Corrie

Hilda Ogden was given a mention on Coronation Street this week and now news in today is that Sunny Jim (aka Jed Stone) is returning to Corrie after 42 years. How good is that?Anyone want to listen to the Sunny Jim sing-a-long? Oh go on, you know you want to. Click here and set your toes to tap mode.

Becky Grainger behind the bar of the Rovers becomes Coronation Street's 50th barmaid, says Corrie.net today.But if Tina McIntyre isn't running the place in five years time and doesn't have her name above the door too, I'll wear a barmcake on my head.

Corrie Underwire CamisoleThe Corrie Underwire Camisole is halter strapped, with underwire cups for lift. Piping in front gives it a corset-like look. Hooks and eyes close up the back.Tara A/C ThongSheer in back and beautiful lace in front, this crotchless thong will give them an eyeful whether you're coming or going! Three little rhinestone centered bows in front.Bra, Lingerie, Model, Panty, Sexy,

Following on the previous (and yes, odd) Coronation Street picture puzzles we've had on this blog, can you guess where this chair can be found on the Street set?And when you've done that have a look back at some of the other puzzles:Whose Shoes?Whose hat is that?Whose toes are those?Whose knees are these?Who's giving who the elbow?

Voting is open for the TV Quick and TV Choice Awards 2008 and you can vote for Coronation Street to win Best Soap. Well, only if you'd like to, of course.That hunk-a-hunk-a, sorry, Serious Actor Rob James-Collier is on the shortlist for Best Soap Actor, along with David Neilson and Jack P Shepherd. And up for Best Soap Actress are Katherine Kelly, Jennie McAlpine and Samia Smith. Nominated for Bes

Kevin Kennedy, who played Curly Watts (the Coronation Street character most fans would love to return to the cobbles), is set to star in a comedy musical called The Extra Factor.The play will run from September 11th to 13th at the Lichfield Garrick theatre. For more information and ticket details, click here.

There's an interesting comment here on the Soap Opera Network site in the US. It says ex-Coronation Street writer Daran Little has been hired as a creative consultant on the daytime US soap All My Children.If it's true, Daran would be taking the Mancs to the Yanks. It might just work.

The similarities are there. The glasses worn around the neck, the oft-mentioned but never seen (yet) Clarissa (surely the Coronation Street bookie's version of Everard?).Enquiring minds what to know. Is Harry Mason really Larry Grayson?

Following on from those, er, classic Coronation Street picture puzzles: Whose toes are those?Whose knees are these?Whose hat is that? Can you guess who's giving who the Coronation Street elbow in this pic? Eeurgh! Enough!

I'm sure I wasn't the only one with a lump in my throat watching Maria deliver her dead baby on Coronation Street this week. It was heartbreaking to watch, and contrasted horribly well with Liam and Carla, carefree and drinking in the Rovers. It can't have been easy for Samia Smith to act out those scenes either, as she was using personal experience gained from her own mum.To be honest, Maria's never been a favourite Corrie character of mine, I've always seen her as a bit of decorative fluff on the Street, and rather needy. But she's going to need all the strength she can muster to carry her through the next few months, what with losing the baby, arranging the funeral and then losing her feckless husband to Cruella Carla's talons too.We'd better buckle our seatbelts, it's going to be a rat

From Monday 28 April to Friday 2 May, voting will reopen in the British Soap Awards for one category only - that of Best Soap.Get your clicking fingers at the ready and your mouse poised for action, and vote for Coronation Street at the website right here. The awards show will be on TV in May.You can see some of the pictures from Coronation Street's recent win at the Irish TV Now Awards here.

If you like looking at behind-the-scenes pictures from the Coronation Street set (I know I do) then you might like to look at these from a visit by radio station Heart 106.2.There are also some pictures here from Chris Moyles' and the BBC Breakfast Crew's visit to the Street set and plenty more behind-the-scenes shots right here too.

Kevin Horkin's website is a gem. He first started providing advice on specs to the Coronation Street cast and ended up providing the pets!Kevin's site shows some of the animals he's provided for Corrie, including Theresa the Turkey (pictured here), which the lovely Spider tried to save before it was killed on screen when Les Battersby ran it down.Kevin also wrote the book Pets and Personalities on Coronation Street. Go on, have a browse of Kevin's website, it's really nice.

There's a good little YouTube of the Daily Mirror's Hope Not Hate bus on its travels this week. Not only did it take in the Emmerdale set this week, it also visited the Coronation Street set too. You can watch the clip on YouTube right here. The whole video's worth watching for its worthy message and the Corrie bit clicks in towards the end, around 3:35.

Which ex-Coronation Street hunky chunk do these toes belong to?You'll have to click here to find out and see the full picture. And if you enjoyed doing that, why not try your hand at guessing Whose Knees Are These?

New bookie Dan Mason is turning into the latest in a very long line of feckless fellas on Coronation Street. From Stanley Ogden and Jack Duckworth through to Vernon Tomlin, Corrie's always had its share of weak and lazy men dominated by their women. But Dan's a different sort of feckless fella - he's dominated by his dad. And so far in the blog poll, the fans are on dad Harry's side.

Many searches are done on this blog for pics of Corrie babes. And if you want those kind of pics have a peek at Tarty Doris. Anyway, the searches started me thinking about the original Corrie babes. And hard as it may be to think that any of these women once set the hearts a-flutter of men up and down the nation, it's true, they once did. Get any eyeful of these original Corrie babes and see how many you can remember.Mind you, this one might take a bit more explaining!

Questions are flying into the blog (well, I've had one or two enquiries) asking when Danny Baldwin is returning to Coronation Street. I have it on good authority that he'll be back this summer. How do I know? It says so on Bradley Walsh's website right here.For more official websites of Coronation Street actors, have a peek here.And for the answers to some of the other frequently asked Corrie questions, have a look here.

Thanks to the good people at the Chorley Guardian for letting me know about this one. They've got a raffle for charity going on at their website and one of the items you can win is an item of clothing as worn by Sarah Platt in Coronation Street. If that sounds like your cup of tea then get over to the Chorley Guardian website right here.And if you like Coronation Street competitions and quizzes, have a look here.

You know how some faces on Corrie seem to crop up over again? Well, actor Dave Dutton is a versatile chap, he's been on Coronation Street as seven different characters.Over the years, Dave's been hit over the head with a frying pan by Mavis Riley.He's also played Shelley Unwin's uncle Gerald, sold Ken Barlow a replacement for Uncle Albert's sideboard, played a photographer (three times), popped up as an insurance man then a gas man and sold Boomer the dog to Jack Duckworth. Crikey.

Over at the official website for our favourite soap there's news of a Coronation Street newsletter you can sign up to receive.They're calling it the Weatherfield Gazette and more information is available here.The site has also started to include videos of deleted Corrie scenes.

Coronation Street is getting a new producer in the form of Kim Crowther and ex-producer Steve Frost (pictured) is moving on and up within ITV. He's to become ITV's new Head of Continuing Drama, says The Guardian today.

The current Coronation Street sponsor is Harvey's Furniture Store and the sponsor for t'other ITV soap is Airwick. The current Airwick campaign uses an ex-Corrie actress for the voiceover... see if you can guess who it is. Just click on the picture below to watch the ad and listen to the familiar voice. And you can also watch a current Corrie actress advertising cheese, if you like.

If you think you've spotted Corrie's Becky in a Leerdammer Cheese advert on telly, then you're right, it's her. You can watch actress Katherine Kelly get cheesy in the ad whch is available to watch by clicking on the picture below. And can you guess the ex-Corrie actress doing the voiceover for this ad?

I'm loving the fun stuff that's being emailed in to the blog, more please! Can you name the current Coronation Street woman whose knees these are? Clue: It's not Norris.There's another Corrie picture puzzle here.

Four Coronation Street actresses have been busy with blu-tack and their creations are up for sale in a charity auction on eBay from Monday March 31st.You can bid for artworks made by Kym Ryder (Michelle Connor), Samia Smith (Maria Sutherland), Katherine Kelly (Becky Granger) and Michelle Keegan (Tina McIntyre) and all money raised goes to the Breast Cancer Campaign.

Voting is open in the TV Now Awards and if you'd like to vote for Coronation Street as Best Soap, get clicking and voting right here.In last year's TV Now Awards, Sue Cleaver (Eileen Grimshaw) won Best Actress, and deservedly so too.And don't forget to vote in the British Soap Awards.

Essential: Big hair and even bigger ear-rings. The bigger and brassier of both, the better.Must like a drop, or two, to drink. Be prepared to blurt out indiscretions while under the influence of one too many and/or cop off with unsuitable blokes.Got to have a best mate to swap secrets - and blokes - with.From Elsie Tanner to Carla Connor, Corrie women have always had bags of of attitude. It's just that in Carla Connor's case, the bags are designer this time around.And of course, no Coronation Street woman would be complete without their very own feckless fella. And tear-proof mascara. Any more suggestions?

With Hugo thrown in for good measureCame across this collection of graphic goodness from RidesAPaleHorse and thought this might be the perfect time to post it."One I did in "honor" of Rachel Corrie....(I know I'm going to hell for this one)......lol"--RidesAPaleHorseTwo anti-American cheerleaders at work.Sure to garner a "racist" charge or two.Humor is one of the best ways to handle stress.That's our defense.And the truth.by Mondoreb & RidesAPaleHorseimages: RAPHDBKP.com - Bigger, Better!.Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.

Were Corie's Alex Neeson, and Richard Ashcroft of The Verve swapped at birth or was it Ryan Connor and another lead singer from a band? I'm confused now. There are more Coronation Street look-a-likes here.

Jennifer Moss played Corrie's first wild child teenager Lucille Hewitt back in the 1960 and 70s. As well as being an actress, she recorded a couple of pop hits which have been re-released on a compilation CD called Joe Meeks' Girls. Corrie fan Theo Morgan has kindly uploaded some of Jennifer's songs for fans to listen to, for free. If you liked the Sunny Jim sing-a-long, you might just like these ones too. To listen to Jennifer singing Hobbies, click here and singing Big Boys, click here.Sadly, Jennifer Moss passed away in 2006. You can read all about her life right here.

Michelle Connor might be having trouble on Coronation Street trying to decide between Alex and Ryan. However, I reckon Ryan Connor was separated at birth in Weatherfield General from his twin Ezra Koenig, lead singer with band Vampire Weekend.For more fun Corrie look-a-likes, have a look-a-here

The official Coronation Street site has started to include deleted scenes, which this fan reckons is a great idea. You can watch - but only if you're in the UK - the latest deleted scene where Leanne gets grief from the wonderfully stroppy head waiter Luigi at her pizza place in the precinct.To watch the deleted scenes click here.

Steven Arnold, better known as Corrie's Ashley Peacock, was in Canada recently where he was guest of honour at a meeting of Coronation Street fanclub, the Downeast Streeters.You can read all about Steven's visit from one of the fans who met him, Diane Johston. Diane's write up and fantastic pictures are on her website right here.

I'm chuffed to bits to report that Jayne Bickerton, who played the wonderful Yana Lumb on Coronation Street, is a fan of this blog. How do I know? It says so on her Pop Art website right here. She says the blog is: "My new favourite Corrie gossip and update site, presided over by the wonderful Flamin' Nora".Jayne is also a successful artist and you can view all her paintings on her website, including many Pop Art paintings of Coronation Street scenes and classic characters.Fans can now see Jayne on tour in theatre in The Naked Truth alongside another ex-Corrie actress Samantha Seager, who played Jodie Morton. The Naked Truth is on tour at a theatre near you from March 24 to June 5. For tickets book here.

09.07.07 - By Jeff Bastasini: According to the latest boxing news, IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko is considering a possible rematch with South African heavyweight Corrie Sanders (42-3, 31 KOs) for his next bout. Wladimir previously lost to Sanders, 41, by 2nd round TKO in March 2003, a bout which saw Wladimir knocked down four times before the referee finally halted the one-sided destruction in the 2nd. Wladimir, however, was never able to land a rematch with the hard-punching more…

13.05.07 - Corrie Sanders (42-3, 31 KO’s) had a tough time while winning a 10-round unanimous decision over Daniel Bispo on Saturday night at the Emperors Palace Casino, in South Africa. The final judges’ scores were 100-91, 100-91 and 100-91. Sanders, 41 started out strong, knocking Bispo about with ease in the first round and totally outclassing him despite Corrie’s advanced age. However, in the process, Sanders injured his left hand and was unable to use it for the more…

Banned Bruce Jones, Corries Les Battersby, has been written out of future storylines of the popular long running soap. Jones is on a currant ban, which was initially for four weeks but has been extended by another two weeks whilst Corrie bosses investigate claims that Jones insulted fellow cast members in a drunken outburst. Reports claim that Corrie bosses “don’t want him back.” Jones who joined the cast in 1997 was last year rushed to hospital with a suspected heart attack after collapsing on the set, claims he has done nothing wrong. Related on In Entertainment:Corrie star gets Extended BanCorrie scraps Kidnap ScenesBanned corrie Actor in Racist RowHoff Banned from seeing DaughtersCorrie star Craig’s wife “had enough”

Bruce Jones, Corrie’s Les Battersby whose drunken rant got him banned from the Coronation Street set for six weeks has had another four weeks slapped on top. The ban has been put in place whilst his bosses investigate the allegations. Jones blasted his fellow workers in a drunken out-burst whilst in a restaurant after downing 19 pints. The 54 year-old actor who was rushed to hospital last year with a suspected heart attack denied the reports and said that he never meant to “offend.” Related on In Entertainment:Corrie star Craig’s wife “had enough”Corrie star Tina quitsFilm piracy prevents previews in CanadaTobago church tries to ban EltonCollins lands role in Who:

Actor Bruce Jones, who plays Coronation Streets Les Battersby, was overheard ranting about Indian and Pakistani phone operators whilst drinking in a pub in Cheshire. Jones 54 has been banned from working on the set for six weeks whilst an investigation is going on due to a drunken outburst. Manchester born Jones starred in The full Monty and Twenty-four seven alongside Bob Hoskins. Bruce joined the cast of Coronation Street in 1997 and the Battersby family were known as the family from hell. Related on In Entertainment:Big Brother racist row, no chargeRacist Song Denied by Big Brother ProducersCorrie star Craig’s wife “had enough”Vote who is the best actor in the world?Corrie star Tina quitsAlso See: Bass Guitars on the journey to the widest range anywhere online

The wife of coronation Street star Craig Charles has said she has “had enough.” Jackie Charles spoke of her husband’s drug taking and said she was sick of all the lies and sick to her (more…) ---Related Articles at In Entertainment:Corrie star Tina quitsHardest Stunt for Jackass Knoxville yet as he Separates from WifeFirst Child on the Way for Kevin Costner and WifeCollins lands role in Who:Christian Brando Settles Abuse Claim

Rachel Corrie, a martyr’s Voice as powerful as that of Ann Frank.The new Jew: personified by the Israeli, muscular tanned Sabra, is a new breed far removed from the Image of the depression-emaciated holocaust Jew of the thirties and forties. He has a new body and a new mind. The transformation however has left the new Jew with out the compassion and sensitivity that I loved about my families’ Jewishness.The ruthlessness of the IDF: the horrific criminal cluster bombing of Lebanon and the shameful acts of starving children on the West Bank, are crimes against humanity that all Jews will someday have to answer for. The continuing acts of forcing the Palestinians into such dehumanizing poverty puts those responsible not only in the category of the oppressed becoming the oppressors as President Truman described them, but as the worst criminals in history, the Nazis.The perfect illustration of the blind faith mentality of the new Jew is the pressure brought against a theater to stop the

This is part two in a three-part series that has probably gotten wa-a-a-y too long already.  But if you're still reading, you can see part one of our daughter's birth story here, and part two here. Two years ago today, my baby daughter cried the moment she entered the world, just as I prayed she would.  I was flooded with relief.  I hardly got to see her as the NICU team whisked her across the hall to evaluate her.  As we had planned ahead of time, Hubs left my room immediately and stayed right by her side, running back every couple of minutes with brief status reports: "She looks fine!" or "She's on oxygen, but she's breathing great!"  Before they took her to the NICU, they brought her to my bed and let me hold her for a few seconds.  She was tiny, but she was clearly very strong and very healthy.  She was taken to the NICU, and I didn't get to see her again for several hours, while they checked her status more fully and started her IV antibiotics (since my water had been broke

This is part two in a three-part series that will probably be interesting to my immediate family only.  But if you're still reading, you can see part one here. My doctor told me that the odds were good I would go into labor in the next 24-48 hours, since my water had broken, but I was having no contractions at the moment.  My husband, remember, was camping with our boys in the remote woods of Arkansas, out of cell phone range.  We could have tracked down a forest ranger to find him, but it would've taken hours and would've frightened Hubs and (even worse) the boys.  We made the difficult choice to wait until early the next morning, when my Dad would drive to find them. I was so worried that Hubs would be alarmed when he heard the news, and that his fear would rub off on the boys.  I prayed the most specific prayer I've ever prayed when I begged God that somehow, in the middle of the night, with no advance warning, Hubs would somehow know that I was in labor and would feel peace. 

My daughter's birthday is approaching later this week, and it has dawned on me that I've never written her birth story.  For us, it was very dramatic, though I know it's mild compared to what other families have been through.  Still, I don't want to forget one minute of it.  So if you'll indulge me, here's Corrie's birth story, in three parts (it's a long story, y'all).  Here's part one: Around March of 2003, I was telling Hubs about some friends of ours who had a surprise pregnancy.  He looked at me nervously.  "That wouldn't happen to us, would it?" he asked.  My response (and yes, this is actually what I said):  "No, Honey.  When you hear of people 'accidentally' getting pregnant, what that actually means is that they messed up on their birth control.  We're very careful--we're just not the sort of people that happens to." And somewhere up in Heaven, God must've thrown His mighty head back and laughed.  Because one month later, while the room spun around me and my