Coronation Street

They had to flag the Aidan storyline up though - I mean the reaction to Phelan killing Andy was strong enough, it'd be 10x worse if you suddenly had a suicide unannounced. Particularly as some like that would make viewers uncomfortable (particularly those who have mental health issues or have attempted suicide or have a loved one who has) - it would've been crass and done for shock value and the furore afterwards would totally have overshadowed what the storyline was actually about which was encouraging people to open up about mental health. The way that story was paced was pretty much perfect.

And there are certainly occasions where Corrie has kept things under wraps (or have gone to great lengths to at least) - Rob's escape from prison, Denise's return and Andy still being alive all spring to mind.

In terms of Oates's time at Corrie, I do think the 'What do you think of Oates's work thread' on the other forum is worth a thread - some really interesting posts in there that go beyond 'It's not Classic Corrie' and that thread started pretty soon after she did.
Her reign hasn't been perfect and she has run through stories at a rate of knots at times and gone sensationalist but the characterisation while still not perfect has been better in the last 2 years than for most of the past decade (even if there is still the odd character transplant) and there's definetely been some good points from her time - the new additions have mostly been great for one and settled right into the Street especially compared to the some of the characters introduced by the previous producer.

The fact too the Beeb were so quick to take Oates on after she left Coronation Street shows she's obviously doing something right or that the Emmerdale, Corrie and Eastenders bosses don't have a clue - one of the two.

Denise's return leaked just before it aired didnt it? And wasnt that hard to guess anyway.
No way was Aiden's suicide going to be able air unannounced- maybe if it aired in January 2017 before the complaints really started but by then all the headlines would have been about the complaints and it would have overshadows the storyline.

I remember Peter being in bed with Toyah a couple of Christmases ago being a shock in our household. I think they have been better more recently at keeping some big shocks under wraps.

Some really interesting points in this thread, and I can’t really articulate any better argument than those that have been made. As many have said in the past, going from five to six episodes would never improve quality; it always felt it needed to return to four.

Didn't they keep it under wraps about Andy being alive and the Luke getting killed off?

I do think a lot of the characters are better under Kate as we had the awful Mandy and her daughter with Lloyd etc but then I think Jude and his wife could do with being shoved under a bus I do think we need a few people getting killed off some how, Toyah maybe and I'll get a lot of stick but Izzy is awful as well.

Not forgetting Kal, Sharif, Andrea, Joni (that character Sarah Harding played), Caz etc.

Jude has certainly been a misfire but offset by some of the successes - the likes of Shona, Abi, Ali, Imran, Seb have all fitted in really well.

Izzy's responsible for one of my absolute favourite Corrie moments. I was in stitches watching this the first time.

Many who have attempted suicide or had a family member who has lost a friend or relative to suicide would have all the grief and horror they've experienced brought back to them if they're watching Corrie and they suddenly see Aidan commit suicide. It would've been a vile thing for Corrie to do. Soaps have to handle things like rape, suicide etc. sensitively and carefully.
I remember over on a DS thread about it, posters saying they were glad to know it in advance and to have the option of whether to watch or not.

ITV did do a lot on mental health anyway around then - there was the aftermath of David's rape around then focusing on his mental health and also segments on shows like This Morning talking about mental health (with models standing on top of ITV Studios)

But it also wasn't out of the blue nor done for shock value.



To entertain its audience, largely - not to shock and offend (a subset of) them or to be gratuitous in their depictions.

If you want gritty realism (and swear words, tart notwithstanding) you'll find it after 9pm.

We're using DS as a barometer of sound opinion now then? God preserve us.

I mean, unless there's a very clever twist, that might be the point where I actually give it up altogether!

The thread I was referring to was the above:
https://forums.digitalspy.com/discussion/2272644/corrie-aidens-exit-suicide-discussion-thread/p1

Which I think was quite a good thread - people discussing both the storylines and being open about their mental health experiences and supporting others. The thread was even explicitly praised by Sally Ann Matthews (Jenny Bradley/Connor) so I'd say it probably was a good thread.

I'll be honest I'm never really got the animosity between TVF and DS - yes there are some trolls at times over on DS and people who come up with absolute nonsense but then you don't to try too hard to find nonsense at times on here too (Piers Morgan hosting News At 10 anyone? and not forgetting the 'Newsreaders wearing black' thread) and there have been page-long arguments on here in the past as bad as those on DS. Both TVF and DS have their plusses and minuses but the sniping as if all of DS is a giant cesspit is a bit tiresome really and this place is much better than that sort of sniping.