Conversation Street

The Changing Sets Of Coronation Street

From its humble beginnings as a row of flimsy wooden house fronts crammed into a tiny Granada studio to the vast expanse used today at MediaCity, Coronation Street has changed an awful lot in the past sixty years. The row of terraced houses with a shop at one end and the Rovers Return at the other is just as recognisable as ever, but beyond that, the street is worlds away from what the show runners could have ever conceived of back in 1960. In this discussion, we chat about the evolution of the external sets over the years, tracking the buildings that came and went, roads that were lengthened and (in the case of Rosamund Street) massively shortened, and other changes that viewers have seen come and go.

If you'd like to see some pictures to go along with this discussion, take a look at some of the ones we used as reference here: shorturl.at/erDP3

Conversation Street Episode 513

On our latest podcast, we chat about the episodes of Coronation Street shown in the UK between the 6th and the 11th March (Episodes #10579 - 105785).

Corrie's new schedule got off to a cracking start this week, with our favourite week of episodes so far in 2022. It's taken a little while to get here, but it feels like Abi's surprise baby and the inevitable consequences for Kevin, Imran and Toyah will be the first 'big' story of the year, and we can't wait to find out what happens next. Also this week, Leanne arranges some clandestine chess sessions between Sam and Roy after Nick decides his son is getting a little too obsessed, Nicky returns to Weatherfield with a career change that sees her moving from the bedroom to the classroom, and, not content with living with the daughter of the man he bludgeoned to death, Gary invites Rick's ex-wife to move in chez Windass too - what could possibly go wrong?

Up next on the podcast it's a fairly lengthy Kabin segment with only one item on the agenda: the newly announced Weatherfield Precinct! We discuss our first impressions of the planned set expansion, chatting about how we expect the new area to be used in the show, who we expect to see hanging out there most often, and what it might mean for location shoots going forward. We round off the show with more of your listener feedback.

Street Talk: 00:13:31
The Kabin: 02:18:42
Feedback: 02:49:44

Abi Webster Character Profile

This week's bonus podcast is a character profile of everyone's favourite drug addled, gun toting, neglectful mother - it's Abi Webster! Since the moment she stepped onto the street back in late 2017, we've been huge fans of this funny, feisty but flawed character. Abi's has barely been off our screens since becoming a Corrie regular, and we've loved (almost!) every minute - and had a great time discussing the manic mechanic's highest of highs and very low lows.

Conversation Street Episode 512

On our latest podcast, we chat about the goings on in Weatherfield between the 28th February and the 4th March (Episodes #10574 - 10577).

Although the new schedule doesn't officially start until the 7th, we got a taster of it this week, with two hour-long episodes of Corrie on Monday and Friday, the first of which focused mainly on the Winter-Brown story and the second on scheming Lydia's machinations. Both plots had some classic soap moments this week, with Chesney's race to stop Joseph emigrating to Portugal ending in a lovely scene filmed at Manchester Airport (more location shooting like this, please, Corrie!) and Sarah going down the tried and tested wronged woman route of chucking Adam's clothes onto the street from a great height. Meanwhile, Abi looks set to fall off the wagon again, Emma makes a risky decision in the romance department, and Brian has itchy feet after a break in the West Country.

Next up it's The Kabin, and with not a whole lot in the way of Corrie news out there this week, Gemma takes the opportunity to gush about how great Sarah Lancashire's new HBO show looks, and we finish off the podcast with a bunch of emails in the feedback section.

Street Talk - 00:08:02
The Kabin - 01:34:31
Feedback - 01:43:42

Elle Mulvaney Interview

Our bonus podcast this week is an interview with the lovely Elle Mulvaney! Longtime listeners of the podcast will know we've enjoyed watching Amy Barlow grow up over the past decade, so it was a real treat to be able to hear her speak about spending her teenage years on the cobbles, including her teenage pregnancy story a few years back and of course her current relationship with Jacob.

Conversation Street Episode 511

On our latest podcast, we have a natter about what went on in Weatherfield during the week of the 21st to the 25th February 2022 (Episodes #10568 - 10573).

This week, the truth's out about Abi's one-night stand... well, half out anyway, as Kevin finds out that the new Mrs Webster was unfaithful to him just before his wedding, just not who with... Surely it's it's only a matter of time until Toyah finds out it was Imran and she has to set aside her 'trained listener' skills in favour of the 'trained kickboxer' techniques she picked up as a teenager? Also this week, things start to get interesting in the Adam story when Sarah discovers the 'evidence' that Lydia's been planting, Linda suggests whisking Joseph back to Portugal with her (can she please take Chesney too?) and Yasmeen fails to see the funny side of Stu's practical joking - though we certainly enjoyed it!

Up next on the podcast it's The Kabin, where we chat about the various schedule changes that all the main soaps will be going through in a few weeks' time, and we round off the show with a little bit of listener feedback.

Street Talk - 00:14:47
The Kabin - 02:19:49
Feedback - 02:31:38

Listener Questions

This week's bonus podcast is another listener question segment! We start by answering a question from Amber, who wants to who our favourite Corrie pet has been over the years (admittedly, it was hard to argue for anyone other than Schmeichel, but plenty of other furry and feathered friends still manage to get themselves a shout out!), then after that, we tackle something from Alex, who wants to know how we'd write a leaving story for our most loved characters.  A dignified back of the taxi exit? Jetting into the sunset with a new love? A heroic death, going down in a blaze of glory? We do our best to come up with some fitting finales for our favourites - and we also can't help but come up with a few ideas for getting rid of some of our least favourites too! 

Conversation Street Episode 510

On our latest podcast, we chat about the episodes of Coronation Street broadcast in the UK between the 14th and the 18ht February (Episodes #10562 - 10567).

As the residents of Weatherfield celebrated Valentine's, we found there was a lot to love about this week's episodes. Take Amy and Jacob, for example - we're all for this pairing, and putting them front and centre of the action this week was a great move in our book. Also this week, we had the long-awaited reunion between Daisy and Daniel, grannies at war when Linda comes to stay and clashes with Bernie, and an unexpected proposal from Toyah. We're not convinced Imran's going to be taking her down the aisle any time soon thanks to the ticking time bomb that is his one night stand with Abi, but we're certainly looking forward to finding out how the big reveal all unfolds!

Next up on the podcast, it's The Kabin, where we take a very early look at the newly published Corrie novel, We'll Meet Again On Coronation Street, and we finish off the show with more of your listener feedback.

Street Talk: 00:13:42
The Kabin: 01:54:29
Feedback: 02:09:27

Corrie’s Most Iconic Couples

For this week's bonus podcast, we chat about Coronation Street's most perfect pairings over the years. Taking a journey from the 1960s right through to the present day, we chat about which couples best represent each decade, compare   romance on the Street then and now, and try to figure out what it is that makes certain couples go down in Corrie history.

Conversation Street Episode 509

On our latest podcast, we chat about the episodes of Corrie shown in the UK between the 7th and the 11th February (Episodes #10556 - 10561).

This week, Sarah and her 'darling' Adam have a bit of a stressful time when his windscreen is smashed and their flat gets broken into. Is Jeremy 'Boundary Dispute' Bremner up to his old tricks, or should the Barlows be looking closer to home for the identity of their secret stalker? Also this week, as Amy turns 18, we find out who she's been secretly snogging, Daniel feels guilty about potentially getting Max expelled, and Laura's back on the scene with some shocking news for Our Kelly - but is she telling the truth about her tummy troubles?

Up next on the podcast it's The Kabin, where we have a chat about some upcoming projects for Sally Ann Matthews and Lisa George, and discuss the news that Neighbours' days may be numbered and Hollyoaks is going online first - what could this mean for the future of soap? 

After that, it's time for some more of your listener feedback, before finishing off the show with a bit of spoilery cast news in a Kabin Extra segment.

Street Talk: 00:10:25
The Kabin: 01:27:23
Feedback: 01:41:08
Kabin Extra: 01.54:13