Exclusive: After regaining custody of her son Alfie and repairing her relationship with her husband Kevin Webster, Coronation Street troublemaker Abi Franklin has at last found some peace in her life. Author Ian McLeod teased what’s in store for her in the ITV soap opera in an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk and other media.
Peace in Weatherfield, however, is short-lived because Abi (Sally Carman’s character) will soon find herself at the center of a forthcoming non-consensual storyline involving Amy Barlow (Elle Mulvaney), and Aaron Sandford (James Craven). The next few episodes of Coronation Street will feature Aaron going too far with Amy, leaving her to deal with the unexpected turn of events.
Writer Ian McLeod previously opened up about the tough storyline which is set to air on Friday, March 3.
In the emotional scenes to come, Aaron and Amy move to the bedroom and begin to undress before admitting she feels sick and rolling away from Aaron.
However, he ignores her comment and continues to kiss Amy who is unaware of what happens next as he makes the decision for her that they will have sex.
The next day Amy is horrified when she realises how far things went the night before and begins to feel betrayed by her friend.
Speaking candidly about the plot, Ian told Express.co.uk and other media: “We reasoned that we could actually tell a compelling tale with them at the center of it.
“It’s incredibly relatable and teen-oriented. We’re hoping it’ll be one of those Coronation Street tales that surprises viewers and sparks awkward discussions in front of the screen.
We worked closely with a few charities to make sure we got the details right, and I’m really, really happy with it.
He also mentioned how Abi will be involved in the plot and given the difficult task of determining who is telling the truth.
Ian clarified: “She becomes an important confidante for one of the children because she is involved in the story, which is about a significant social issue.
“When she accepts the role of someone else’s surrogate mother, she is faced with some really difficult decisions regarding who to believe and who to support.
There are many different ways to play with that story because it prompts her to look into her own history of substance abuse and other similar behaviors over the years.
As both teenagers deal with what happened that night, the plot will explore the various perspectives on non-consensual s
exual activity as it moves forward.
Speaking about part of the huge storyline, Amy actress Elle Mulvany said: “Initially when I was given the storyline I was quite anxious to take it on as it’s such an important issue and we wanted to get it right.
“There are so many different viewpoints from the characters but for us, it was important that when we portray that night it’s clear that while Amy doesn’t say the words she definitely doesn’t consent.
“That meant that we had to highlight her usual behaviour in the run-up to the episode so that she didn’t act uncharacteristically.
“The characters were getting closer before the event but even though they were friends that doesn’t mean it’s ok for him to do what he wants, this shouldn’t be a grey area.
“It’s huge to be a young actress on the show and to be given a storyline like this because it shows how much faith the team has in us, which in turn gives us the confidence to tackle the story.
“It won’t end here either, it will be interesting to see the character develop in a different way because this will stay with Amy for a long time.
“It’s important to note the way it will affect her mental health and well-being going forward which is something else we want to highlight with this story.”
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