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UK Soaps News & Gossip Round Up

In EastEnders, we have of course recently seen Phil Mitchell becoming addicted to crack cocaine. He was introduced to the drug by Rainie – Tanya Branning’s sister – who’s played by Tanya Franks…

The show has come in for a lot of criticism for airing the shocking drugs scenes before the watershed, but Tanya has defended the decision to depict the storyline.

Speaking to The Sun, she said, "I wasn't surprised that people complained because it's pushed a boundary.

“But in my opinion, the good that comes from storylines like this far outweighs whatever concerns people may have.

"It's been very well handled and as true and real as it could be before the watershed.

“They've been very brave with it and I give full credit to EastEnders for that.

UK Soaps News & Gossip Round Up

Our first piece of news comes from EastEnders, and it’s been announced that Dancing On Ice runner-up, Stefan Booth, has been cast as Tanya Branning’s fiancé, Greg.

The Daily Mirror reports that we’ll first see Stefan as Greg next month when he appears as part of the team helping to rebuild the Vic after a massive fire destroys the iconic pub.

And it seems that Greg’s arrival on the Square is going to anger Max who’s still hoping that he and Tanya can reunite.

A show insider told the paper, "Max has his fair share of women, but he still has a soft spot for Tanya despite all they have been through.

“Don't be too surprised if he makes mincemeat out of Greg."

UK Soaps News & Gossip Round Up

In Weatherfield, Corrie actress Rachel Leskovac, who plays hairdresser Natasha Blakeman, has been telling Inside Soap that she felt “honoured” to have been given such a dramatic exit from the show.

In next week’s episodes, we’ll see Natasha breaking the news of her pregnancy to boyfriend Nick Tilsley, and from there on in, things go from bad to worse for her.

Rachel said of her departure and the shocking storylines that lead to it, "I feel very honoured to make such a dramatic exit. “It's quite a different thing for Corrie to do.

"It would have been easy for them to write Natasha out quietly, because she'd been dipping in and out of the action for a while.

"They didn't have to invest that much in the character, but I'm so glad they did. I feel I've been given a fantastic opportunity."

Soaps News: Corrie’s Maria to die in tram crash? Plus Patsy Palmer on Bianca & Sheree Murphy’s fella hates her on-screen kissing!

Corrie star Samia Smith, who of course plays Maria Connor, has said that she hopes her character isn’t going to be killed off in the show’s tram crash later this year.

Samia told Inside Soap, "I'm very happy at Corrie and really don't want to go anywhere for the moment.

"Maria lives at the other end of the Street, so maybe she'll be tucked up in bed when the tram crash happens. I hope that she sleeps through it!

"It sounds like exciting stuff - for the 50th anniversary, the show needs something that will be dramatic enough for everybody."

Viewers will soon see Maria going head-to-head with fellow hairdresser Natasha Blakeman to buy the salon from Audrey when she heads off to Greece for a new life.

Soap News Round Up, including, new Hollyoaks spin-off show!

As ever, it’s been a busy week in the soaps, and first up is Corrie’s Sun Nicholls, who’s denied that she’s retiring from the show.

It had been reported that Sue’s character, Audrey Roberts, was to leave the show when she headed off to Greece with her on-screen lover, Lewis.

It was also thought that Sue wouldn’t be back to reprise the role of Audrey.

However, speaking to TV Times, Sue denied she had any intention of leaving permanently and enthused about her job.

She said, "When I come through the gates of the studio, it's like coming into a different world.

“I think I'm a bit happier in my Weatherfield world, because I've only got to worry about Audrey.

Feeling that nothing’s adding up about Loretta’s leukaemia, Jake decides to do a bit of digging as he phones up the strip club where Loretta used to work. Discovering that Loretta didn’t take a day off the whole time she was there even though that’s when she’s told him she had leukaemia, Jake realises for certain that Loretta has lied and confronts her about it. No longer wanting anything to do with Loretta, Jake orders her to leave, with Loretta left absolutely distraught to have had her lies found out and lost her boyfriend. 

Whilst Loretta clearly wants to keep the relationship going, Jake definitely seems to have made his mind up already and it doesn’t seem as though there’ll be any way back for Loretta in her relationship with Jake.
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With Gilly now aware of the true reason behind Steph’s recent behaviour, the two of them are able to have a chat as Gilly attempts to get their relationship back on track. Steph is adamant that she wants to fight this alone, Gilly doesn’t give up on her that easily though and it’s clear that he very much intends to stand by Steph as she battles against her cancer.

As Loretta keeps a close eye on Jake she is absolutely appalled to spot him flirting with Jem in MOBs, and with Steph also currently receiving a lot of attention from Jake because of the news of her cancer, Loretta resorts to lies in order to try and win back some of Jake’s focus. Jake is shocked as Loretta tells him that she had leukaemia a couple of years ago, with the facts not adding up about it though it’s only a matter of time before Jake realises that she never truly had leukaemia. Jake isn’t stupid and it’s going to be incredibly hard to Loretta to keep up the pretence.
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New cast confirmed for Hollyoaks

As part of Paul Marquess’s sweeping changes at Hollyoaks – he took over as the show’s executive producer last year – he has confirmed three new cast members and characters will be joining the show.

Emmett Scanlan is to play Brendan Brady – brother of Cheryl – and according to Digital Spy, Brendan will be “Evil to the core…

“Brendan knows no bounds and will happily do anything and everything to ensure he reaches his end game.”

Karen Hassan will play the role of Lynsey, who will be introduced as Chery’s best mate, and she’s set to ruffle some feathers. And Jonny Clarke will play Bart McQueen who’s often been in trouble with the police, and looks set to carry on being.

Marquess told DS, "This is a really exciting time for Hollyoaks and Brendan, Lynsey and Bart bring more fun, drama and sexiness to the show."

She may have missed out on the role of Dorothy in Over the Rainbow, but Stephanie Davis is still a winner.

The 17-year-old has landed herself a role in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks after impressing on Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s BBC One show.

Davis will take up the role of Sinead on the soap, a 15-year-old in a new family called the O’Connors. She will be joined by former Brookside actress Alex Fletcher as her step-mum Diane.

Fletcher is excited about the prospect of joining Davis on set.

“I’m really looking forward to working with Gary, Stephanie and Connor.

Hollyoaks mainstay Carley Stenson is leaving the show after ten years.

The 27-year-old actress who plays Steph Cunningham (nee Dean) on the Channel 4 soap will leave at the end of the year to pursue opportunities in musical theatre.

Stenson first appeared on the soap back in 2000 and since then her character has been through many hardships iincluding her parents divorce, the death of her husband Max and a battle with cervical cancer.

There is no word yet as to how her exit will play out, with details kept under wraps.

Feeling down about the way that Steph has been behaving towards him lately, Gilly assumes that Steph wants to break up with him when Cheryl tells him that he really ought to talk to Steph. Heading straight round to see Steph, Gilly decides to dump her before she can dump him and then takes off, still not realising the real reason behind Steph’s change in behaviour.

As Gilly learns the truth from Cheryl at MOBs, he feels absolutely disgusted with himself for what he’s just done, immediately attempting to phone Steph on her mobile though, Steph refuses to accept Gilly’s phone calls. There are a few things for Gilly and Steph to sort out together, they do both love each other a lot though, and no doubt once things are resolved then Gilly can be there for Steph as she battles against her cancer.

When Carmel learns that she’s not pregnant with Calvin’s child after all, Theresa begins to feel the pressure even more as she knows how upset Carmel is not to be pregnant whilst she’s pregnant with his child and contemplating getting rid of it. Although Theresa does go to her appointment at the clinic, she’s still clearly not sure that this is the right thing to do, and as Carmel turns up and tells her not to go through with it; Theresa is stuck in a state of absolute confusion as she wonders what to do for the best.

Theresa now has a lot of thinking to do and fast; does she keep the child and risk being sent to prison for murdering Calvin, or does she stick to Jacqui’s plan and go through with the abortion?

Having taken a trip to the hospital, Steph has received the worst news possible as she learns that she has cervical cancer. Although she doesn’t want to tell Gilly or her family about it yet, unfortunately the decision not to start telling people is out of her hands as Tom has overheard her having a conversation with Nancy about it. As Tom announces Steph’s news to Jack, Frankie, and Darren at the pub, Steph is absolutely mortified as she shows up shortly after and is unable to deny it when they start questioning about what Tom has just told them. With her news now out there, Steph doesn’t know what to do and breaks down in tears in the middle of the village as she struggles to come to terms with the fact that she has cancer and her family now all know about it.

Rae is horrified as she realises that she’s not wearing her locket, Newt is quick to point out to her however that even though she hasn’t had it on nothing bad has happened to her, and that whilst he’s around he’ll never let anything bad happen to her. Rae is buoyed by Newt’s positive words, and it’s clear that what he has said to her has had an effect on her as she begins to start thinking more positively and realises that she doesn’t need to keep wearing the locket.

As Theresa worries about her own pregnancy she is hit with another huge problem as she discovers that Carmel also believes that she’s pregnant; there are now potentially two babies due to be born around the same time, both of whom shall have Calvin as a father. Theresa was already feeling the pressure about being pregnant with Calvin’s child, but is the guilt now going to prove to be just that little bit too much knowing what she now does about Carmel?