THERE’S been a bit of a fuss about a scene to be screened in Coronation Street this Friday.
Sean (Antony Cotton) and Sonny (Pal Aron) get up close and personal as part of the bisexual love triangle, which also involves an unsuspecting Michelle (Kym Ryder).
Now I have news of another affair, this time involving Weatherfield’s Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) and Michelle’s brother – factory boss Liam Connor (Rob James-Collier).
Or rather two other characters played by actors Chris and Rob in the second series of New Street Law, which begins on BBC1 this Wednesday at 9pm.
Chris is back as gay Manchester legal clerk Al Ware (pictured above), alongside John Hannah, Lisa Faulkner, John Thomson and co.

WHATEVER happened to Coronation Street’s Jamie Armstrong?
The schoolboy star of Weatherfield between 1994 and 1997, he was the Chesney of his day.
Jamie, played by Chorley-raised actor Joseph Gilgun, hasn’t been seen since he, mum Tricia (Tracy Brabin) and baby Brad left the cobbles behind for a new life.
The man who took them away was decorator Ray Thorpe, played by Chris Walker – who also appeared in Corrie last year as Ed, the reformed killer of Emily Bishop’s husband Ernest.

THERE was a running gag in Coronation Street last night about the vast amount of tea and coffee brewed in Weatherfield.
Corner shop kid Amber and missing in action Adam also re-appeared from the Red Rec black hole.
Oh, and Tracy Barlow was charged with murder after builder Charlie Stubbs graduated to an altogether different kind of spirit level.
Thanks to Tracy’s tearful mum Deirdre, hosepipe and sprinkler bans are to be lifted across the nation.

REGULAR readers of this blog will know that the MEN has a policy about revealing future soap storylines.
In general, we don’t do it. It annoys many readers who want to watch their favourite show without having it spoiled by advance information.
These “spoilers” are now the stock in trade of the red tops, not to mention soap magazines which flaunt future storylines on a weekly basis.
But it’s not just tabloid newspapers and magazines involved in this game. ITV’s very own website now offers online trailers for several future episodes at a time.
The MEN does make an exception to our general rule when a storyline is so widely known – and trailed – that it would be a bit daft to shy away from it.
That’s the decision we made yesterday when ITV Granada issued a total of 26 new photos from this Friday’s Coronation Street.

CORONATION Street’s gobby Janice Battersby has endured more than a few screen insults about her appearance.
But just look at her now – or rather actress Vicky Entwistle, who plays the Underworld knicker stitcher.
You can read more about Vicky’s dramatic new appearance in today’s MEN and how she escaped being axed from the soap.
I spoke to Vicky just before Christmas, when she was rehearsing for her role in panto.
We also discussed Janice’s romantic New Year’s Day surprise – Roger the plumber.

WHY is Coronation Street’s Eileen Grimshaw holding a baby on Christmas Day?
If you want to find out, the online version of today’s MEN interview with actress Sue Cleaver, who plays Eileen, provides a few answers.
“It’s made me completely broody,” Sue told me when we met recently just a short pram push away from the cobbles.
There wasn’t enough room in the feature to cover all aspects of our conversation.
But it does include a flavour of how – like many others in the public eye – Sue sometimes finds it difficult to cope with the attention of fans.
It’s not a new problem. The late John Thaw once told me how bemused he was to be asked to sign till receipts and packets of frozen peas in his local supermarket.

CORONATION Street stars leave the cobbles behind for two highlights of ITV’s Winter season of programmes.
As first revealed in today’s MEN, three Rovers regulars will feature in the second series of Soapstar Superstar.
Antony Cotton (Sean Tully), Tupele Dorgu (Kelly Crabtree) and Jane Danson (Leanne Battersby) are among 11 contenders who will sing for survival early in the New Year.
I was also at the Mayfair Hotel in London this afternoon for the launch of ITV’s new season, including interviews with some of those who will star on screen in 2007.
The normally publicity shy Anne Kirkbride is one of three famous faces taking part in a new series which has the working title of You Don’t Know You’re Born.

GOOD and bad news for Coronation Street fans.
The good news is that those pedestrian, repeated to death ads for Cadbury chocolate products are to disappear.
The bad news is – they could be replaced by something even worse.
Corrie is today looking for a new sponsor after Cadbury decided to pull the plug on its current £10m a year deal.
“Like many of its famous characters, it’s time to say goodbye to the Street,” says Cadbury marketing director Phil Rumbol.

FRED Elliott ended up back on the counter of his butcher’s shop in Coronation Street last night.
Sadly, his return to Elliott & Son was in a glass jar which once contained gravy granules.
Attempting to resolve the row over the ownership of Fred’s ashes, barmy Bev plonked some of them on top of Ashley’s packed lunch.
Asked by Claire what was in the jar, Bev declared: “His father…well, half of him. Plenty of him to go round.
“I’m sorry about the jar. I know he couldn’t abide instant gravy, but it were the only container I had to hand.”

“YOU’VE been wonderful – thank you for voting.”
That’s the message you’ll get if you vote online in the National Television Awards.
If there’s any justice – and there usually isn’t – Sue Cleaver will be voted Most Popular Actress for her portrayal of Coronation Street’s Eileen Grimshaw.
Sue has earned a deserved nomination alongside Billie Piper (Doctor Who), Evangeline Lilly (Lost), Lacey Turner (EastEnders) and Ursula Holden-Gill (Emmerdale).
Now is the time for Corrie fans to unite. Stop what you’re doing and take a minute to vote online at the NTA site.