Corrie - John Stape and Rosie

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Bat out of hell
By Tony Stewart
Nov 1

Nobody could ever accuse disgraced English tutor John Stape of not having a perversely wicked sense of humour. Who else would imprison Dozy Rosie Webster with only a few classic novels to read – including Jane Eyre, featuring the unfortunate Mrs Rochester, better known as ‘the madwoman in the attic’? And yes, he is trying to tell her something. ‘The teacher in me just took over,’ he admits. ‘Felt like she needed to be taught a lesson… I was gunna let her go, but it’s not easy when you’ve got someone locked in yer gran’s attic.’

Blimey, you don’t say, mate. While the lights might be on upstairs in the isolated house, as far as Dozy Rosie’s concerned, nobody’s at home. For it took the cerebrally-challenged little minx the best part of five weeks to hatch an escape plan – only to fall off the wardrobe and knock herself out on Friday. Talk about bats in the belfry…

As we return to her ‘cell’ on Monday, she has regained consciousness, while Fiz and John return from their holiday. And he comes out with that immortal line… ‘Listen,’ he says, ‘I better pop round and feed the cat.’ Unfortunately, he’s sent off on an airport run and Fiz takes it on herself to tend to the moggy. And so begins an exciting race to get to John’s gran’s house first – with Rosie waiting with a length of wood, ready to clobber him.

‘Come on, Johnny boy,’ she hisses from her hiding place. ‘Time to check my homework.’

This is a classic Corrie cocktail of laugh-out-loud humour, drama, violence and tears as Fiz arrives just before John. ‘Here puss, puss, puss,’ she calls. ‘Come out, come out, wherever you are…’ John’s smacked over the head, Rosie escapes, Fiz is devastated, and the police arrest her fella. Let’s hope they have a big library at the prison. He’s going to need it.

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Coronation Street end of Graeme Hawley's career?
29 May 2011
thelist.co.uk

Graeme Hawley feels he has to leave 'Coronation Street' before script writers take his character ''too far'' and ''ruin'' his career. The crimes of the actor's character, evil killer John Stape, finally catch up with him on Friday (03.06.11) and Graeme is glad to be leaving before the show's writers take his storyline "too far".

He told the News Of The World: "I had an affair with a schoolgirl, kidnapped her, buried a colleague, killed an old lady and murdered an old friend. I loved the part, but you would worry it was going to far. I think if I had stayed too much longer it could have ruined my career. I feared the backlash of playing a murderer. Once the viewers start to hate a character then that's it, you don't get another job."

In a dramatic series of special shows this week, John admits to wife Fiz Brown (Jennie McAlpine) that he murdered Joy Fishwick. He also begs her to help when he learns the underwear factory where he buried her son, Colin – covering up his death form a heart attack – is to be dug up for drainage work. John then flees with their baby, Hope, and when Fiz gives chase she's run over. When he visits her in hospital, Fiz alerts the authorities, leading John to be chased to the hospital roof. Show bosses haven't said if he jumps or is arrested.

Graeme reckons the public still have sympathy for his character, but that it is wearing thin. He added: "I'm pleased I left while people still felt sorry for John. It could have been horrendous if they hadn't. I tried to keep the role funny, but in another six months viewers would have been fed up with him."

[SpursFan1902]

Graeme reckons wrong...I have no sympathy for John Stape, only for Fiz, whom I like but her voice sends me over the edge and that poor baby..Hope Stape...how could you do that to a baby. They couldn't have named her Faith??

[pirtybirdy]

Yeah, I don't feels sorry for John either. It all started because of his selfishness for wanting to be a teacher and feeling it's okay to break the law to fulfill that need by stealing someone's identity. After that, everything that has happened is because of his initial crime. I hope he does jump off a building or something. That would be a perfect end (in la la corrie land that is). lol