There is a decade-long plan for the loveable pair!
Isabella Flanagan’s and Sam Blakeman’s young characters Hope Stape and Sam Blakeman are in for a big future on the ITV soap, according to Corrie creator Iain MacLeod (Jude Riordan).
Currently close friends in Coronation Street, Hope and Sam are an odd couple because Sam is quiet and reserved and Hope is a cheeky troublemaker. But MacLeod has promised that love is on the horizon.
On Wednesday, February 15, 2023, the show’s producer made an appearance on ITV’s Loose Women. While there, he discussed Max Turner’s (Paddy Bever) bright future, teased Daisy Midgeley’s (Charlotte Jordan) impending wedding to Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard), and disclosed Fiz Dobbs’ temporary departure.
When asked about Hope’s recent course, MacLeod responded, “She’s definitely not going to continue going down such a troubled path in the short, to medium, to long-term. We reasoned that since we had done some extremely sinister and dark things with that character, those things would still be a part of her.
However, for the next 12 months, we’ll engage in typical pre-teen activities. We’ll develop a friendship with her and Sam that will err on the side of an innocent pre-teen romance. They try and navigate those waters, the first time you have a crush on somebody else.”
MacLeod continued, “Of course, it won’t be quite as simple because this is Hope we’re talking about. While praising star Flanagan, he was quick to note that it was time to slow things down with the character.
“Yes, okay, there will always be a Hope twist because she might be a little bit wired differently than most kids her age. She might not receive assistance, but we will get to see a more realistic, grounded side of her.
“There’s a risk with any character that’s that brilliant – and Isabella’s such a good actor as well – that you kind of burn them out by having them do too much big, crazy stuff; and if we’re lucky, God willing, we’ll have her for years and years to come. So it felt like actually, we can just take our foot off the gas a little bit, and just let her grow into a normal-ish teenage girl.”
He ended by disclosing the unexpected source of Hope and Sam’s relationship on Coronation Street—another legendary ITV couple!
“With Hope and Sam, we’re using PJ and Duncan – Ant and Dec as a kind of benchmark. What if we can take these two kids who are like, 10, and grow them for a decade into this incredibly rich friendship?
Those two actors are clearly so talented; if they continue in this path, they may make it to Hollywood by the age of 14! However, we’ll try to PJ and Duncan them up if we can keep them! “
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