ZapGossip

Russell T Davies says Corrie character deaths ‘need monitoring’

Russell T Davies claims Coronation Street’s history for killing off young female characters is "slightly out of control".
The 56-year-old screenwriter admits it is "very hard to keep an eye" on such plots, and while he insists the bumping off of female characters "needs monitoring", he believes people are talking about it.
He said: "There are bad deaths, when you can’t think of anything else to do.
"There is an extraordinary history on ‘Coronation Street’ of young women being murdered. Truly, it’s slightly out of control and needs monitoring.
"It’s very hard to keep an eye on things, but it is being monitored – people are aware of these things, it is being talked about. And I always think, actually, that our representation is better than we think it is."
Sue Perkins also claimed soap operas are too quick to kill off lesbian characters.
In a panel discussion about LGBTQ+ programming at the Edinburgh TV Festival, she added: "If you’re a lesbian, it’s death – an early death.
"The moment you de-cloak and go, ‘I’m gay’, there will be a white van heading towards you at speed.
"The moment you express love, one of the most basic human emotions, something dreadful will happen. It’s just the way, it’s the way it’s always been."
Their comments come after ‘Corrie’ came under fire from some groups for killing off lesbian Rana Habeeb earlier this year, despite the actress admitting she had asked for her character to be bumped off.