Coronation Street’s Paula Lane tells Soaplife about Kylie’s new friend, Freddie – and the trouble caused by her old friend, Gemma
How does newcomer Freddie fit into Kylie’s life?
“She’s always done his wife Sadie’s nails. Freddie [Derek Griffiths] makes an appointment for a home manicure, which Kylie presumes is for Sadie. It is. But when Kylie arrives, she discovers that Sadie’s passed away and there she is, lying in a coffin! It’s a massive shock.”
Indeed! But she forms a bond with Freddie, doesn’t she?
“Yes. She finds she’s able to help Freddie. It gives her a purpose again. She sees someone who’s really struggling with their grief and, because she’s struggled with grief, but in a different way, she wants to try and help him. They have these lovely moments between them when they kind of take comfort in each other’s presence. It’s an unlikely friendship given the age gap, but there’s absolutely nothing untoward about it.”
Is Kylie surprised by how well they get on?
“Yes, but their friendship will be very important for both of them, I think. I’m not sure she’d get to the point of revealing the whole truth about Callum [Sean Ward] to Freddie, but she might if she was in utter dire straits…”
And Gemma could put Kylie there. Is that why she gets Gemma sacked?
“She can’t have her around, working in the salon, being a constant reminder of Callum. But Kylie makes David do the sacking. Gemma [Dolly-Rose Campbell] is really upset. She’s just been given this placement at the salon and now she’s lost it.”
Does Gemma realise Kylie’s behind her sacking?
“David [Jack P Shepherd] tells her that it was Kylie’s idea. Kylie knows Gemma will be mad at her.”
But Gemma only goes as far as the kebab shop, where she gets a job…
“And Kylie’s not happy. She may try to get Gemma sacked from there, too. It depends how troublesome Gemma turns out to be.”
How does Kylie feel about the Callum situation these days?
“It’s always there, bubbling away beneath the surface, but it’s getting easier and the family’s kind of moved on. There’s Sarah’s [Tina O’Brien] new baby to think about, too. Kylie feels helping there is perhaps a way of easing her guilt over Callum.”
Coronation Street, ITV
