Street boss Kate: Sacking story a load of Cobbles
DEFIANT Corrie boss Kate Oates says she will stay in her job for at least the producer norm length of three years – after claims she might get the boot over some of the show’s dark storylines
The soap chief says that a report last year suggesting she would get the axe was wide of the mark.
And she even framed the story which said she would be sacked to giggle over with her friends.
“I got a call from my boss telling me that the story was going to run even through it was untrue,” Kate sighs. “I thought it was funny – I’ve framed it and put it in my loo.”
As she embarks on a shocking male rape storyline involving David P Shepherd, Kate, 38, says there is no chance of her quitting, or being axed before her role at the helm has run its natural course.
Three years in the role would see her contract run until at least April, 2019. “It’s a very intense job so people normally do it for about three years before moving on – and that’s what I’m planning. You have to remember all the time that you’re just looking after it for the next person. You want to do a solid job and hand it over in a healthy state.”
She says ratings are up year on year and she is very happy with how things are going, even though Emmerdale – her former soap – has recently clinched several of the big awards.
When she does decide to leave the cobbles, Oates, 38, says she will stay in TV drama. “It’s all about the stories for me,” she said. “I love a good narrative so I’ll always work in drama.” She is expected to set up her own production company in the next couple of years. “I’m not thinking about it just yet,” she added.
But she may have to weather more storms before she goes. Already some viewers are up in arms about Josh’s attack on David, which happened off screen on Friday.
Actor Jack P Shepherd said the sensitive storyline was not hard to film. “It was all right. It was fine. It wasn’t that bad,” he said.
The actor is not bothered by any negative reaction and says the aftermath of the attack will run for at least a couple of months. “I just do the storylines, I don’t really think what they’re doing to people,” he said. “It’s a good story – we’re still filming the mental fallout now.”