Crushed!

Hiya, I’m so glad to be able to tell my story to True Confessions of the Stars. I’m Amy Joyce, usually known as ‘The Fifth Tracy’. I want to take this chance to tell my side of the tale, and let everyone know what a true gentleman and wonderful person Caleb Khan really is.

My big break in TV was a dream come true. Corrie’s ‘Fourth Tracy’ had just resigned from the show. She was getting so many death threats from people who wanted to wipe that smarmy grin off her face that her family had begged her to leave the show. To explain Tracy’s fourth re-incarnation, the scriptwriters arranged to have her brutally attacked by her ex-step-sister-in-law-to-be, Shelley. After several months of plastic surgery, Tracy returned to the show as me, humbled in character, and determined to make a fresh start in life. Tracy’s current relationship had to be written out, and to mark her redemption, the writers decided to bring back her husband, Robert.

The actor who previously played him was unavailable, not a real problem, as nobody remembered what he looked like anyway. In a Keith Duffy moment, the casting team managed to get a bit part for a famous musician. His identity was to be kept secret until filming started, to avoid problems with fans invading the set. The role, sadly, was to be for one show only, as Tracy’s full redemption could only be achieved by putting her through tragedy.

I’d been in the role for several weeks, and the first shows had already been aired. I was really enjoying the job, to tell the truth. I was also looking forward to meeting ‘The New Robert’. On the day of filming, the stunt crews and demolition experts were in place, and my co-star arrived on set. Cruel Fate, Happy Fortune! It was the incomparable Caleb Khan, so tall, so beautiful. I couldn’t speak. Face to face at last with the secret object of my obsession for the last ten years, I was helpless. As I fainted, he moved faster than I could ever have imagined and caught me in his arms, letting out a groan and sinking to the ground with me. At the time, I thought it was mutual passion, but he later explained (in his ‘absolutely’ final letter to me) that it was a long-standing problem with his knees, brought about by too many star jumps on stage.

As I recovered, with the help of Mavis’s smelling salts that had been discovered in an old prop cupboard, I determined to be utterly professional. We played our reunion scene beautifully, my declarations of remorse for my infidelities to my true love came from the heart. Caleb had few lines, but delivered them perfectly, and his remarkable presence distracted the camera from my nerves. I regretted that his part in the series was to be cut so short.

At last, the explosion scene. David Platt’s secret experiments in the pit of the garage had finally got out of hand, and as Caleb walked past, the building blew up, covering him with rubble, and burying him. Years of yearning, passion, and love for my musician took over from my training and experience, and I forgot about the safety measures, the fact that he wasn’t even IN the rubble, and ran towards the scene, tearing at the scenery with desperate hands, screaming ‘Caleb! Caleb! My love! I’ll save you! I’ll save you!’ until I was hoarse.

The technicians managed to drag me away, and the only way to calm me was to chase after Caleb (who had already left the set and was in the pub with some extras), and ask him to come back. Although consoling desperate actresses in the middle of a nervous breakdown wasn’t in his contract, he wonderfully, kindly, agreed to come back to show me that he was safe. As I wept in his strong arms, the measure of his spirit shone through and I could feel him sobbing with me, great racking spasms that rocked his body. I looked up and saw tears on his face, as he bravely struggled to smile. He couldn’t meet my yearning gaze, he sympathised with me so much!!!!

The scene did not need to be re-shot; the directors were impressed by my motivation, although they asked me to re-voice it with ‘Robert’ instead of ‘Caleb’ to avoid confusing the viewers.

The show’s psychologist was able to reassure the production team that I wasn’t mentally unstable in the presence of other gorgeous musicians; I only needed to be restrained when Caleb was around. I kept my job for a while, until the story got out. I understand that the Sixth Tracy is enjoying enormous popularity, although my therapist has advised me to stop watching the Street.