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Exclusive! Interview with
Steven Murphy, editor of Inside Soap
magazine by Glenda Young
The Coronation Street blog is privileged to have been in conversation with the
editor of Inside Soap magazine!
Q: How long have you been
editor at Inside Soap and when did the
magazine begin? I've
been editor here for over nine years now. Blimey, that's a
long time! But I did my first work on the mag as a freelance
writer back in 1996. The magazine began in 1992 as a monthly,
then it went fortnightly in 1996. I took it weekly in 2003,
which was a really scary time!, and luckily it paid off. I
think that's it now. I don't see a daily Inside Soap any time
soon!
Q: How,
why and when did your interest in soaps
begin?
Well, my mum is a soap viewer. My
brother is actually named after a Crossroads character she
liked, and no, he's not called Benny! So the shows were
always on in the house. Also, I was brought up in South West
Scotland where it rains a lot. An awful lot. So as a kid, I
was sat in watching a lot of telly! I began working in
magazines after I left Uni, and always did entertainment
stuff, but slowly soap became my specialist area.
Q:
What do you enjoy most
about your job as Inside Soap editor?
All of it! It's great to work in a
subject area you love. I love the process of making a
magazine, coming up with the ideas and working with my great
team. Plus the fact at the end of every week you get a
present, a brand-new issue of Inside Soap. And, of course, I
get to know the soap plots before other people!
Q:
Why do you think soaps
have such an international, lasting
appeal?
I think it's human nature to want to
look into other people's lives. Let's face it, anyone who says
they're not nosey and don't like a gossip is basically a liar!
I think we enjoy the fact we can associate with a lot of the
characters' dilemmas, and see a bit of ourselves or people we
know in the characters. Plus, soaps are something that you can
talk to anyone (well, almost anyone) about. It's something we
all have in common. We all want to know when Tony will get his
comeuppance or want to talk about what a bitch Rosie is. And I
also think, especially with UK soaps, it's because they are
really, really good drama. Some people look down on them, but
they are probably the kind of people who look down on anything
that's popular.
Q:
Who are your top three
favourite soap characters of all time either in the
UK or
abroad?
Oh. That's a hard question. JR Ewing,
I'm a big Dallas fan and I think Larry Hagman's portrayal of
him is a work of sheer genius. Sharon Watts. I love a tragic
heroine, and Sharon the the ultimate of those. I wish she'd
come back to Walford. And then Steve McDonald. I think he's
one of the most realistic portrayals of modern man ever. Steve
is just so real. He's basically a bit rubbish at everything
and a huge coward, like most men.
Q: Thinking of
Corrie in
particular now, what do you think is its enduring
appeal?
I think the richness
of the characters, and the fantastic dialogue. It can be just
as entertaining when the plot is about an argument over who
owns a bit of cheese as it can be when there's a serial killer
stalking the cobbles and that's because we love and believe in
the characters so much, and because the writing is so good. I
also think it's to do with its history. It has such a solid
foundation with families like the Barlows, the McDonalds and
the Websters that no matter how many changes the show goes
through and it has gone through a lot over the years, it
always seems familiar. Whereas other soaps have been through
so many set-ups and cast changes that sometimes the viewer
feels like it's a completely different show.
Q:
What's been your
favourite Corrie storylines
over the years?
Oh, so
many. I love anything with the Barlows. Most recently I really
loved the Ken and Martha storyline. I thought it was
beautifully written and wonderfully played. Going back,
Richard Hillman was obviously unmissable and I loved Kevin's
affair with Natalie because it was the first time he or Sally
had cheated I just thought it had a real impact, the catfight
between the two women was
brilliant.
Q:
Who are your
all-time favourite male and female
Corrie characters
and why?
Male, as I said, I love Steve
McDonald. I also am really fond of Roy. Female, there's so
many, but my all-time favourite is Deirdre. I just adore
her.
Q: In your
job you get to meet and interview many soap
actors, but which
ones from Corrie have you never met that you'd really like
to?
Anne Kirkbride I've
never met. When I do my life would be complete! I'd really
love to have a chat with Barbara Knox (Rita) and Eileen
Derbyshire (Emily) as they never do any interviews, and they
must have so many stories from over the
years.
Q:
Are there any
snippets you'd like to share about the ones you've met?
Well, one well-known actress did once
do the splits in my hotel room! But I promised I'd never tell.
And I did once beat Andy Whyment (Kirk) and Sam Aston
(Chesney) at tennis when they were filming the South Africa
DVD, although they then beat me for about the next five games!
Q: Are there any
of the classic Corrie actors from the
1960s onwards who are no longer with us that you would have
loved to have met? Well, I think everone would love to
meet the women behind Ena Sharples and Annie Walker, as those
characters were such legends.
Q:
Can you tease readers
with any plans that Inside Soap might have to celebrate
Corrie's 50th next year?
Well, we're just
starting to think about it now, but there will be some very
special treats for Corrie fans, I promise.
Q:
And finally, do
you know any Corrie spoilers
you can tease us with, or is it more than your job's worth?!
;-) It is more than
my job's worth, there are some very scary people in the Corrie
press office who will come and knock we round the head if I
say too much! But I have just read the storylines for January,
and there's a couple of shock love splits on the cards. But
other than that, my lips are
sealed!
With
thanks to Steven Murphy and all the lovely people at Inside
Soap Magazine. Visit
their website here.
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