IT came out of absolutely nowhere.
And is already destined to be one of my favourite TV moments of 2009.
Last night’s episode of Coronation Street saw Chesney trying to set his sister Fiz up with “a hot date”.
His misguided and doomed attempt to cheer her up after the jailing of former love John Stape.
Cue a comic scene in Roy’s Rolls as butcher Graeme (Craig Gazey) began to read a poem to Fiz (Jennie McAlpine).
With writer David Bowker making good use of Oldham actor Craig’s previous experience with The Royal Shakespeare Company.
Graeme began:

“Your burning eyes, your burning eyes,
“Have led me to your door.
“Oh, I’ve kissed the ground you walk upon,
“And now my lips are sore.
“Your flaming hair, your flaming hair…”

At which point a bemused and irritated Fiz told him:
“Will you shut up about me flaming hair?!”
As Chesney protested: “He was just getting to the good bit.”
After Fiz made clear she wasn’t interested in Graeme, he picked up his bag and said:
“With that, the poet, knowing he doth love in vain, is off to catch his bus…again.”
A sweet Corrie comic interlude, I thought.
But there was more to come.
Just a minute or two later we returned to Graeme – the former cellmate of David Platt – lying in the road, waiting for that bus.
Graeme and Fiz then took the long and winding road, past Audrey’s hair salon, that leads to her door.
Which is when Craig, Jennie and David’s script combined to sprinkle some quite unexpected magic on the cobbles.
“Shall I read you the end of my poem now?” suggested Graeme:
“I know you think your life is over.
“That only loneliness remains.
“But you still have your youth and beauty.
“And you will live and love again.”
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