Latest news with #GrassRoots
Daily Mirror
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Corrie's heartbreaking Mason storyline nearly had very different ending
The teen was stabbed to death by his own brothers, but Coronation Street's writer Joe Parkinson has admitted he initially planned that fate for someone else Coronation Street writer Joe Parkinson has revealed that Mason Radcliffe's tragic death could have played out very differently, as earlier versions of the plot involved a shocking twist that was eventually scrapped. Mason was killed off earlier this year in a devastating storyline that tackled the real-world issue of knife crime. After a troubled past that saw him threaten Liam Connor with a knife, Mason had been turning his life around. He served his time in prison and was preparing to leave Weatherfield for a fresh start with a job opportunity in Germany. Before his departure, the reformed teen agreed to help DS Swain by providing evidence against his brothers, Matty and Logan, who she believed were responsible for the death of her wife, Becky. But his cooperation proved fatal. Matty and Logan cornered Mason in a park for a violent revenge attack. Dylan Wilson attempted to intervene, but when his zombie knife was wrestled away, the brothers used it to fatally stab Mason. While at the Royal Television Society's Deep Dive: Writing for Soap event, Parkinson revealed that this shocking character arc was not the original plan for Mason. He said the storyline was originally centred around Liam's experience with bullying, and got "put off for a long time". He added: "I pitched it with another writer and it never seemed like the right moment. Originally, it was, I think, Liam stabbing Dylan and we didn't want to do that with either character at the time. "Then it became Mason, so that was another thing that we sort of refined and refined over months with story conference until it became what you saw on screen." In the final version of the story, Dylan was sent to a Secure Training Centre, while Matty and Logan were jailed for Mason's murder. Soap star Luca Toolan, who played Mason, has embraced a new chapter of his life since leaving Coronation Street. The 21-year-old has launched a career in teaching and is now hosting acting classes with Bee Rogue Talent. He recently posted on social media, telling fans: "I am keeping myself busy as best as possible and I am running some acting classes. It is going to be great and we are going to do a lot of script analysis, improvisation, character development and learning and teaching the craft of acting." Fans congratulated him after the announcement, with one saying: "Congratulations hunnie you gonna smash this out the park." During his goodbye speech after leaving Coronation Street, the actor told viewers: "Thank you. What an honour and privilege it's been to be a part of this show, and to be trusted with this story. Truly." He is now also set to appear in a new comedy pilot titled Grass Roots, which will feature him alongside his father, radio host Mike Toolan, and Loose Women star Sheree Murphy.
The Guardian
29-01-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Rick Seccombe obituary
My partner Rick Seccombe, who has died of oesophageal cancer aged 74, lived his life according to his convictions and was known for his kindness and generosity. He was a radical bookseller and community activist, committed to working to bring about change. He campaigned for CND and supported nonviolent direct action against American cruise missiles stationed in the UK in the 1980s. In 1990 he co-founded the One World festival in New Mills, Derbyshire, dedicated to international peace and environmental issues. Until recently he was a trustee of the Omega Research Foundation, which tracks the development and trade of weapons and equipment misused for torture. He was also a staunch environmentalist long before the world started talking about climate change, recycling and sustainability. A vegetarian, Rick gardened organically for decades and was involved in local initiatives, including setting up and becoming the first secretary of the New Mills Allotment and Gardening Society in 2005. Rick was born in Manchester, to Mary (nee Chrisp), a teacher, and Geoffrey Seccombe, an electrical engineer. He went to De La Salle grammar school in Salford, and then to St Ignatius school in Stamford Hill, London; while he was a student at Manchester University, studying chemistry and metallurgy in the late 1960s, he was inspired by progressive ideas. We met in Manchester in the 80s. After university Rick worked in co-operatives and not-for-profit organisations. In the 70s he became involved in the collective that developed the Grass Roots radical bookshop in Manchester, which was a regional leader in addressing race, gender and class politics. Grass Roots became the largest such establishment outside London. He later joined the Scottish and Northern Book Distribution co-operative and in 1990 he co-founded Frontline Books in Manchester. In 2019 he also co-founded the Radical History Bookselling Project. In 1988 we settled in New Mills, Derbyshire. Rick worked for more than 20 years as the administrator at both High Peak Community Arts in New Mills and the Manchester Area Resource Centre, community organisations that rely on excellent business skills to survive. He was described as 'the rock around which others could safely navigate the highs and lows', keeping the show on the road through challenging times. Rick led an active life. He enjoyed reading, cycling and walking. After receiving a terminal diagnosis, it was a measure of his outlook on life that in the year that followed he said he felt fortunate to have reached the age he had in good health. He is survived by me, our children, Nic and Isla, and his brother, Pete.
