Paul O'Grady couldn't watch Corrie for a year following musical debacle – Daily TV round-up

Paul O'Grady has said that he couldn't watch 'Coronation Street' for a whole year after his experience working on the disastrous stage musical 'Street of Dreams'.

O'Grady was the narrator of the ill-fated musical stage show version of the soap, which was shut down after just two performances last year.

The 58-year-old host of 'For The Love of Dogs' said that he couldn't even listen to the theme tune.

Asked about whether he was a fan of the long-running show, he told the Radio Times: “I was, and then they did an awful musical and that put me off for the year.

[Chris Gascoigne quitting Coronation Street]

“I couldn't even listen to the theme tune, but about six months ago I started getting back into it.”

The show debuted in Manchester in 2012, and featured cast-members old and new including Julie Goodyear as Bet Lynch, Kevin Kennedy as Curly Watts, Brian Capron as Richard Hillman and Kym Marsh playing the young Elsie Tanner.

Bill Roache also appeared as Ken Barlow in a pre-recorded performance shown on a screen.
 
But the actors and O'Grady, who was rumoured to have been fired from the show, all refused to work after it emerged they and other crew-members had not been paid.

The show was then supposed to tour the UK and Ireland, but it was axed after just two performances.

O'Grady has now returned to watching the show, however.

Asked what brings a tear to his eye, he replied: “More recently, it's the Hayley storyline in 'Coronation Street'. Roy and Hayley are such good people, which is why the public cares.” [Radio Times]

Also in today's press

Jeremy Paxman is no fan of 'Strictly Come Dancing'. “I will pay good money not to watch newsreaders making t**** of themselves,” he told Radio 2's Steve Wright. “I don’t understand why they want to do it. You want your head examined to do that.” [BBC]

'EastEnders' and 'Hollyoaks' star Gemma Bissex has avoided a driving ban despite being clocked driving at 108mph on the A1. She claimed that she should not be banned because she needed to be able to take her grandfather shopping. She received six penalty points, taking her total to nine, and was fined £600. [Daily Mirror]

ITV has failed to lure Eamonn Holmes to 'Daybreak'. Though Holmes was rumoured to be circling taking over hosting the show, it has been announced that he's just signed a five-year deal to continue hosting 'Sunrise' for Sky News. [Daily Mirror]