Alison King Fans

Calling all 'Coronation Street' / Carla Connor Fans:

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It’s a Corrie based fan account run by three people. There will be links to Corrie FanFiction, Poetry, Photo edits, Videos and other fangirl-y stuff. :)

We knew this new, virtuous, nearly nauseating Peter wouldn't last, and could see that his demons would return to haunt him...

And it's all because Carla's business is booming - and Peter's is sinking. He needs to find a fix, but this time he doesn't look for the answers to his problems in a bottle... he turns to gambling.

Peter offers punters the best odds in town, and gets addicted to the adrenaline rush of customers making big bets: because if they lose big then Peter will win big.

But what if they win?

That's what Carla wants to know. She thinks Peter could gamble away his business (of course, he could!) and that's not a risk she wants to take.

But Peter's all about taking risks and he doesn't want to listen to Carla... so he moves out. Now he risks losing everything - Carla, the bookies, his home...

Is gambling the addiction that will finish Peter off?

Kym Lomas and Alison King tell TV Times what makes Carla and Michelle - or 'Carchelle' as Corrie fans have dubbed them - so close...

Sisters-in-law are doing it for themselves in Weatherfield. Business is booming at the factory with Michelle and Carla at the helm and, this week, they celebrate their success.

But while the women are at the top of their game, Carla's brother Rob and boyfriend Peter are more like Laurel and Hardy, with Rob determined to destroy Peter, who seems intent on ruining the bookies by himself. We spoke to Kym Lomas and Alison King, who play Michelle and Carla, about playing soap's most powerful female duo...

What makes Michelle and Carla such a successful team?

Alison: Michelle is super-efficient and always has Carla's back, and Carla has the ability to deal with three things at once. The fact that they care about one another so much underlines it all.

Kym: They've got history. People forget that Carla was married to Michelle's older brother. They grew up together and know each other inside out. Because of that, they're able to offer the right support when the other needs it. They would annihilate anyone who tried to hurt the other.

We hear that viewers love them as a team...

Alison: Yes, there's this fansite where they call us Carchelle. I don't do twitter, but Kym does, and she shows me what people are saying. It's hilarious.

Kym: I put this picture of Alison and me up on Twitter and called it Carchelle, and they went mad!

What do the pair make of the feud between Rob and Peter?

Alison: They want their heads banging together, those two! It's exhausting for Carla, and it hurts her. She goes round and round in circles with them. She thought that bringing Rob into the bookies would spark a friendship, but it's not to be.

Kym: Michelle likes it because she hates Rob so much. He stitched her up and tried to get her out of the way and she hasn't forgiven him. She loves the fact they've fallen out and would back Peter any time.

What is their take on the mess Peter is making with the bookies?

Alison: Carla hasn't really got her eye on the ball. She has dealt with her brother and is finally on top of the factory, and the last thing she expects is for Peter to be in such financial trouble. When he tells her about the 'competitive' odds he's going to offer people, she doesn't really understand it. Carla's desperate to put Peter on a pedestal, but he's not scrambling onto it!

Kym: When Steve tells Michelle about Peter's scheme to offer silly odds, she's shocked and tries to tell Carla. She doesn't want Carla to be made a fool of and she's worried that the factory might get dragged down because there's a danger of Peter losing everything.

Would you want to be a businesswoman in real life?

Alison: No, it's my worst nightmare. I'm not good with figures. I was the total non-academic artistic type at school. It would frighten the living day lights out of me.

Kym: I've just gone into business with my husband, actor Jamie Lomas, and a couple who run Entertainment Today in Manchester. We're providing celebrities for personal appearances and I'm very excited about it. We had a big launch recently and have been inundated with calls.

Do you two enjoy working with one another?

Alison: We're really close mates and we laugh all day in that factory office. We call each other 'mummy' at work because we have each other's back. Kym has become one of my best friends and I think the chemistry between us is evident between Carla and Michelle.

Kym: I love working with Alison. We know each other inside out and we're very silly together.

Do you see each other socially?

Alison: We meet up a lot, and this year we're going on holiday together for the first time. Kym and I have been through a lot together and that's brought us closer.

Kym: It's going to be a great holiday as Alison and I like the same things and always have a giggle. My son David, who's 18, and daughter Emily, 15, are coming too. David wanted to have a last holiday with me, but knew that, if my youngest, Polly, came, my attention would be on her because she's only two. Alison is coming on her own and Jamie is looking after Polly, so we'll get some grown-up time. We can sit around and do nothing. I can't wait.

What is Alison/Kym's most annoying habit?

Alison: She's always making me laugh. When I go wrong, she can't help but laugh. I can't think of anything really annoying - Kym is always talking about her family, but I love that. She's really family orientated and is the sort of person who can cheer you up in a second.