shelves appeared to extend upwards and deeper into the shop for miles.
It’s the kind of spot where you could easily spend hours browsing – and potentially spend a lot of money. Thankfully, I succeeded in restricting myself to just one book, which proved quite the test of willpower.
There was only one more destination to visit on our trip, and if you’ve got a sweet tooth, you’ll definitely want to know about it.
A trip to St. Andrews wouldn’t be complete without stopping by Fisher and Donaldson. Founded in Fife in 1919, this family-run bakery is renowned for one thing above all else: its fudge doughnuts.
Hailed as the best in Scotland, these indulgent delights are filled with fresh custard and topped with a mouth-watering fudge icing.
While other cakes and biscuits are on offer, the fudge doughnut really steals the show. We grabbed a few to have with a coffee later, and unsurprisingly, they disappeared quickly.
St Andrews is just a lovely place to spend the day or even the weekend if you want to take it slower. It’s pleasant whatever the weather, but in the summer when the sun is shining, it’s truly unbeatable.
Coronation Street scenes that aired on Friday night’s episode have suggested that Jodie Ramsey may not be the person behind the anonymous trolling about Daniel Osbourne
22:18, 29 May 2026Updated 22:19, 29 May 2026
Jodie was running a trolling account called Truthteller but it disappeared and then another popped up
Coronation Street has seemingly confirmed that Jodie Ramsey is not behind the anonymous trolling that is ruining Daniel Osbourne’s life on the ITV soap.
The teacher has been played by Rob Mallard for over a decade and his latest drama has seen him trying to come to terms with the fact his ex-girlfriend Megan turned out to be a paedophile who had been abusing teenager Will Driscoll.
To make matters worse, an anonymous social media known only as Truthteller has been spreading malicious lies online about him, claiming that he is as bad as Megan. What he doesn’t know is that Shona Platt’s long-list sister Jodie , who broke into his flat and now looks set to become his girlfriend, was the one behind it all. But there was another twist in store as, with the abusive messages having suddenly stopped and the account wiped, Daniel, Jodie and the family went for a meal at the Bistro.
But almost as soon as they sat down, a new account, creatively named Truthteller2, popped up. Exasperated, Jodie said: “What?! How has that happened? and then said: “It must be someone else. Why would the Truthteller become their own sequel?” but Tracy suggested: “Well, maybe to hide their own identity…”
The latest nasty message was claiming Daniel should have Bertie taken off him, and it had come through just moments before, so he suggested it could be someone who was sitting in the restaurant with them all at that very moment. With Jodie having ruled herself out of being beind the new account, this means that, by Daniel’s way of thinking, it could’ve been Tracy, or Adam Barlow, Alya Nazir or Leanne Battersby.
Viewers of the ITV soap will also know that Sam Blakeman, who was the first to suspect Megan’s relationship with Will, has been experiencing hallucinations as he deals with the trauma caused by his threatening teacher. But following the scenes that aired on Friday night, fans think that it could be someone else entirely.
Taking to X, one fan said: “Jodie is definitely going to pay someone else to play Truthteller to ensure the heat is off her?” whilst another said: “Well, it can’t be our Jodie trolling Daniel. She’s sitting next to him.”
But others are still convinced that Jodie is still the one pulling the strings. One fan said: “Jodie using the name truth teller is pretty funny since I don’t think she’d tell the truth about anything unless there was something in it for her & living under Daniel’s roof doesn’t stop her,”
Taking to Reddit, another said: “I assume that Jodie is a psychopath. I actually knew (past tense) a woman with psychopathic traits who tore up 2 family/friend groups, and caused permanent damage to some friendships. She was outed in the end, but not before the damage was done. I assume this is where they’re going with Jodie.”
Another said: “I am genuinely just impatiently waiting for Jodie to be exposed. It’s driving me nuts. Can’t wait for the “the IP address is coming from INSIDE your house!?” moment.
They have to go down psychopath route surely because most of her behaviour is totally nonsensical but always manipulative and self interested. She seems to want to keep Daniel weak so he needs her? Idk. Can’t wait for David to have his “told you so” moment too.”
Coronation Streetairs Monday to Friday at 8:30pm on ITV1 and is available to stream from 7am on ITVX.
Coronation Street actress Tracy Shaw, who played Maxine Peacock in the ITV soap, has been battling breast cancer and has now shared an update after completing her first day of chemotherapy
She showed herself having her hair cut off(Image: tracy.k.shaw/Instagram)
Coronation Street star Tracy Shaw, who portrayed Maxine Peacock in the ITV soap opera, has shared a health update after she revealed she has been fighting breast cancer.
Following the completion of her first chemotherapy session she explained to fans that she would be shaving her head and donating her hair to charity. Posting a video on Instagram, she disclosed to her followers that she had spent more than eight hours at her initial appointment.
The actress said: “First day of chemo done. I’m feeling alright but that has a great amount to do with the steroids which are helping my body fight the chemo that has gone in. So I went in today to start at 9am and I left at 5:30pm, very hot day and there was a bit of delay.”
She continued: “Basically with my chemo injection, one of which hadn’t arrived, it’s got nothing to do with robots or anything to do with the hospital team, it was the medics delivery, so yeah that was the delay. But I’m feeling really positive but everything I keep eating tastes horrible.
“Everything tastes of metal, just like you told me, and every now and again I feel like the Incredible Hulk, I want to start moving furniture around, the dogs keeping away from me because they sense that.”
This follows her recent decision to cut her hair to donate to The Little Princess Trust, and she has since ventured out to shop for a replacement wig. She posted footage online of herself modelling the various wigs and displaying them while being assisted by a Macmillan nurse who also offered guidance to individuals experiencing a similar situation, reports the Express.
Earlier this month Tracy revealed the emotional difficulties she’s been encountering, informing her followers: “Each morning I wake up and know that I have to go into hospital and receive more news, which has been going on for a long time, that unknown… I just think, ‘I can’t go through with this anymore,’ but I’ve not even started my journey.”
She’s received an outpouring of support online from her followers as she’s posted updates on every stage of her journey, with many of Tracy’s recent posts emphasising how waking up is a “gift” each day.
With average gas prices topping $6 in Los Angeles, it can be painful to watch your fuel gauge creep toward “E” during a day out around town. It’s time to stop the car and walk. And where better to do that than in the most walkable city in California?
For more than a decade, West Hollywood has been designated a “Walkers Paradise” by Walk Score, earning a 91 out of 100 on the popular walkability index that looks at distance to amenities, pedestrian friendliness, population density and road metrics. The small city within a city scores two points above the state’s second most walkable city, San Francisco. It’s also a full 22 points above Los Angeles, which has a middling score of 69.
But you don’t need a formula to know that West Hollywood’s well-maintained sidewalks dotted with cafes, shops and historic sites is a great place for walking. Take a stroll around the city and you can find out for yourself.
That’s what I did on a recent Friday afternoon, where I met locals like Kimberly Beauchaine out in the neighborhood — yes — walking. “We really don’t use our car here,” Beauchaine said, pushing her 18-month old in a stroller past the Pacific Design Center on Melrose Avenue. “It’s very walkable and very central.”
Alex Uihlein and Kimberly Beauchaine walk down Melrose Avenue with their 18-month-old on their way to the West Hollywood Aquatic & Recreation Center.
(Scott Strazzante / For The Times)
While West Hollywood is easy to navigate on foot, getting there without a car can be a challenge. The closest Metro stop is along the just-opened D-line on Wilshire Boulevard, a two-mile hike from the West Hollywood border. Fortunately, West Hollywood has ample public parking. I found a spot in a public lot on North San Vincente Boulevard, where I paid $12 for the whole day.
The hardest part about planning a fun day in West Hollywood might be choosing a place to start. According to Walk Score, there are about 339 restaurants, bars and coffee shops in the city and you can walk to an average of 13 of them in 5 minutes.
I asked Eric Parker, director of PR and communications for the city of West Hollywood, why there’s such an abundance of spots to eat and drink in the tiny city. He explained that West Hollywood serves not just residents who live within its borders but also the many folks who live in the residential neighborhood of the Hollywood Hills.
“They need a place to live their lives too,” he said. “Beverly Hills has become a little jam-packed with tourists, so West Hollywood has become the heart of L.A. in many ways.”
My journey began at the Butcher’s Daughter on Melrose Avenue, a cheerful and bright plant-forward cafe a few blocks from where I parked my car. The croissant I ordered was fine, but the atmosphere was lovely — open and airy with a communal wood table inside and green and white bistro chairs outside. Pedestrians of all ages strolled by on the wide flat sidewalks, many with small dogs in tow. Trees along the street offered dappled shade, and there were several other cute restaurants nearby, many with outdoor spaces of their own.
Adisa Aditheparot, left, and Mari Muay enjoy a light lunch at the Butcher’s Daughter on Melrose Avenue after walking over from a nearby Pilates class.
(Scott Strazzante / For The Times)
Moving on from the Butcher’s Daughter I headed one block east to the corner of Melrose and San Vincente to take in the rolling lawns and massive green, red and blue glass buildings of the 14-acre Pacific Design Center, which first opened to the public in 1975 and currently houses nearly 100 showrooms. Across the street on San Vincente, I strolled past the excellent West Hollywood Library, the luxurious rooftop West Hollywood Public Pool, and the green expanse of West Hollywood Park where young children were shrieking on the playground.
The vibe shifted as I continued north toward Santa Monica Boulevard. Here, the city’s identity as a gay haven was in full view. The crosswalks were painted with stripes and triangles celebrating the full range of queer identity and although the many colorful bars were quiet on this early Friday afternoon, it was easy to imagine them filled with revelers after the sun set. On the weekends, a free bus runs down this street every 15 minutes, connecting the Troubadour to Formosa Cafe. The area felt fun and funky, but I was only passing through, determined to get to my next destination.
To be fair, walking in West Hollywood is not ideal for everyone. After having lived in Boston, New York and Santa Monica, Sean Patrick Gallagher points out that the hills are real.
“It’s walkable if you are walking east to west,” said Gallagher, who has lived in the city for two years. “If you have to venture north or south, you are destined to hit inclines that are not for every able body.”
Pedestrian traffic outside Book Soup on Sunset Boulevard.
(Scott Strazzante / For The Times)
At the same time, daily conveniences are generally in easy walking distance for many residents. “Most people in West Hollywood can walk to the gym, the grocery store and the laundromat,” he said. “There are enough things on each street that cater to your needs.”
Parker describes West Hollywood as a place where history is hidden in plain sight. I certainly felt that as I passed onto the quiet, shaded streets of Norma Triangle, a historic neighborhood in West Hollywood where Dorothy Parker and Christopher Isherwood once lived. The sidewalks here are more narrow but well maintained, and the streets are filled with locals walking dogs of all sizes. The homes and apartment buildings, many of which date to the mid-20th century, are beautifully landscaped and clearly tended to with care, but I was searching for one in particular — the Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, designed in 1927 by Frank Lloyd Wright’s eldest son who also worked as an architect.
The house was not a disappointment. It’s not open to the public, so I was only able to see the exterior, but it was worth it. The desert landscaping on the corner lot is on point and the building itself, a two-story space that makes use of the organic textile-block pattern popularized by Lloyd Wright’s father, has a unique interlocking design of stylized Joshua Trees. I loved it. It’s also located in deep shade, which is very welcome on a hot day.
With that done, I made my way up to Sunset Boulevard, which is loud and unshaded and not nearly as pleasant a place to walk as some of West Hollywood’s more green and leafy streets. However, there are some cultural landmarks here that I felt should not be missed along with a surge of oval-eyed delivery robots (seriously, so many). This is the famous Sunset Strip where you’ll find the Roxy Theatre, the Whisky a Go Go and the Viper Room. All very cool, but this writer was most excited about getting to spend some time in Book Soup, the iconic bookstore with a real-life magazine stand outside that celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. Down a narrow alley right next door is the more esoteric Mystery Pier Books, which specializes in first editions and is beloved by celebrities.
Taking a walk down Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood.
(Scott Strazzante / For The Times)
I had ambitious plans to amble past more spots in West Hollywood. More than one friend suggested I go to Mamie on Sunset and Fairfax for Italian sandwiches (the focaccia is supposed to be amazing). I considered ending my day at the perfect patio at Chateau Marmont on the border of the Hollywood Hills. But reader, I was tired, and walkability is not about exhausting yourself. It’s about enjoying your time car-free. So instead, I headed back toward where I started, walking past the high-end shops of Melrose Place before arriving at Zinque for a simple prosciutto and cornichon sandwich and an Arnold Palmer. At 4 p.m., a waiter came past my table to tell me happy hour had officially begun and asked if I’d like a drink.
There is more than one reason why it makes sense to live in a walkable community.
Junade Khan has joined Coronation Street as new character Idris Nazir and here’s everything you need to know about the actor including his eight years driving buses to his famous family
Coronation Street newcomer Idris Nazir is set to catch the eye of Leanne Battersby(Image: ITV)
Coronation Street newcomer Idris Nazir is poised to cause disruption.
Alya Nazir’s (Sair Khan) cousin has landed in Weatherfield and is set to catch the eye of Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) as he establishes himself over the coming weeks.
Nevertheless, this isn’t Junade’s inaugural appearance on the cobbles. He portrayed the romantic interest of Rosie Webster (Helen Flanagan) 18 years ago. His character was named Saj and was shown approaching the Street’s resident in a nightclub during the peak of her John Stape abduction storyline.
As Idris gets comfortable, here’s an insight into the life of actor Junade including his notable family and his surprising job before securing his Corrie role.
Idris who wastes no time establishing his presence as he turns up unexpectedly in his expensive car, catching cousin Alya off guard, impressing Brody Michaelis (Ryan Mulvey), antagonising Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard), and pursuing one of Weatherfield’s unattached women.
Hinting at what audiences can anticipate from Idris, Junade revealed: “He’s multi-layered and incredibly ambitious. As a child, he suffered a lot of hardship and neglect, so he’s had to overcome those obstacles entirely on his own.
“He’s a lone wolf – the black sheep of the family who has made a name for himself. He’s addicted to success and the finer things in life, but there’s a real vulnerability there, too. It’s the first time I’ve played a character where I can show that side, which is a great gift for an actor.”
Junade is perhaps best recognised for his role as Ash Roy in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks from 2008 until 2009, featuring in over 80 episodes. He has also had roles in Game of Thrones, Better, The Last House and Emmerdale.
In a candid chat with ITV, the actor disclosed: “I’ve been driving buses for eight years while doing little acting jobs here and there, so to be able to give that up, it was unbelievable. I even had a Coronation Street magnet on my fridge for years.
“I’d bought it after a failed audition for the role of Imran years ago. I was working in a call centre then and was so desperate for a way out. I remember looking at the magnet after my audition. It feels like a total full-circle moment as if it was all meant to be.”
Junade isn’t the sole well-known member of his household. His wife Gem Khan is a presenter, singer and owner of PopGems Academy. The couple’s daughter, Alara-Star Khan, is an actress with credits spanning both UK and US film and television.
She has starred alongside Hollywood icon Angelina Jolie in a film called Anxious People, featured in Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars, and portrayed Poppy across all four episodes of The Serial Killer’s Wife for Paramount+ and Channel 5.
Their son Pacino Khan has likewise secured roles in a Marvel production and Waffle the Wonder Dog. Gem manages the children’s Instagram accounts and regularly keeps fans updated with the latest casting news.
Coronation Street airs weeknights on ITV1 at 8.30pm and available to stream from 7am on ITVX
Coronation Street spoilers for next week tease an exit for one character while a surprising resident is arrested amid the Theo murder investigation, new spoilers reveal
There’s some big moments ahead for our favourite Coronation Street characters next week(Image: ITV)
There’s some big moments ahead for our favourite Coronation Street characters next week, new spoilers have revealed.
There’s characters spiralling as recent events become too much, resulting in violence. Secrets are uncovered too, and there’s some interesting developments in the Theo Silverton murder investigation.
After a bad day at work, including his students taunting him and yet more online trolling, teacher Daniel turns to booze once more. When he’s refused alcohol at the pub he storms out, only to come face-to-face with Megan.
As he lets rip at her for ruining his life, is Megan in danger? Daniel soon realises Jodie has been the one trolling him, but when she insists she isn’t behind the latest messages, he kicks her out.
Daniel soon leaves his son Bertie in danger when he gets drunk and falls asleep on the sofa. Bertie decides to cook his own dinner, but soon there’s smoke pouring from the kitchen.
When Daniel wakes up he realises Bertie is missing. When Adam confronts Daniel over his behaviour, Ken gets caught in the crossfire. Todd learns from Lisa that Danielle has been interviewed over Theo’s murder.
At the prison visitor room, a distressed Summer considers pleading guilty to manslaughter as she’s out of options. Later, when Todd asks for his phone back from the police, he’s floored by Lisa’s response.
When it’s found at a pawn shop, Lisa orders it to be sent to forensics. It leads to Brody being arrested after his fingerprints are found all over the phone. Gary is also quizzed about the phone, while Todd finds out Summer has been admitted to hospital.
Carl is suspicious of Tyrone, and vows to figure out what he’s hiding. Idris continues to flirt with Leanne, but Alya warns her she’s playing with fire.
Adam takes Idris on as a client, while Leanne is concerned about the jobs Idris is tasking Brody with. Lisa moans to Carla about her new boss, who is happy to let Summer take the blame for Theo’s murder.
Jodie continues to make David squirm with her lies, but soon he’s accusing her of theft. Maria is taken aback when Gary leaps to Sarah’s defence, while Hope tells Sam she’s going out with Will.
So it looks set to be another big week in Weatherfield for all our favourite residents. As ever, expect twists and turns when the episodes air, with things still kept under wraps and more ahead for the show’s big plots.
First look images have been released for Channel 4’s new drama Number 10, written by Doctor Who and Sherlock creator Steven Moffat and starring Rafe Spall as the Prime Minister
Former Emmerdale actress Jenna Coleman plays the Deputy Chief of Staff in Number 10(Image: Channel 4)
Channel 4 has unveiled first look images from its upcoming drama Number 10, featuring Rafe Spall in the role of Prime Minister.
The newly-released photographs also showcase Coronation Street’s Katherine Kelly as Chief of Staff and Emmerdale’s Jenna Coleman as Deputy Chief of Staff, appearing alongside the Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office.
Jenna, Katherine and Rafe lead an impressive ensemble cast that includes Akshay Khanna, Abigail Lawrie, Laura Haddock, Jing Lusi, Pierro Niel-Mee, Rick Warden, Joe Wilkinson, Robyn Cara, Richard Rankin and Rhiannon Clements, amongst others.
The official synopsis for the programme states: “Set in the only terrace house in history with mice and a nuclear deterrent, it’s the only knock-through in the world where a hangover can start a war.
There’s a Prime Minister in the attic, a coffee bar in the basement and a wallpapered labyrinth of romance, crisis and heartbreak in-between, reports Wales Online.
“The government will be fictional and unspecific, but the problems will be real. We’ll never know which party is in power, because once the whole world hits the fan it barely matters.”
“This is a show about the building and everyone inside. Not just the Prime Minister upstairs, but the conspiracy theorist who runs the cafe three floors below, the man who repairs the lift that never works, the madly ambitious ‘advisors’ fighting for office space in cupboards. Oh, and of course, the cat.
“A drama about one of the most famous addresses in the world, Number 10 is all of Britain in a house: it’s British history under one roof. It’s how we all got into the mess we’re in. It’s also our only hope of getting out of it.”
Former Doctor Who showrunner Steven, who also co-created Sherlock and Dracula, said of his new project: “For me, it’s all about famous doors! The doors to the TARDIS, the door to 221B Baker Street, and now the most famous door in the world – Number 10.”
“I’ve been wanting to write about the mad house that runs the madhouse for years, and I’ve never had so much fun doing the research. If you want to do a workplace comedy drama, this one is the boss of them all.”
Discussing his latest role, Rafe said: “Number 10 is a sensational piece of writing, equal to its peerless author, Steven Moffat. I’m delighted to be playing the Prime Minister, in a funny, real and thrilling piece of TV.”
Jenna added: “I thought it was about time I visited another British institution with Steven Moffat. I’m very much looking forward to moving into Number 10 with Steven’s cracking scripts.”
Coronation Street spoilers for next week’s episodes have teased lots of drama, discoveries and a new arrival on the ITV soap, with new romance, and some shocking news
Coronation Street spoilers for next week’s episodes have teased lots of drama(Image: ITV)
There’s some big moments ahead next week on Coronation Street, spoilers have revealed.
Will’s shocked as Sam confronts him, before Will overhears a heartbreaking admission from Ben. Will climbs high up on the shop yard scaffolding, swigging vodka as Megan watches on, but can Maggie talk him down?
George and Christina attempt to bury the hatchet with Todd, while Tracy speculates Danielle is guilty of Theo’s murder. When Todd refuses to attend Theo’s funeral, Danielle accuses him of being the killer, only for Ryan to drop an admission about Danielle.
Ryan tells Lisa what he knows, and Danielle is taken in for questioning. Leanne gives Dylan and Betsy a trial shift at Speed Daal but explains there’s only one vacancy.
Idris arrives, and deals with a situation at the restaurant, while Adam takes an instant dislike to him. Soon, it’s revealed Idris is hiding something. Idris invites Leanne for a drink, but Alya is unhappy to find out they’ve kissed.
Daniel tells Ken that Bertie’s being bullied, as he’s determined to identify his troll. As the police get involved, Jodie tells Daniel it seems the troll has stopped posting, but Daniel is soon ambushed.
Sarah is struggling without Kit and Todd takes a call only to receive some shocking news. Jodie loses her job at the café, and Hope gets closer to Will.
It comes as fans speculated Summer Spellman is not the killer of Theo Silverton. As Monday’s episode heavily hinted she was to blame, she became the prime suspect.
Many fans do not think she did kill him though, and that someone else carried out the crime. While some added that she could be covering for this person, it’s yet to be revealed just how involved Summer is.
Fans think it was Sam Blakeman who killed Theo by accident though. With him experiencing hallucinations and possible psychosis, fans think he might have killed Theo thinking he was Will. A fan posted online: “I’m saying Sam.”
Another viewer posted: “I think Sam killed Theo during one of his mental health breakdowns.” A third fan added: “I think Sam pushes Theo (thinking he was Will), and Summer is covering for him.”
Sharing a similar theory, another fan posted: “Was that scene of Sam hallucinating with the view of the scaffolding an hint to him being the killer of Theo thinking he was Will?” A fan then wrote: “I really think Sam killed Theo.” The suggestion kept on being shared online, as one said: “I think Sam pushed Theo off the scaffolding while he was in a deluded state of mind maybe thinking it was Will.”
Coronation Street boss Kate Brooks has revealed when viewers will find out the identity of Theo Silverton’s killer after the scaffolder was killed off in the soap’s latest whodunnit
Theo Silverton was killed off earlier this month
Coronation Street boss Kate Brooks has revealed when viewers will find out the identity of Theo Silverton’s killer.
The scaffolder, who was played by former Tracy Beaker star James Cartwright, was killed off at the end of the soap’s much-hyped Murder Week after almost a year of abusing partner Todd Grimshaw, and along with Todd himself, George Shuttleworth, Gary Windass, Summer Spellman, Christina Boyd and Danielle Silverton were named as official suspects.
It all came about following a flashforward, which aired earlier this year, and five potential victims were named in the incredibly dramatic storyline. In the end, it was Theo who was revealed as the victim after viewers had to sit through the same day played out over and over again, all played out from various points of view.
Now Kate, who took over as producer of the ITV soap in November 2024 and previously held the top job on Emmerdale, has told viewers that they will have to wait just a bit longer to find out who was responsible for the murder.
She said: “It’s later in the summer. We reveal to the audience who it is during late June, July. There’s lots of people you definitely think it could be. It’s a massive story, there’s so many different twists, and there’s so many different offshoots to the story as well. You think you’re watching one thing, and then it diverts into a completely new kind of story territory. It’ll definitely keep people guessing. “
In the coming weeks the investigation shifts, and pulled in for questioning are Summer, Christina and Danielle. As lies are exposed, and arrests are made, it’s yet to be revealed if any of the six are actually the murderer.
They all have motives, and upcoming scenes will reveal why they are a suspect. Todd was being abused by Theo, and the night Theo died he was trying to hunt Todd down – so did he find him?
For Summer, the last time we saw Theo alive was when he trapped her in the flat alone. So did Summer kill Theo? Gary has also been seen acting weirdly – even though wife Maria Connor has givne him an alibi.
We know Gary had threatened him and the pair had clashed, and he’s also killed before. Did Gary take revenge? George also stood up to Theo, and on the night of the murder he was alone at home.
Finally there’s Theo’s ex-wife Danielle. She was also acting suspiciously on Monday and upcoming scenes tease her marriage faced it’s troubles. So might she have killed her violent ex?
The town offers a rich history, seaside attractions and world-famous treats – and even if it’s raining, it’s still pretty amazing.
Largs on the west coast of Scotland is the perfect seaside town, in my opinion(Image: Nicola Roy)
Spring has sprung here in the UK, and we’ve been treated to some excellent weather in the past couple of weeks. With more of the same hopefully on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to start planning a beach trip or two.
Britain is home to so many amazing spots, and you don’t even need to let the unpredictable weather put you off. There’s one I have been visiting since childhood that’s bustling in summer without being too crowded, but even if it’s raining, it’s still pretty special.
Largs, a charming coastal town on Scotland’s west coast, is roughly an hour’s drive from Glasgow. Renowned for its Viking museum, classic amusement arcades, and ferry crossings to the Isle of Cumbrae, it’s a destination many Scots will have probably visited during warm summer spells.
But even when the heavens open, there’s still plenty to enjoy. During a family getaway, we loved our rainy seaside strolls, ate some superb food, and even saw a few Vikings – all without a hint of sunshine.
This lovely town located on the Firth of Clyde boasts everything you’d want from a coastal retreat, with a wide selection of hotels and accommodation options.
We stayed at the Old Rectory, a stunning holiday property accommodating up to 14 guests, complete with a hot tub and plenty of space for relaxing. One of Largs’ best aspects is how close you are to the waterfront wherever you happen to be.
The Victorian seafront is brimming with attractions, boasting an impressive array of restaurants serving everything from traditional fish suppers to mouth-watering Thai food.
Largs holds enormous historical significance as the site of a pivotal battle in 1263, which marked the end of Viking influence in Scotland.
The Vikingar museum gives a captivating window into this history, though for a more immersive experience, the annual Largs Viking Festival is highly recommended. As luck would have it, the festival was taking place during our August visit, featuring battle re-enactments, live entertainment, and some striking costumes.
Beyond its Norse heritage, Largs is just as famous for its art deco ice cream parlour, which has been drawing crowds for generations.
Nardini’s, affectionately known as Scotland’s most famous cafe, has earned its reputation thanks to its wonderfully inviting atmosphere, alongside its outstanding ice cream. Like Vikingar, it boasts a superb waterfront location, making it an ideal spot to enjoy a scoop or two of your preferred flavour.
In addition to their wide selection of cakes and light snacks, it’s a brilliant option for lunch or a quick bite while wandering along the seafront.
Walk into the town centre and you’ll discover delightful narrow streets packed with independent gift shops, eateries and even more ice cream parlours.
On one particular morning, we opted for brunch at Perk — a vibrant café full of plants and books, boasting an impressive menu to match. The vanilla matcha was a delight, and the feta and avocado waffles were simply too tempting to resist.
Still hungry after your meal? There’s a tempting cake display brimming with pastries and other sweet treats available to take away.
While Largs may not have the familiar high street names, it more than makes up for it with a fantastic range of independent traders stocking one-of-a-kind items.
A large market marquee is home to sellers offering everything from organic dog food to wooden lamps, jewellery, soaps and even tarot readings — you could quite easily spend hours wandering.
If you want to head further afield, jump aboard a short ferry crossing from the harbour to the Isle of Cumbrae, home to the charming town of Millport.
The island is small enough to cycle around in just a couple of hours, with a well-deserved pint awaiting you at the end before a swift 10-minute sail back to the mainland. Nearby, the magnificent Kelburn Castle stands proud — a stunning park and estate that hosts its very own summer music festival.
It’s brilliantly suited to families too, boasting several playgrounds, cascading waterfalls and plenty more to discover, all within a 10-minute drive from Largs. However, truthfully speaking, Largs alone offers more than enough attractions to keep you busy for a day trip or a full weekend getaway.
If you happen to visit on a sunny day, it’s just perfect. But even if it’s raining, don’t worry – it only makes those coastal strolls all the more invigorating and the cosy ice-cream parlours even harder to resist.
When I wrote last week about one of my favorite mountain ranges — L.A.‘s sidewalks — I immediately began fielding questions.
People wanted to know about the scoring system that awarded just 15 points, out of 45, to John Coanda and his wife, Barbara, who uses a wheelchair because of ALS. The Mar Vista couple had applied to the city’s Safe Sidewalks program to have some busted-up sidewalk in front of their home repaired.
With several sidewalk hazards on both sides of their block, Barbara can’t safely make it down her street. So how is it possible that under L.A.’s “Sidewalk Repair Program Prioritization and Scoring System,” their meager 15 points means they could be waiting “in excess of 10 years” for help?
I have the answers.
The Coandas got 15 points for being in a residential zone. But they didn’t meet the requirements for getting two additional awards of 15 points. They do not live within 500 feet of a bus or transit stop. And they had not been in the sidewalk repair backlog queue for more than 120 days.
It is not clear, however, that moving up to a score of 30 will bring out city work crews in less than 10 years. Knowing what I know, I wouldn’t bet on it.
The scoring system exists because in a lawsuit settlement 10 years ago, the city agreed to spend $1.4 billion over 30 years to repair damaged sidewalks and other infrastructure failures that impede the mobility of people with disabilities.
But there’s a backlog. A huge backlog, in the thousands. At my request, the city disclosed on Friday that it’s receiving about twice as many new disability-access repair requests each year as it’s addressing. In addition, the backlog for disability access requests and from residents applying for a sidewalk repair rebate program stands at roughly 30,000, with about 600 repairs being made each year.
As I said in a previous column, L.A. might indeed be all buttoned up by the ‘28 Olympics, but that would be 3028, not 2028.
Cracked sidewalks, to be clear, are but a symptom of a deeper, decades-long breakdown at City Hall. Basic services have been sacrificed to pay for employee compensation and pension costs the city can’t afford, with homeless services adding to the budget crisis.
By the way, I heard from one reader in response to my suggestion last week that if you can’t wait 10 years or more for the city to fix a broken sidewalk, you can apply to the rebate program, which will cover a portion of repairs. Don’t bother, said Lori Lerner Gray, who owns a house in Silver Lake and applied two years ago, but finally gave up.
“There is a massive waiting list and it’s a very complicated procedure just to try to get on it, let alone speak with anyone to help,” Gray said. “Once you finally get into the program, it’s impossible to proceed because of permits, engineering reports and finally you are required to bring the entire area to ADA compliance on your own dime.”
She said she was told she’d have to pay to relocate a utility pole.
And sidewalks aren’t the only infrastructure problem, as other readers noted. The city is way behind on filling potholes, repaving streets, installing curb ramps, making park improvements and replacing broken lights. I recently wrote about all the blight around City Hall, including the graffiti-tagged monument and fountain that has been inoperable for most of the last 60 years.
Oren Hadar, a Mid-City resident who writes about housing and transportation on his The Future Is L.A. website, reported last year in a Times op-ed that city streets were falling apart because the city had switched from repaving entire roads to doing what it called “large asphalt repair.”
With the switch, the city avoided federal requirements to upgrade curb ramps on repaved streets, Hadar said. He told me that when he travels to other cities near or far, “I’m always jealous of everything. Sidewalks are in better shape or there are better bike lanes. … You could go to even Santa Monica or Culver City. You don’t have to go far to see infrastructure that’s better.”
Other major cities have had formal infrastructure plans for years, while L.A. has ducked and dithered. Finally, earlier this month, Mayor Karen Bass introduced the city’s long-awaited CIP (capital infrastructure program), and offered a brutal assessment of what went wrong.
“For too long,” she said in the executive summary, “information has been scattered across departments, buried in lengthy reports and budgets, and difficult to fully understand. These challenges have had real consequences, contributing to decades of underinvestment in our built environment.”
The summary reads like an indictment of City Hall leadership and the manner in which public spaces have deteriorated. With Bass running for reelection, voters have to decide whether her role in those failures is grounds for dismissal, or her campaign-season pitch for a new day should help earn her a second term.
The report, with backing by members of the City Council, cited “fragmented systems and data silos,” “no shared vision across city departments,” “growing maintenance deferrals,” “slow, inefficient capital planning,” no “project intake standards,” “highly decentralized and uncoordinated grants,” “resource planning and staffing misalignment,” and “opaque capital planning process.”
Way to go, team.
You could take many of those same critiques and apply them to the haphazard way in which city and county leaders have addressed homelessness.
However, the city’s infrastructure plan does offer a framework for assessing the damage and prioritizing projects, and using charter reform to create a public works director position with greater authority. None of this will happen quickly, and given the budget crunch, you might be wondering how any of this would be paid for.
The suggestions in the report include bonds, a parcel tax, grants, fees on tickets to concerts and sporting events, fees on taxi and rideshare trips, and much, much more. None of this will be popular, especially if the public is unconvinced that city leaders can be trusted with more money.
Urban planner Deborah Murphy, chair of the city’s pedestrian advisory committee, noted that L.A. has gotten grants or state funding in the past for specific projects and then, because of staffing shortages or other stumbles, failed to hold up its end of the deal.
“It kind of ruins our reputation for getting future money,” Murphy said.
“But the key question is: who is actually in charge of making it happen?” she asked.
It’s critical, Meaney suggested, for city leaders to push for charter reform that puts infrastructure authority under a newly empowered public works director. If the city gets this right, she said, implementation of the infrastructure plan “could finally show Angelenos the true scale of deferred maintenance, make trade-offs visible, and create a road map for better sidewalks, streets, parks, and accessibility.”
If the current fragmented authority remains in place, Meaney said, the headline would be:
“No one is in charge of your sidewalk and City Hall is determined to keep it that way.”
Wall Street’s major market averages dropped lower on Friday as tech stocks fell and U.S. Treasury yields marched higher following the U.S.-China summit ending.
The blue chip Dow (DJI) was -0.7%, the benchmark S&P 500 (SP500) was -0.9%, and
I was 10 when I first read “All Creatures Great and Small,” devouring each subsequent book that Alf Wight, under the pen name James Herriot, wrote about life as a veterinarian in his beloved Yorkshire Dales. I was a bit older when I encountered Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” which opens in the seaside town of Whitby, where cliffs overlook the sea in which the ill-fated ship Demeter meets its end. In my teens, I discovered the wild moors and ancient halls of “Jane Eyre” and “Wuthering Heights.” More recently, I have been entranced by the work of Sally Wainwright, whose string of critically acclaimed series — ”Last Tango in Halifax,” “Happy Valley,” “Gentleman Jack” and “Riot Women” — have made her the modern bard of Yorkshire, England.
So when a friend, planning a visit to her daughter at Durham University, proposed I join her for a side trip of our own, I jumped at the chance to travel to a land I knew only through the eyes of others.
The Dales of James Herriot
In mid-April, I joined my friend Nancy in York, a city often mentioned in Yorkshire-based literature. On a sunny Saturday, we took a train to Thirsk, where Herriot, alongside Donald and Brian Sinclair (known in the books as Siegfried and Tristan Farnon) lived and worked in “Skeldale House,” now the World of James Herriot museum.
Lambing season in North Yorkshire.
(Mary McNamara / Los Angeles Times)
The city sprawl quickly gave way to stone-walled fields full of dazzling yellow rape and spring-green grass dotted with sheep and frolicking lambs. April is lambing season, the perfect time to visit Herriot Country. “All young animals are appealing,” he wrote, “but the lamb has been given an unfair share of charm.”
Situated between the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales national parks, Thirsk (known as Darrowby in the Herriot books) is a market town, organized around a great open plaza in which stands a clock tower that on this day was decorated with rather splendid floral creations by the Thirsk Yarnbombers, in celebration of its 10th anniversary.
Even so, it looks much as it must have when Herriot lived here — modern businesses housed in medieval and Georgian buildings. Surely the Ritz Cinema is the theater Herriot describes as he begins his courtship of Helen Alderson; a blue circle marker proudly declares its date of establishment as a picture house, 1912.
The entrance to the World of James Herriot in Thirsk, North Yorkshire.
(Mary McNamara / Los Angeles Times)
The World of James Herriot museum is a sudden splash of crimson and white signage on an otherwise ordinary, albeit charming, street; at the far end stands St. Mary’s Church, where Herriot married his actual wife, Joan Anderson. When we visited the church later that afternoon, they were cleaning up from a community tea and I spoke with a woman who remembered Herriot and especially his son Jim and daughter Rosie, who were the town vet and doctor, respectively, for many years.
The museum, on the first floor, is a re-creation of “Skeldale House,” down to the pint pot in which Siegfried kept the petty cash and the old central telephone. There’s a display documenting the evolution of the books — originally printed in the UK, beginning in 1972, under different names, until a struggling St. Martin’s Press published two of them with the title “All Creatures Great and Small” and helped turn Herriot into a franchise.
The old central telephone at the World of James Herriot museum in Thirsk.
(Mary McNamara / Los Angeles Times)
Various outbuildings now house a small screening room, where clips from a documentary on Herriot’s life play, as well as a re-creation of the TV studio and set on which the 1978 television series was filmed. The set from the current PBS series, which began in 2020, is in another part of the museum, which also includes an extensive exhibit of historic veterinarian instruments.
As we wandered through the town and the museum, Herriot the man came to life as lyrically as his fiction. A country vet, whose career began before the age of antibiotics and many now-commonplace vaccines, wrote, beginning at age 50, a series of semi-autobiographical novels that would become international bestsellers and launch several films and two series, one of which was filming 35 miles away in Grassington.
He never left the Dales, or stopped being a vet; during his lifetime, fans would line the street outside his practice, waiting for autographs and photos. Twenty years after his death, Thirsk remains both an ordinary Yorkshire town (the only Herriot memorabilia advertised is in the museum gift shop) and an enduring tourist destination. (If you go, may I recommend lunch/tea at Upstairs, Downstairs, where I got a life-changing Yorkshire rarebit with bacon and fried egg as well as a sack of the local sweet, cinder toffee.)
Grassington, North Yorkshire, becomes a film set for “All Creatures Great and Small.”
(Mary McNamara / Los Angeles Times)
Deeper in the Dales, Nancy and I rented a “glamping pod” in Malhamdale. On our way, we stopped in Grassington, where the town was being transformed into Darrowby with period-and-place-appropriate signs, advertisements and community announcements. “Open as usual but dressed for filming” read a sign in the window of the Stripey Badger Bookshop, Coffee Shop and Kitchen.
Filming would take place in two days’ time, so we returned then to see the square come alive with extras in period clothing. Within the crowd of fellow onlookers, controlled by lovely but firm crew members, we watched as a scene between Siegfried (Samuel West) and Tristan (Callum Woodhouse) was filmed outside the Drovers Arms.
A breathtaking view and unique fractured “pavement” at Malham Cove.
(Mary McNamara / Los Angeles Times)
We had chosen Malhamdale because its limestone topography is considered the most stunning of the Dales. And that it most certainly is.
From the village of Malham we hiked to Malham Cove, which rose in near miraculous silver splendor among the sylvan greenery, and then ascended the nearly 500 steps to its top. There, a breathtaking view and unique fractured “pavement” has been used in countless films, including “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” and the 1992 “Wuthering Heights.” We followed the trail to the Gordale Scar, a glorious gorge and waterfall that is also a favorite filming spot, and thence to Janet’s Foss, a woodland waterfall and pool, beside a cave where the queen of the fairies is said to live.
Janet’s Foss, a woodland waterfall and pool.
(Mary McNamara / Los Angeles Times)
After just three days in the Dales, I clearly understood why no amount of money or fame had convinced Herriot and his family to leave.
Dracula town
Windswept Whitby sits on the east coast of Yorkshire, with its back to the North York Moors National Park and its face to the North Sea. It climbs either side of a valley created by the River Esk, as it joins the port where whalers once launched and Captain Cook first commandeered the HMS Endeavour.
On the west side, the street along the harbor is chockablock with venues catering to tourists and daytrippers come to enjoy the pier and small beaches. Families rent crab pots and put their catch in plastic buckets held by delighted children. Atop the cliffs behind, Georgian homes, hotels and guest houses stand in gracious testament to Whitby’s Victorian history as a popular spa town, as it was when Stoker visited in 1890. He stayed in a West Cliff guest house, gazing, as everyone must do, across the harbor where the remains of the 13th century Whitby Abbey dominate the East Cliff.
The harbor at Whitby, North Yorkshire.
(Mary McNamara / Los Angeles Times)
Even under a beaming sun, the ruins, aproned by the graveyard of the nearby Norman church of St. Mary’s, carve a formidable black silhouette against the sky. Beneath are the roofs and cobbled streets of the medieval Old Town, where ancient pubs stand among jewelers specializing in local jet. To reach the abbey, visitors must climb the town’s famous 199 steps that rise along the cliff.
“It is a most noble ruin,” Mina Harker writes in her journal in early chapters of “Dracula.” “Between it and the town there is another church, the parish one, round which is a big graveyard, all full of tombstones. This is to my mind the nicest spot in Whitby, for it lies right over the town, and has a full view of the harbor.”
Here Mina and her friend Lucy Westenra sit among the graves, sketching and talking, later, watching clouds gather for the storm that would bring the Demeter, and Count Dracula, to Whitby. Here too Mina would see, from the West Cliff, her sleepwalking friend half reclining on “our favorite seat” and for a moment “it seemed to me as though something dark stood behind the seat where the white figure shone, and bent over it.”
The remains of Whitby Abbey.
(Mary McNamara / Los Angeles Times)
We visited on a sunny day, and the wind blew hard as we traced Mina and Lucy’s steps through the tombs and along the path past the Abbey toward Robin Hood’s Bay. With its glorious views and picturesque harbor, Whitby is the antithesis of gothic horror. Still, it was here that Stoker, researching another novel, first read of Vlad the Impaler, otherwise known as Dracula, and no doubt heard of the wreck of the Russian ship Dmitry, which had run aground beneath East Cliff five years before his visit.
And so the godfather of modern horror was born.
Brontë Country
It is difficult to imagine a fictional tale more gothic, inspirational and remarkable than that of three brilliant sisters who lived in relative isolation on the edge of the Yorkshire Moors, secretly battling their socially conscripted futures by writing poems and novels that they dared not publish under their own names.
The Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth, North Yorkshire.
(Mary McNamara / Los Angeles Times)
Two of those novels — ”Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Brontë and “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë, are still considered masterworks, influencing subsequent generations and endlessly adapted for film and television. (In the ultimate Yorkshire crossover, Wainwright wrote the breathtaking two-part Brontë biopic “To Walk Invisible,” which everyone should see.)
The Brontë Parsonage Museum, and the town of Haworth which it overlooks, is very much a tourist attraction. An information annex, gift shop and public restroom have been added behind it, but once you enter the small garden that stands between the parsonage’s front door and St. Michael and All Angels’ Church, you are in another world.
In 1820, Patrick Brontë, recently appointed incumbent of St. Michael, moved his wife, Maria, and their six children into the parsonage where they all lived for the rest of their natural (albeit in most cases, short) lives. Maria died in 1821; the two older children, Maria and Elizabeth, died four years later after being sent to a typhoid-plagued school Charlotte would pillory as Lowood in “Jane Eyre.”
The museum is meticulously restored to reflect the years that the surviving children — Charlotte, Emily, Anne and Branwell, the only son — were young adults. The dining room table, where the sisters wrote, is strewn with manuscripts, quill pens and tea cups; a bonnet and shawl bedeck a chair in the small kitchen. Patrick had his own study but it is difficult to imagine three women being able to write separate works, never mind classics, in such close quarters. Ironically, only Branwell’s room, papered with sketches and poems, looks like an artist’s refuge.
St. Michael and All Angels’ Church in the town of Haworth.
(Mary McNamara / Los Angeles Times)
Unlike his three sisters, Branwell, his artistic career stunted by alcoholism and an opium addiction, never published. He died of tuberculosis in 1848 at 31.
If any place should be haunted, it is the Brontë parsonage. Shortly after Branwell’s funeral (and just a year after “Wuthering Heights” was published), 30-year-old Emily also died of tuberculosis, expiring on the sofa that stands beside the dining room table. A few months later, after the publication of her second novel, “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall,” Anne, 29, succumbed to the disease in nearby Scarborough, just south of Whitby.
Charlotte, who wrote two more novels after “Jane Eyre,” was the only sister to be celebrated during her lifetime. She married and then died at the parsonage in 1855 at 38 of complications from her first pregnancy. Only Patrick lived to old age — 84 — dying in 1861 in the home where he had served for 41 years.
The Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth, North Yorkshire.
(Mary McNamara / Los Angeles Times)
But it is not a sad house; instead visitors are left to wonder at the genius, resolution and audacity that roiled the quiet rooms and halls where the sisters secretly wrote and sent out their manuscripts, all initially under the the names of Currer (Charlotte), Ellis (Emily) and Acton (Anne) Bell.
The steeply descending main street of Haworth is filled with tea shops, pubs and stores clearly dedicated to pleasing Brontë pilgrims, but its basic form, including the original stationery store where the sisters once bought their paper, remains the same.
As do the moors that stretch behind the parsonage. On a walk to the Brontë Waterfall (more like a small but still lovely rill) and Top Withens, the ruin of a 16th century farmhouse believed to have inspired “Wuthering Heights,” the wild silence and sweeping vistas are even more transporting than the parsonage. One imagines not the ghost of Cathy or Heathcliff, but a trio of women, very much alive and striding through the heather, their minds alight with the stories they would tell, set among similar terrain.
Wainwright’s Way
Our final accommodation on this literary sojourn was Holdsworth House, a manor hotel near Halifax where screenwriter Wainwright and her casts often stay during filming, and where Alan (Derek Jacobi) and Celia (Anne Reid) were married in “Last Tango in Halifax.”
Holdsworth House, a manor hotel near Halifax.
(Mary McNamara / Los Angeles Times)
With creaking floors, fireplaces, a first-class restaurant, mullioned windows and a lovely garden, Holdsworth House would be glorious even without its famous connections (including a 1964 stay by the Beatles). Plans for at least two weddings were being discussed by staff during our sojourn.
On our way there, we stopped in Heptonstall, a tiny town above Hebden Bridge, where Sylvia Plath is buried in the St. Thomas A’ Becket churchyard. Her husband, Ted Hughes, was born in the nearby town of Mytholmroyd and though they were estranged at the time of her death, he was her next of kin and chose the site, and the stone, on which the poet is identified as Sylvia Plath Hughes above an epitaph that reads: “Even amidst fierce flames, the golden lotus can be planted.”
Heptonstall, a tiny town above Hebden Bridge, where Sylvia Plath is buried in the St. Thomas A’ Becket churchyard.
(Mary McNamara / Los Angeles Times)
There are no signs directing visitors to Plath’s resting place; we relied on Apple Maps and my memory of a brief glimpse of it in Wainwright’s “Happy Valley” (Becky, the daughter of main character Catherine Cawood [Sarah Lancashire], is buried nearby). Looking for the piles of pens that once adorned Plath’s grave didn’t help; it is now blanketed in planted flowers. A few pens have been left on the headstone, which has been replaced at least once; generations of fans have attempted to obliterate “Hughes.”
Down the hill in Hebden Bridge, Wainwright’s world comes miraculously to life — the canals with their longboats, on which Catherine battled Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton); the Albert pub which proudly announces on a placard that it is the Duke of Wellington in “Riot Women”; even the public car park where Alan had his car stolen while meeting Celia for the first time in “Last Tango.”
The canal at Hebden Bridge.
(Mary McNamara / Los Angeles Times)
While driving around Hebden Bridge and towns surrounding nearby Halifax, I more than once imagined I was Catherine Cawood and marveled at Wainwright’s loyalty to this land, its cities, towns, farms and moors. Her series are inevitably female-centric and like the Brontës, who wrote 200 years and a few miles away, her work excavates the drama of daily life and the tension between good and evil that sings below any surface.
I’m going to start this story on a quiet tree-lined street in Mar Vista, where a couple I met with on Thursday — the day after the L.A. mayoral debate — have a problem.
It’s not an unusual matter, as things go in Los Angeles. On both sides of the street, the sidewalk rises and falls, uprooted and cracked by shallow roots because over many decades, the trees were not properly maintained.
John Coanda, 61, who grew up in Los Angeles, was never bothered by torn-up sidewalks as a kid.
“In fact,” he said when he first emailed me about his predicament, “my friends and I sometimes used the ramping pavement as jumps for our bicycles.”
But his wife, Barbara, was diagnosed in 2024 with ALS, and she uses a wheelchair. When John pushes her, they can’t use the sidewalk if they want to go to the store or meet with friends, or just enjoy a nice pass through the neighborhood without getting into a vehicle.
So John pushes Barbara’s wheelchair in the street, which creates an obvious safety problem. And despite John’s best efforts to get City Hall to fix the sidewalks, he’s not expecting help anytime soon.
I’ll circle back to this story in a bit, but first, about that debate.
I recruited a half-dozen L.A. residents to watch and send me their thoughts about how the candidates tackled the important issues. And then I felt guilty for having done so, because the candidates didn’t do much tackling at all.
Candidate Spencer Pratt is shown on a television while journalists work during the 2026 Los Angeles mayoral debate at Skirball Cultural Center.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
They hit their talking points, for sure, and Mayor Karen Bass, Councilmember Nithya Raman and TV personality Spencer Pratt each had their moments. But by the end of the debate, and two straight nights of gubernatorial debates as well, I came away thinking there were no clear winners, but there was a definite loser.
Voters.
This is the fault of the format more than of the candidates themselves. The deck is stacked against meaningful, substantive discussions, especially when moderators ask — as they did several times — for one-word answers.
“Moderator questions are so meaningless … and they make it easy for candidates to take potshots at each other,” said longtime political sage Darry Sragow. “The format is guaranteed to elicit nothing that matters.”
It’d be better to have single-issue debates, and to have candidates pressed for details by journalists who cover those issues and can push back against unrealistic promises and expose a lack of depth.
My debate watchers did some of that themselves. CSUN librarian Yi Ding had praise and criticism for each candidate, but was looking for concrete plans and didn’t get many.
Ding was also disappointed that two other mayoral candidates — Ray Huang and Adam Miller — were not invited to the debate, and I agree with her. Both have been polling low, but with so many undecided voters, and such high unfavorability ratings for Bass, they should have been in the mix.
Mike Washington, a retired pharmacist and West Adams resident, said Bass has done better than previous mayors on homelessness and he didn’t think Raman or Pratt came off as worthy of bumping her out of City Hall.
“The public would have benefited from more questions related to the challenges young people are facing,” said Juan Solorio Jr., president of the San Fernando Valley Young Democrats club. His colleague David Ramirez agreed, saying he was hoping for “more discussion about the cost of living for young adults,” but he and Solorio are both backing Bass.
West L.A. software developer Mike Eveloff asked the million-dollar question in one of his many observations during the debate:
“Why is LA spending record amounts on homelessness, fire, police, and infrastructure while results deteriorate? Streets and sidewalks crumble. Even the city emblem right in front of City Hall is deteriorated. With the World Cup and Olympics approaching, voters need to know: Do these leaders have the financial discipline and operational competence to manage a fourteen billion dollar city?”
Venice resident Dennis Hathaway, author of “An Octogenarian’s Journal,” said he thinks “these kinds of debates are pretty non-edifying.” And, as someone I wrote about two years ago regarding busted sidewalks in his neighborhood, he shared this lament about Thursday’s debate:
“No mention of broken sidewalks, potholed streets, other deteriorated infrastructure. To me, that’s a much more important subject than non-citizens voting in city elections.”
(Bass did say during the debate that there was a new infrastucture plan in place, and that’s a step in the right direction. But there was no discussion, and when you read the details, 2028 Olympics projects will be prioritized, and it’ll take years to figure out how to fund thousands of additional much-needed fixes.)
The Coandas live not far from Hathaway, and their lives have been upended first by Barbara’s diagnosis and then by John getting laid off in February from his job as a data analyst. Barbara still teaches French via Zoom, and John is tending to her needs. They started a Gofundme campaign to help pay their bills.
With Barbara in a wheelchair, John contacted the city’s Safe Sidewalks L.A. program last fall, and I think it’s fair to say that name is somewhere between a misnomer and a bad joke.
The “program” responded by email on Halloween, appropriately enough, informing him that under the City Council-approved “Sidewalk Repair Program Prioritization and Scoring System,” his request for help merits only 15 points out of a possible 45.
“Currently,” he was informed, “the estimated wait time for completion of an Access Request with a score of 15 is in excess of 10 years.”
Happy Halloween.
Over the years, responsibility for sidewalk repairs has shifted between the city and homeowners. There’s a rebate program available to people who repair their own sidewalks, but it’s capped at an amount that doesn’t always cover the costs. And ruptured pavement is keeping lots of lawyers busy with trip-and-fall lawsuits that cost the city millions each year.
Barbara Durieux Coanda, who has ALS, and her husband, John Coanda, make their way down the ramp in front of their home in Mar Vista.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Coanda told me he doesn’t have the funds at the moment to pay for repairs, and even if he did, there are several more sidewalk disaster zones on both sides of his street, so he’d still have to push his wife’s wheelchair in the street even if he fixed the cracks in front of his own house.
Barbara graciously said she thinks the city has other, higher priorities, but in November her husband contacted the office of Councilmember Traci Park, saying he was told that he would have to wait 10 years for repairs.
“Sadly,” he wrote, “I don’t think my wife will live that long.”
A Park staffer wrote back, saying, “The turnaround time does sound realistic given the budgetary crisis the city finds itself in.” But, the staffer added, maybe the council member’s office could “help move the needle on this request.”
Coanda said he’s been too busy with his wife’s issues to follow up. But Pete Brown, Park’s communications director, told me Friday afternoon that the office is exploring ways to pay for fixes that don’t take 10 years, including the use of discretionary funds.
I don’t know how that might play out, but I do know that L.A. doesn’t need another debate like the last one.
We need a mayor and council members who refuse to accept that it takes 10 years to create safe passage for a wheelchair.
In the national capital of broken sidewalks, we need concrete plans.
Abi made her debut on the long-running ITV soap back in 2017 – and it’s fair to say she has quickly become a firm favourite with fans. The character has also played a part in several big storylinesduring her stint on the soap.
From her drug addiction, the tragic death of her son Seb (Harry Visinoni), and, more recently, her affair with Carl Webster (Jonathan Howard) behind her husband Kevin’s (Michael Le Vell) back, her time in Weatherfield has not been short of drama.
Away from the cobbles though, on Saturday (May 9) Abi actress Sally celebrated her birthday – and fans couldn’t believe her real age.
On a Coronation StreetFacebook fan page, one person paid a sweet tribute to Sally and said: “Sally Carman is 51 today. Happy Birthday Sally.” And rushing to the comments section, fans were left gobsmacked by her age.
One person wrote: “51?! She looks in her 40s!” Another added: “She doesn’t look a day over 30.” A third chimed in: “I’d have guessed she was in her 40s.” Someone else wrote: “She doesn’t look that age! Gorgeous lady.”
Last year, Sally revealed the secrets behind her remarkably youthful looks. In an interview with The Sun, Sally confessed: “Oh, it’s no secret – I have fillers, I have Botox, facials…. I do all of it.”
Sally continued: “I’m really open about it. I don’t think there’s anything worse than someone promoting a cream saying: ‘Buy this mega-bucks cream and your face will be as smooth as mine.’ I’m like: ‘Yeah, whatever.’ So there’s no cream – well, there is, but there are other things on top.”
Meanwhile earlier this year, Sally confirmed that fans will be seeing her playing Abi until at least 2027 as she signed another year-long contract. Speaking exclusively to Radio Times at the TV Choice Awards, she confirmed: “Just signed for another year, which is great. My goodness, I love it. It’s my favourite job I’ve ever done.”
The soap star also shared that she would be honoured to follow in the footsteps and have the same screen longevity as Corrie royalty Sally Dynevor, who recently marked the milestone of playing Sally Metcalfe for 40 years. “If they’ll have me, yeah!” Sally joked.
In addition to her success on Coronation Street, Sally has also found love on the show. She met her co-star Joe Duttine, who plays Tim Metcalfe, on set in 2017, and the couple got engaged in 2020 before tying the knot two years later.
Discussing their unique engagement tale on Kate Thornton’s podcast, White Wine Question Time, Sally shared: “It was while we were in lockdown and we were staying in the Dales with his sister, who has a lot of space, with, his kids” she said.
She added: “We were walking around this big field on this walk and he went: ‘Kids, have a look in between the dry stone walling because you know, they used to put coins and precious things to hide them in the walls.”
Sally continued: “So I’m having a look and there’s this box. And I opened it. I’m like: ‘No way.’ And then there was another box inside. And I turned around and he was on one knee.”
Coronation Street airs Monday to Friday at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX
Coronation street fans think they have worked out who killed Theo Silverton after telling scenes aired on Friday night’s episode of the world’s long-running TV soap
Could Theo have been killed by his ex-wife?
Coronation street fans think they have worked out who killed Theo Silverton. The scaffolder, who was played by former Tracy Beaker star James Cartwright, was found dead at the end of the ITV soap’s much-hyped murder week.
When Theo was introduced, he was married to Danielle Silverton (Natalie Anderson) but he began an affair with Todd Grimshaw and, once he had split from his wife, they began an official relationship but it quickly turned sour.
For almost a year, Theo terrorised Todd with bizarre forms of abuse, both mental and physical, and caused the death of his best friend Billy (Daniel Brocklebank) in the crossover with Emmerdale.
Still coming to terms with the loss of Theo, on Friday’s episode of the world’s longest-running TV soap, Todd was surprised to see Danielle turn up at his flat amid the murder investigations, where she revealed more about her past with Theo. He said: “The police have already interviewed me. I had nothing to do with Theo’s death.”
But Danielle wasn’t convinced, and she shot back: “If he hadn’t met you, he’d still be alive. My kids would still have a dad! Maybe you got cold feet, thought it was easier if he was dead.”
It was then that Danielle started to say more about what she had been through. She said: “Since he’s been gone, I’ve been thinking back over our relationship. What kind of man he was. It’s what made me wonder if you’d snapped. Killed him.
“He was a good dad… especially when the kids were little. I knew he had a short fuse. God, sometimes we’d go at it like hammer and tongs.” When Todd claimed he “gave Theo power,” Danielle pushed back as she said: “No. Theo took power. He had all the power in our relationship, too. He just… didn’t abuse it.
“Though, actually, he did make all the decisions about everything. Where we lived, how we lived, how we parented. Every time we argued, I gave in. Because, secretly, I was afraid of him. I mean, he never hurt me or the kids, and I didn’t want to believe he was a bad man. But I knew how controlling he was.”
Danielle is an official suspect along with Todd, his father figure George Shuttleworth, his daughter Summer Spellman, and Theo’s former colleague Gary Windass, as revealed by bosses of the soap earlier this week. But fans think that they might have sussed it after Danielle’s sudden appearance.
One fan wrote on X: “Oh wow, I wasn’t expecting Danielle to say that. Was it Danielle?” whilst another said: “Go on, admit it Danielle.” A third suspected that the way in which Danielle had instantly accused Todd meant that she was the guilty one.
They wrote: “That scene where she turned up to the flat was very interesting because she instantly interrogated Todd, almost like she was deflecting or bluffing. That’s what made me think she killed him.”
Coronation Streetairs Monday to Friday at 8:30pm on ITV1 and is available to stream from 7am onITVX.
Kyle Loftis, who started filming street racing with a point-and-shoot camera and went on to become a pioneer in car culture media, has died, his company confirmed Wednesday. He was 43.
“We are extremely saddened to share that Kyle Loftis, the founder of 1320video, passed away last night,” the company wrote in a statement posted on social media. “We are in a state of shock.”
No cause of death has been disclosed.
The Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office and Gretna Fire Department in Nebraska responded to Loftis’ home Tuesday night, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office said in a statement emailed to The Times.
“Loftis was declared deceased; his death is not suspicious,” the spokesperson wrote. “Out of respect for privacy, we will not be releasing further details.”
According to his LinkedIn page, Loftis attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha from 2000-2005 and earned a bachelor’s degree in management of information systems.
It was there, Loftis said in a 2023 video on his company’s YouTube channel, that his interests in car stereos and photography evolved into a passion for street racing — in particular, capturing races in still photos and on video and making that media available to fans.
“I’m a hardcore ‘car nut’ that’s taken his love for cars and turned it into the most amazing ‘job’ of my life,” Loftis wrote on LinkedIn. “Through my business, 1320Video, I’m able to experience the craziest & best automotive events (fitting my tastes) and share them with millions of people around the world!”
Back in the early days, Loftis posted his work on message boards and sold it on DVDs. For nearly 10 years after college, he worked for PayPal while building his motorsports media business on his own time. He dedicated himself to 1320Video full time starting in January 2015.
Currently, 1320Video has nearly 4 million subscribers on YouTube, more than 6 million followers on Facebook and nearly 3 million followers on Instagram.
“Kyle’s passion for motorsports inspired millions of people around the world and we will never forget what he has done to grow our beloved sport,” 1320Video wrote. “Kyle was a beam of light at every gathering… his enthusiasm, kindness, and creativeness was contagious.
“Let us pray that Kyle is in a better place.”
Garrett Mitchell — the YouTuber and stock car racer known as Cleetus McFarland — posted a tribute to his longtime friend on Facebook.
“Completely shocked about the loss of Kyle,” Mitchell wrote. “The most influential person on my life. We’re crushed. Please pray for his Mother and close friends, they need it most.”
Wall Street’s major market averages slip on Thursday following the previous session’s rally, as investors turn their focus toward any new developments surrounding a potential Middle East peace agreement.
The blue chip Dow (DJI) was -0.3%, the benchmark S&P 500 (
Coronation Street spoilers have hinted at guilty characters who could be Theo Silverton’s killer, while the fates of two other villains are also teased on the ITV soap
Spoilers for next week on Coronation Street have revealed huge twists(Image: ITV)
Spoilers for next week on Coronation Street have revealed huge twists, including clues about who killed Theo Silverton.
One villain faces her comeuppance finally, while another’s fate is revealed after murder week. One character is plotting an exit and some new evidence is teased as Theo’s murder suspects fall under the spotlight.
Sam Blakeman sparks concern, and Tim Metcalfe must face his past. Kicking things off, Will secretly meets Megan, having stolen £2,000 from the pub safe.
They plot to flee to France, while Will pretends he’s moving to Scotland with his mum. As he leaves in Tim’s taxi, Tim is suspicious about Will’s plans when he realises the Glasgow train is cancelled.
The Driscolls also realise something is up when Will’s passport is gone, and they can’t get through to him. Tim tells Will all about his relationship with Tricia, how much he enjoyed it at the time but how he’s come to realise that technically he was a victim of rape, but will he get through to Will?
Will returns to Weatherfield, and reports Megan to the police. Lisa interviews Megan but she denies everything. After his chat with Will, Tim confronts Trisha and spells out that like it or not, she abused him when he was 14 years old.
Back at the Rovers, Ben gets a call from Melanie, and Maggie’s thrown into panic, telling Ben they need to talk. David kicks Jodie out, leading to her sowing seeds of doubt in Shona’s mind about what happened between them.
Soon, Jodie comes across Daniel, who is still lying about being at the Lakes, and the pair share their secrets. As Jodie later collects her things from Shona’s, her face darkens.
Sam is left panicked when he’s threatened by Will at the Red Rec, causing him to break his telescope. Hope urges Sam to tell Leanne about Will, but Sam loses it.
As Sam prepares for his exam, he overhears Nick and Toyah talking, but doesn’t hear their true words. Soon, Roy finds an agitated and distressed Sam surveying a tracking device he found in his school bag.
Kit and Lisa don’t believe Gary’s alibi after the recent murder, but they soon suspect Todd is hiding something. As the police call at the builder’s yard and start gathering potential evidence, it includes some scaffolding poles.
After some evidence is deleted, Kit makes it clear that Gary is still his prime suspect. Finally, Summer reveals that she’s been offered a place at an American university – but is her possible exit her attempt at fleeing?
Coronation Street boss Kate Brooks has teased summer and beyond in Weatherfield in the fallout to Theo Silverton’s murder, with two new characters and the identity of Theo’s killer
Coronation Street boss Kate Brooks has teased summer and beyond in Weatherfield in the fallout to Theo Silverton’s murder(Image: ITV)
There’s plenty of drama coming up on Coronation Street in the fallout to murder week.
We finally know the victim, as Theo Silverton was killed off on Friday night. But who killed him and how did he die? All of that is to come.
That’s not all, as there are big scenes ahead for two other characters. Debbie Webster has a busy few months, while teenager Sam Blakeman’s mental health continues to spiral.
Then there’s the arrival of two new characters, both of which have links to current Weatherfield residents. Speaking to The Mirror and other press, Kate Brooks teased what was on the cards.
Kate revealed: “Obviously, there’s lots of people who are in the frame for Theo’s death – George, Todd, Summer, Carl. He’s created a lot of enemies. Gary’s another one who’s kind of in the mix, who’s really been betrayed by him.
“It’s Todd rebuilding his life – this is a guy who’s been subjected to the most horrific abuse, who is traumatised, who was grieving. And it’s how he kind of tried to rebuild his life while still kind of struggling to comprehend the fact that this man’s been murdered by potentially somebody he knows or maybe even him.
“It’s an interesting mix of ‘whodunnit’ thriller story, but also about Todd’s family and friends, George, Christina, Summer, Sarah, all rallying around Todd to make sure that he’s okay, to try and build them and repeat them back together. What he’s been through at the hands of Theo has been such an ordeal for him, and to get that love and to get that trust in people again, it was very important to show that with Todd.”
Megan and Will fallout
“The stuff with Megan and Will, there’s a bit of a journey to go on with that story. So obviously she’s been exposed, but Will at this point, he believed it was love.
“He believed it was all genuine. Scales fall from his eyes and Tim’s going to be so instrumental in kind of making them realise what’s gone on and how unacceptable and how wrong it was.
“It’s about the family falling apart, but then kind of building themselves back up again as they try desperately to kind of repair the damage that Megan’s done. Obviously, there are soap Gods, and as in soap God’s law, there’ll be some kind of retribution for Megan.
“She cannot get off of this scot-free. We will go down the proper channels. Whether it goes on to plan or not, I cannot say, but it goes down quite a very big path.” Will will be quite badly affected by what he’s been through with Megan. It does go a bit dark as well.
Sam’s mental health and Daniel spirals
“Getting him across the Megan story and having him be another victim of her manipulation felt like a really interesting way of telling the story. But as a result of that, his mental health has been really, really damaged by everything that’s happened – by the manipulation, by the fact that he wasn’t believed, by the fear that he felt every time he was with Megan.
“We’re going to tell a big mental health story with Sam, and he’s going to really, really struggle over the course of spring and early summer. It’s about his family realising, hopefully before it’s too late, that he’s in desperate need of help – and he’s really vulnerable. It’s showcasing that, Megan’s actions have not just directly impacted Will and the Driscolls, Sam’s also collateral damage.
“Similarly, with Daniel as well, he met somebody who’s on the same page as a teacher, apparently respectable, and he’s been completely duped by it, and it completely makes him unravel. Rob Mallard who plays Daniel is such a phenomenal actor and we’ll see him slowly start to lose it, because of wondering who to trust.
“He’s been bitten so badly by this relationship, and by the fact that he was the one who defended her as well, he feels like he’s let Will down. He feels like he’s let Bertie down. We’re really going to chart the impact she’s had on him and his life and his attitude to relationships going forward.
David and Shona’s future after Jodie drama
“Jodie is desperately trying to get what she feels is rightfully hers. She’s still definitely kind of on that trajectory, but David and Shona are a really strong, united couple. They adore each other. They love each other. They’ve been through a lot.
“We’ve obviously got Harper still in hospital. Ultimately, Harper will come home and the stresses of family life will start to really take its toll. Whether Jodie is able to exploit those weaknesses within that relationship, whether she’s able to kind of tempt David over to the dark side, or because she wants to punish Shona for leaving her, she’s certainly going to try and come between them.
“But as I say, David and Shona are pretty solid couple. It’s whether they can unite and see Jodie for who she is and what she is in time. Similarly, Jodie’s story will dovetail off into Daniel’s story as well.
“An unlikely little friendship will be formed, which I don’t think many people see coming, but it’s a really different insight into what makes them both tick. For the first time, Daniel’s able to be truthful about how he feels. And similarly, Jodie’s able to be quite truthful with Daniel, because he’s in a quite a dark place. There’s some interesting dynamics between them.
Debbie’s future
“We’ll see her symptoms start to take hold slightly more, but she’s still very much the Debbie we know and love throughout the spring and summer. Her friendships with the women who she holds so dear are still very much at the front and centre of the show.
“Her relationship with Ronnie is still really, really strong, but it’s the relationship with Carl that needs the most repair and I think the thing with Carl is he is such a complex individual. He’s incredibly selfish and self-serving. Debbie, as his mother, can see that.
“It’s how those two people can come together and forge a relationship that’s not based on Carl trying to get money. It needs to kind of go back to basics and becomes about the sincerity of their relationship. And it takes a while to get there.
“And it does all come to a head, kind of a big head with the fellas in Debbie’s life. It’s about trying to give Debbie that bit of happiness before she goes too far down the line.
“Christina, Glenda, Sally, Debbie, Bernie, those five women are just phenomenal actors, and the warmth and the comedy that they all emanate, is just contagious. It won’t just be Debbie at the front and centre.”
Two new characters as Cassie exits
“Tyrone’s dad makes an appearance in the show. Needless to say, he comes with quite a bit of drama, and it’s going to cause quite a lot of friction within that family, obviously with Cassie’s history.
“As you know, Cassie’s leaving us, and so it will contribute to her exit, which is going to be massive and quite explosive. It’ll be full of all the twists and turns that you can come to expect from an exit.
“He comes into the world of Fiz and Tyrone. Tyrone’s in the mindset of, I’m in my 40s, I’ve survived this long without a dad. The dad is very keen to connect with Tyrone. It’s not long before the dad makes eyes at one of the residents, and maybe a bit of a relationship starts there.
“It’s very domesticated. It really shines a spotlight on Fiz and Tyrone as a couple and that dynamic as a family. Cassie is, needless to say, not happy that this guy has turned back up.
“We also have Idris. He’s Alya’s cousin. He is very, very charming, like the charm oozes out of every pore of this guy. He’s a savvy kind of business guy, he’s got a bit of a ruthless streak, he’s not ready to get his hands dirty slightly, but he can charm the birds from the trees.
“He’s a new love interest for Leanne. The attraction is instantaneous. It kind of gives Leanne a new lease of life somewhat. She’s been harbouring a deep-rooted resentment them towards Toyah and Nick, because that’s the life she had.
“And this guy comes along, he’s got it all, he makes her laugh. He’s funny, he’s a handsome chap, and he ruffles a lot of feathers, but he’s not without an edge. He’s not soft, and he’s certainly no pushover. He butts heads with some of our more alpha kind of characters quite early on. We’re really excited about Idris. He brilliant.”
When will find out who the killer is?
“It’s later in the summer. We reveal to the audience who it is during late June, July. There’s lots of people you definitely think it could be. It’s a massive story, there’s so many different twists, and there’s so many different offshoots to the story as well.
“You think you’re watching one thing, and then it diverts into a completely new kind of story territory. It’ll definitely keep people guessing.”
Other characters set for big storylines
“There’s a massive storyline coming up for Bernie further down the line, and which will involve Kit and her family dynamic. That’s too far ahead, but certainly late spring, early summer.
“There’s a massive story for Sally and Tim that comes to the to the fore, and it’s a story that tests them as people, test them as a couple, but tests them as foster parents as well. It’s a bit of a curveball, and it comes from slightly left field, but absolutely upends their lives.
“It’s how they navigate that situation going forward. Sally and Tim are so beloved, and I just adore them. And it’s seeing them in a slightly different position than what we’ve seen them in before.
“That story will also dovetail further down the line with a Christina story. Christina and George are a really great, strong couple in the show. It’s those friendships alive. There’s a connection there as well.”
Coronation Street’s Murder Week came to a shocking end but the drama isn’t over as fans are convinced Jodie’s parting words for David spell trouble ahead
22:47, 01 May 2026Updated 22:47, 01 May 2026
Coronation Street ‘seal Jodie’s fate’ as her sick plan for David is ‘unveiled’(Image: ITV)
Coronation Street have revealed that Jodie is not the murder victim in their upcoming whodunnit – but that doesn’t mean she’s safe.
The ITV soap have been leading up to this week with dramatic twists and turns, teasing who might die. On 1 May, the ITV soap aired a dramatic set of scenes, in which Theo Silverton was found dead in an alleyway, Carl Webster flatlined in hospital and Maggie Driscoll was left unconscious on the street. As for Jodie Ramsey – after trying and failing to get brother-in-law David Platt to sleep with her, she’s run away from the cobbles.
Before she fled, Jodie also tried to convince David and his sister Sarah that he came on to her and she rejected him. On her way out, she left a voicemail for David saying again that she turned him down after he came on to her and that he needs to stop trying it on with her.
Fans are convinced Jodie is trying to set David up and frame him for murder. One wrote: “Jodie is like doing Gone Girl on David.” In Gone Girl, Amy Dunne orchestrates her disappearance and then fakes her own death to set up her husband for muder after finding out he cheated on her.
Another fan echoed this sentiment, saying they they thought Jodie would go “missing”, just like Amy Dunne. They said: “My money’s on Jodie missing and will reappear at some stage to cause havoc.”
Fans are also certain that Theo will not be the only death in the near future. Many have pointed out that Carl and Maggie have both been hurt and could succumb to their injuries in the coming episodes. One said: “What we know after that episode – Theo: Dead? Maggie: Attacked. Carl: Fighting for his life. Jodie: Alive. Megan: AWOL. So could we have multiple deaths here?”
Another agreed: “Might be all 5 of them dead, we dont know where Megan and Jodie are.” Others argued that Jodie seemed to be the only one that won’t die. One fan asked: “I’m guessing Jodie is probably the only one who is still definitely alive then….?”
Over the past week, Corrie have been focusing on one character per episode. Jodie’s episode happened on Wednesday 29 April. During the episode, Jodie was about to leave Weatherfield when she was caught by her niece Lilly.
After Lilly had left, two men arrived at number eight, where they spotted Shona, Jodie’s half-sister and David’s wife, outside. She pretended not to know anything about Jodie. But when they attempted to take hold of her, Jodie shouted after them, and they left. Viewers will recognise the two men who arrived in scenes that aired last week.
Still credited as Bloke 1 and Bloke 2, they had been putting pressure on a little girl called Olivia to get hold of a USB stick that was in Jodie’s possession. She handed it over to Bloke 1 and Bloke 2, and they threatened that they would be back if what they wanted was not on it.
After the ordeal, Shona convinced Jodie to stay, but when Jodie found proof that Shona had known where she was as a child and chose not to make contact, she was furious. She stole Shona’s phone and reacted to a text message from a drunken David and then crawled into his bed, pretending to be Shona, when he came in. He only realised she wasn’t when they started kissing. After her plan failed, she started to leave again, only to be confronted by Lilly, who wanted her to stay.
