CORONATION STREET

When it comes to awards, soap producers nominate their most dramatic episodes: car crashes, fires, kidnappings (almost one a week in Emmerdale) – anything that involves special effects is deemed most prize-worthy.

But soaps rely far more on the day-to-day stuff; it tends to get buried amid the big storylines but is just as deserving of accolades.

Take Beverley Callard, who’s played Coronation Street’s Liz McDonald since 1989. She’s been magnificent in the past few weeks, delivering an incredibly poignant performance as Liz has kept son Steve’s secret while being desperate to share in the life of her new grandchild.

EastEnders’ Adam Woodyatt (Ian Beale) is another one to highlight. Although he’s been given some big storylines, it’s the mundanity of the character’s existence that is harder to pull off on a weekly basis.

In Emmerdale, look no further than Mark Charnock, whose character Marlon, between losing wives, has to utter 50 shades of bland, and he does it all with charm and grace. Playing it down ain’t as easy as it looks.

FLOWER POWER

What a bizarre mess the Barlow clan have got themselves into. Adam is involved with drugs, Daniel’s got Sinead pregnant (honestly, mate, you don’t want to be stuck with the sound of that whining voice for life), Ken hasn’t realised his kitchen still hasn’t been fitted, and Peter’s driving round a woman who wants to pay him just for his, er, scintillating conversation.

Now, Peter throws another spanner in the works by declaring he wants to sell Preston’s Petals. In all fairness, weekly bouquet sales can be counted on one hand. Tracy (pictured with Ken) is shocked to hear about Peter’s

THE MILLIONDOLLAR QUESTION ‘Why does nothing ever go right for this family?’ Gail Rodwell, Corrie LEAST RELIABLE SELF-ANALYSIS ‘I’m a complicated person.’ Tim Metcalfe, Corrie

(inset) plan when he reveals what he’s going to do with the money. Hopefully, hire a surgeon to wipe the permanent smirk off Toyah’s face. It’s really bugging me now. Announcing that she’s making an appointment at the IVF clinic, be on the alert for Laughing Policeman levels of hilarity.

Expect more inane smiling when she confides in Ken that she believes Peter has turned a corner. Insisting that she loves him, he heads home from Chloe, who, one suspects, might be none too happy to find herself ditched.

Over at the Platts, Sarah is determined to meet Nathan to put her mind at rest. It won’t.