Coronation Street boss Iain MacLeod vows he wont change the soap as he praises Kate Oates

New Coronation Street boss Iain MacLeod has dismissed claims that Kate Oates storylines were too dark on the soap and has insisted that he wont be changing the recipe for the show that has withstood the test of time on UK television.

Iain, who previously took over from Kate on Emmerdale, pointed out that the show has always tackled issues like suicide, death and sexual assault in plots that have dated back as far as the 1960s. He explained to us that the key is ensuring that there is a balance – but he accepted that he would never be able to please the full audience all of the time.

Speaking to us at a recent event, Iain shared: As a viewer, Ill lay my cards on the table, Kates a friend of mine and shes extraordinarily talented woman, very intelligent, very capable, very good storyteller and I think she, in her time on this show, told some massively socially important stories that changed peoples lives. Thats not perhaps the reason people tune into Coronation Street, but it shouldnt be sniffed at and the viewing figures speak for themselves. I think a lot of what she did was challenging, but it was massively successful in terms of audience reaction and also the social responsibility of what we do.

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I think Corries also always, or since very early in its life, has done big dark stories. Its visited since the early 60s some kind of darker corners of human existence and Im a fan of the show first and foremost and also something of a student of the show and I sat down anticipating this question and thinking about all the things that Corries done since the dawn of time and they dealt with suicide in 1963 for example. Val Barlow was kidnapped and held hostage by a convicted sex offender who used her children as leverage to get his way with her. They did their first train crash in 1967, into the 70s, Deidre was sexually assaulted when she was with Ray Langton.

Theres a risk that we look back and have this nostalgic view that Corries always been people wittering over the fence. When actually, its always been quite challenging really. So, I dont think theres anything wrong with that. The key is to achieve a balance really which I think is the main thing Im keen to do which is when we do go into those darker areas, all those more hard-hitting, grittier areas, is that we find balance in the show. We give fans of comedy something to latch onto as well, but I wouldnt say Kates stories were too dark, at all. I think Corries always done that.

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So, I dont think people will see a change in the tone of the show when my name appears on the end of the credits, itll be as its always been on Corrie, evolution from one phase to the next and only an idiot would come in and think lets rebrief anything, lets turn it into something different, lets rip up the rule book or try and try and somehow change the DNA of the show. Corries done very well for nearly 60 years before I got here and itll hopefully continue to do really well 60 years after Ive gone. And therefore, Im the custodian of that DNA and that tone, so no, I dont intend to do anything radically different really. If Im going to do anything, its to focus on balancing any dark stuff with lighter stuff and with comedy and with character which is what people first fell in love with about Corrie. Including myself.

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