Coronation Street spoilers follow.
Coronation Street‘s newest matriarch made a memorable entrance in Monday’s episode, as former EastEnders and Father Ted star Pauline McLynn made her first appearance as Maggie Driscoll. Maggie is the mum of fellow new character Ben, who’s taking over the Rovers Return with Eva Price.
When Maggie arrived at the pub, she dropped the bombshell that it was her money that allowed Ben to buy the business. We’re sure she’ll waste no time before lording it over the family during all the bickering and banter to come…
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We recently caught up with Pauline on set at Corrie to hear more about what’s to come for Maggie.
ITV
What were you told about Maggie when you joined the show?
“I was told she’s larger than life and gets on with everyone. Although obviously, there are family dynamics – in every family there are. And maybe at some stage, the carpet will be pulled from under everyone’s feet.
“Now that I’ve been filming for a while, I know that Maggie is fiercely loyal and protective of her family. There’ll be things happening over Christmas where you think: ‘Oh come on, that’s very bad behaviour at the very least!’
“Maggie likes to throw in the most outrageous things, just to see how far she can go. But often that line has been long passed! And she’ll say: ‘What’s the fuss about? You’re a bit touchy, aren’t you?’
“If you’re a certain age, you might feel you have a certain licence to act badly, you know? Because you’re the mammy.
“And, of course, she now has that thing she can hold over all the family and she uses that like a blunt instrument: ‘You’re only here because of my money. I own the place – you just work in it’. Which is a hard one for anyone to get over.”
What can you tell us about the dynamic between Maggie and Eva?
“In another life, Eva and Maggie would get on like a house on fire – if it weren’t for Eva being with one of Maggie’s beloved sons. Maggie has two sons – I haven’t met the other one yet, but I know he exists! Depending on what story needs to be told, we may meet him, we may not.
“But that’s the brilliant thing about Corrie: families, communities, all the politics of it. It’s a real privilege to be allowed to tell these stories.”
What will Maggie make of the Corrie regulars? Is there anyone she might be friends with?
“Everyone comes through The Rovers eventually, which is why it’s such a wonderful place for your character to live. Corrie does this wonderful thing where, as new characters are seated in, the legends appear.
“Barbara Knox came in and gave me what felt like a benediction. She said: ‘I think you’re going to do fine’. I was thrilled. I had to be careful not to dribble while standing there in front of Rita!
“There’s also a wonderful bit where Tracy Barlow behaves badly in the pub, and after she leaves, Maggie says: ‘I don’t know… there’s something about her that I like’. We’ll see if that goes anywhere! I think she sees a lot of herself in Tracy.”
ITV
Perhaps we could see Maggie and Evelyn together too?
“I think that might be on the cards! Dame Maureen’s returning soon. Right now we’re focused on establishing the family, but I’d love to see the two of them together.
“How would they get on? It’d be like The Odd Couple! I’d be gutted if I didn’t get a chance to have a go with all the icons before Maggie’s killed by a tram or something!”
How did you feel when you found out that you were being offered the part of Maggie?
“Just bewildered. I didn’t see this one coming down the line. I’m not one of those actors who has goals – or even ambition, really, if I’m honest! I tend to stagger from one thing to the next, depending on who wants me. I certainly didn’t have this on a list – as I don’t have a list! So this was huge.
“It was like: ‘What? Wait! Who? Say that again. Coronation Street are interested?’
“It turns out that one of my agents in London is a huge Corrie fan and had been in conversation with the casting directors. My agent, the casting director and the producer Kate Brooks hatched a plan – a whole load of women got together and said, ‘Hey, over here!'”
Had you ever auditioned for the show before?
“No, and now I wonder: ‘Why not?!’ But I’m glad it’s happened now. I get a proper go at playing one of those stalwart sorts of women, who’ve made the series as brilliant as it is.”
ITV
Maggie is a different type of character to the one you played on EastEnders, isn’t she?
“Yes – and a very different working arrangement too. I had a lovely time on EastEnders, but I wasn’t there for long, and it was quite a few years ago. I did a lot of scenes with an elderly actress who’s an absolute icon, but she would often come in having cut most of the script, saying: ‘No, my character wouldn’t say that’. She once said to me: ‘I’m surprised I’m not doing more with you’. I said, ‘Well, they are trying!’ (Laughs.)
“It was wonderful, but not at all like here. This is the first time I’ve ever walked into a place and felt immediately at home, immediately part of the family. I feel, in the best way, like I’ve been here longer than I have.
“Things are getting a bit itchy now because it’s my honeymoon period – we’re about 10 to 12 weeks ahead with the stories. Nobody knows anything about what’s to come, but once we’re on screen, I presume all hell will break loose – fans liking it or not liking it and all that!”
How have you been feeling as your first episode approached?
“I’ve been getting really nervous about it, because it’s such a huge responsibility – not only to be in the long line of strong women, especially older women. Nobody’s washed up in Corrie because they’re over 40 – that’s when life begins for the characters! There’s the responsibility of that.
“But also of how big the show is in people’s lives, both here and in Ireland. The pace is blistering, and the expectation is enormous. I had to have a little chat with myself and say: ‘Make sure every day is a 110% day – or else!'”
Were you pleased to come in as part of a clan, rather than alone?
“Incredible! I didn’t even realise at the time, but after day one I thought: ‘This is great – I’m part of a group’. We never had to discuss what the dynamic was – it was just there from the start. We felt like a family right away. That’s such a nicer way to join a long-running series.
“My first scene was in Roy’s Rolls with the amazing Peter Gunn and the magnificent David Neilson. It wasn’t with the family. But they were so lovely and we had such a lovely morning.
“Then I went on to scenes for two other episodes, and I have to say that I’m glad there’s always an adult in charge! I mean, I released myself from filming two days ago. I thought, ‘That’s me done for the day,’ and I was nearly home when they called and said, ‘We’re ready for you now’ – and I was, like, ‘Whaaaat!’. Lucky I wasn’t on a plane back to Dublin!”
Do you still get recognised for Father Ted?
“Television is the most powerful medium there is – everyone’s got a screen nearby. Oddly enough, during my first week here, nobody mentioned Father Ted at all, which is fine. Why should they? I began to think that maybe nobody had seen it!
“Then one day, during a rehearsal, I came into the back room where Glenda and Debbie were on their break and said: ‘Are you having your break here? Great. Can I get you a snack? A cup of tea? Ah, go on…’
“It was just for fun while we were running our lines and suddenly I heard the crew whisper, ‘She’s doing it!’ I said, ‘I know that’s not in the script, but I thought we’d better get it out of the way!'”
Are you ready for the fresh round of recognition that will come with Corrie?
“It’s lovely, really. When you join something as huge as Coronation Street, you just don’t want to mess it up. You want everyone – the cast, crew, fans – to be proud. If not, I’ll just blame everyone else: ‘They made me look bad! I was just trying my best! They didn’t put the camera on me for the good bit!’ (Laughs.)
“And that’s not true, actually. There’s three cameras on you at all times, so if they don’t get the shot it means it really wasn’t great!”
Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and streams on ITVX.
Read more Coronation Street spoilers on our dedicated homepage
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