From EastEnders' epic 30th anniversary celebrations to Ed Sheeran announcing his Croke Park gig, Paddy Kehoe looks back at the stories that tickled your fancy this past week.
It was the week that began with EastEnders going very big indeed, with live inserts and an entire live broadcast on Friday. Meanwhile, Coronation Street promised that two old foes would meet again around Weatherfield way in the near future.
1 Ian Beale cried buckets as his ma came back
But back to EastEnders, where actor Adam Woodyatt - who plays Ian Beale - broke down in tears when he found out his onscreen mother, played by Gillian Taylforth, was to return to the soap. Soap bosses managed to keep Kathy Beale's return to the show a secret until it was revealed live during Thursday's episode.
"He broke, and he started sobbing and sobbing and sobbing,“ revealed executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins. ”He looked at me and said, 'Really? That's all I ever wanted, all I ever wanted is for my mum to come back'."
Kathy's return to EastEnders marked the end of a fifteen-year absence from the soap for Taylforth (pictured below), whose character was 'killed' off-screen in a car crash in 2006. Taylforth hasn't a clue what the storyline is going to be. "I've got no idea whatsoever," she said. "I hope I come back strong because I've been through an awful lot – death, everything."
2 Operation Transformation's 5k run
After seven gruelling weeks, the Operation Transformation leaders faced one of their toughest challenges with a 5K run in both Dublin and Cork on Saturday. This was the final challenge for Alan Mullen, Veronica Horgan, Eilish Kavanagh, Louise Ormsby and Mark McArdle. Emotions ran high as the leaders and 8,000 of their followers aimed to cross the finish line. Did they all complete the challenge? Tune into Operation Transformation on RTÉ One, Wednesday and Thursday at 8.30pm to find out.
3 Maxi Retires
Irish broadcasting legend Maxi (Irene McCoubrey) has retired from the world of showbiz. The John Murray Show on Friday, on RTÉ Radio 1 was the location for an affectionate celebration of the legendary broadcaster’s vibrant personality and 50-year showbiz/broadcasting career.
Maxi first met Adele King and Barbara Dickson in their school choir, before the girls became the trio known as Maxi, Dick and Twink. She sang in The Little Dublin Singers and The Young Dublin Singers, and appeared in Gaiety panto and summer shows with Maureen Potter, Noel Purcell and Milo O'Shea. She later won Eurosong with Do I Dream and represented Ireland in Eurovision in Luxembourg.
While working in Rhodes, Greece, Maxi heard of auditions for a new three girl group being formed in Dublin. She came home and auditioned. The group Sheeba was born and that trio also went on to compete in Eurovision. Later she presented and participated as a guest on numerous TV shows. On radio she became the early morning nation’s favourite on Risin’ Time.
On The John Murray Show, Louis Walsh talked about his pal of many years. “The thing about Maxi is, as long as I've known her, she’s positive, she’s happy, she’s always got funny stories and she’s always just on a high and I love that about her.” And here you have the pals in a snap taken some years ago...
4 Ed Sheeran announced a Croke Park gig
An air of joyous hysteria reigned as Ed Sheeran announced a gig at Croke Park on July 24, still basking in the (Irish) glory of four consecutive sold out nights at 3Arena, Dublin last October. The Thinking Out Loud singer broke the news on 2fm's Ryan Tubridy show on Thursday morning (February 19). Tickets go on sale next Thursday, February 26 at 9am via Ticketmaster outlets nationwide. Meanwhile, in older demographic news, Counting Crows announced a gig at the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham in June.
5 Are You There, Garth? It's Me, Margaret - a play based on nothing happening
In another, ahem, vaguely Croke Park-related story, we learned that the widespread air of general irritation - on all sides - that resulted from Garth Brooks' Croke Park non-appearance has prompted a stage play starring Deirdre O'Kane.
It was reported that the Fiona Looney-penned Are You There, Garth? It's Me, Margaret would run in Galway, Cork and Limerick before a two-week run at Dublin's Gaiety Theatre.
O'Kane (Moone Boy, Noble) is to play Margaret, a Garth fanatic. "I’m not a fan of Garth Brooks, I wouldn't know his music - but Fiona is amazing at capturing a person like this," declared Deirdre O'Kane. "I love that she’s taken one person’s story in the midst of all that sheer madness and gone to the heart of what it really meant to somebody and her love of Brooks."
After all the fuss, hear the man sing that very fine song The Dance in Minneapolis in a clip that has enjoyed almost six million hits to date.
6 Director Sam Taylor-Johnson "wants out" of Fifty Shades
We learned that director Sam Taylor-Johnson reportedly does not want to be involved with the Fifty Shades of Grey sequels due to clashes with author E.L. James over the big screen treatment of the first film. The filmmaker recently revealed that she had "signed on" for the second and third movies, but more recent reports suggested that she no longer wants to head up the projects.
7 Corrie's Georgia May Foote filmed her final scenes
Coronation Street star Georgia May Foote filmed her final scenes as Katy Armstrong on Monday February 16, at the start of the week. Foote has played the character since 2010 and announced she was leaving the ITV soap in April.
Writing on Instagram she said: "So... Thats a wrap! A goodbye to the most important 4 years and 8 months of my life. @itvcoronationstreet hasnt just been a place to work. Its been a place where i have learnt so so much about my job and myself. And where i have made the best friends." [Sic]
She continued: "I thank you so much for the amazing opportunities you have given me. And thank you for all of your support too guys! I will deffo miss Katy."
8 Lady Gaga gets engaged
On Tuesday we learned that Lady Gaga and her actor/model boyfriend Taylor Kinney had become engaged. The singer announced it on Instagram, posting a photo of her heart-shaped diamond engagement ring, along with the caption: "He gave me his heart on Valentine's Day, and I said YES." Kinney, an actor, has been seen in Zero Dark Thirty and TV drama Chicago Fire. The couple met while shooting Gaga's music video You and I in 2011.
9 Game of Thrones star Lena Headey announced pregnancy
Game of Thrones star Lena Headey revealed during the week that she was pregnant with her second child. The actress, who plays Cersei Lannister on the hit show, told People: "I'm happy to confirm that I'm having my second child this summer." She continued: "I only hope that this announcement can help me to regain some of the privacy I have recently lost to prying photographers and ask that they please respect my privacy and let me enjoy this time." Headey gave birth to her first child, son Wylie, in 2010. Watch Headey talk about her role in Game of Thrones:
10 Old Foes to meet up in Weatherfield
As mentioned, we learned that Coronation Street fans were set for exciting scenes next week as two old foes come face to face. Warning: spoiler alert! Jenny Bradley (Sally Ann Matthews) goes for a drink in the Rovers with Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) because she thinks former foster mother Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox) is away. But Rita returns home early and goes to the pub for a birthday drink. Viewers can find out what happens on Wednesday February 25.
Paddy Kehoe
