CORONATION STREET

Tomorrow night sees the annual BAFTA television awards ceremony. It’s usually a given that all three shows covered on this page make it to the final shortlist in the Soap & Continuing Drama category. This year, however, Coronation Street is a notable absence from the nominations.

Currently, Corrie is not at its best. The brilliant Bethany/ Nathan storyline aside, it is too heavily weighted in favour of the Barlows: Ken’s stroke and the attempt on his life, not to mention the stress of having a new kitchen fitted. Then there’s Egg-gate, with smirking Toyah going behind Peter’s back in the hope of conceiving. As for the sub-standard prison break debacle, one can only hope that whoever thought it up is now on medication.

But in 2016, the period that tomorrow’s BAFTA awards cover, the Street was superb. I’ve been a judge on this panel, and back then each series was judged on the basis of just one episode. Nowadays up to four episodes are considered, but this is still nowhere near enough – it’s serial drama so judges should be required to watch a month’s worth of any one soap. Personally, I’ll be spitting blood, whoever wins.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

What a lot of babies and baby talk there is at the moment. Toyah and IVF, Sarah and Harry, and – the biggie – the Leanne/Steve/ Nick/ Oliver quadrangle. It must rankle with Nick every time he sees Steve with his love child (above), and events reach a head with Oliver’s naming ceremony. With Steve turning down the invitation and Nick wallowing in drunkenness, will anyone even turn up?

My bigger worry is whether Oliver will make it to his first birthday, given the speed with which Leanne pushes that pram around. And why is the hood always up? At this rate,

Oliver will be lucky if he actually sees any sunshine this side of his 18th birthday.

Peter’s furious when he finds Toyah has gone ahead with IVF behind his back, and Aidan’s shocked when Kate suspects Johnny of cheating when she discovers the name Connor attached to a hotel booking. Aidan tries to cover his affair with Maria by saying the booking was supposed to be a surprise for Eva. That old chestnut. How many dubious surprises can one woman take? The idea Eva would want to go to a hotel without spending days packing her make-up is farcical. And when is Maria going to put that dressing gown in the wash?