Corrie viewers criticise 'sexist' storyline

Coronation Street viewers accused the ITV soap of a sexist storyline on Wednesday evening. As brothers Nick Tilsley and David Platt decide to go into business together as co-owners of a barbershop, the pair said they’d like to hire an attractive female hairdresser.

Tilsley came up with the plan to hire a ‘stunner’ who would be their ‘star signing’ and said he would search for the most attractive head hair stylist possible.

“What’s that? Blonde hair and a big rack?” asked Platt.

“Don’t be so vulgar. She doesn’t have to have blonde hair,” Tilsley replied.

Tilsley is funding the project with money stolen from their grandmother Audrey, who has run a beauty salon on the cobbles for years.

When they are unable to persuade any of Audrey’s hair stylists to join new venture, Tilsley suggests they should respond to CVs purely based on their names.

“I can’t help if men are shallow. If we’re going to run a business we have to give them what they want,” claimed Nick.

The pair went on to mark candidates out of 10 and were dismayed when Moira declared they were ‘a 3 and a 4.’

Many viewers were unsurprisingly none too impressed by the language Nick used, with many accusing the Corrie writers of objectifying women and being overtly sexist.

The joke was ultimately on the unsuspecting pair, as they are set to hire newcomer Andrea, a male Italian hairdresser played by Grey’s Anatomy Luca Malacrino, who they assumed was a woman based on his CV.

And not everyone were as offended by the developing storyline, as several commented on Twitter how funny it was when Andrea eventually revealed himself.

This comes just days after ITV boss Kevin Lygo claimed Coronation Street had replaced the traditional ITV sitcom.

“We’ve smuggled in the drug you used to get in sitcoms into soaps but it has been at the expense of traditional comedy.”

“Audiences can get their fix of character-based scripted comedy from Corrie. It’s on six times a week and you don’t have to create a 30-minute plot. You have beloved characters the audience has known for years,” Lygo said.

Read more
Katie Price hits back at online trolls
Ozzy Osbourne hospitalised with flu
Chaos erupts during GMB Liam Neeson debate