Emmerdale

The 17-year-old son of Shane Richie and Coleen Nolan, has landed a role as a college student in the popular ITV soap opera Emmerdale.

Jake Roche is to become a potential boyfriend of Hannah Barton played by Grace Cassidy in the programme as he follows in the footsteps of his dad who played the part of Alfie Moon in the BBC’s Eastenders.

Jake’s character Isaac will appear on our screens from August and will be part of the show for at least the next few months.

Jake along with his brother Shane are also trying to make their name on the music scene after supporting their mother and aunts on their recent concert tour with their cover versions of popular pop songs.

jessie wallace

Jessie Wallace who played Kat Slater in Eastenders is to star in a BBC drama depicting the birth of Coronation Street, she will play the part of Pat Phoenix who starred in the early days of Corrie as feisty Elsie Tanner.

The documentary/drama will tell the story of how Tony Warren brought together the actors for the first episodes of Coronation Street, which celebrates its fiftieth anniversary this year.

Filming is taking place in Manchester and the film will be shown on BBC4 later this year.

Among the star studded cast assembled for the project are Lynda Baron, playing Violet Carson (Ena Sharples), Celia Imrie as Doris Speed (Annie Walker), Jane Horrocks as casting director Margaret Morris and John Thompson.

The longest serving cast member on Coronation Street, William Roache (Ken Barlow) will be played by his son James Roache.

Michelle Collins as Cindy Beale

Michelle Collins is to appear as a guest in a six-part episode of the hospital drama ‘Casualty’ where she will play the role of a mother to an injured girl.

The former Eastenders actress, well known for her bitchy role as Cindy Beale in the BBC soap will begin her role as Camille when the new series begins in September.

The 49-year-old actress will once again be acting against another Eastenders oldie Michael French, who played the part of womaniser David Wicks in the soap and who is now best known for his role as consultant Nick Jordan in Casualty.

Todd Carty

Todd Carty who played the part of Mark Fowler in the BBC soap Eastenders is on stage at the New Wimbledon Theatre in his new role as Patsy in the Monty Python show Spamalot.

The 46-year-old actor plays the part of the coconut-playing assistant to King Arthur in the comedy show which is based on the Monty Python film ‘The Holy Grail’, with all the songs written and composed by Eric Idle.

Patsy only has a few small tasks in the show, the main one being when he uses two coconut halves to make the sound of the hooves of horses, but Todd is also keen to show  his dance moves during certain scenes.

Kara Tointon

Joe Swash and Kara Tointon have announced that they have ended their relationship after two-years together but have said that they will remain friends.

Joe who played the part of Mickey Miller in the soap and fellow actor Kara who played the part of his sister Dawn Swann, began dating in 2008 but the recent reports that alleged the couple had been having rows due to Joe’s text flirting have been said to be untrue.

Kara, 26, and Joe, 28, reportedly had a blazing row backstage while performing in the Snow White pantomime at the Hippodrome Theatre in Bristol around Christmas time, when Kara allegedly found texts to another girl on Joe’s phone, the couple later claimed they were just messing around!

Natalie Cassidy

Natalie Cassidy, who played the part of the lovable Sonia Fowler in Eastenders has been given her own reality TV show on E4.

The show is to be called ‘Natalie Cassidy: Becoming A Mum’ surrounding the expected birth of her first child which is due to be born in September.

There is to be four, 1 hour long documentaries to be screened in the Autumn which will follow the 26-year-old and her partner Adam on their journey preparing for the birth of their baby.

Stacey Slater

Lacey Turner who plays the part of Stacey Branning in the popular BBC 1 soap opera Eastenders is to quit the show after more than five-years.

The 22-year-old has won 28 awards for her acting role in the show but is keen to pursue a career in film but the door will left open for her character to return in the future.

The actress who plays her mother Jean in the soap Gillian Wright, 49, is also leaving the Square later this year but you can guarantee there will be an explosive exit for both characters.

Lucy Benjamin as Lisa Fowler

Lucy Benjamin who played the part of Lisa Fowler in the BBC soap Eastenders, is heading back to the square for a one-off special.

Lucy left the series in November 2003 but has been drafted back for one episode where she is expected to take back her daughter who is currently staying with her ex-partner Phil Mitchell, the father of Louise.  The child turned-up in mysterious circumstances with no mention of her mother’s whereabouts.

Curiouser and curiouser, the cast and producers are keeping tight-lipped about the storyline but you can bet there will be fireworks as soon as those two set eyes on each other again!

Natalie Cassidy

The former Eastenders actress Natalie Cassidy, who played the part of the lovable Sonia Jackson in the BBC soap, has announced that she is pregnant with her first child.

The 26-year-old and her boyfriend of nine-months, 30-year old Adam Cottrell, are expecting the baby to arrive around September and are said to be absolutely thrilled with the news.

Natalie suffers from the condition of polycystic ovaries and was concerned that she would have trouble conceiving but managed to full pregnant over the Christmas holidays.

Bradley Branning

Tonight will see Bradley make his last appearance on the streets of the Eastend as his funeral takes place in the BBC soap Eastenders.

Will his bride Stacey turn-up at the service to say her goodbyes?  A real tear-jerker ahead for all those fans of the programme will be glued to their screens in an emotional farewell to the ginger winger.

We all know that Stacey was the person behind the murder of Archie but will she confess or will she sit back and let her dead husband be buried with everyone believing he was responsible?