Battle of the hardmen

16:58 28 October 2005

The popular move made by EastEnders bosses to bring back the Mitchell brothers has sparked a hardman frenzy among rival soaps.

Coronation Street, which has recently bullied the BBC show down the ratings, is to up its own gangster storylines and rumours abound that even Emmerdale could get in on the act.

But it is the Corrie plot which is stealing the limelight away from the Walford soap.

Taxi boss Steve McDonald will again be at the centre of the story, which will see him and his new squeeze Ronnie Clayton cornered by armed former husband Jimmy.

Bosses have refused to comment on the outcome but all the signs are pointing to another edge-of-the-seat Corrie classic.

"A storyline like this would have been unthinkable in old Coronation Street," a mole told the Daily Star.

"But like all soaps, we must move with the times."