Yesterday on Facebook, the Coronation Street group was publicising the previews for next week and asked contributors to spot the connection between the pictures. You may like to have a go yourself. The only connection that I could find was that none of the pictures showed anybody smiling. Indeed, the only picture with any joy in it was of Lloyd and Cheryl kissing, though even that is tinged with sadness as it precedes a confrontation between Lloyd and Cheryl's husband, Chris.
Now I don't mind a bit of misery on Corrie as I think they do the drama that goes with it very well but whenever there's some sadness on the Street it's usually balanced by some humour elsewhere on the cobbles. Is this just a case of using the misery as a publicity vehicle and ignoring the comedy and joy or is the sign of something more sinister?
We have a new producer and it concerns me that he sees the success of the BBC's ultra-miserable rival and wants to emulate it in the chase for ratings and awards. Please don't drag Corrie down to the levels of that other soap. Yes, I want drama but I also want humour, happiness and joy with it as well.