All Soaps: Casting News - Who's In & Who's Out?

[DRW50]

I used to watch that show on PBS. "These are Mulberry days..." I remember it made me feel sad.

[Bright Eyes]

Neighbours

Damien Richardson l Gary Canning l Debuts November 10 (G) - http://www.digitalspy.ca/soaps/s14/neighbours/news/a607453/neighbours-reveals-first-picture-of-kyle-cannings-father-gary.html#~oUIFE7SyZlB8n2

Travis Burns l Tyler Brennan l Debuts February - http://www.digitalspy.ca/soaps/s14/neighbours/news/a607410/neighbours-travis-burns-cast-as-mark-brennans-younger-brother-tyler.html#~oUIFR4zu8LHCS0

Home and Away

Previously mentioned ...

Jolene Anderson l Neive Devlin l Debuts November (G)

Pia Miller l Katrina Chapman (last name previously unknown) l Debuts 2015

--

Demi Harman l Sasha Bezmel l Exits 2015 - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2817594/Demi-Harman-quits-Home-Away-Hollywood-says-ll-miss-working-Alec-screen-beau.html (Will update with DS article when one becomes available)

Coronation Street

Previously mentioned ...

Marc Baylis l Rob Donovan l Exits November 5

Chris Gascoyne l Peter Barlow l Exits November 14

Georgia May Foote l Katy Armstrong l Exits 2015

Oliver Farnworth l Gavin Rodwell l Debuts November 21

Claire King l Erika l Debuts December (G)

Daniel Brocklebank l Billy l Debuts December

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James Redmond l Hamish l Debuts December (G) - http://www.digitalspy.ca/soaps/s3/coronation-street/news/a606999/coronation-street-casts-ex-hollyoaks-star-james-redmond-in-guest-role.html#~oUINOgSJxeQzai

Sally Ann Matthews l Jenny Bradley l Returns Winter http://www.digitalspy.ca/soaps/s3/coronation-street/news/a604688/coronation-street-boss-confirms-jenny-bradley-return.html#~oUIMXNWyEh7IiF

Tina O'Brien / TBA l Sarah Platt / Bethany Platt l Returns Spring - http://www.digitalspy.ca/soaps/s3/coronation-street/news/a605379/coronation-street-tina-obrien-returning-as-sarah-platt.html#~oUINrTwEM5JgYf

Emmerdale

Previously mentioned ...

TBA l Emma Barton l Debuts Winter

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Thomas Atkinson l Lachlan White l Debuts November 10 - http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s12/emmerdale/news/a601055/emmerdale-reveals-new-family-

for-home-farm.html#~oTxDjt7lFstcAW - The article also mentions that Lawrence White (John Bowe), previously known to only have been a guest stint for Edna's story, and Chrissie White (Louise Marwood), Lawrence's daughter and Robert Sugden's fiancée, have become regulars, which I failed to post here before they debuted.

EastEnders

Previously mentioned ...

Linda Marlowe l Sylvie Carter l Debuts Winter

Karl Howman l TBA l Debuts Winter - http://www.digitalspy.ca/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a599000/former-brush-strokes-star-karl-howman-to-join-eastenders.html#~oUIQHFQpEvjO6D

--

Timothy West l Stan Carter l Exits Winter - http://www.digitalspy.ca/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a601316/eastenders-timothy-west-to-leave-stan-carter role.html#~oUIRLFrmXQgas4

James Bye l Martin Fowler (recast) l Debuts Winter - http://www.digitalspy.ca/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a602930/eastenders-recasts-martin-fowler-james-bye-to-take-over-role.html#~oUISitQ3YYxf44

Derek Martin l Charlie Slater l Returns 2015 - http://www.digitalspy.ca/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a606778/eastenders-derek-martin-tipped-for-return-as-charlie-slater.html#~oUISAjQv1fPwhX

Hollyoaks

Previously mentioned ...

Sarah George l Celine McQueen l Debuts November 10

Gemma Merna l Carmel McQueen l Exits November

Jennifer Metcalfe l Mercedes McQueen l Exits November

Joe Tracini l Dennis Savage l Exits November/December

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Jody Latham l Shane l Debuts November 24 (G) - http://www.digitalspy.ca/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a606778/eastenders-derek-martin-tipped-for-return-as-charlie-slater.html#~oUISAjQv1fPwhX

Parry Glasspool l Harry Thompson l Returns Winter

TBA l Unnamed McQueen l Debuts Winter

http://www.digitalspy.ca/soaps/s13/hollyoaks/news/a607916/hollyoaks-tony-hutchinsons-son-harry-returning-to-show.html#~oUITGNQw1B0UR7

The article mentions more confirmation on a third new McQueen character and that with her and Harry's return the show will have a bigger focus on the school again.

[Bright Eyes]

Coronation Street

Philip Martin Brown l Character Name Unknown l Debuts 2015 (G) - http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s3/coronation-street/news/a609949/waterloo-roads-philip-martin-brown-lands-coronation-street-guest-role.html#~oVxPNQGLWf889X

EastEnders

Karl Howman debuts November 21 as Buster Briggs.

Sam Strike l Johnny Carter l Exits - http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s3/coronation-street/news/a609949/waterloo-roads-philip-martin-brown-lands-coronation-street-guest-role.html#~oVxPNQGLWf889X

Hollyoaks

Aaron Fontaine (Sonny Valentine) last aired November 12, as did Gemma Merna (Carmel Valentine).

Joe Tracini departs November 21.

[Ben]

Neighbours

Ian Smith (Harold Bishop) and Anne Charleston (Madge Bishop) will reprise their roles for the 30th anniversary next March. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s14/neighbours/news/a610431/neighbours-harold-and-madge-bishop-returning-for-30th-anniversary

Hollyoaks

Modupe Adeyeye (Blessing Chambers) will depart alongside Joe Tracini (Dennis).

[Bright Eyes]

Hollyoaks

Gillian Taylforth l Sandy Roscoe l Returns December (G) - http://www.digitalspy.ca/soaps/s13/hollyoaks/interviews/a610302/hollyoaks-producer-bryan-kirkwood-shares-show-gossip-and-teasers.html#~oVNCwsmTGMCKtK

Keith Rice l Finn O'Connor l Returns Early 2015 (G) - http://www.digitalspy.ca/soaps/s13/hollyoaks/news/a610377/hollyoaks-actor-keith-rice-to-make-return-as-finn-oconnor.html#~oVNBqOQjj1EzM3

[Ben]

Coronation Street

Ian Puleston-Davies (Owen Armstrong) will exit early Summer 2015. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s3/coronation-street/news/a610503/corries-ian-puleston-davies-to-leave-after-4-years-as-owen-armstrong.html#~oVSdFIhwZLokaF

[DRW50]

4-5 years too late. That mushmouth bore is one of the reasons I stopped watching Corrie. Thanks for nothing Phil Collinson.

[Ben]

The only way deadwood characters leave Corrie is when the actors quit. That's half the show's problem.

The best thing to do now, would be to get rid of Izzy, now that her father and sister are leaving, but knowing Corrie they'll keep her on and she'll join the other deadwood and continue to outstay her welcome.

I don't think there's anything that would make me tune in again. I've lost all emotional attachment to the show.

[Bright Eyes]

Neighbours

Adrienne Pickering l Erin Rogers l Debuts November 24 (G) - http://www.digitalspy.ca/soaps/s14/neighbours/news/a610724/neighbours-casts-adrienne-pickering-as-newcomer-erin-rogers.html#~oW72u8BnTpa0GR

Coronation Street

Jacqueline Leonard (ex-Lorraine Wicks, EE) l Linda (Owen's ex-wife) l Debuts February - http://www.digitalspy.ca/soaps/s3/coronation-street/news/a610909/coronation-street-jacqueline-leonard-to-play-owens-ex-wife.html#~oW74sT6RpUnQel

EastEnders

Ben Hardy l Peter Beale l Exits 2015 - http://www.digitalspy.ca/soaps/s2/eastenders/news/a611115/eastenders-ben-hardy-to-leave-peter-beale-role.html#~oW762I7bEv8rUc

[DRW50]

I won't blame DTC for this exit, as Hardy was cast before he arrived, but yet again a younger leading man is leaving.

I know the DS brigade always insisted he couldn't act and are probably thrilled, but between this and Sam Strike, that means they're left with always invisible Jay, Tamwar, non-acting Lee, and then that creepy woodentop Ben.

[DRW50]

And this also yet again shows what a stupid, pointless stunt Who Killed Lucy? was.

DTC has put the final nails in the coffin for the Beales.

And making Dean a rapist for shock value and a failed showcase for Kellie Bright's face-making means that they lost yet another viable younger leading man.

But hey...at least we have Danny Dyer!

[NothinButAttitude]

Wow. I cannot believe that we are about to Peter after just getting him back. I pray to GOD that he is not revealed to be the murderer of Lucy.

And I feel like at this point, the Beales are dead in the water. Bobby can't carry story yet, Cindy is hot garbage, and Ian's affairs can only go so far. Maybe they'll bring back Steven. Or bring on Mark Jr or some of the other Beales/Flahertys.

And I'm still pissed that Deano has been made a rapist. I haven't watched the show in months because of it [along with this Lucy murder mystery].

[DRW50]

DTC already destroyed Steven the last time, having him try to smother Pat, and doing a horribly offensive "bisexuals are evil" storyline. I can't imagine what he'd do now.

EE is so depleted that the idea of bringing in a strong new family made sense. The problem was overexposure, poorly written melodramatic plots, tying them to Shirley (a polarizing character DTC has NEVER written well for), and casting actors who either aren't that great or aren't staying around long anyway.

DTC is a hack. He was always a hack. This is the man who went around fapping to the idea that Tanya burying Max alive was like Shakespeare. They never should have brought him back. No amount of cheerleading from headcases at DS hides his lack of ability, and no amount of promotion and hype did anything to help EE's ratings.

[NothinButAttitude]

OMG. I forgot that DTC was the one that had Steven do all that crap. Thanks for reminding me. Yeah. Never mind.

And UK soaps seem to be in slump like US soaps were. Instead of bringing in new blood, they [Corrie, EE, HO] keep recycling the same writers to the same shows just like our soaps did. Emmerdale is the only show that did it right and it's paying off.

And I just don't see myself ever being capable of investing in the Carters [minus Deano] for the long haul. I just don't.

EE [and Corrie too] needs to have a massacre and fire a huge percentage of the cast and start fresh. It's plenty of players on the show that are collecting checks that need to get the boot.

[Bright Eyes]

Ben Hardy leaving will leave a huge size chunk where a well acted hunk should be. This show is cursed and always has been. I just hope this Martin recast isn't a failure. I do have faith though since the recasts of Peter, Lauren and Ben, with the latest Harry Reid, have been superb.

As for the Carters, without Sam Strike they are basically desolate. Once the rape story comes to a conclusion, Dean will be shipped out, just like Gilly Roach was on Hollyoaks. Even after the rape, Dean is still a largely sympathetic character. Hopefully that won't suddenly change after the rape reveal, as I think he could still be viable after a break. Danny-Boy Hatchard is cute, but he is the epitome of a block of wood which just leads to indifference for Lee. I like everyone else in the family, except for Shirley whom I've always despised, but this show has spent way too much time on Mick and Linda. They are everywhere at all times. It is too much. And poor Nancy is stuck in a horrid triangle with the two worst male characters on the show. Himesh Pitel has never acted a day in his charisma-less life and Dexter is insufferable.

The strange thing about Corrie, for me, is that I agree there is a lot of dead weight, but luckily most of them never really have a story. In fact, Steve's despression is one of the best of the year for me, though nothing comes remotely close to the absolute best with Donna's return/exit in Emmerdale. Surprisingly, Blackburn, who only did terrible things on Emmerdale, has done quite a bit of good for Corrie, revitalizing a handful of characters. The only thing I couldn't stand so far was when he had the Armstrongs front and center during that horrid Phelan story.