Soap watch with JACI STEPHEN: Cruising for a bruising?
- This week Jaci Stephen doesn’t have a good feeling about a franchise in Corrie
- READ MORE: Coronation Street twist leaves viewers horrified
CORONATION STREET
There’s no denying that Glenda has brought some much-needed levity when we’re being hit over the head with racism, diabetes, rape, stalking, an acid attack and, this week, Paul’s possible motor neurone disease. Her casual one-liners about her days as a cruise ship singer hilariously hint at a wilder life far away from the cobbles.
Joining her fellow West End star Jodie Prenger (Glenda), Ruthie Henshall arrives as Estelle, who’s in Weatherfield to discuss her mother’s funeral and bumps into her old cruise buddy. Now the co-owner of Little Big Shotz, a performing arts club for kids, Estelle explains anyone can buy into the franchise and open their own branch.
Why do I not have a good feeling about this? Anything in Corrie involving a new business venture is always doomed – apart from the undertakers when there’s a serial killer like Stephen around.
Glenda, however, is interested. Can we look forward to more tales from the ocean waves from this pair? Or even a duet?
The arrival of another newcomer is imminent when the family tree website informs Brian of his Italian cousin, Isabella. With her Naples flat under renovation, she tells Brian she’ll be visiting him.
Estelle (right, with Glenda) explains anyone can buy into the franchise and open their own branch
WEST END GIRL
West End star Ruthie Henshall is thrilled to be joining Corrie as Glenda’s old friend Estelle. ‘This is one of the most enjoyable guest roles I’ve had,’ she says. We viewers are excited too.
Let’s hope for even more levity as Brian discovers his inner Italian. Doubtless an opportunity for a lot of ‘Just one Cornetto, give it to me’ style innuendo.
Elsewhere, it’s mostly doom and gloom – Miley and Faye; Aaron and Amy; Paul’s illness.
And, somewhere between the two extremes, the ludicrousness of several other strands – Dr Gaddas’s incompetency (strike the woman off; she’s hopeless), and now Sarah and Damon, which has come out of nowhere. Maybe Sarah went off Adam when he started knotting his hair into that silly little bun again.
The hilarious Stephen nonsense drags on, with Rufus refusing to renegotiate with him. Something tells me Rufus’s skull is not long for this world.
Nor Elaine’s, when she tells Stephen the solicitor needs proof of funds for them to buy a house.
EMMERDALE
Nicky’s proposal puts Gabby in control
Kim was never going to react well to the news that Gabby and Nicky are an item, and instantly fires the nanny for breach of contract. Isn’t this a bit hypocritical?
Will was her estate groundsman when she started a relationship with him.
To prove his love, Nicky goes down on one knee and proposes (below). The Hide hostelry is not the most romantic of settings, and Nicky and Gabby aren’t exactly dressed for the occasion.
Nicky goes down on one knee and proposes to Gabby to prove his love to her, (pictured) while Kim fires the nanny for breach of contract
He looks as if he’s just walked in from a hard day at the sheep dip, and Gabby is dressed in what appears to be a hand-me-down from 1972. And what’s with all the plants at that place? They make the happy couple look like extras in The Day Of The Triffids.
Naturally, Gabby accepts. Who wouldn’t? A 24/7 nanny and a granny desperate to please. Now holding all the cards with Kim, Gabby threatens to take Thomas away unless she supports the marriage.
All this, plus the sprawling mansion that is Home Farm. Talk about landing on your feet. This is an achievement of millipede feet proportions.
It’s hoodie week again. Has there ever been a show so reliant on hoodies? Did a wardrobe supervisor of yesteryear get cost price on a job lot? When Caleb and Leyla get steamy, little do they know they’re being watched by… yes, you’ve guessed it: a hooded figure.
EASTENDERS
On what planet would Kim be ‘Influencer of the Moment’? Although overjoyed by her win, you have to wonder who she was up against.
She’s about as influential as Hannibal Lecter trying to win over The Vegan Society. So thrilled is she by her success, she offers to take Denzel for a spin in the car she’s won.
Hang on… she and Howie have just been at the awards do, so you can’t tell me she wouldn’t have had a drink.
When Denise joins her at hospital, Kim (pictured) is short with her, revealing that Ravi’s messages on Denise’s phone caused the crash
This is a woman who celebrates with a cocktail if she turns a door handle. Anyway, maybe she has imbibed, because no sooner does she take the car out than she crashes it and has to call an ambulance for an unconscious Denzel.
When Denise joins her at hospital, Kim is short with her, revealing that Ravi’s messages on Denise’s phone caused the crash.
Er, so it was nothing to do with you clearly being too excitable to drive? And what’s she doing with Denise’s phone anyway?
Kim and Denise join forces to try to break up the budding relationship between Ravi and Chelsea, both fearing that Chelsea will get hurt.
Can’t they stop him making all those shifty glances too? He has the permanent look of a man casing the joint for a heist.
Turn a corner, there he is. Lurking. Open a door. There he is again. Lurking. Go to the pub. Guess who’s there? Lurking. Please make it stop.
Ravi’s a wrong ‘un, Chelsea
The Ravi and Chelsea coupling in EastEnders is more convincing than the Ravi-Denise one ever was.
The turning point is when Chelsea insists she wants to get to know the real, deeper Ravi because, says Aaron Thiara (Ravi), ‘He’s never had that from a woman before.’
It’s not long before her doubts set in, though, and Zaraah Abrahams (Chelsea) says Ravi responds by ‘telling her things she wants to hear – talking about commitment and the future, dismissing his past’. He’s a wrong ‘un, Chelsea. Trust me.
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