LIFE in Weatherfield becomes deadly for one resident this week after a horrific crash.
But unbeknownst to everyone in Coronation Street, a murderer is playing puppet master.
One resident’s life could hang in the balance this week
1. Stephen has a plan
With two murders under his belt, Stephen Reid is becoming a villain that shouldn’t underestimated.
This week, he targets one of Weatherfield’s main ladies, Carla Connor.
The Underworld boss portrayed by Alison King had no idea that her PA Sarah Platt had thrown herself into her own business with Michael Bailey and Stephen Reid.
A failing businessman, conning anybody he can since his first arrival in Weatherfield, Stephen starts to realise he may need to deal with Carla himself as he grows more and more desperate to give his finances a needed boost.
But what will the murderer played by Canadian actor Todd Boyce have in mind?
Coming up on the ITV drama, Carla tells Sarah (Tina O’Brien) that she can finish her designs in return for an apology.
After Stephen’s deal with Rufus fell through, Carla tells him to resurrect it and, in return, promises him 15% commission along with a permanent contract.
Unfortunately, Stephen is faced with a challenge as Rufus makes it clear he’s no longer interested in his hotel.
Things take a turn when he hands Stephen a vial of LSD and heads to the bathroom to snort a line of cocaine before collapsing, clutching his chest.
The paramedics attend to Rufus and an oblivious Carla calls Stephen, wondering if he’s sealed the deal.
Instead of telling her the truth, Stephen assures her it’s in the bag.
Rufus is wheeled out by paramedics, leaving Stephen to practise his signature on the unsigned contract, and there’s soon a knock at the door.
It’s revealed that Rufus was more corrupt than initially believed when a sex worker called Candice barges her way in and demands her money – but Stephen has an idea.
Sadly, he could bring back some highly traumatic memories for Carla as he’s determined to get his revenge.
When the businesswoman calls a meeting with Sarah and Stephen, she explains that the former is Head of Design while the latter will be Office Manager.
Far from being grateful, Stephen takes the opportunity to slip into the Underworld office with the vial of LSD from Rufus’ briefcase and spikes Carla’s coffee.
She then heads onto the factory floor, clearly discombobulated and woozy but Stephen doesn’t stop there.
In the Rovers, he takes things to the next level by spiking her red wine with another vial of LSD.
Later on, Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) calls at the pub and immediately realises Carla is unwell.
She stares at the factory girls, her paranoia growing by the second and is helped out of the pub by her other half.
Peter, who knows all about Carla’s past, is worried that her once life-threatening psychosis may be returning.
Stephen makes things worse behind everyone’s backs, sneaking into Carla’s office and deleting a meeting with Dick Havisham.
His gaslighting is then made stronger when he muddles up her paperwork.
Carla becomes more vulnerable, checking her diary and telling Peter she was convinced she had a meeting with Dick Havisham.
Once again, Stephen makes her question her own reality by handing her another mug laced with LSD and convincing her she cancelled her meeting.
Dick eventually calls at the factory and Carla rushes to meet him, clearly flustered.
Stephen’s plan could trigger a whirlwind of repercussions for Carla…
2. Paul gets a shock
Meanwhile, romance could be back in the cards for another resident.
Paul Foreman’s love life has been at a standstill as he’s mostly focused on looking out for daughter figure Summer Spellman.
Three years have passed since Paul found himself in the streets after being thrown out of his home by Billy Mayhew.
After falling victim to Todd Grimshaw’s machinations, the vicar played by Daniel Brocklebank was convinced Paul (Peter Ash) was up to no good.
This was despite the builder becoming a father figure to his teen ward, Summer, and making a new life for himself following his long stay in prison.
Although there could have been hard feelings, it seems to have all become water under the bridge for Paul who has remained a constant presence in Summer’s life following his breakup with Billy.
Paul picked himself back up, moving in to the corner shop flat with Dee-Dee Bailey (Channique Sterling-Brown).
This week, Dee-Dee tells her flatmate Paul they’re having a night out on the town later that same day.
Summer (Harriet Bibby) then reveals she’s had a conditional offer from Manchester University after failing to secure herself a spot at Oxford.
Paul agrees to meeting up with Billy for drinks later on, despite his promise to Dee-Dee.
He then suggests to her they meet in the Rovers rather than go into town – which she accepts.
Once in the pub, Dee-Dee witters on at Paul about her love life and Billy walks in, leaving Paul’s face to light up.
The vicar confides in Billy how appalled he was with Todd’s show of violence towards Mike Hargrave and Paul masks his guilt… knowing the undertaker actually took the fall for him.
In later scenes, Paul is surprised to see Billy at the builder’s yard but gets another bombshell immediately after.
Billy confesses his feelings for Paul.
However, Paul quickly asserts that it’s better for them to just remain friends.
But could an accident change everything?
3. Horror crash in the cobbles
As mentioned above, Stephen Reid’s actions will have a series of devastating consequences on Carla… but also on Paul.
After finding a motorbike for sale with the help of Abi Webster, the cabbie played by Chris Gascoyne is excited to try out his new ride.
He then offers Paul a chance to drive it.
But in a shocking turn of events, Paul is astride Peter’s bike when an Underworld van crashes into him.
He winces in pain and is rushed to A&E by Ed Bailey (Trevor Michael Georges).
It’s soon clear that an unexpected character is responsible for Paul’s ordeal – and it’s none other than Underworld boss Carla.
Moments before the accident, the businesswoman walls at the garage to collect her car but Abi (Sally Carman) refuses to hand over her keys, sensing she’s not herself.
Carla then spots the Underworld van and starts the engine before turning down the street, eventually crashing into Paul on her husband’s bike.
How much trouble will come to her?
Will Stephen’s actions ever come to light?
Will Paul make it?
4. A murderer is finally exposed
While Stephen Reid continues to wreak havoc in the cobbles, another killer is waiting to be exposed this week.
As viewers will perhaps remember, Zeedan Nazir watched his former father-in-law Hashim die of a heart attack alongside his sister Alya but his intentions were far from villainous.
In fact, the character played Qasim Akhtar turned his former wife Marrium away to protect her from the truth.
But the truth always finds a way out.
In scenes due on our screens, actress Kiran Landa reprises her role as Marrium calls on Zeedan.
The returning character tells her estranged husband she can’t believe that he and Alya (Sair Khan) watched her father die in front of them.
Terrified of having to face repercussions, particularly as Hashim was a crooked and vicious restaurateur who dabbled in crime, Zeedan begs her not to go to the police.
Alya later finds Marrium in the café and tells her that she’s as much to blame for Hashim’s death as Zeedan is.
5. Zeedan makes a decision
But there’s more anguish for Alya as she soon comes to the realisation that Zeedan is sacrificing his relationship with Marrium for her sake.
As viewers of the Manchester-based program will remember, Marrium was keen to rekindle their marriage but was turned down by Zeedan when it was clear his guilt over Hashim’s death eating at him.
In later scenes, Alya tells her brother that she doesn’t need protecting and she returns to work in the restaurant, weeks after being brutally stabbed in Speed Daal.
At No.6, Zeedan stands his ground by telling Alya that he will always put their family first.
But when Alya sits down to her birthday dinner later on in the week, the doorbell rings.
Who could it be and how will Zeedan react?
6. Max faces comeuppance
David Platt has been determined to support and fight for his son Max Turner.
But he’s unable to protect him from his harsh routine behind bars.
The wayward teen played by Paddy Bever was cuffed and carted away in recent scenes.
As viewers will remember, Max was unfortunately part of a grooming storyline during which racist activist Griff Reynolds manipulated him and used his video editing skills to spread his racist views across Weatherfield.
Things took a turn after a bomb was planted in a Speed Daal van amid Maria Connor’s Peace Market, forcing Alya Nazir to put her life on the line.
But once she saved the day, the restaurateur was stabbed shortly after Griff’s arrest, leading to Max being charged to incitement to murder due to his videos.
In scenes due on the box next week, David (Jack P. Shepherd) confides in his mother Gail Platt (Helen Worth) that he’s worried about Max’s sentencing the following day.
David learned it may be difficult to prove Max was another one of Griff’s victims after he willingly helped the extremist gang.
Later on, David attends a meeting with Max and his barrister Kim – and things may be look up for the teen.
Kim lets them both know that Alya has failed to submit a personal victim statement, which could work in Max’s favour.
David watches Max being led to court alongside David, Spider Nugent, Daryan and Gary Windass.
Max is then handed a six-month sentence by the Judge before sharing an emotional goodbye with his adoptive father.
David hugs Max and assures him he’ll visit as often as he can, although the youngster insists that he doesn’t want any visits.
But he may regret his choice as life as a convicted criminal entails danger for Max.
In the secure training centre, a group of lads make it clear to Max that they intend to make his life hell.
How will he cope?
7. Brian ends up homeless
Elsewhere in the cobbles, Brian Packham (Peter Gunn) has no choice but to face homelessness.
This week, he’s dealt a blow when builder Ed Bailey informs him that part of his flat’s electricity system needs rewiring.
Brian is told he needs to vacate the property whilst the works are completed and thus has nowhere to go.
His property woes are rectified when Mary Taylor (Patti Clare) quickly offers him her sofa.
Mary helps Brian pack his things for the move and stumbles upon an issue of the Gazette.
Everything goes wrong for Brian in that instant.
The florist is stunned to discover that Brian himself wrote the glorious review of Mary’s acting efforts for the paper and she’s hurt by her friend’s betrayal.
Mary lets her emotions get the best of her and lashes out at Brian, attacking him in a blind rage with the newspaper.
She insists he must find somewhere else to stay.
Thankfully for Brian, Amy Barlow (Elle Mulvaney) opens up her flat for him but it quickly becomes clear that he’s not the usual type of person to fit in with their crowd.
Brian offers to do his Vernon Kay impression in a bid to impress Amy and her university friends.
Sadly, Summer Spellman quickly tells Amy that his presence is driving her up the wall.
How will Amy react?
Will Brian have to sleep in the rough?
Coronation Street airs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8pm on ITV.
