Corrie director: 'I want to shock fans'

The director of Coronation Street's forthcoming tram crash stunt has revealed that he wants the disastrous moment to "shock" viewers when it takes place on screen.

Graeme Harper - best-known for his long career on Doctor Who - was recruited by the soap's producer Phil Collinson to take charge of the spectacular scenes, which air in a double bill on Monday.

As announced earlier in the year, a huge explosion at The Joinery bar will cause a tram to fall from the viaduct above, resulting in devastation and deaths on the cobbles.

Speaking to Inside Soap, Harper commented: "I hope I'll have succeeded in surprising the audience when the crash actually happens. They'll be expecting it - they know it's going to happen - but they don't know exactly when. I hope I give people that shock.

"When I watched it back, my mouth was hanging open for the rest of the episode - and I made it! At the end of it, I was crying - I was in tears from the shock of what I'd just seen. I think it's absolutely fabulous, and I hope people like it as much as I do."

Coronation Street's tram crash will be one of the highlights of the show's 50th anniversary celebrations.

> In Pictures: Corrie's anniversary disaster
> Full Coverage: Corrie's 50th anniversary