The Manchester Evening News made a Coronation Street cameo in Sunday night's hour-long episode as Laura Neelan read our article about the soap.
Kelly Neelan's abusive mother, played by Kel Allen, arrived back in Weatherfield last month to reveal that she was dying of stomach cancer and had only months left to live.
Since then a shattered Kelly has been secretly looking after her mum while juggling shifts at the barbers Trim Up North.
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On Sunday night Laura was seen lying on the settee with some reading material, and eagle-eyed fans spotted she had open a story from the M.E.N about the long-running soap.
Fans clocked that the article, from April 2018, was about a heartfelt open letter written to the show’s producer Iain MacLeod as he took over from Kate Oates who had been at the helm for two years.
Viewer Karen Selfridge took to the M.E.N. Coronation Street Facebook page expressing her wishes for his tenure, calling on Iain to bring wit to the world’s longest running soap while giving lifelong fans an insight into 'residents' heads, not their bedrooms.'
Karen also called for 'more substance of character and less sensationalism for ratings.'
And she pleaded for 'fewer scenes of drug addicts shooting up in church', referring to vicar Billy Mayhew taking heroin slumped next to the pews in February 2018 which prompted complaints to Ofcom.
Four years on, in other scenes screened on Sunday, viewers complained as relapsed addict Abi Franklin was seen high on drugs with her drug dealer who snorted a substance at 13 Coronation Street.
The Talk of the Street podcast tweeted a screenshot of Laura with the article.
And @smugdenn replied: "An interesting way to break the fourth wall tbf."
Viewer Karen wrote to Iain: “Welcome! I hope you’ve taken the time to research and understand Tony Warren’s vision for the show, as well as watched episodes from every year since.
“We lifelong fans want to get into the residents' heads, not their bedrooms. We often look to our favorite character(s) for inspiration, for how they handle a situation in life we are also likely to find ourselves in."
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She continued: "We long for balance; laughter and tears. Please show us your wit, and pay homage to our beloved past characters. "More substance of character and less sensationalism for ratings would go far.
“We’re counting on you to make Corrie the number one show it was in the past with drama, not bloodshed. We know the world is a messed up place and we look to Corrie for diversion if not outright escape.
"So please, fewer scenes of drug addicts shooting up in church, and more old friends sneaking a drink in the ladies room. Thank you and best of luck with your new baby.
“P.S. This letter reflects the opinions of my friends and I, and is not intended to speak for everyone.”
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