And Helen has become the envy of her classmates... because she gets to snog dishy actor Richard. She told me: "I was really nervous about our first big snog. But I've known Richard for a long time so we just got on with it. "When I first read the script that there was a love scene where I end up stripped down to my bra, I thought it was a wind-up. But those scenes were fun to do. I didn't find them awkward at all. Richard and I were really comfortable about it. I'm the envy of girls all around the country because I get to kiss him. When I'm going straight from school to the Granada Studios for filming I'll shout to my mates, 'Bye girls... I'm just off to do more snogging scenes with Richard'.

Be Discovered Weekend: 14 Apr 06 - 17 Apr 06
"Wannabe superstars and thrill seekers will experience a totally different Easter break, by ditching the choccie eggs and heading to Thorpe Park's Be Discovered Weekend, as a little bit of Hollywood comes to Chertsey. Dazzle our celebrity judges, Richard Fleeshman and Jo O'Meara and a team of talent experts form Storm Modelling to RDF Media (Wife Swap, Shipwrecked, Ladette to Lady) who will be searching for stars under the screams of the roller coasters..."
Read more at Super Break.

"Almost 60 members of the Weatherfield cast travelled to London for a celebrity-packed recording of An Audience With Coronation Street. From founding cast member Bill Roache (Ken Barlow) to young Sam Aston (Chesney Brown), stars gathered on the red carpet before the show to be screened on ITV1 later this month. Among those who later sang on stage with a 20-piece band were Richard Fleeshman (Craig), Andy Whyment (Kirk), Jennie McAlpine (Fiz), Wendi Peters (Cilla), Tupele Dorgu (Kelly), Ray Fearon (Nathan), Beverley Callard (Liz) and Simon Gregson (Steve)."

Stars out for football tribute to PC shot dead
FOOTBALL stars and other celebrities will descend on Bradford this May Day to play in a football match in aid of PC Sharon Beshenivsky. Champion boxer Amir Khan and Coronation Street stars Bill Tarmey, Ryan Thomas and Richard Fleeshman are just a few of the big names expected at the Bradford and Bingley stadium on Monday, May 1.

"Goth is a modern subculture that first became popular during the early 1980s within the gothic rock scene, an offshoot of post-punk. It is associated with characteristically "gothic" tastes in music and clothing. Styles of dress range from death rock, punk, Victorian, androgyny, some Renaissance style clothes, a combination of the above, and/or lots of black attire, and makeup." Click on the link to read more.

“I love playing Craig, and the Goth element of his character is interesting,” he says. “The amount of time I have to spend in make-up is quite annoying, though!”

"The Goth character was a difficult thing to get my head round," said Richard. "I'm not really a fan of Goth music. I'm more a piano and guitar man - that's what I love."