Soaps Showbiz – Metro https://metro.co.uk Metro.co.uk: News, Sport, Showbiz, Celebrities from Metro Wed, 13 Sep 2023 09:22:22 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.1 https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cropped-m-icon-black-9693.png?w=32 Soaps Showbiz – Metro https://metro.co.uk 32 32 Coronation Street’s Bill Fellows shares sadness as legend quits show https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/13/coronation-street-bill-fellows-sadness-chris-gascoyne-exit-19491187/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/13/coronation-street-bill-fellows-sadness-chris-gascoyne-exit-19491187/#respond Wed, 13 Sep 2023 08:34:51 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19491187
Stu looking sad in Corrie
Stu and Peter haven’t interacted much (Picture: ITV)

Coronation Street star Bill Fellows has spoken of his sadness ahead of Peter Barlow actor Chris Gascoyne’s exit from the show.

It was announced earlier this year that Chris would be taking an extended break 23 years after first joining the show, during which time character Peter has had a tumultuous life.

Storylines have seen him suffer through alcoholism, be found guilty of the murder of Tina McIntyre despite being innocent, and participate in numerous affairs.

In all his time on the show, one character he hasn’t had much interaction with is Stu Carpenter, played by Bill Fellows.

Bill has recently expressed his disappointment at not having been able to work with Chris, despite them being good friends.

‘A very good friend of mine who I’ve had very little to do with is Chris Gascoyne but unfortunately he is leaving,’ he told The Mirror.

‘It’s sad but hopefully I will have a few little things with him [before he goes], but everyone is so good and so nice.’

Peter Barlow in Coronation Street against a white background
Chris is leaving the role of Peter after 23 years (Picture: ITV)

He went on to reveal who he enjoys working with on set, with none other than William Roache, who plays Peter’s dad Ken, coming out on top.

‘I’ve already had scenes with Ken played by Bill Roache, which is great. There’s loads of characters I’d like to do a scene with. I really do like working with Bill I have to say.’

It is as yet unknown how or when Peter will leave Weatherfield, but actor Chris Gascoyne already has his next job lined up.

He is set to play Captain Hook in the pantomime Peter Pan across the festive season.

The show is being staged at The Alban Arena and boasts a ‘star-studded’ cast, as well as ‘stunning sets and dazzling costumes’.

MORE : Coronation Street spoilers: Secrets revealed, awkward conversations and Stephen’s in for a shock

MORE : Coronation Street spoilers: Daisy’s confrontation after Peter stunned over phone sex

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From chance Strictly meeting to lavish Montenegro wedding – inside Amy Walsh and Toby-Alexander Smith’s relationship https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/12/toby-alexander-smith-and-amy-walshs-relationship-as-they-get-married-19486312/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/12/toby-alexander-smith-and-amy-walshs-relationship-as-they-get-married-19486312/#respond Wed, 13 Sep 2023 10:12:00 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19486312
Amy Walsh and Toby Alexander-Smith are engaged
Amy and Toby tied the knot after three years (Picture: WireImage)

Soapstar couple Amy Walsh and Toby-Alexander Smith have tied the knot after three years together.

Amy has played Tracy Metcalfe in Emmerdale since 2014, whilst Toby played Gray Atkins in EastEnders until last year.

The couple wed in secret, in a rustic villa in Montenegro, surrounded by friends family (including Amy’s Girls Aloud sister Kimberley Walsh), and of course their soap colleagues.

But when did the couple meet? When did they get engaged? And do they have any children together?

Let’s take a look inside Amy and Toby’s relationship.

When did Amy and Toby-Alexander meet?

Amy and Toby’s romance began after a chance meeting in the audience of Strictly Come Dancing in 2019.

Both actors were in the front row, Amy supporting Emmerdale castmate Kelvin Fletcher, and Toby supporting co-star Emma Barton.

The couple have discussed how ‘fate’ brought them together, as Kelvin wasn’t originally supposed to be in the line up, but replaced Made In Chelsea’s Jamie Laing after he broke his ankle.

During the show, the couple got talking and agreed to go on a date.

Amy said: ‘After the show, someone sent me a screenshot of us in the audience and I sent it to my best friend and joked, ‘Me and my future husband,’ just thinking it was going to be a date. But after our first date I was like, ‘This is it!”

A few months after the couple met, the country went into lockdown due to the Covid pandemic, forcing Amy and Toby to long distance.

However, their connection was obviously strong as Toby quickly made the decision to move in with Amy, so that they could spend lockdown together.

Do Amy and Toby-Alexander have any children?

In 2021, Amy became pregnant with her and Toby’s first child.

Speaking to OK! about the pregnancy, she said at the time: ‘It feels as though the way everything happened was meant to be.

‘I thought I might struggle with fertility, so for pregnancy to happen quite easily and when I wanted – I was gobsmacked. We feel incredibly lucky…’

Their daughter Bonnie, was born in December 2021, and is now one year old.

Sharing the news of Bonnie’s birth on Instagram, Amy said: ‘Well…it’s been a busy week! Hope you all had a good one. HAPPY NEW YEAR from the three of us.’

However, Amy has also opened up about how ‘tough’ her birth was.

She told Loose Women: ‘Yeah, it was tough. It wasn’t easy at all. I kind of prepared myself for the worst but it was worse than the worst.

‘I had to be induced for various reasons and risk of infection which obviously just catapults you, doesn’t it? The contractions were going fast but I wasn’t dilating.’

When did Amy and Toby get engaged?

Toby and Amy announced their engagement on Instagram in August 2022.

Toby posted a snap of the pair in Ibiza – where he popped the question -with the caption ‘so this happened’.

Amy can be seen beaming in the picture, showing off her gorgeous engagement ring.

The Emmerdale star also posted snaps from the holiday with the capition ‘before, during, after’, with the last snap in the carousel showing her sporting her new ring.

When did Amy Walsh get married?

Amy and Toby got married in a gorgeous outdoor ceremony in Talici Hill Rustic Villa in Montenegro in late August 2023.

Soap stars in attendance included Emmerdale’s Natalie Ann Jamieson, Olivia Bromley, and Louisa Clein.

Speaking to OK! about her wedding, Amy said: ‘It was honestly the most perfect day. It surpassed all my expectations and more. I felt so surprisingly present on the day and loved every second. Now I’m just in pure bliss.’

Amy was walked down the aisle by her terminally ill father, who she said ‘knows he only has a certain amount of time left, so it was important for him to be there.’

MORE : Emmerdale’s Amy Walsh emotional as terminally ill dad walks her down aisle at wedding to EastEnders star

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MORE : ‘My guardian’: Kelvin Fletcher pays tribute to late Emmerdale legend

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Emmerdale’s Amy Walsh emotional as terminally ill dad walks her down aisle at wedding to EastEnders star https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/12/emmerdale-amy-walsh-terminally-ill-dad-wedding-19484976/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/12/emmerdale-amy-walsh-terminally-ill-dad-wedding-19484976/#respond Tue, 12 Sep 2023 08:48:33 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19484976
Editorial use only Mandatory Credit: Photo by Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock (13997315e) Amy Walsh 'Loose Women' TV show, London, UK - 04 Jul 2023
Amy Walsh has spoken about how her terminally ill dad walked her down the aisle (Picture: ITV / Shutterstock)

Emmerdale’s Amy Walsh has reflected on having her terminally ill dad walk her down the aisle at her wedding to Toby-Alexander Smith.

The actress, who plays Amy Wyatt in the ITV soap, tied the knot with EastEnders star Toby, it was confirmed earlier this week, during a beautiful ceremony in Talici Hill Rustic Villas in Montenegro.

Discussing the big day, Amy said that, up until the last minute, she wasn’t sure if her father would be able to make it, revealing that he’s ‘not very well’.

‘My brother handed me over to my dad, who walked me down the last bit,’ she said. ‘He knows he only has a certain amount of time left, so it was important for him to be there. 

‘It’s a cancer you can’t cure, but you can live with it and he’s doing well fighting it.’

Toby, who played Gray Atkins in EastEnders, added to OK! Magazine: ‘Amy’s dad was very emotional – it was a very poignant moment for me.

The British Soap Awards 2022 - Arrivals - Toby Alexander Smith and Amy Walsh
Amy married EastEnders star Toby-Alexander Smith (Picture: WireImage)

Amy and Toby reportedly met in 2019 during a Strictly Come Dancing show. They’ve been together ever since and welcomed a baby girl named Bonnie in 2021.

The happy couple announced last year that they were engaged.

EastEnders star Toby took to social media in August of the year in question to share the big news with a selfie, which showed off Amy’s engagement ring.

‘So this happened’, He wrote on Instagram, alongside the snap.’

Amy, meanwhile, not only tied the knot in real-life but she also did so in Emmerdale this year, with her big return storyline seeing Tracy be revealed as Nate Robinson’s (Jurell Carter) secret bride.

After a number of obstacles that almost prevented the wedding from taking place, the two characters said their vows in what was a particularly heartfelt episode of the ITV serial.

If you’ve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@metro.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you.

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MORE : Emmerdale spoiler videos: Cain’s massive secret, and shocks for Sam and Bob

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EastEnders star Maisie Smith shares love to Morocco earthquake victims after narrow escape https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/12/eastenders-maisie-smith-morocco-earthquake-19484899/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/12/eastenders-maisie-smith-morocco-earthquake-19484899/#respond Tue, 12 Sep 2023 08:42:53 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19484899
Maisie Smith at
Maisie Smith has revealed her narrow escape (Picture: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

EastEnders star Maisie Smith has shared her love with the victims of the Morocco earthquake just days after leaving the country herself.

The rare, devastating earthquake, which reduced a number of buildings in Marrakech to rubble, had a magnitude of 7.2 and has tragically claimed the lives of over 2,000 people.

Tremors of the quake in North Africa were said to be felt as far as Portugal and Algeria.

The quake is the deadliest in the country since a 2004 tremor in Al Hoceima in the northern Rif mountains, which killed over 600 people.

The Tiffany Butcher actress revealed on Instagram that she had flown back from Marrakech just a few days ago, narrowly avoiding the tragedy.

‘I can’t believe it,’ she captioned a picture of herself strolling through the Medina in Marrakech.

‘We only just flew back from this beautiful country just two days ago.

‘My thoughts are with all the victims and the families of those who lost their lives in this tragedy.’

Maisie visited Morocco with boyfriend, and fellow Strictly Come Dancing 2020 competitor, Max George, and gave fans an insight into the trip with pictures on her Instagram.

She received a number of compliments from fans as she posed by the pool in the sunshine, as well as three love heart emojis from beau Max.

The actress is perhaps best known for her work on EastEnders, having joined the show at just six years old.

In 2021, she left the show, as character Tiffany decided to head off to Germany with brother Liam, leaving husband Keegan behind.

However, she has since revealed that she is ‘sure’ she will return to the show in future.

MORE : EastEnders spoilers: Phil Mitchell cheats on Kat Slater with unexpected character

MORE : EastEnders spoilers: Kat and Phil’s wedding drama revealed as secrets set to explode

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Inside Patsy Kensit’s family life as actress makes explosive EastEnders return https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/11/inside-patsy-kensits-family-life-as-actress-makes-eastenders-return-19475628/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/11/inside-patsy-kensits-family-life-as-actress-makes-eastenders-return-19475628/#respond Mon, 11 Sep 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19475628
Emma Harding watches on in EastEnders
Patsy Kensit is returning to EastEnders soon (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

Patsy Kensit has been confirmed to make an explosive return to EastEnders as Emma Harding.

The Emmerdale and Holby City actor, 55, appeared in the soap earlier this year as Lola Pearce’s (Danielle Harold) estranged mum, reconnecting with her following her cancer diagnosis.

Emma and Lola’s relationship was anything but plain sailing as the pair clashed while also sharing some tender moments.

However, her exit from the soap was anything but as Lola said she never wanted to see her again when she said she was leaving for a job in America.

She briefly returned for scenes in Lola’s emotional funeral, and show bosses have since said she will be hitting our screens again in the autumn.

The news has left many wondering about Patsy’s own family including her partners and children as her soap return is soon to cause chaos with her onscreen loved ones.

Here’s everything we know about Patsy’s children and partners ahead of her latest EastEnders episodes.

Does Patsy Kensit have a partner?

Patsy is currently single after splitting with fiancé Patric Cassidy in July.

Patsy Kensit is engaged! The EastEnders actress, 54, revealed she had said 'yes' to her millionaire property tycoon lover, Patric Cassidy, after he got down on one knee with a huge diamond ring on Saturday. The couple, who are believed to have been dating since August, have been holidaying in a secret sun-soaked location. Patric, 58, who is now a multi-millionaire thanks to his booming empire, is thought to have been introduced to her by friends. The pair had not been pictured together until today, when Patsy shared the happy news to Instagram, alongside a stunning photo of the romantic moment. In the post, Patric can be seen down on one knee in the sand as he sweetly kisses Patsy's hand. The newly-engaged couple were surrounded by a red heart as the sun sets over the sea behind them. Patsy captioned the post with a simple: 'I said Yes,' before she showed off her ginormous diamond ring in an accompanying video.
Patsy split from fiance Patric Cassidy in July (Picture: Instagram/Patsy Kensit)

The pair began dating in 2022 before Patsy announced her split from the Dirty Dancing actor.

Following her breakup, Patsy told The Mirror about how dating is ‘very tricky’ in your fifties.

‘At my age, I don’t meet people as I’m normally in bed at 9pm,’

‘On the show I just finished [Death in Paradise] they were going to the bar and I was like, “I can’t. I have got to be in bed by 8pm.”‘

The Lethal Weapon actor has been married and divorced four times, first tying the know with Big Audio Dynamite’s Dan Donovan in 1988 before they split in 1991.

Patsy Kensit and Jim Kerr
Patsy was married to Jim Kerr for four years from 1992 (Picture: Richard Young/Rex Features)
1996 MTV Video Music Awards
Liam Gallagher & Patsy Kensit(Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
Patsy Kensit and Jeremy Healy
Patsy’s fourth husband was Jeremy Healy whom she split with in 2010 (Picture: Richard Young/REX/Shutterstock)

In 1992, she wed Simple Minds’ Jim Kerr before they broke up four years later in 1996.

The following year, Patsy married Oasis legend Liam Gallagher before they divorced in 2000. She then struck up a relationship with DJ Jeremy Healy, and in 2007 she announced the pair were set to marry.

In 2008 they split briefly before reconciling and marrying in 2009. However, by 2010, the couple separated.

Patsy has also been romantically linked to footballers Ally McCoist, Ryan Giggs, and Michael Gray, rapper Killa Kela, and comedian and actor David Walliams.

Does Patsy Kensit have any children?

Patsy Kensit has two children, the first of which is son James, 29, whom she welcomed with her ex-husband Jim in 1993.

Patsy Kensit and her sons James and Lennon
Patsy has two sons, Lennon and James (Picture: Dave Hogan/Getty Images)
Patsy Kensit and Lennon Gallagher
Lennon, her youngest son, counts Elizabeth Hurley as his godmother (Picture: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Hermes)

She and ex-husband Liam also share a son, Lennon, 23, who was born in 1999 and whose godmother is Elizabeth Hurley, whom Patsy starred alongside in Kill Cruise.

Earlier this year, Patsy furiously defended her son James against ‘nepo baby’ criticism, saying he has ‘grafted’ for his work.

Posting a picture of the pair on Instagram, she congratulated him for playing a key role in Arctic Monkey’s show at the Emirates Stadium.

‘So proud of you Son. What an amazing show,’ she captioned the post.

‘And for any a**e holes who think my son hasn’t grafted for nearly 15 years. No help from his dad or me can do one. He’s worked his a**e off and he has the respect and love from so many people he works for and with. You are the love of my life darling. So so proud.’

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

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Double date for Coronation Street icons as they enjoy day out with their boyfriends https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/11/coronation-street-elle-mulvaney-mollie-gallagher-double-date-19479071/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/11/coronation-street-elle-mulvaney-mollie-gallagher-double-date-19479071/#respond Mon, 11 Sep 2023 10:07:12 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19479071
Elle Mulvaney and Liam Scholes enjoying the launch of Oktoberfest at Alton Towers Resort
Elle Mulvaney and boyfriend Liam Scholes enjoying Oktoberfest at Alton Towers (Picture: Jonathan Hordle/Shutterstock)

Coronation Street stars Elle Mulvaney and Mollie Gallagher have swapped the cobbles of Weatherfield for a day out at popular Theme Park Alton Towers.

The Amy Barlow and Nina Lucas stars turned their day out into a double date, as their boyfriends joined them for the launch of the theme park’s family-friendly Oktoberfest event.

Elle Mulvaney was joined by actor beau Liam Scholes, who stars in popular BBC school drama Waterloo Road.

The pair met on the Corrie set in 2021, when Liam made an appearance in the role of Eli Higginson for a number of episodes. Eli was a friend of bully Corey Brent (Maximus Evans).

Elle Mulvaney and Liam Scholes enjoying the launch of Oktoberfest at Alton Towers Resort
Elle and Liam had a great time (Picture: Jonathan Hordle/Shutterstock)
Mollie Gallagher and Dan Myers enjoying the launch of Oktoberfest at Alton Towers Resort
Mollie Gallagher was joined by boyfriend Dan Myers (Picture: Jonathan Hordle/Shutterstock)

Meanwhile, Mollie brought along musician boyfriend Dan Myers, of indie rock band Inego, who she has been dating for over three years.

Their day out comes after a dramatic year for their on-screen characters, who have both been involved in a hard-hitting storyline which saw Amy raped by friend Aaron Sandford.

Amy kept her terrifying ordeal to herself for several weeks, before finally opening up about what had happened.

Mollie Gallagher and Dan Myers cheersing drinks at the launch of Oktoberfest at Alton Towers Resort
Mollie and Dan enjoyed the atmosphere (Picture: Jonathan Hordle/Shutterstock)

After going to the police, the case was dropped due to a lack of evidence, and Amy struggled in the aftermath.

However, friends like Nina and girlfriend Asha Alahan (Tanisha Gorey), as well as Summer Spellman (Harriet Bibby) were keen to support Amy in the aftermath of her trauma.

The stars were able to leave their work behind as they enjoyed their day out, sharing smiles as they cheersed drinks.

They weren’t the only Corrie stars to attend the event, with Maria Connor star Samia Longchambon also paying the theme park a visit, alongside her two children.

The actress took to Instagram stories to share photos from the day, apologising to her son for not being tall enough to go on the rollercoasters.

However, it seemed they still had a good time, with Samia admitting that she was able to go on more rides than she’d thought in the heat.

MORE : Coronation Street spoilers: Danger for Aadi as Darren discovers his affair with wife Courtney and plots revenge

MORE : Coronation Street spoilers: Roy undertakes an emotional mission to change a life

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EastEnders star reveals reason he quit: ‘I need to get out of here’ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/11/eastenders-ben-hardy-peter-beale-quit-reason-19478749/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/11/eastenders-ben-hardy-peter-beale-quit-reason-19478749/#respond Mon, 11 Sep 2023 09:11:13 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19478749
Ben Hardy as Peter Beale in a promo shot for EastEnders
Ben hardy reveals why he left EastEnders (Picture: BBC)

The character of Peter Beale on EastEnders has been recast several times. When he returned to Albert Square recently as part of the storyline that also saw Ian and Cindy Beale’s shock return to Walford, Thomas Law once again took up the role that he’d played from 2006 to 2010.

Following Thomas Law’s first departure from the Square, the part of Peter went to Ben Hardy. His time on the show covered the massive storyline when Peter’s sister Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater) was killed. Following her death viewers were gripped as an intricate whodunnit story unfolded. Eventually it was revealed that the killer had been Lucy’s younger sibling Bobby (played by Eliot Carrington at the time).

Peter couldn’t live with the family’s decision to try to keep Bobby’s actions secret, so he moved to New Zealand. His girlfriend Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) gave birth to their son Louie and they joined Peter in his new life.

For Ben Hardy, the decision to leave the show came out of a sense that he wasn’t doing his best work. He told Deadline:

‘I think there’s a point where I had to leave, because I felt like if I didn’t leave, I’d get stuck in this. … You’re trying to make it the best it can be, but it can leave you feeling a little bit unfulfilled because the nature of the beast is they have to produce so much material in such a short space of time. So things do feel a little bit rushed.’

Ben acknowledged that there are actors who can thrive in this kind of environment, saying, ‘There are some actors on there that are still very much engaged in trying to make things the best they can be.’

For Ben, however, this wasn’t the case.

Peter and Lauren hug in EastEnders
Ben played Peter between 2006 and 2010 (Credits: BBC/Jack Barnes)

‘For me anyway, personally, I reached a point where I felt myself starting to not try to make the best version of something, I found myself going, “That’ll do.” Then as soon as that started to enter my mind, I was like, “I need to get out of here.”

‘I felt like I was getting quite downtrodden and it wasn’t getting to a place where I wanted to be. I was starting to give up, and I was like, “I can’t do that.”’

Since leaving Walford Ben has gone on to become a Hollywood star, playing Queen’s drummer Roger Taylor in the acclaimed biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. He also achieved superhero status as Angel in X-Men: Apocalypse, as well as having lead roles in other films, TV and theatre.

Viewers are about to see him in a completely different role, alongside Jason Patel in Unicorns, a love story between an Essex car mechanic and a South Asian drag queen.

‘It is about inclusivity, about people loving whoever they want to love,’ Ben said. ‘I think if people walk out of this movie and go, “That was a beautiful love story,” then that’s the reaction that we want.’

With all of the roles that he’s taken since leaving Walford, Ben credits EastEnders with being his ‘screen education,’ he said.

‘I felt much more comfortable going to work on films, having had that day-in/day-out training of just all the technical stuff you don’t want to be thinking about on set. It becomes muscle memory, like, “Where have I got to be? Where’s the camera? What lens are we on?” All that kind of stuff.’

Unicorns will be released in the UK in October.

MORE : Bobby Brazier confirms exit from EastEnders

MORE : EastEnders spoilers: Emma returns and reveals a tragic secret about Lexi to Jay

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Bobby Brazier confirms exit from EastEnders https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/11/eastenders-bobby-brazier-freddie-slater-exit-19478472/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/11/eastenders-bobby-brazier-freddie-slater-exit-19478472/#respond Wed, 13 Sep 2023 08:47:00 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19478472
Freddie behind the counter in the chippy in EastEnders
Bobby Brazier is set to temporarily leave EastEnders (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

EastEnders star Bobby Brazier has confirmed an exit from the BBC soap, but don’t worry, as he will be back.

The Freddie Slater star is taking a break from the demanding soap schedules in order to compete in this year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing.

His exit will come after a jam-packed year for character Freddie, who arrived on the Square in 2022 looking for his real dad.

He soon found out that Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick) wasn’t his dad, as he had been led to believe, but remained in the dark about his true parentage.

During his time on the Square, he struck up friendships with Bobby Beale (Clay Milner Russell) and Alfie Moon (Shane Richie), before eventually moving in with Alfie.

In recent months, Freddie once again decided that he wanted to find his biological dad, and soon learnt his real name, allowing him to track him down and arrange a meeting.

After his meeting with Graham Foster (Alex McSweeney), Kat Slater was forced to tell Freddie the truth behind his conception.

Freddie was completely devastated to learn that his mum, Little Mo, had been raped by Graham in 2003, and soon took himself back home to talk things through with her.

Bobby Brazier holding his NTA at the National Television Awards
It has been a great year for Bobby so far (Picture: Ash Knotek/Shutterstock for NTA)

Having arrived back in the Square, he then upset best friend Bobby by giving into temptation with Anna Knight (Molly Rainford), despite being fully aware of Bobby’s feelings for her.

Speaking about his exit to the media, Bobby Brazier kept tight-lipped about the storyline that would lead to his temporary exit.

‘I’m taking a break. I’ve filmed it all, and I’m not telling you. I’ll be back.’

Bobby has had a very successful year so far, having picked up the award for Rising Star at the National Television Awards. Could he top it off with a Strictly win?

MORE : EastEnders’ Danielle Harold responds to I’m A Celebrity rumours

MORE : EastEnders spoilers: Alfie gets new supporter in cancer fight – and it’s not Kat

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Soap stars Amy Walsh and Toby Alexander Smith get married after three years together https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/11/amy-walsh-toby-alexander-smith-married-eastenders-emmerdale-19478173/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/11/amy-walsh-toby-alexander-smith-married-eastenders-emmerdale-19478173/#respond Tue, 12 Sep 2023 13:38:00 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19478173
The British Soap Awards 2022 - Arrivals - Toby Alexander Smith and Amy Walsh
Toby-Alexander Smith and Amy Walsh have tied the knot (Picture: WireImage)

Emmerdale’s Amy Walsh and EastEndersToby-Alexander Smith have tied the knot after three years together.

The real-life soap couple, who are parents to daughter Bonnie, 1, secretly got married at Talici Hill Rustic Villa in Montenegro in a beautiful outdoor ceremony in front of their friends and family.

Emmerdale cast members including Natalie Ann Jamieson (Amy Wyatt), Olivia Bromley (Dawn Taylor), and Louisa Clein (Maya Stepney) were in attendance, as was EastEnders star Whitney Dean, who worked closely with Gray Atkins star Toby during his final scenes on the BBC One soap.

‘It was honestly the most perfect day,’ Amy, who plays Tracy Metcalfe on the ITV soap, told OK! Magazine.

‘It surpassed all my expectations and more. I felt so surprisingly present on the day and loved every second. Now I’m just in pure bliss.’

Toby and Amy, who reportedly first met in 2019 during a Strictly Come Dancing show, welcomed baby Bonnie over the festive period in 2021.

Emmerdale actress Amy Walsh gives birth to her first baby with partner and EastEnders star Toby-Alexander Smith Credit Instagram @amyvwalsh
Amy and Toby reportedly first met at Strictly Come Dancing (Picture: Instagram / @amyvwalsh)

They announced last year that they were engaged.

EastEnders star Toby took to social media in August to share the happy news with a selfie, which showed off Amy’s engagement ring. 

‘So this happened’, He wrote on Instagram, alongside the snap.

The couple’s soap star colleagues were quick to comment, with EastEnders star Tony Clay (Callum Highway) writing: ‘Love this! Congrats mate’.

Toby was was written out of EastEnders in March 2022 as killer Gray was caught by police following his killing spree.

Amy, meanwhile, returned to Emmerdale earlier this year as Tracy, who tied the knot with Nate Robinson in surprise scenes.

If you’ve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@metro.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you.

Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage.

MORE : Neighbours return review: New chapter is the perfect blend of old and new proving this TV revival was one worth fighting for

MORE : Emmerdale spoilers: Cathy is given a diagnosis and goes to desperate lengths for a cure

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Coronation Street star Brooke Vincent reunites with co-star who is real-life family member https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/08/coronation-street-brooke-vincent-ellie-leach-reunion-19470319/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/08/coronation-street-brooke-vincent-ellie-leach-reunion-19470319/#respond Sun, 10 Sep 2023 11:05:00 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19470319
Brooke Vincent at the Pride Of Britain Awards 2022
Brooke Vincent has reunited with cousin and Corrie co-star Ellie Leach (Picture: Karwai Tang/WireImage)

Coronation Street star Brooke Vincent has reunited with real life cousin and cobbles co-star Ellie Leach, sharing the moment in a new picture.

The Sophie Webster star took to her Instagram stories to show the sweet moment, captioning the post, ‘Little pop in to see Ellie Leach on her shoot’.

Ellie, who played Faye Windass on the ITV soap, smiled alongside cousin Brooke as she did a peace sign and took a selfie in the mirror.

The reunion comes ahead of Ellie’s appearance on the new series of Strictly Come Dancing – her first TV role since leaving Corrie.

Ahead of her exit from the ITV soap, Ellie reflected on joining the show, and revealed the important piece of advice that cousin Brooke, who had joined the show in 2004, had given her.

Ellie Leach and Brooke Vincent take a selfie in a mirror
Brooke caught up with Ellie at a photoshoot (Picture: Instagram / Brooke Vincent)

‘When I first started Brooke, my cousin, she was like, “Just be yourself, everyone will love you.” I think that’s what I’ve done, I’ve just been myself.

‘I think that’s why I’ve been here for so long because I feel like I’ve been myself but I’ve also made this part of me.

‘Corrie will always be a part of me and Faye Windass will always be a part of me.’

While Ellie left the show earlier this year when character Faye left to live in Slough with daughter Miley and her dad Jackson, Brooke left the role of Sophie Webster in 2019.

Brooke thrilled fans earlier this year when she returned to Coronation Street to pay the cast and crew a visit, bringing son Mexx along for the day out.

‘Today I took Mexx back to Corrie’, she wrote on Instagram. ‘Last time I was here he was about to give birth to him!

‘3 years have passed, everything is different and yet everything is still the same.’

Though they are no longer co-stars, being family gives Ellie and Brooke a close bond, and Brooke is sure to be cheering Ellie on as she takes to the Strictly dancefloor.

MORE : Sally Carman enjoys romantic break with real-life Coronation Street husband

MORE : Coronation Street and Emmerdale ditched from schedules in major shake-up

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Sally Carman enjoys romantic break with real-life Coronation Street husband https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/08/coronation-street-sally-carman-husband-joe-duttine-romantic-break-19467619/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/08/coronation-street-sally-carman-husband-joe-duttine-romantic-break-19467619/#respond Fri, 08 Sep 2023 09:21:29 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19467619

Coronation Street star Sally Carman has shared pictures from her romantic London get away with husband Joe Duttine.

Sally, who plays Abi Webster in the ITV soap has been married to Tim Metcalfe actor Joe for just over a year, with the couple recently celebrating their first wedding anniversary.

Basking in the sunshine, the pair enjoyed a few days in London, visiting landmarks like Trafalgar Square and a number of restaurants.

‘Had a lovely couple of days in London with this handsome fella,’ Sally wrote, alongside the carousel of photos. ‘Big shout out to the sun for showing up.’

The couple’s fellow Corrie stars were quick to comment, with Cassie Plummer star Claire Sweeney saying, ‘Gorgeous pic’.

Claire and Sally have been working closely together recently, with character Abi giving Cassie a helping hand to get rid of drug dealer Dean.

Former Corrie star Brooke Vincent, who played Sophie Webster, also commented, leaving a heart eyes and love heart emoji, while Shona Platt actress Julia Goulding posted a flame and love heart emoji.

Fans also appreciated the post, with one saying: ‘Glad you guys had a great time!’

‘It looks as if you were abroad. Gorgeous photos,’ another said.

‘Looking great both,’ a third added.

The couple’s well deserved break comes amid some huge Coronation Street storylines, which will eventually see Tim potentially rumble Stephen Reid’s (Todd Boyce) dastardly murders.

In pictures obtained by Metro.co.uk, Tim can be seen near the canal, with Stephen just a few feet away.

Will Tim catch his out, or are Tim’s days numbered?

MORE : Coronation Street and Emmerdale ditched from schedules in major shake-up

MORE : Coronation Street legend dies as the TV world pays tribute

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EastEnders legend Natalie Cassidy celebrates her 30 year Sonia-versary in inspiring way https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/08/eastenders-natalie-cassidy-30-year-sonia-anniversary-19467219/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/08/eastenders-natalie-cassidy-30-year-sonia-anniversary-19467219/#respond Fri, 08 Sep 2023 08:58:30 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19467219
Sonia smiling in her hallway in EastEnders
She’s an icon, she’s a legend and she is the moment (Picture: BBC)

EastEnders legend Natalie Cassidy has marked 30 years playing Sonia Fowler.

The actress made her arrival in 1993, with Sonia soon becoming a firm favourite for fans thanks to her iconic behaviour and love for playing the trumpet.

One of Sonia’s earliest storylines – which is still talked about today – saw her give birth without knowing that she was pregnant.

She gave birth to Martin’s (James Bye) baby who was initially called Chloe, but her name was then changed to Rebecca. Sonia was 15 when she gave birth and then put her daughter up for adoption, with Bex returning in 2014 and being played by Jasmine Armfield.

Elsewhere, Sonia’s Walford-drama also has also included her relationship with Tina Carter, a cancer scare and last December, she took centre stage in the episodes that saw Albert Square say goodbye to Dot Cotton (June Brown).

Natalie Cassidy, who is an all-round icon, was feeling reflective on her socials recently and decided to share an inspirational post confirming 2023 is the 30th year she has played Sonia.

A screenshot of Natalie Cassidy's Instagram stories
What a milestone! (Picture: BBC)

Nat shared an Instagram post that featured actor Cillian Murphy. Underneath, a quote from the Oppenheimer star said: ‘A director told me that it takes 30 years to make an actor. And I believe that. You have to learn your craft, learn your trade – and also you have to live a life and experience things’.

Natalie is in agreement with Cillian and simply wrote alongside: ’30th year as Sonia…’.

Sonia Fowler was back being completely brilliant this week in EastEnders, as she attended a fertility clinic with partner Reiss (Jonny Freeman).

Sonia sits with Whitney in the Queen Vic
The character faced trouble recently with Reiss (Picture: BBC)

Initially, Reiss was under the impression a blood sample was needed for the IVF which humoured the doctor and Sonia.

While Sonia headed off to get her blood test done, she left Reiss in a private room, promising to meet him once she was done.

However, by the time she got back, Reiss still hadn’t come out, leaving Sonia concerned.

She then decided to give Reiss a ‘helping hand’ with his required sample and to be honest, we still haven’t recovered from those scenes.

MORE : EastEnders spoilers: Ian punched in the face as Cindy gets close to ex George

MORE : 25 soap spoilers for w/c September 11: Major EastEnders return, Emmerdale diagnosis confirmed, Coronation Street Evelyn’s ultimatum, Hollyoaks gesture and more!

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Coronation Street legend dies as the TV world pays tribute https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/08/coronation-street-john-stevenson-dies-tv-tributes-19467083/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/08/coronation-street-john-stevenson-dies-tv-tributes-19467083/#respond Fri, 08 Sep 2023 11:02:00 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19467083
John Stevenson, Coronation Street writer
John wrote for the show (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)

John Stevenson, a screenwriter best known for his work in Coronation Street, has died at the age of 86.

John, who died on Thursday September 7, worked on more than 400 episodes of the ITV soap, with his final instalment airing in 2006.

The writer was part of the Corrie crew for 30 years, with some of his most known stories including Mike Baldwin’s dementia battle and that truly iconic episode with Curly Watts (Kevin Kennedy) and Raquel, who was played by National Television Award winning Sarah Lancashire.

The news was confirmed by Sean Wilson, who is best known for his role as Martin Platt in the show.

Ken Barlow and Mike Baldwin
Mike was Ken’s arch nemesis (Picture: ITV)

On social media, he penned: ‘Oh it is with great regret that I hear of the passing of John Stevenson- the talismanic writer of many an episode of the halcyon years of Coronation Street.’

‘John headed up a writing team who steered the series into many 20 million viewer storylines and always, but always had one eye in the comedic charms of Northern life.

Raquel and Curly Watts
Sarah Lancashire recently spoke about why she won’t be returning to Corrie anytime soon (Picture: ITV)

‘From a little knowing wink to a rip roaring belly laugh, John was a craftsman of tv humour. I swear you could walk down any street in the UK at 7.30 and hear the whole country laughing at John’s special humour.’

Among the stars paying tribute was Daran Little, a writer who has credits in Corrie and EastEnders. He said: ‘Just heard that John Stevenson has died. Totally devastated by this.

‘Tony Warren aside, John was the greatest writer to ever work on Coronation Street. The creator of Mike Baldwin, Alec Gilroy, Jack Duckworth, Fred Elliott, Ashley Peacock and so many others. Taught me so much.

‘John asked me to write his obit when it was his time but I can’t find any of the notes he sent because I’ve moved house! Oh John, my dear friend, dad figure… once voted the Scriptwriters Scriptwriter by his peers. The best of the best. A true comic icon.’

Tributes also came in from other actors and TV stars including actress Sherrie Hewson and former ITV presenter Rob McLoughlin.

MORE : Coronation Street addresses mystery of drug addict Cassie’s immaculate teeth

MORE : Coronation Street lads and best mates chill together on day out away from work

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Emmerdale completes filming of massive soap stunt week as major character faces crash death https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/07/emmerdale-completes-filming-stunt-week-character-death-19463117/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/07/emmerdale-completes-filming-stunt-week-character-death-19463117/#respond Thu, 07 Sep 2023 13:04:11 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19463117

Director Matt Hilton has confirmed Emmerdale has finished filming for this year’s Super Soap Week.

Matt, who has also directed episodes on shows including Casualty and Coronation Street, revealed the milestone in a tweet.

He wrote: ‘Wrapped on Super Soap Week for @emmerdale yesterday and couldn’t have had a better shoot! So happy with what we have all accomplished together and can’t wait to see it assembled next week! Thank you to everyone involved for such a good time over the past month!.’

Matt also shared a picture of the Yorkshire Dales, where Emmerdale is filmed but sadly, we aren’t able to spot any clues as to what’s ahead in October!

Fortunately, we already know that the week of dramatic episodes will feature Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins), Mackenzie Boyd (Lawrence Robb) and Chloe Harris (Jessie Elland) as their storyline reaches a conclusion.

The young mum’s life will end up in danger next month as a car falls from a cliff – with Chloe trapped inside.

Mack and Chloe talk in the pub in Emmerdale
Chloe’s life will end up in serious danger (Picture: ITV)

It’s believed that Mackenzie gets out of the vehicle in time but is seemingly unable to get Chloe to safety before the car plummets off the side of the cliff.

Charity and Mack are then seen in the middle of a heated exchange, presumably about the events that have just transpired.

Mack and Charity share a kiss in Emmerdale
The storyline began after Mackenzie slept with Chloe and then failed to tell Charity about being Reuben’s dad (Picture: ITV)

‘These are certainly all-action scenes,’ a source told The Sun. ‘Charity is hellbent on getting revenge on Mackenzie after he chose to stay with Chloe.

‘But viewers will have to wait to see who survives…’

Super Soap Week will also mark an end to Executive Producer Jane Hudson’s time on the show, who will depart on September 22 after five years in the role.

MORE : ‘It’s killing me!’ Emmerdale star Samantha Giles lifts the lid on her new lifestyle change

MORE : Emmerdale spoilers: Yet another exit as a villager set to leave after 22 years

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Coronation Street lads and best mates chill together on day out away from work https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/07/coronation-street-best-mates-work-break-new-pictures-19461937/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/07/coronation-street-best-mates-work-break-new-pictures-19461937/#respond Thu, 07 Sep 2023 10:38:41 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19461937
EXCLUSIVE: Coronation Street Lads Colson Smith,Jack P Shepperd and Ben Price seen chilling and chatting in the Manchester Sunshine Pictured: Colson Smith,Jack P Shepperd,Ben Price Ref: SPL9904495 060923 EXCLUSIVE Picture by: SplashNews.com Splash News and Pictures USA: 310-525-5808 UK: 020 8126 1009 eamteam@shutterstock.com World Rights
The actors were enjoying the Manchester sun (Picture: SplashNews.com)

Coronation Street’s Jack P Shepherd, Ben Price and Colson Smith have been pictured enjoying the sun while on a break from work.

The actors, who play David Platt, Nick Tilsley and Craig Tinker, can be seen rehydrating and chatting away while sitting in the sun.

Spotted in Manchester, the actors then grab their belongings and head off, no doubt ready to continue filming for the ITV soap.

Jack, Ben and Colson are best friends and also host a podcast called Sofa Cinema Club, which sees the lads give their thoughts on a variety of films.

It’s set to be a busy few months for Corrie and Craig Tinker in particular, who will be on hand to investigate the body that’s found on Ed (Trevor Michael Georges) and Ronnie’s (Vinta Morgan) building site.

EXCLUSIVE: Coronation Street Lads Colson Smith,Jack P Shepperd and Ben Price seen chilling and chatting in the Manchester Sunshine Pictured: Colson Smith,Jack P Shepperd,Ben Price Ref: SPL9904495 060923 EXCLUSIVE Picture by: SplashNews.com Splash News and Pictures USA: 310-525-5808 UK: 020 8126 1009 eamteam@shutterstock.com World Rights
Colson, Ben and Jack’s podcast is hugely successful (Picture: SplashNews.com)

The body is that of Leo Thompkins, who was murdered by Stephen Reid (Todd Boyce) last September.

Scenes have also been filmed at a canal recently, with police and Corrie locals gathering to see another horrifying find pulled out. It comes as Tim (Joe Duttine) tracks shifty Stephen to the canal, where viewers know he concealed Teddy’s body.

Stephen in his flat in Corrie
Stephen’s exit is looming (Picture: ITV)

With time running out, Stephen’s exit from the ITV soap is looming.

It seems it won’t be long until the complete truth is revealed, as Todd Boyce has joined the cast of Mother Goose in a pantomime production at Derby Arena for his next role.

Whether Stephen will be killed off remains to be seen, but given that Todd has also been spotted filming at an airport recently, it’s left many wondering if the evil businessman could go on the run once people realise he’s a serial killer.

MORE : Coronation Street spoilers: Tyrone’s agonising decision after terrifying hospital dash

MORE : Coronation Street spoilers: Dev is gobsmacked as he finds 18-year-old Aadi with married Courtney, 40

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Hollyoaks legend Jeremy Edwards quits acting for a very different career https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/07/hollyoaks-jeremy-edwards-quits-acting-new-career-19461149/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/07/hollyoaks-jeremy-edwards-quits-acting-new-career-19461149/#respond Thu, 07 Sep 2023 10:01:12 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19461149
Jeremy Edwards
Jeremy has said goodbye to the acting world (Picture: Getty)

Hollyoaks star Jeremy Edwards has opened up about his new career after leaving the acting industry.

The actor, best known for his role as Kurt Benson in the Channel 4 soap, has swapped the showbiz world to become a drama teacher.

Jeremy, 52, decided to leave his talent agency after a brief return to Hollyoaks in 2020.

He said: ‘There are so many reasons why you can be out of work and I thought, this is so unpredictable and I have a family. I thought I’ve got thirty years of experience here, what am I doing?

‘I could be helping people’, he added while speaking to The Sun.

‘So I started doing some classes with people helping them with scripts and speeches and then it slowly developed into a business and now I work with various groups and I’m teaching kids in Hampshire.’

‘Sometimes I do five or six classes a week. Sometimes I will only do one or two.’

Jeremy made his arrival as Kurt Benson in Hollyoaks back in 1995. He departed in 1999, with Kurt’s sister being told he died in a jet ski accident.

During his return in 2020, Jeremy was hopeful it would eventually lead into a more permanent comeback.

Jeremy Edwards as his Hollyoaks character Kurt Benson
Coronavirus impacted how long Jeremy’s return was (Picture: Lime)

However, due to Coronavirus impacting filming, the time at his old stomping ground wasn’t as long as he thought.

He said: ‘I was supposed to be there for six months to a year, but COVID impacted that massively. They brought me in, which I thought was a mistake because it wasn’t what I thought it should have been. There was so many restrictions with filming that I couldn’t go near anyone and I only had one storyline.

‘I was in and out in less than three months with the promise that they’d bring me back properly when things calmed down but I haven’t heard anything.’

During Kurt’s return in 2020, he revealed to Tony that he’s only alive because his roommate in a hostel had been hit by the jet ski back in the 90s, leading to IDs being switched and falsely identifying the body as Kurt’s.

MORE : Much-loved Hollyoaks icon returns to screens next week and our hearts are full

MORE : Hollyoaks spoilers: Charlie Dean breaks down in his dad’s arms as he opens up: ‘I love you Darren!’

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‘It’s killing me!’ Emmerdale star Samantha Giles lifts the lid on her new lifestyle change https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/07/emmerdale-samantha-giles-lifestyle-change-19461304/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/07/emmerdale-samantha-giles-lifestyle-change-19461304/#respond Thu, 07 Sep 2023 09:50:32 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19461304

Emmerdale star Samantha Giles has embarked on a new lifestyle change, by hiring a personal trainer, and has opened up to fans about how she is finding it.

Taking to Instagram, the Bernice Blackstock actress shared a video following an ‘intense’ training session.

‘So excuse me if I’m looking a bit hot and sweaty but I’ve just had a very, very intensive workout with a personal trainer. Who would have thought it?

‘I’m trying to get fitter and it’s killing me. So yeah but it’s good, all good, I shall keep you updated on my progress.’

Fans were quick to hit the comments section with words of encouragement for Samantha’s new journey, sending her ‘positive thoughts’.

Bernice looking confused in Emmerdale
Samantha has played Bernice on and off since 1998 (Picture: ITV)

‘All good positive thoughts for your fitness,’ one said.

‘You can do this, keep it up,’ another wrote.

‘Well done Samantha,’ a third penned, adding two love heart emojis.

Her update comes after the announcement that she is set to bow out of her Emmerdale role in dramatic fashion in the near future.

Samantha has played Bernice since 1998, but has left the role three times to focus on other projects.

Her most recent return came about in 2021, with a storyline that saw her attempt to put a stop to Liam Cavanagh’s (Jonny McPherson) wedding to Leyla Harding (Roxy Shahidi).

In recent months, Bernice has teamed up with Bob Hope (Tony Audenshaw) to take over the B&B after Eric Pollard (Chris Chittell) announced that he was selling up.

Speaking about her return in 2021 and pursuing her love for other projects, Samantha said:

‘As an actress leaving a role that you love is always a hard decision and I’d been lucky to work so consistently for so long which is rare in our business, so I knew the time had come to be brave and take the leap back in 2019 to pursue my other passion of writing and focus on getting my first book published.

‘I’ve now had such a lovely response with Rosemary and The Witches of Pendle Hill and the down time of the pandemic meant I was able to complete my next two books. I’m a big believer in fate so when Emmerdale offered me the chance to return as Bernice I took it as a sign that it was meant to be.’

MORE : Emmerdale spoilers: Teen attack, Moira’s rage and heart attack fear

MORE : Emmerdale spoilers: Yet another exit as a villager set to leave after 22 years

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Coronation Street star Sue Cleaver red-faced after making STI blunder https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/07/coronation-street-sue-cleaver-sti-blunder-19460889/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/07/coronation-street-sue-cleaver-sti-blunder-19460889/#respond Thu, 07 Sep 2023 08:29:42 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19460889

Coronation Street star Sue Cleaver has been left red-faced after a trip to the pharmacy saw her make an embarrassing mistake.

The Eileen Grimshaw actress took to Instagram to share the hilarious story, saying that she couldn’t believe she was posting this video.

‘I had to go to the pharmacy and it was busy and there was quite a queue behind me,’ she explained.

‘And I went up to the counter and I said “morning love. Have you got anything for an STI? I’m just starting with one.”

‘What I meant to say was, “Have you got anything for UTI? Because I’m just starting one.” Oh my god. I don’t know why I said it. My hand’s shaking as I’m holding this.’

Eileen grins at George while in the Rovers Return in Coronation Street
The Eileen Grimshaw star was left red faced (Picture: ITV)

She finished the video with an important piece of advice for her 149,000 followers: ‘Don’t get your letters mixed up when you need some medication!’

The video was inundated with comments finding, with several people sharing similar stories of their own.

‘That’s brilliant I hear that every day in my job as a GP receptionist. You are not alone,’ one fan said.

‘You’ll be the talk of the town now Sue,’ another wrote, adding two laughing face emojis.

Sue’s celebrity friends also found the story hilarious, with Tracy Barlow actress Kate Ford and fellow I’m A Celeb campmate Jill Scott MBE both reacted with laughter.

Sue recently opened up about a ‘scary time’ that saw her rushed to intensive care on ITV show Loose Women.

‘I had a hysterectomy in March. Then a few weeks ago, I ended up in A&E, I don’t need to go into details, but I have not been on a diet this year. I have been seriously ill’, she said.

‘It was a scary scary time. I had surgery and ended up in intensive care. There is no diet, there are no gummies. These companies pray on vulnerable people all the time.’

Sue’s reference to ‘gummies’ came after she was targeted by scammers selling weight-loss gummies.

MORE : Coronation Street newcomer lifts lid on relationship with ‘force of nature’ Stephanie Davis

MORE : Coronation Street spoilers: Stu is rocked by a sad exit after a terrible accident

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EastEnders’ Danny Walters admits it’s a ‘shame’ that beloved co-star has been axed https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/07/eastenders-danny-walters-reaction-lorraine-stanley-axed-19460553/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/07/eastenders-danny-walters-reaction-lorraine-stanley-axed-19460553/#respond Fri, 08 Sep 2023 11:01:00 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19460553
A shocked Karen Taylor talks to Keanu outside The Arches in EastEnders
Karen will soon leave the show (Picture: BBC)

EastEnders star Danny Walters has been speaking about the news his co-star Lorraine Stanley will leave the show.

Lorraine has played Karen Taylor for seven years, with Metro.co.uk understanding that it was EastEnders’ decision to write the character out, with her final scenes set to air later this year.

The actress recently took to social media to share her sadness over the decision, paying tribute to all of those who played a key role in her time on the BBC One soap.

‘Thank you to [writer] Daran Little for creating the Taylors and to the BBC for giving me the opportunity to play such a fabulous character,’ she said.

‘I’ll be sad to be saying goodbye to Karen Taylor and will miss all the cast and crew at EastEnders.

‘However I’m looking forward to my next chapter and excited about being a jobbing Actor again & starting new ventures.

Keanu sits in the café in EastEnders
Danny plays Keanu, Karen’s son (Picture: BBC)

‘Again your kind words of support have been amazing!!! I’m going to miss my Taylor/Baker famalam Clair Norris, Danny Walters, Roger Griffiths and Matthew Morrison. Much love.’

With speculation continuing that Karen could get caught up in the upcoming fire at the cafe, Danny Walters has given his thoughts on Lorraine’s departure.

Chelsea and Whitney talk in the market in EastEnders
Along with Lorraine, Shona McGarty will also leave the show (Picture: BBC)

The actor, who plays Karen’s son Keanu, told the Daily Star: ‘I don’t know when she leaves or how she leaves but I know it’s been announced. I’m just pleased to have worked with Lorraine and known her for five years.

‘It will be a shame to see her go but I wish her the best of luck.’

Elsewhere, another exit on the cards is that of Shona McGarty, who will say goodbye to Whitney Dean after 15 years.

Life in Walford has mostly been traumatic for beloved Whitney but soon, she will turn her focus to becoming a foster parent with Zack (James Farrar) after the death of their daughter Peach earlier this year.

MORE : EastEnders confirms major couple has split in a moment you may have missed

MORE : EastEnders spoilers: Lily’s baby mistake, Kat’s rage, and big murder twist

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Proud EastEnders star Rita Simons gushes in tribute to ‘beautiful friend’ Danielle Harold https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/06/eastenders-rita-simons-danielle-harold-tribute-ntas-19457352/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/06/eastenders-rita-simons-danielle-harold-tribute-ntas-19457352/#respond Wed, 06 Sep 2023 13:48:41 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19457352

Former EastEnders star Rita Simons has posted a wonderful tribute to Danielle Harold after she picked up an award during the National Television Awards.

Danielle was nominated in the Best Serial Drama Performance category and went onto win after her final storyline as Lola Pearce.

Lola was diagnosed with a brain tumour and after being told it would lead to her death, the beloved character decided to embrace every single minute she had left with her family and friends.

Lola died at the end of May with daughter Lexi (Isabella Brown) and husband Jay (Jamie Borthwick) beside her.

Recently, Lola made a return to the BBC One soap ahead of Lexi’s first day at secondary school. She featured in a video message that she filmed prior to her death and told Lexi to be kind and always do her best.

After Danielle picked up the award during last night’s ceremony, Rita Simons posted a sweet message on her Instagram to congraulate her.

Sharing a behind the scenes picture of them both, the Roxy Mitchell actress wrote alongside: ‘I’ll stop with these pics soon promise. But this beautiful young lady! @danielle_harold I have known since she was brand spanking new and so young…She’s grown into such a gorgeous young woman and a bloody amazing actress..very proud to call her my friend. She was so deserving of her serial drama performance award last night.

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 05: Danielle Harold, winner of the Serial Drama Performance award for
Danielle won the award for Serial Drama Performance (Picture: WireImage)
Television programme: Eastenders. Roxy Mitchell [RITA SIMONS] Roxy is drunk and makes a fool of herself at Minty's Stag do.Tx: BBC One Monday 21st April 2008WARNING:Use of this copyright image is subject to the terms of use of BBC Pictures' BBC Digital Picture Service.In particular, this image may only be published in print for editorial use during the publicity period (the weeks immediately leading up to and including the transmission week of the relevant programme or event and three review weeks following) for the purpose of publicising the programme, person or service pictured and provided the BBC and the copyright holder in the caption are credited.Any use of this image on the internet and other online communication services will require a separate prior agreement with BBC Pictures.For any other purpose whatsoever, including advertising and commercial prior written approval from the copyright holder will be required.
Rita played Roxy Mitchell in EastEnders (Picture: BBC)

‘Could not be more proud. Mama loves you Sooo ❤️❤️❤️❤️ and yes we both took our shoes off because we are pure class…you can take the girl out of the east end…..’

Rita recently swapped EastEnders for Hollyoaks after it was announced that she’s joining the cast.

Her character promises to bring big drama, with the role confirmed to be long-term.

A source told Metro.co.uk at the time: ‘There’s a real buzz in the air about Rita joining the show – she’s a great signing!

‘Bosses have big plans for the character, who is going to be at the centre of some really big storylines and make a real impact.

‘To say she is going to stir things up will be an understatement.’

MORE : EastEnders confirms major couple has split in a moment you may have missed

MORE : The six EastEnders killers reveal their wildest theories on who dies at Christmas

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Proud dad Jeff Brazier in tears as EastEnders star Bobby Brazier delivers moving awards speech https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/06/jeff-brazier-eastenders-bobby-brazier-award-speech-ntas-19454842/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/06/jeff-brazier-eastenders-bobby-brazier-award-speech-ntas-19454842/#respond Wed, 06 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19454842

Sorry, this video isn't available any more.

TV presenter Jeff Brazier was left in tears last night as he watched his son and EastEnders star Bobby Brazier collect an award at the National Television Awards 2023.

Bobby’s first scenes on the BBC soap as Freddie Slater aired last year and since then, he has become hugely loved by many fans.

Bobby stepped away from Strictly Come Dancing rehearsals yesterday (September 5) to get ready for the NTAs, which aired on ITV and was presented by Joel Dommett.

Jeff Brazier was emotional as son Bobby Brazier won an NTA
Catch us crying (Picture: Shutterstock)

The young actor was part of the Rising Star category in the ceremony, which he went on to win!

As the EastEnders cast and crew watched Bobby, he ended up dedicating the award to his dad Jeff, who watched in tears as his son collected the shiny gong.

Bobby, whose late mum is reality star Jade Goody, said: ‘This has very little to do with me and everything to do with my dad.

Proud dad Jeff was pictured in tears and smiling from ear to ear amid Bobby's big win
Bobby is Jeff and Jade Goody’s son (Picture: Shutterstock)
Bobby Brazier has won praise for his role as Freddie Slater in EastEnders
Freddie arrived in Albert Square last year (Picture: BBC)

‘Over the course of the last 20 years I’ve heard him say, “because I can”. It was a mantra of his and him just saying that, “because I can”. Because I can, why not?’.

No, you’re crying.

It was an incredible night for EastEnders overall, as the BBC One soap also took home the Best Serial Drama award, while Danielle Harold won the Best Serial Drama Performance category.

Over the past year, EastEnders has welcomed back the likes of Cindy (Michelle Collins) and Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), said hello to the Knight family and aired many powerful storylines including Lola Pearce’s death, Amy Mitchell’s (Ellie Dadd) struggle with her mental health and Suki (Balvinder Sopal) and Eve’s (Heather Peace) complicated love story.

MORE : Bobby Brazier could have just revealed his Strictly partner during NTAs moment

MORE : EastEnders spoilers: Lily, 13, confirms name of new baby – and causes major confusion

MORE : EastEnders story editor promises ‘epic’ Christmas episodes

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EastEnders story editor promises ‘epic’ Christmas episodes https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/06/eastenders-story-editor-christmas-episodes-19454486/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/06/eastenders-story-editor-christmas-episodes-19454486/#respond Wed, 06 Sep 2023 08:10:10 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19454486

Lawrie Jordan, a story editor for EastEnders, has teased fans with what’s ahead this Christmas after an incredible night for the BBC One soap at the National Television Awards.

The award ceremony, which aired last night (September 5), saw EastEnders pick up three gongs.

Danielle Harold was awarded Serial Drama Performance after the storyline that saw her character, Lola Pearce, die after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Elsewhere, Bobby Brazier picked up the award for Rising Star, while Best Serial Drama was given to yes, you guessed it, EastEnders.

After a difficult few years for the soap, this was an incredible evening – and things look set to get even better for them as the festive season nears ever closer.

EastEnders cast win awards
It was an incredible night for the soap (Picture: REX)

Reacting to the award news, story editor Lawrie Jordan wrote on Twitter: ‘Three gongs!! So thrilled for our amazingly dedicated and creative team. People are working day and night to bring you the best version of this show possible. Thanks to everyone who voted for us…and keep watching….Christmas 2023 is going to be epic!’.

EastEnders stars Lacey Turner as Stacey Slater, Balvinder Sopal as Suki Panesar, Kellie Bright as Linda Carter, Letitia Dean as Sharon Watts, Diane Parish as Denise Fox and Gillian Taylforth as Kathy Beale
The Six will discover a dead body on the floor in the pub this Christmas (Picture: BBC)

Lawrie’s reference to Christmas comes after a flash-forward episode aired in February.

The epic scenes confirmed that a dead body will be found in the Queen Vic on Christmas Day and The Six, aka Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal), Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth), Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), Denise Fox (Diane Parish) and Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) will all be present.

Fans on social media went wild before the NTAs last night, as red carpet pictures showed the stars wearing their signature The Six colours.

To get people talking even more, some of the male stars were spotted wearing cufflinks, an item of jewellery which will be on the dead body in the pub at Christmas.

MORE : EastEnders health update, Emmerdale triple exit shock, Coronation Street affair exposed, Hollyoaks kidnap and 18 brand new soap spoilers with pictures

MORE : Huge National Television Awards victory for EastEnders as soap puts difficult years behind it with clean sweep

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EastEnders star Milly Zero cast in another soap after Dotty Cotton’s exit https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/06/eastenders-milly-zero-cast-doctors-dotty-cotton-exit-19454160/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/06/eastenders-milly-zero-cast-doctors-dotty-cotton-exit-19454160/#respond Wed, 06 Sep 2023 07:31:12 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19454160
Lisa alongside Bridget in an office in Doctors
Milly has ticked another soap off the list (Picture: BBC)

Former EastEnders star Milly Zero has been cast in Doctors, months after her exit as Dotty Cotton.

The actress, 24, will feature alongside Bharti Patel, who plays midwife Ruhma Carter, in an episode called The Stolen Child.

Milly will portray Lisa Gillespie, with images showing the character wearing a white shirt and jumper – a definite contrast to what her EastEnders character would wear!

Metro.co.uk understands that Lisa is a young mother, who will ask Ruhma for help within the episode.

Ruhma and Lisa during a meeting in Doctors
The episode will air next week (Picture: BBC)

Since leaving EastEnders, Milly has gone on to appear in a theatre production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, performing with Hollywood’s Jonathan Hyde and Kerry Ellis.

Milly’s final scenes aired just before Christmas last year, having announced her departure a month before that on her Instagram.

Dotty and Bernie on the square in EastEnders
Dotty left after Dot’s funeral (Picture: BBC)

‘After three and a half years, I have decided my journey with the icon that is Dotty Cotton has come to an end,’ she said. ‘I can’t tell you how life changing and incredible my time at EastEnders has been, and how much I am going to miss it.’

In the aftermath of the death of Dot Cotton (June Brown), Dotty was hoping that Dot’s house would be left to her in her will and was looking forward to getting her hands on the cash after selling it.

When she discovered that Dot had instead left the house to Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) she lashed out, and attempted to set the place on fire.

She was prevented from doing this by Rocky (Brian Conley), but realised there wasn’t anything left for her in Walford and left the Square.

MORE : EastEnders spoilers: Jack is horrified by children Lily and Ricky’s behaviour with their baby

MORE : Huge National Television Awards victory for EastEnders as soap puts difficult years behind it with clean sweep

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‘Shout out to my gays!’ Charli XCX gives epic response to EastEnders baby name https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/05/charli-xcx-response-eastenders-baby-name-19452768/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/05/charli-xcx-response-eastenders-baby-name-19452768/#respond Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:56:00 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19452768
Charlie XCX
We’re not over it (Picture: Getty)

In an incredible twist for a Tuesday evening, Charli XCX has responded to the news that Lily Slater (Lillia Turner) and Ricky Mitchell (Frankie Day) in EastEnders have named their baby after her.

13-year-old Lily gave birth to her baby in Tuesday’s (September 5) episode of the BBC One soap.

After a dramatic home birth, Lily was checked over at hospital and was joined by Ricky, Charli’s dad.

As Ricky held his daughter for the first time, Lily allowed him to reveal her name to their excited parents.

He revealed that they had chosen to call her Charli, which left Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) touched as she asked if it was after her uncle Charlie.

Stacey soon became emotional over Charli’s name, though she was quickly corrected by young Ricky, who revealed she was actually named after popstar Charli XCX.

Lily holds baby Charli while Stacey coos over her in EastEnders
Lily has named her baby – and caused confusion (Picture: BBC)

Charlie was the father of Kat, Little Mo, Lynne and Belinda Slater, and grandfather to Zoe. The girls often left him exasperated with their antics and it was safe to say that they had him wrapped around their little fingers.

Viewers were devastated when Charlie sadly died of a heart attack in 2016, 16 years after first appearing on the show.

The news of Lily and Ricky’s baby name went viral on Twitter and tonight, Charli XCX also reacted to the brilliant moment.

‘Shout out my gays in the writers room!’, she said on Twitter.

Completely iconic.

If you’ll excuse us, we’re off to clear 5-7 working days in our diary to at least try and recover from this.

MORE : EastEnders’ iconic stars dress up in murder costumes for NTAs and we’re obsessed

MORE : EastEnders spoilers: Cindy makes a big demand of Ian which leads him to a dangerous move

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Jorgie Porter shares emotional details on ‘scary’ surgery as she lost unborn quads https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/05/hollyoaks-jorgie-porter-surgery-losing-unborn-quads-19448723/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/05/hollyoaks-jorgie-porter-surgery-losing-unborn-quads-19448723/#respond Tue, 05 Sep 2023 09:41:22 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19448723
Tearful Jorgie Porter on Loose Women
Jorgie Porter has been very candid about the tragic loss of her quadruplets in 2021 (Picture: ITV/REX)

Hollyoaks star Jorgie Porter has opened up about the surgery she had to undergo after miscarrying quads.

The Theresa McQueen actress welcomed her son Forest with fiancé Ollie Piotrowski in November 2022, but his birth followed a tragedy when Jorgie lost her quadruplets at 14 weeks in 2021.

During the latest episode of Giovanna Fletcher’s podcast, Happy Mum Happy Baby, Jorgie has been discussing becoming pregnant with quadruplets and the emotional ordeal she went through after being told the embryos had stopped developing.

‘We obviously thought, this is a huge risk. There’s all these complications and all these scary moments of what could happen’, she explained.

‘I don’t remember them [the doctors and nurses] talking much about quads, because they’d never come across this!

‘I don’t think they had much to say to us about it but we’d obviously Google stuff, and you just see the most extreme things.

‘You can lose one, you can lose two, and then they spoke about terminating one and terminating two and I thought, I am not going to take one away from a pack.’

Jorgie Porter with her son Forrest
The actress was warned about the risks surrounding the pregnancy (Picture: Instagram/Jorgie Porter)

‘It was about three or four months later on in the scans, they were like, “now they’ve not developed any further, we’re going to have to get rid of them, take them out.’

Discussing the surgery that followed, Jorgie said: ‘They gave us four options and explained the risks are really high. They said that we could wait for them to release on their own but I thought, I can’t be on set and a floodgate opens!
My hormones were insane so, you just want to get them out. I told them I wanted to go under surgery and be unconscious and just wanted to not be traumatised by this moment.

Jorgie and Ollie bringing their baby home while in hospital
The actress has a son called Forrest (Picture: Instagram/Jorgie Porter)

‘They had to talk to us about how dangerous it is because they didn’t know how much blood I would lose. They said there’s a chance I might not survive, this was really sad for me as well because nobody knew what was going to happen. It was really scary. We wanted the womb to be intact as well because we still want to try for a baby.’

She added: ‘It was a pretty massive, daunting day but I felt confident we just had to do it and be strong.’

In the aftermath, Jorgie made sure to support partner Ollie, who struggled to open up about the loss of the babies.

‘We were arguing and stuff’, she said.

Theresa McQueen, played by Jorgie Porter, leaves Hollyoaks
Jorgie plays Theresa McQueen in Hollyoaks (Picture: Lime)

‘I said to him, you have to tell me what you’re feeling and thinking because you keep it in a bit at times. He let loose and told me everything. It’s not just me, the mum, that’s been through this, Ollie as the dad has suffered loss. He’s not able to do anything physically, emotionally, it was a helpless position to be in and he felt like he couldn’t say anything at the time.’

Jorgie also spoke to Giovanna about the moment she fell pregnant with Forrest, revealing that the ordeal with the quads understandably impacted her reaction to the news.

‘I told friends and family around us and they were a bit on pins because no one wanted to get excited for us. I thought, okay, we can’t really tell everyone again but I told my closest friends as I needed the support.

‘We had to get to the milestones before I let us get excited. I remember Ollie going, let’s go to the Trafford Centre and get a baby grow! I felt like a bit of a fraud. I was like, I don’t know. But I had a big bump, and I was waddling and then thought, it’s time to do these things.

‘We got the baby grow and a blanket. And I was like, “Oh my god. Okay, I think we can get excited!”.’

Download Giovanna Fletcher’s Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast every Tuesday at 6am from acast.com

MORE : Hollyoaks’ Jessica Fox introduces baby boy River to former co-star Adam Rickitt and our hearts are full

MORE : EastEnders health update, Emmerdale triple exit shock, Coronation Street affair exposed, Hollyoaks kidnap and 18 brand new soap spoilers with pictures

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Killer Stephen’s exit from Coronation Street confirmed as Todd Boyce lands next role https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/05/coronation-street-stephen-reid-exit-confirmed-todd-boyce-new-role-19447466/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/05/coronation-street-stephen-reid-exit-confirmed-todd-boyce-new-role-19447466/#respond Wed, 06 Sep 2023 08:17:00 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19447466
Stephen in the pub back room in Corrie
Just how will he leave? (Picture: ITV)

Time is most certainly running out for Stephen Reid in Coronation Street, as Todd Boyce’s next acting job has been confirmed.

The character took over the role as Weatherfield villain last September, after murdering Leo Thompkins.

Since then, Stephen has gone on to kill Leo’s dad Teddy, and a businessman called Rufus.

As the days tick by, Stephen continues to slip up, leaving the likes of Peter (Chris Gascoyne) and Tim (Joe Duttine) fully aware that he is bad news.

And it seems it won’t be long until the truth is revealed, as Todd Boyce has joined the cast of Mother Goose in a pantomime production at Derby Arena.

Todd will be portraying the role of Demon Vanity, prompting rumours to circulate that he will depart from the ITV soap soon, as it would certainly be difficult to juggle performing at the Derby Arena and filming in Manchester at the same time!

Things continue to fall apart for Stephen in the coming weeks, as the remains of Leo’s body will be found on the building site Ed (Trevor Michael Georges) and Ronnie (Vinta Morgan) recently acquired.

Scenes have also been filmed at a canal, with police and Corrie locals gathering to see another horrifying find pulled out. It comes as Tim tracks shifty Stephen to the canal, where viewers know he concealed Teddy’s body.

coronation Street picture shows Stephen Reid in a hotel room, searching through Lou's bag for the tie pin
The clock is ticking (Picture: ITV)

‘We are going to see him start taking risks,’ Todd Boyce told us. ‘As he gets more desperate, his life is starting to unravel and it is going to be interesting to see how he deals with the pressure

‘He is bound to start making mistakes and that could be his undoing.’

Elsewhere, Todd’s co-star, Chris Gascoyne, will also say goodbye to the cobbles soon, with the Peter Barlow actor joining a different pantomime production at the end of the year.

Mother Goose begins at Derby Arena on Friday, December 8.

MORE : Chris Fountain moved by surprise from Coronation Street co-star a year on from stroke

MORE : Coronation Street spoilers: Divorcee-to-be Adam hatches a new romantic plan

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EastEnders star Martha Cope cast in Emmerdale as part of major new story https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/04/eastenders-martha-cope-cast-emmerdale-19444041/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/04/eastenders-martha-cope-cast-emmerdale-19444041/#respond Mon, 04 Sep 2023 13:10:21 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19444041
Martha Cope as her EastEnders character Sandy in Ruby's club
Sandy caused chaos when she arrived (Picture: ITV)

A new face is set to appear in Emmerdale soon as part of a huge storyline which will be unfolding. The actress who will play the as yet unnamed character will be familiar to soap fans already, as she’s already appeared in all of the ‘big three’ soaps.

Martha Cope is best known to EastEnders fans for playing Sandy Gibson, the mother of Dotty Cotton (Milly Zero), in 2021.

Drug user Sandy turned up in Albert Square and was soon causing chaos, trying to get money from her daughter and leaving on Christmas Day after dropping the bombshell that Dotty’s father was Rocky (Brian Conley) rather than Nick Cotton (John Altman). This later turned out to be a lie.

Now Martha is making the move to Emmerdale, according to The Sun, which quotes a source as saying, ‘Martha will appear later this year and kick off a huge storyline. She’s making a guest appearance but she has an unmatched soap pedigree so she’s bound to impress fans.’

Martha has appeared in Emmerdale previously, playing a police officer who investigated a fire at Home Farm in 2013 – 2014.

Coronation Street viewers may also recognise the busy actress as she turned up in Weatherfield the following year as Joanne, a woman Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) met on a singles’ night who later proved difficult to remove from his life.

Sandy and Dotty in Ruby's club in EastEnders
Sandy was Dotty’s mum (Pictures: BBC)

Corrie must have felt like a second home for Martha, whose actor parents actually met when they were both working on the show. Her dad, Kenneth Cope, played Jed Stone originally in 1961, but returned 45 years later to reprise the role.

He met Martha’s mum Renny Lister in 1961 when she played Jean Stark and the couple have been married ever since.

Martha will play the relative of an existing villager in Emmerdale and her arrival will be later this year – meaning that she could well arrive in the aftermath of the huge stunt that’s planned for Super Soap Week, in which we know that a major character may die when a car plummets from a clifftop.

Following this, other storylines will be set to gather pace in the run-up to Christmas and an actor with Martha’s experience and pedigree could certainly be involved in the high drama that always ensues at that time of year.

MORE : 10 soap spoilers this week: EastEnders’ Lily welcomes her baby, Coronation Street’s Gemma stunned by a secret, Hollyoaks suicide trauma, Emmerdale attack

MORE : EastEnders legend Nina Wadia renews wedding vows to husband of 25 years in beautiful ceremony

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Chris Fountain moved by surprise from Coronation Street co-star a year on from stroke https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/04/coronation-street-chris-fountain-stroke-ryan-thomas-surprise-19442264/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/04/coronation-street-chris-fountain-stroke-ryan-thomas-surprise-19442264/#respond Mon, 04 Sep 2023 10:26:15 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19442264

Coronation Street star Chris Fountain has just celebrated his birthday, and was treated to a special surprise by former co-star Ryan Thomas.

Ryan, who played Jason Grimshaw in the ITV soap, posted a video on his Instagram story explaining how he planned to surprise Tommy Duckworth actor Chris on his birthday.

Ryan revealed that he would be showing up at Chris’ birthday meal with his family, joking that he is Chris’ family too, and that Chris had no idea that he would be there.

He followed it up with another video showing Chris’ reaction to his arrival, with the actor looking absolutely thrilled.

Chris was moved as Ryan arrived at the restaurant singing Happy Birthday to the shocked birthday boy.

Tommy Duckworth outside the rovers in Coronation Street
Chris Fountain played Tommy Duckworth in Coronation Street (Picture: ITV)

They shared a sweet hug after the surprise, with Chris clearly elated that Ryan was there.

The surprise comes a year after Chris suffered a life changing mini-stroke which left him ‘talking like a toddler’.

After ringing 111, Chris was told that brain clotting had caused him to suffer Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA).

Following his stroke, Chris went on to have heart surgery in order to prevent any further strokes.

Chris Fountain's Instagram post
Chris has reflected on his stroke one year on (Picture: Instagram/Chris Fountain)

A year later, he took to Instagram to reveal that ‘things have gotten so much better’.

‘Life can change in an instant, I’ve had to make a lot of changes but things have gotten so much better. Be as positive as you can be, live life to the full and do not give up, no matter how hard things get,’ he wrote alongside a picture of himself in hospital.

He went on to post a video, reflecting on the past year and how life had changed.

‘It’s kind of been a weird thing to wrap my head around,’ he said.

‘Part of me is worrying thinking “am I going to have another one today”. But then part of me is also super proud of how I’ve recovered. My speech is pretty much back to normal, I’ve run a marathon, I’m fit again.

‘It’s been an interesting year. I just wanted to take an opportunity to thank everyone who has been supportive, who has sent me advice and sent me kind words.

‘This time last year, I was staying in a hospital bed wondering what the hell is happening and here I am now feeling great.’

MORE : Coronation Street spoilers: Death confirmed as body remains are found in dark twist

MORE : Coronation Street’s Maureen Lipman bringing new boyfriend to major event two years after husband’s death

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Jamie Borthwick pitches surprise Jay twist to EastEnders boss: ‘Watch this space!’ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/04/jamie-borthwick-jay-twist-eastenders-boss-19442484/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/04/jamie-borthwick-jay-twist-eastenders-boss-19442484/#respond Mon, 04 Sep 2023 09:55:22 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19442484
Jay and Kathy at Lola's funeral
The beloved character recently said goodbye to Lola (Picture: BBC)

Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) is currently navigating life after Lola (Danielle Harold) in EastEnders, as the character faces living without the love of his life.

Lola Pearce died earlier this year in heartbreaking scenes. Danielle Harold and Jamie Borthwick won huge acclaim for their playing of the storyline, in which the two rekindled their love for each other only to discover that Lola was suffering from an incurable brain tumour.

As the storyline played out Jay had to battle with his fear, anger and grief to be a support to Lola and her daughter Lexi (Isabella Brown).

‘Jay’s had many low points in his life, but the lowest ebb is right now, at this moment, after losing Lola – 100%,’ Jamie Borthwick told Inside Soap.

Jamie has played the role of Jay Brown since 2006, and he recalled how the character was described to him when he started.

‘When I was cast we did an induction day and the director said Jay was a cheeky chappy. He’d be the one in a group of mates to speak up and say something and he’d have a hard exterior. The other side of that is that he was really sensitive, and he took things to heart and cared what people thought. He had a soft side when no one’s looking – he’d get cosy on the sofa and watch romcom films.’

Jay and Billy hugging at Lola's funeral in EastEnders
Lola died after being diagnosed with a brain tumour (Picture: BBC)

The sensitive side of Jay was really brought out during his storyline with Lola and as he moves forward and tries to be a good co-parent to Lexi, along with Ben (Max Bowden) and Callum (Tony Clay), while grieving for his wife.

And Jamie revealed that he’d had some thoughts of his own about what could be in store for his character – thoughts that he’s actually pitched to the show’s boss Chris Clenshaw.

‘Until recently I’ve never gone out of my way to seriously suggest a storyline to the writers,’ he said. ‘I’ll always drop a bit of banter, but just the other day, for the first time, I did actually text Chris Clenshaw.

EastEnders,18-05-2023,6700,Jay Mitchell (JAMIE BORTHWICK);Lola Pearce (DANIELLE HAROLD),***EMBARGOED TILL TUESDAY 09TH MAY 2023****, BBC, Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron
Jay and Lola enjoyed a trip to the seaside weeks before her death (Picture: BBC)

‘I asked him, “What do you think about..?” A seed was planted, it wasn’t pooh-poohed, so watch this space!’

With Chris Clenshaw having a reputation for having an open door and making sure the actors, writers and producers on the show are in constant communication, Jamie’s idea – or a version of it – could well be making its way to our screens soon.

‘If it comes to fruition I will let you know – I will say, “See! Remember when I said about this story? This is the story!”’ the actor promised.

He also admitted there’s one aspect of Jay Brown that he feels is in serious need of attention – his wardrobe.

‘Jay’s sense of style is horrendous,’ he laughed. ‘My shirts are too tight and he wears skinny jeans. Jay and Ben are supposed to be hard geezers but they dress like nerds. I want baggier jeans. I need to talk to wardrobe about making Jay cooler.’

MORE : EastEnders spoilers: Grim Theo vows to take things to the next level with Stacey leaving her terrified

MORE : EastEnders legend Nina Wadia renews wedding vows to husband of 25 years in beautiful ceremony

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Emmerdale star Rosie Bentham reveals unusual reason men approach her in bars https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/04/emmerdale-rosie-bentham-unusual-men-approach-19441926/ https://metro.co.uk/2023/09/04/emmerdale-rosie-bentham-unusual-men-approach-19441926/#respond Mon, 04 Sep 2023 08:55:40 +0000 https://metro.co.uk/?p=19441926
Mandatory Credit: Photo by David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock (13945909kv) Rosie Bentham British Soap Awards, Arrivals, Manchester, UK - 03 Jun 2023
Rosie has opened up about her life away from Emmerdale (Picture: REX/Shutterstock)

Over in Emmerdale, we’re currently seeing Gabby Thomas (Rosie Bentham) in revenge mode.

She was jilted on the morning of her wedding by fiancé Nicky Milligan (Lewis Cope) who couldn’t go through with the wedding because he’s gay and it was all a fake set-up to help his dad Caleb (William Ash) get revenge on Kim Tate (Claire King). And Gabby desperately wants Nicky to suffer for what he did.

Recently viewers saw Gabby trying to enlist the help of Billy Fletcher (Jay Kontzle) to do Nicky some physical harm – and she’s not above a bit of blackmail to help persuade Billy to do her bidding.

Gabby fell quickly for Nicky after he came to Home Farm to work as a nanny (or pretend to work as a nanny, at least) and it wasn’t long before the two of them were having passionate moments behind the sofa and behind Kim’s back.

Before that Gabby had had a relationship with Marlon (Mark Charnock)’s physiotherapist Kit (Thoren Ferguson), again wasting no time before heading for the bedroom with the hunk, who also happened to be dating her step mum Laurel (Charlotte Bellamy).

‘She’s out there and up for anything, whereas I am not like that at all,’ Rosie Bentham told The Sun recently, keen to stress the differences between her and the character she plays.

Gabby and Nicky argue in Emmerdale
Gabby has been struggling to move on (Picture: ITV)

When people first meet me they think I’m this “ready to give everything to everyone” kind of girl,’ she explained. ‘But I’m like, “No, you’ve got to try a lot harder than that with me, you can’t just walk through the door.”’

She admitted that Gabby’s ‘Come on then, let’s go upstairs’ approach was ‘a lot of fun to play,’ but insisted she was ‘always very well behaved on a night out.’

Rosie said that she does often get approached by men on a night out – but for an unexpected reason.

‘A lot of guys my age don’t watch Emmerdale, but they’ll come up and ask me to do videos for their mums,’ the actress laughed. ‘It’s usually when we all go out and I’m with the other cast members that I’m more likely to get recognised. You’ll see people next to you scrolling through your Instagram page just to check it is you.’

Gabby furiously confronts Nicky and Suni in the pub in Emmerdale
Gabby wants to get revenge on Nicky (Picture: ITV)

Despite this, Rosie is currently seeing someone although she admits she’s taking things slowly and is quite cautious.

‘I would say that I’m getting to know someone at the moment but I’m very private when it comes to my love life,’ she revealed.

‘I’m only 22 and things can go wrong pretty quickly at my age, so we’re just taking things slowly. We’re all finding our way.

‘It’s very important to keep your barriers up when meeting people because you never know what their true intentions are. I’ve always been quite cautious when it comes to love and have never dated anyone in the public eye. The guy I’m getting to know is just a normal guy.’

Billy pushes Gabby away after she makes a move in the kitchen at Home Farm in Emmerdale
Gabby got drunk and tried to kiss Billy, Dawn’s husband (Picture: ITV)

While Rosie is keeping her love life quiet, it sounds like life is going to be anything but quiet for her character Gabby in the months to come.

‘There’s so many new storylines coming my way,’ Rosie enthused. ‘I’m really happy and just want to grab everything they can give me. I’m at an age where they’re offering me lots of great things. It’s just never-ending drama.’

She’s also keeping her fingers crossed for wins for Emmerdale at the National Television Awards.

‘It would be great for Emmerdale to keep the best serial drama title for another year,’ she said.

‘Everyone works so hard and I am so proud to be a part of such a talented bunch of people. As soap actors we love the loyalty of the fans, and it means so much that people continue to enjoy the stories and vote for us to win awards.

‘We wouldn’t have a show without them.’

MORE : Emmerdale cast exodus revealed amid 9 dramatic exits from the show

MORE : 10 soap spoilers this week: EastEnders’ Lily welcomes her baby, Coronation Street’s Gemma stunned by a secret, Hollyoaks suicide trauma, Emmerdale attack

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