Buzzin Soap Stars

Amanda Donohoe

Amanda Donohoe who plays the part of Natasha Wylde in the ITV soap opera ‘Emmerdale’ is leaving the show after almost two years.

The 48-year-old actress initially only joined the soap under a year’s contract but has put down her extended term to the fantastic cast, crew and producers.

The actress will film her final episodes later this year as a climax to her current storyline surrounding the murder of her late husband whom she killed and buried in the woods.

It was announced earlier in the year that her on screen daughter Alice Coulthard who plays the part of Maisie will also be leaving the show this year.

The ‘Northern Light’ actors Robson Green and Mark Benton are joining the cast of the popular BBC1 soap ‘Waterloo Road’ and are due to begin filming on Monday.

Despite the secret of which characters the two are to play it has been announced that they will both be in the programme for at least two series when it returns in the autumn.

The pair have played opposite each other in the drama trilogy ‘Christmas Lights’, ‘City Lights’ and ‘Northern Lights’ and are said to be just two of the new faces that will appear in the new series of the BBC drama after announcements that  Denise Welsh, Angela Griffin and Eva Pope, leave the show,  making way for their fellow actors which have so far been named as Amanda Burton, Tina O’Brien, Wil Johnson and George Samson.

Coronation Street

For almost fifty years Coronation Street has enthralled millions of avid fans with its tales of everyday life in a Northern town, but throughout that time many stories have emerged from the actors and producers claiming that the set is haunted.

Perhaps the most famous of those stories is Coronation Street producer Tony Warren’s claim that he saw the actress Pat Phoenix who played Elsie Tanner, after she died of lung cancer in 1986.

Warren said of the paranormal experience, “I would smell this great gale of perfume and one of my dogs, who would always go bananas when Pat came to the house, suddenly started to behave as if she was there again. It was really very odd, but I was not afraid. Pat is welcome at my place anytime, dead or alive.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly Pat Phoenix was seen again, at a party to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the show in 1990. This time it was Lynne Perry (Ivy Tilsley) who made the claim.

Like others on the Street cast Perry had an interest in Spiritualism and when her character in the soap made an attempt to contact her murdered son Brian, Perry had an overwhelming experience when Doris Speed appeared on stage.

“At that moment I felt very strongly that she was sitting there with me and the cast. Only Julie Goodyear and I knew that Pat was there in spirit, enjoying it too.”

Long serving Corrie star William Roache has had his share of bad luck both on and off the set and has a life long interest in all things psychic and paranormal.

The sudden tragic death of his baby daughter Edwina in 1985 made him reassess his life and he began a spiritual search. He now believes that there is an afterlife.

When interviewed in 1993 by Dr Anthony Clare on Radio 4’s ‘In the Psychiatrist’s Chair’ he said “The manner of death is frightening, but death itself is not- because I know it’s not the end”

Roache said how he awakened on the day 18 month old Edwina’s funeral to see her face “glowing and smiling” in front of him “I got a sense of peace, freedom and release- and I knew all was well.”

“I couldn’t have got through the funeral without that. I carried her coffin. It still hurts, but I know she came down and went back and that there’s an existence beyond. Knowing about reincarnation helped.”

It is no longer frowned upon to visit a medium or have a tarot reading in the UK, in fact Spiritualism in general is more widely accepted in our society than ever before.

There are so many questions that remain unanswered about the afterlife and all things paranormal, but if it brings comfort to those that seek it, then so be it.

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.