Hello Henry

Eva and Rita when Henry walks in the Rovers on Tuesday with a great big bouquet of flowers. Wow – even better than they’d expected.

Actually, they didn’t expect he’d show up for Gemma at all. Rita had just being sharing the wisdom of her years, warning Gemma about great expectations and cads. Don’t get upset but don’t expect to see him again either.

But there he is, with brolly and flowers, oozing charm, and asking Gemma out. That was one big surprise for Eva and Rita. Plus he’s at least as good looking as Gemma said, and his charm seems genuine.

My Fair Lady moment

And now back to regularly scheduled Corrie. Because this story isn’t it. Another interlude, I think. Filler, perhaps designed to be one of the light-hearted stories and character exploration promised with the addition of a sixth weekly episode.

With our regular characters? Lots of stuff – some sad, some nasty, some you need a score card to keep track of. Too much to care really about any of it.

So this tiny scene was the best of it all. It’s Rita and Eva of course, who can convey miles of emotion and information with the widening of an eye. Gemma too, who can easily hold her own with them. Henry? Yes, he’ll do nicely, I think. But…

Henry and Gemma. Henry Newton – heir to the Newton & Ridley brewery empire. Gemma – a few steps down the social ladder from even Coronation Street. A Cinderella story. I didn’t have to think of that myself. Gemma’s shoe left at the party. Just in case you didn’t twig from that, Toyah named it when Gemma was at the Rovers telling the story of her posh party. And her posh guy is named Henry – as in Henry Higgins who fell in love with his rough-around-the-edges protégée Eliza Doolittle.

Even though I like them, I won’t be investing much in Henry and Gemma. Like Moira and Colin, it’s a side story that doesn’t fit in the fabric of the show.

• Scene of the Week 17 Dec. 2017 tells you how this worked out.