Corrie - Vicki Binns feature

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Vicky Binns - ‘I don’t have the patience to be glam’
By Rhiannon Vivian
24/07/2008
mirror.co.uk

Coronation Street’s Vicky Binns, 25, flaunts her new slinky body and reveals her unique way of keeping the pounds off, and her plans for tying the knot…

Vicky Binns is posing for the camera, resplendent in a cute pink prom dress and skyscraper platforms. She certainly looks great since losing 2 stone last year (and she’s got a mean pair of pins and nicely toned arms to boot – it’s all about the free weights, folks). But what would her Corrie alter-ego Molly Compton – she of the rather, er, practical togs – make of such glam attire? Well, for starters heels aren’t practical for the cobbles. And showing off that super slinky waist? Jack Duckworth’ll come over all unnecessary…

‘No matter what, Molly will never wear more than a small heel, and you’ll never get that rucksack off her either,’ laughs Vicky. ‘Even when she’s wearing a dress, which she did when Tyrone proposed to her last week, I still didn’t want her to look too glam. It’s much more fun to be un-trendy. And the amount of hours the other Corrie girls spend in make-up… I’d be exhausted. I’ve not got the patience.’

But since slimming from 10 stone to 7 stone, what used to be a miserable chore – namely retail therapy – is now a joyous jamboree for our Vick. She no longer feels like covering up (‘There was a long list of things I wanted to hide before…’), and her style has changed dramatically too. ‘I’m much more confident,’ she says. ‘Before it was like, “What can I cover up with?” Now I think, “What colours would be cool?” Of course, you still have to work with your shape. I’ll always be short – I’m five-foot-f***-all – so I can’t swamp myself in a maxi dress, for example. And I probably should wear heels more, but I think I’m getting a bit old and practical.’

But when it comes to slipping into a taffeta prom dress or a lycra LBD, she’s no longer shy… ‘Previously I wouldn’t have worn any of the dresses on this shoot,’ she says. ‘But now it’s fine. I’m really proud of my toned arms. And I guess the hemlines have risen a few extra inches too… Ha ha!’

Not that she’s had a chance to show off her killer bod in a bikini yet. ‘I need a proper summer holiday.I went to Egypt not so long ago, but it was bloody freezing. I’d shopped for little bikinis and shorts, and was thinking, “Yes, I can wear them!” But it was too cold. That was a let-down. I learned to dive that holiday, so I spent most of the time in a wetsuit. And I can honestly say, no matter what size you are, a wetsuit flatters no one. You can’t ever pull them up enough, so you end up with a really saggy crotch.’

Despite her dramatic weight loss, it’s refreshing to hear Vicky’s not a slave to the scales. ‘I’m probably around 7st 10lbs, but numbers shouldn’t matter,’ she says. Instead, she has a rather unusual method of knowing if she’s gained a pound or two. ‘I used to do gymnastics when I was younger and I’ve still got my old leotard,’ she says. ‘So the other day I tried it on for the first time in years and it fitted. I won’t be leaving the house in it any time soon, though.’

It’s either that or the silver hotpants she wore on the cover of her fitness DVD. ‘Those hotpants,’ she laughs. ‘Perhaps I should use them as a barometer instead of scales. I don’t carry them around in my handbag like I did when I was promoting the DVD. They’re a bit of a keepsake, I guess, but they’re not framed on my wall. I’ve not tried them on for a while actually.’

And despite the fact her Corrie character’s wardrobe might not be fabulously on-trend (or include hotpants or leotards), we’ll soon see Molly as a vision in white when she (hopefully) ties the knot with Tyrone. 'It will be great fun,’ she laughs. ‘It’s bizarre. I’ll choose a wedding dress, someone will choose a venue – and at the end of it I don’t have to really be married. Alan Halsall (Tyrone) is engaged in real life, so on-set he’s getting Molly talking about weddings, and when he goes home he gets his real life fiancée Lucy-Jo (Hudson, ex-Corrie’s Katy) talking weddings too. He’ll probably be going crazy soon.’

And while her alter-ego may be all set to glide up the aisle, Vicky is in no hurry to find Mr Right, let alone get hitched. ‘I am single and very happy,’ she declares. ‘I’m honestly in no rush to find someone. I only moved to Manchester recently, so I feel like I want at least a year to myself. I’m only 25. I have my own flat, job, my own money and car – I’m totally self sufficient. Having said that, I’d quite like a house husband in the future. He could look after the kids and I’d go to work.’

Sounds like a genius plan to us…

Diet queen

‘When I occasionally fall off the wagon with food, it’s because I’m hung over. Then it’s Pizza Express pizzas and dough balls. Greasy garbage, basically. Normally I’m very good. We have catering on Corrie, but it’s quite stodgy – you just have to walk away from all that. I don’t eat sugar either, it’s too addictive. The minute I start I’m back in the groove of it, biscuits and all.’

Weighty issue

‘I wouldn’t judge if someone put weight back on after losing it, like Natalie Cassidy. She was very slim and it’s hard to maintain. I think she still looks great and she’s a brilliant actress. And if someone wants surgery to help lose weight, I wouldn’t judge either. You don’t know what’s happened to make them gain weight. Feeling happy is what’s important.’

Dating dramas

‘It’s hard to meet someone in a bar. You see them looking, they come over, but then they say, “Where’s Tyrone?” I’m like “Aah!” It’s second only to realising he’s looking at the girl behind you. I often get, “Oh, me Nana likes you.” Nana? Great. Being on TV can be quite an obstacle to meeting guys.

My perfect man is arty, scruffy, and wouldn’t like football. I wouldn’t say no to Dermot O’Leary, and I fancy Russell Brand too – but going out with him would be asking for disaster. Musicians are so attractive too. As soon as they pick up their guitar it’s like, “Oh, I forgive you everything!” I saw Marti Pellow play live and I’d never fancied him before, but he just had it. He was really sexy.’

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I had noticed recently that she was looking a good bit slimmer and better for it... good on her

[Twirley]

She's lovely and looks great at her new weight - her eyes are stunning.

[maycm]

I think she looks great too - but her eyes bug me for some reason. I always thought she might be wearing blue contacts and it wasn't her natural colour.

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I'm so in love but I'll never get married..
EXCLUSIVE ON VERGE OF MOLLY'S BIG DAY, STREET STAR TELLS THE PEOPLE ..
By Jon Wise Jon.Wise@People.Co.Uk

As Molly Compton she's poised to go down in Coronation Street history alongside greats such as Jack and Vera, Ken and Deirdre and Stan and Hilda. The sweet-natured shopgirl will walk down the aisle with her dopey fella, Tyrone Dobbs, tomorrow. But for actress Vicky Binns who plays Molly, the on-screen ceremony has made her vow: "I'll never get wed."

The 26-year-old told The People: "I have never hankered for getting married and this wedding confirmed it for me. It was so much faff. I just wanted to go to the toilet onmy own without having people to help me with the dress. It's tainted me." As well as being turned off matrimony, Vicky also revealed the pressure she felt at going through the Street's 73rd wedding in its near 50-year history.

She said: "A Corrie wedding is a monumental thing. You walk down the corridors at work and there's a picture of Rita at the altar from the filming of her wedding day so that really drives it home. It was just like filming an actual wedding, even the build-up to it. I had all the girls asking me if I was looking forward to my wedding and asking who was coming. That was people at work who know it's not a real wedding. I found myself looking at the front of the script to check who was coming so I could tell people. We filmed it over a week and it was absolutely freezing so it was hard to feel special. I was massively unsexy."

Vicky revealed how she called out to co-star Alan Halsall, 26, who plays plays mechanic Tyrone: "Hey Alan, look at this." Vicky says: "I hitched my skirt up and there were two layers of thermals and leg warmers. Alan said 'You've just let me down, that's not sexy'. "I look at that and think 'Couldn't be arsed'. The dress was beautiful but after a week I wanted to set it on fire. There's egg down it because I had my dinner in it, it's a mess. I am going to auction it off for charity."

But Vicky, born in Bury, Lancs, is still a romantic at heart. She has been dating a boyfriend, whom she refuses to name, for six months and is clearly hooked. "I'm so happy", she smiled as we chatted over lunch near studios in Manchester. "It's lovely and still very romantic. We gaze into each other's eyes and hold hands and don't argue and still like each other."

The actress met him at a fancy dress party thrown by co-star Kim Ryder last summer to celebrate her 32nd birthday. She said: "All the girls were going as sexy characters and I thought that wasn't very me. So I thought 'Sod it, I'll go as Marge Simpson'. And I managed to pull as Marge Simpson. All these years of make-up and my best clothes and 'Should I wear this dress' and stuff and it turned out all I had to do was yellow-up. I had a yellow face and yellow legs, and put on a big blue wig."

Vicky has been on TV since she was a teen alongside Alan Halsall in Children's Ward. She went on to play Ollie Reynolds in Emmerdale for four years and after two years in the theatre landed the role of Molly in 2006. Vicky and her boyfriend went on holiday when she was given a week off to coincide with the time Molly and Tyrone would be on honeymoon. Vicky said: "We laughed about that. I'm very happy to have met him.We don't live together, yet. That's probably why we are so romantic still."

Molly and Tyrone have been compared to Corrie greats Vera (Liz Dawn), who left last year, and Jack (Bill Tarmey). Vicky is still in touch with Liz, 69, and admits she misses her on set. She said: "We went out for lunch recently but she didn't give me any tips as she watches the show like a viewer now." But one thing Liz did teach Vicky was to grasp every opportunity. "She used to say that to me all the time, 'Don't turn anything down, take the money kid'." Vicky also enjoys the chance the Street has given her to help others.

She said: "I don't mean to sound like Mother Teresa but being able to do charity work makes it so worthwhile. I run a lot for Leukaemia Research. I also work with the Teenage Cancer Trust unit in Manchester." As well as acting, Vicky released a successful keep-fit DVD last year that helped her shed two stone. "Rosemary Conley I am not," she laughed. "I am pleased I did it, but I want to be known as an actress."

Vicky says she is very happy at Coronation Street and her personal life couldn't be better. Just don't ask her to get married...again.

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Interview: Vicky Binns of Coronation Street
20th January 2009
www.thelancasterandmorecambecitizen.co.uk

HOW many girls get to live out their fairytale wedding day, wear the dress, ride in a horse and carriage, be generally treated like a princess — and at the end of it all not have to be married at all? Lancashire actress Vicky Binns, who plays Molly Dobbs in Coronation Street, has done just that. She spoke to us about life on the Street, her amazing weight loss and her new love life away from Weatherfield.

AS Vicky Binns and Alan Halsall they’ve known each other since their early acting days on Children’s Ward — and this week, as Molly as Tyrone, they were married in the latest Weatherfield wedding. “We knew all along that the wedding day wouldn’t run smoothly, before we even got the scripts,” Vicky tells me. “They never do, do they? But we knew that it would be a lighthearted roller coaster ride because that is what suits Molly and Ty. Bless them, if everyone else just left them alone they’d be OK,” she said.

This week we’ve seen Molly and Tyrone tie the knot in a big white wedding, complete with all the trimmings, including the grand church and even a harpist. And, of course, there was the traditional reception in the Rovers Return and a few hiccups along the way, just to keep us guessing. But the Bury-born actress says it is not something she plans on repeating in her own life.

“For me, big weddings are such a charade,” says the 26-year-old. “Having to do things in a certain order and at a certain time, I mean why?! I always thought I wouldn’t want a big wedding like that and now it has confirmed it for me. I don’t even know if I’d ever get married at all.”

She continued: ”It’s that thing where you always have a better time at someone else's party rather than your own. It was a lot of fun though getting to design the dress and do the whole thing without having to actually be married afterwards,” she laughed. “Filming was funny, too, because we don’t film in order any more. I was in one set filming my hen do and next door filming me and Ty splitting up. You have to switch different emotions on and off pretty quickly,” she added.

A dress designer from Leeds, who is a friend of Vicky’s, created the dress and Vicky even got to enjoy the "honeymoon" with her new off-screen boyfriend — well, sort of. “Filming big storylines is so consuming,” she says. “You practically live at the studios. You are just there all the time. So after we’d finished all the filming I had a bit of time off and went straight on holiday to The Gambia with my boyfriend. I said 'It’s great, this. We actually get the honeymoon for real!”

Vicky met her new “romantic” boyfriend six months ago at a fancy dress party, where she was dressed as Marge Simpson. “If I knew all I had to do to meet someone was to yellow up I wouldn’t have bothered making an effort like girls do,” she joked.

But what does her new man think about her having an on-screen husband? “When you date an actor you have to accept that they are going to have on-screen relationships,” says Vicky. “So they have to just live with it. lt’s not a problem for us. And Molly and Tyrone aren’t exactly a sexy couple, so there’s no bedroom scenes. Maybe that’ll start now they’re married,” she giggled. “Plus we’re friends in real life, so it’s easier.”

Off screen, Vicky has been busy too. Last year she lost two-and-a-half stone in weight and dropped four dress sizes before releasing a fitness DVD, Dance It Off With Vicky Binns. But unlike most dieters, Vicky has managed to remain at her target weight one year on. “I did work really hard but it seems like such a long time ago now that its just not even an issue, which is great for me.” says Vicky. “I don’t have to give a thought about if something will suit me so much, or if it will hide something. I just wear it if I like it.” She added: “I keep motivated with my fitness. That's the main thing for me and I’m planning on doing a charity race with some Emmerdale, The Bill and Holby City actors soon.”

As we chat away she’s even more bubbly, if it’s possible, than her screen character Molly and it’s clear Vicky loves her day job, which is something of a dream come true. “I never had a specific ambition to be on Coronation Street.” she says. “But I always wanted to be an actress from being at school. And now that I’m here I sometimes can’t quite believe it. I started out on The Street as a butcher’s daughter with a three-month contract and now I’m in there with the Duckworth’s! When Liz Dawn (Vera Duckworth) left it was such a momentous time and I thought, how on earth have I become part of this, what am I doing here? I used to watch these people on the telly!”

Vicky revealed that Liz used to be a little hard of hearing and often missed her cue, which sparked the giggles. “It was so funny and it’s definitely different without her. We do miss he,” Vicky says. “But there are pictures up everywhere of her. She’s had such an amazing life and she deserves the break. But now when it goes wrong we don’t know who to blame.”

Before her Coronation Street days Vicky hit our screens as Ollie Reynolds in Emmerdale, with some pretty racy storylines. So which side of the Lancashire/Yorkshire border does she favour? Vicky says: “I learned so much on Emmerdale. You can’t buy the kind of experience I got there. "But there is something really special about Corrie. It is its history and its heritage. And I really like the way it’s written and the comedy elements it has.”

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Exclusive children's podcast from The Independent
1 April 2010
The Independent

In another outing for Suzie Pugh and Monster Too, The Independent is offering its readers a free Easter download for kids as the children’s audio adventure series Suzie Pugh and a Monster too continues with Suzie Pugh and the Magic Van, starring Coronation Street’s Vicky Binns.

When Suzie Pugh and her friend Smert from the plant Fmerg go for a day out, they are shocked to see a big angry man chasing them. Luckily Smert has a surprise for Suzie - the van is magic and it can take them anywhere!

Right-click here and click "Save target/link as..." to download

Vicky is best known for her role as Molly Dobbs in Coronation Street but before she set foot on the famous cobbles for the first time in 2005, she starred in Emmerdale where she played troubled teenager Ollie Reynolds for four years. Vicky is also an experienced theatre actress and has also starred in radio dramas for BBC Radio 4.