Coronation Street

Police have dismissed claims in The Sun this morning that Coronation Street's live show will be targeted by Al-Qaeda.

The force says it has not received any word of a threat by Muslim fanatics or any other terrorist organisation.

The downmarket tabloid reported today that police were "throwing a ring of steel" around the live epidode, having been "tipped off that the ITV1 soap's historic 50th anniversary broadcast from Manchester could be hit by a terror strike.

Despite The Sun quoting from an unnamed police source who appeared to confirm the threat, Superintendent Jim Liggett, said: "I want to clarify that we have categorically not been made aware of any threat from Al-Qaeda or any other proscribed organisation.

"Quite simply, Granada approached GMP to inform us they were employing a private security firm to help ensure tonight's live programme went ahead without outside interference.

"As part of their operation they asked for police assistance and we agreed to deploy a very small number of officers and PCSOs to help patrol the set's perimeter fence.

"This small police operation will be paid for by Granada and will not cost taxpayers a extra penny. "

3 - it's a treat for the viewers to see something that doesn't happed often

So you really saying that if they would have made a mistke that would have been better

My point is that if it looks and feels exactly like a normal episode then there's no point in doing it live.

I did enjoy last night's live episode: so 'three cheers' to the crew and cast for carrying it out perfectly (or without any visible mishaps, at least).

I did wonder about Sally, and the lack of a 'hard hat', especially after it'd been mentioned by the Firefighter as he led her into the collapsing building. However I, as like many others, were prepared to suspend some belief during the programme.

I did become concerned about whether Molly (Vicky Binns) and Peter (Chris Gascoyne) were in danger of hyperventilating as they wheezed and gasped their way through their scenes. But I'm sure someone thought of that beforehand, despite it making me feel quite breathless just watching.

Loved the live episode last night! Fantastic acting from all the cast involved, especially from especially from Vicky Binns (Molly) and Jennie McAlpine (Fiz). The fact that it could have been viewed as a normal, non-live episode proves just how talented the actors and actresses are

Coronation Street, ITV1, 8pm – the live hour-long edition of the ITV1 soap to mark its 50th birthday averaged 14.027 million viewers , a 52.1% share of the audience, between 8pm and 9pm, of whom 631,000 were watching on ITV1 HD.

The soap special peaked with 14.230 million for its final 15 minutes, and had a five-minute peak of 14.9 million, according to ITV.

It was the most-watched episode of Coronation Street for seven years, and up on the 12.902 million viewers who watched the tram crash episode which opened the soap's "Corriegedden week" on Monday.

Another 2.038 million (14.1%) watched a repeat of the live show on ITV1 at 10.35pm.

Coronation Street predictably had the better of BBC1's The Apprentice: the Final Five, which profiled the remaining candidates on the Lord Sugar business show. It had just 2.527 million viewers, a 9.4% share of the audience between 8pm and 9pm.

Coronation Street: 50 Years, 50 Moments, ITV1, 9pm – the second half of the soap nostalgia fest averaged 6.806 million.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/10/ratings-coronation-street-live