FRIDAY M.E.N. JUNE 8, 2007 EAT & DRINK CITYLIFE « 15

IN THE FRAME Steve Frost tells Steph Elmore the decision to drop several cast members was made before he joined Coronation Street. He has gone on » to produce many award-winning storylines, including Tracy’s murder of the bullying Charlie Stubbs, below Warming to the Iceman Corrie producer Steve Frost chats over lunch about ‘that’ reputation, why he doesn’t like watching his work, and the soap’s new villains

ORONATION Street producer have Suranne back! Whenever I see I couldn’t let him finish lunch Steve Frost was labelled the her, I always ask her when she is free! without asking who is going to be the CIceman when several cast Table Talk Obviously, she is very busy.” new villain now Charlie Stubbs has members were axed on his arrival 18 Does he think Coronation Street is been killed off? months ago, but he has helped the a true reflection of modern Salford? “David Platt is one to watch out show secure a clutch of prizes at this WITH STEPH ELMORE “It can never be a true for. He will be the constant thorn in year’s British Soap Awards. representation. We have to keep a the Platt family’s side as his teenage Corrie won best soap and six other regional flavour, yet not too literally. angst develops. Also, the seemingly awards, including best storyline for went into a drama job as a script With 12 million people watching, we sweet teacher, John Stape who has the explosive plot which saw Tracy editor and then to producer.” have got to keep a broad-based re-ignited Fizz’s affections may not take revenge on cheating Charlie. So are awards like the Baftas and appeal,” he admits. be as sweet as he makes out and may Steve was also the producer at the British Soap Awards important to With that in mind, does he feel a cause some havoc.” Emmerdale, where he transformed Steve? He insists they aren’t. “I have responsibility as a producer of a Steve says producers have a shelf the once sleepy Yorkshire village by to admit I was surprised when show that can transform the way life in soap and whether he’s a introducing the likes of Patsy Kensit Casualty won best continuing drama people think, socially and morally? “I diehard fan or not, soap would to the show, but he admits he is no at the Baftas the other week. But always feel a responsibility but it certainly be a duller place without soap fan. that’s not a public vote, they are voted doesn’t mean we can’t do him! “Some people are diehard fans, for by Bafta members. They are an controversial, we just can’t ------but I’m not,” he says. “Having a honour, but you don’t do soap for misrepresent it. We recently made a » River Restaurant, Lowry Hotel, dispassionate view allows me to stand critical acclaim or artistic triumph. decision to change the storyline of Salford (0161 827 4041, back and be objective about You want to win when there is a the kidnap of Freddie Peacock, which thelowryhotel.com). storylines. Plus, I’ll leave the room if measure of the viewers’ interest.” we had already started to film as it it’s on, because I’ll end up seeing Steve says his Iceman reputation was disturbingly close to the something that I’d wished I’d have was slightly “unfair” as the decisions Madeleine McCann case.” done differently.” to axe cast members were made He is also sceptical about soaps We meet at the Lowry Hotel’s before he joined, and he brought using ‘non-actors’, such as former River Restaurant, one of Steve’s back loudmouth Janice Battersby Page 3 model Linda Lusardi in favourites, where Steve opts for who was part of that cull. “I think she Emmerdale, to boost ratings. seabass and I for the fish and chips – represents the north west working “I hate using celebrities for though I did toy with the idea of ‘hot class woman, and that’s what celebrity sake. Sometimes agents call pot’ in deference to the Rover’s Coronation Street represents. You me and say we have a celebrity that famous dish. would expect to meet Janice down would be good for your show. I say Steve is from the East Midlands, is your local,” he says. well we have 50 actors with the in his mid-thirties, and studied He believes people love strong highest profile in the UK already so English Literature at Cambridge Northern women and the no one is really going to increase the University. I ask him how he ended ‘superbitch’ character: “They are the profile any more.” up as one of soap’s top producers. types that say the things other So what about Kym Ryder, a “I wanted to be a writer in drama women wish they could have said.” former reality TV popstar? “Kym is a but I wasn’t that good at it. I started So with Tracy Barlow behind bars great actress, but then she had in TV as a runner on music videos, would he like to see a return from studied performing arts. She wasn’t then as an assistant director and Karen McDonald? “I would love to just a celebrity trying to act.”