Issue #0024

Where Did Tommy Go? Canada!

This is another one of Blighty’s Corrie Fan Newsletter’s “where are they now?” moments. The focus this time is on English actor Thomas Craig – better known to Corrie fans as Tommy Harris. Do you remember the storyline? Tommy was the father of Katy Harris, the teenager being dated by Martin Platt.

Tommy did not like the relationship, particularly because Martin Platt was a lot older than his daughter Katy. Katy became pregnant with Martin’s child.  Tommy wrongly believed Martin was having an affair with Sally Webster. When Katy found out about Martin’s “affair” she aborted the baby.

Martin was furious and ended the relationship. Katy went to see her father in Webster’s Garage – where he worked – and following a heated exchange she hit her father on the back of the head with a wrench, killing him.

Katy, a diabetic, subsequently committed suicide by taking an overdose of sugar. If you are reading this newsletter on the web you can view the following video which picks up the story following Tommy Harris’s death:

But what happened to actor Tom Craig following his exit from Coronation Street? Canadian fans are sure to be pleased to hear that Tom’s career moved to Canada where he accepted the part of Inspector Brackenreid in the show “The Murdoch Mysteries”.

Thomas Craig was born Craig Thompson in Sheffield, England in 1962. He adopted his stage name from English soccer player Tommy Craig who was a member of Tom’s favourite team Sheffield Wednesday.

The character Tommy Harris and the actor Thomas Craig were both born in Sheffield and both were keen fans of the same soccer team. It must have been very easy for Tom to play Tommy!

If you admire Tom’s work you might also enjoy his performance in the UK movie “The Navigators” which is about unionized rail workers adapting to a changing work environment following privatization of Britain’s rail network. I have a copy in my movie library and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Sir Ian to Return to the Cobbles?

Cambridge University educated, former Royal Shakespeare Company member and actor behind Gandalf the wizard in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy – Sir Ian McKellen is also a wannabe Corrie cast member.

Of course Sir Ian has already made a brief appearance on the show as the quiet, but devious fraudster Mel Hutchwright. That role worked well for Sir Ian and he has acknowledged that he thoroughly enjoyed it. But now, the 70 year old actor who was knighted by the Queen in 1991, wants to make a comeback and become a permanent character.

Shoot Betty

What’s that Sir Ian? Launch a new avenue in a career that has spanned nearly half a century? At age 70? Well, why not! Do you remember the story we carried about Betty Driver in Blighty’s Corrie Fan Newsletter Issue #0023? Betty is now 90 years old and has been performing for over 80 years. Incidentally, Betty has no plans to retire yet either. She told the media that Granada bosses will have to shoot her if they ever want rid of her. Careful Betty – Tony Gordon may be only too happy to oblige.

Tony’s New Digs

We haven’t had a spoiler in this newsletter for a while now. Perhaps we still shouldn’t (well alright, if you like spoilers, and we know that some of you do) click on the “Spoilers”  link at the top of the page (web version of this newsletter only). Tony’s storyline has a few twists and turns to go yet. Here is a teaser. In a future episode Tony kindly helps non-swimmer Roy Cropper with some swimming lessons … in the canal … during the night.

Shortly afterwards, Tony “changes his mailing address”. But wait, Blighty’s Corrie Fan Newsletter’s all-time favourite character then has a dramatic and shocking meeting with a …

Okay, no more. If we finish that sentence we will be creating a spoiler even for UK readers. Just like our hero, we don’t believe in finishing sentences … whoops!

Muriel and the Three Ducks

Back in Issue #0023 we threw fans a trivia question. We told you how royal visitor, the Duchess of Cornwall, was presented with a brooch featuring three ducks during her recent official visit to the Street. We asked you to tell us what the significance of the three ducks was.

Well, there is no point trying to defeat Canada’s Corrie fans in a trivia contest. Lots of entries were received and they were all correct! You can read all the entries we received in the comments following Issue #0023 in the web version of that issue.

The correct answer, of course, was that Hilda Ogden had a mural (which she called a “muriel”) on her wall which originally featured an Alpine scene. The “muriel” later changed to a coast scene with an ornament of three ducks flying overhead.

We offered a prize of a Coronation Street tote bag to the first three correct entrants who were:

Nancy of Mississauga, Ontario, Ken Stanfield and Pat Gough.

The three winners will be contacted by email and will be sent their tote bags in the mail. We would like to say a big thank you to everybody who entered. When we receive lots of fan feedback it makes the long job of researching and writing each newsletter so much more rewarding.

Just Another Brick in the Wall

There was another trivia question in the last issue of this newsletter that stumped most of you. We asked: Whose name is carved on the lintel outside number 11 Coronation Street?

Yes, it sounds hard doesn’t it? But, if you have visited the Street you might have seen it for yourself. If you haven’t visited the Street you can still find the answer on the Internet – if you know where to look. We could tell you but that would mean revealing one of the sources for our stories – and potentially make our trivia contests too easy. So we are zipping up our lips.

Yes, it was hard but more than one fan got the answer correct. Our winner, Deborah Cyr of Oshawa, Ontario even provided a link to a picture on her own website. Here is Deborah’s entry:

http://photosbydeborah.photos.cn.com/p56625953.html

What’s the Best Soap?

Who won “best soap” at the 2010 Broadcast Awards? You guessed it – Coronation Street. Just how many award ceremonies are there in the UK? It seems that Corrie or members of the cast are winning awards almost every month! Over 1200 of the broadcasting industry’s best were recognized during a gala dinner at the prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane on the evening of the 27th of January.

To celebrate the win, the cast were treated to a big bash at a posh venue in Manchester called Albert’s Shed. Centre of attention at the event was John Thomson (children’s entertainer Jesse Chadwick on the show) who is leaving the show.

Where is Liam Now?

Blighty’s Corrie Fan Newsletter disappointed many fans of former Corrie character Liam Connolly a few issues back. We revealed that actor Rob James-Collier was anxious to leave the soap in order to pursue “serious acting”.

Well, Rob has now landed his first serious acting job. He will appear as a footman in a new seven part costume drama called Downtown Abbey which airs in the UK this fall.

Broke Boyzone Boy Bobs Back

We already revealed to eager Corrie fans that heartthrob Irishman Ciaran McCarthy is coming back to our screens. Actor Keith Duffy actually needed a comeback. The 35 year old actor and property speculator has been hit in the pocketbook by the recession and needs to earn some money.

New Coronation Street DVD Release

Okay, lets get excited. The latest release of the early episodes on DVD is set to hit the streets February 23rd. It is volume 4 from the 1960s.

Arranged in chronological order with seamless story arcs, Coronation St. Volume 4 includes 8 full length episodes from 1966-68. Now, for the first time ever, you can watch the best episodes of the decade, uncut, on DVD.

Coronation Street Volume 4 1966-68 takes you on a journey encountered by some of its classic characters including central characters Ena Sharples and Annie Walker, the timid Minnie Caldwell, and the first-ever appearance by larger than life character Bet Lynch. Watch these 8 episodes and relive the memorable moments of the infamous train crash where Jack, Ena, Elsie, and Lucille go missing. Val tells Steve if he doesn’t intend to love Elsie forever, he should not marry her and Ken and Val realize the twins are missing! Find out the shocking and dramatic conclusions to these episodes and much more!

GENRE: Television

RATING: PG

COUNTRY: UK

DVD SRP: $29.99

RELEASE DATE: February 23, 2010

RUNNING TIME: 194 minutes

Trivia Contest

Let’s make it easy this time. Here is a clear picture of a former Coronation Street character. All you have to do is correctly identify the character and send his full name (first name + last name) to Blighty’s Corrie Fan Newsletter using the “Leave a Reply” box at the bottom of the web version of this newsletter.

The winner will be the 7th correct entry received. The winner will receive a British food and candy hamper valued at $25 from Blighty’s Tuck Store.

Here is a clue: this character appeared between 1998 and 1999 and had Battersby blood in his veins.

Your entries will not be published until after the closing date of 28th February so don’t panic if you don’t see your entry appear on the screen. All entries will be published simultaneously after the closing date.

Good luck!