8 Coronation Street Spoilers for Next Week – 23rd to 26th March

Next week on Coronation Street, Theo ambushes Todd with a surprise wedding as his mask slips, Mal has a shocking proposition for Bernie, and Sam’s paranoia spirals.

Note: There is no episode of Corrie airing on Friday 27th March.

1) Theo takes advantage of Todd’s lowest moment

Despite their recent split, Todd (Gareth Pierce) has found it impossible to escape the shadow of abusive ex-fiancé Theo (James Cartwright), whose need for control escalated again in Friday’s episode.

“Even the breakup is disingenuous,” James Cartwright tells us. “The breakup is about regaining control in itself. The last thing Theo wants to do is break up with Todd, but he’s seizing control.”

“Also I think there’s probably a perverse pleasure in seeing how miserable it makes Todd, because that shows how much he loved him.”

Consumed by jealousy after spotting Todd spending time with James (Jason Callender), Theo took matters into his own hands—spiking Todd’s drink before taking him home and switching off his alarms, ensuring he would miss the marathon he’d been working towards for months the following morning.

Next week, as the day of the marathon dawns, Theo carefully puts his plan into action.

Meeting James, Sarah (Tina O’Brien), Gemma (Dolly-Rose Campbell) and Chesney (Sam Aston) at the tram stop, he claims he knocked on Todd’s door earlier but got no answer—suggesting Todd must have already set off.

In reality, Todd wakes up groggy and disoriented, and is horrified to realise he’s missed the marathon altogether.

As Theo later returns to the street sporting a medal from the marathon, Todd is left humiliated as he catches sight of his ex and friends approaching, and attempts to duck out of sight.

Seizing the moment, Theo persuades Todd to let him into the flat, drawing him into a hug as Todd berates himself for letting everyone down. With Todd at his lowest, Theo revels in being the one offering comfort.

“It’s another one of those really humiliating moments for Todd,” Gareth Pierce explains. “At the start he definitely wasn’t a runner but he found this steely determination that we wish he was channelling towards Theo.

“For it to all fall away and feel like he’s let everybody down is devastating for him.”

“For Theo, it’s just about getting Todd to somewhere vulnerable again so that he can be the one with his arm around his shoulder. It’s horrible to watch because Todd just thinks it’s his fault. All too often that’s something that happens in these types of relationships, that self-blame element.”

The following day, George (Tony Maudsley) begins to voice his concerns to Todd, gently suggesting that Theo isn’t good for him. But Todd immediately shuts him down, taking offence at the implication.

“It’s total denial, which is probably quite common in these sorts of relationships,” Gareth continues. “George is seeing past him, seeing into his friend’s experience, even if he doesn’t know the full extent of it.”

Joining George and Christina (Amy Robbins) for lunch, Theo presents a different version of himself, assuring them that Todd’s happiness is his priority and that he’s a changed man.

Yet once he’s out of earshot, George makes it clear to Christina that they’ll need to tread carefully, not believing a word of what Theo said.

Meanwhile, Theo continues to tighten his grip behind the scenes, recruiting an oblivious Gary (Mikey North) to help as he quietly sets a bold plan in motion…

2) Will Todd be forced to marry Theo?!

On Wednesday, Theo turns up at the undertakers dressed in his finest suit, and tells Todd that he’s got a surprise for him. Leading Todd away blindfolded, they end up at the local register office.

As Theo removes Todd’s blindfold, he’s stunned to find himself in the ceremony room with a celebrant standing in front of them, and Gary and Maria (Samia Longchambon) sat waiting.

Pulling out two wedding rings from his pocket, Theo points out that they never actually cancelled the planned wedding, and it can go ahead right now…

“Essentially he’s presenting it as this romantic grand gesture,” James tells us. “But in springing it on him, he’s making sure that Todd doesn’t have a choice.”

“He’s absolutely painting him into a corner. Another reason he’s springing it on him is so nobody else can torpedo the whole thing and talk Todd out of it.”

“I think in that moment, Todd’s internally horrified,” Gareth adds. “Maybe some part of him is weirdly flattered, that someone wants to marry him and has those big feelings for him.”

“There’s this horrible sense of smiling but the eyes are absolutely dead. People wonder why Todd hasn’t left yet, but I think Theo’s been working with so many fronts to deconstruct Todd’s personality and also to create isolation in the relationship.”

“He’s actively cut him off from his closest people,” Gareth continues. “But it’s also made him reliant on Theo as well, with the financial control, the body shaming, fitness bullying. It all serves to deconstruct his confidence and personality, but it also serves to make him really feel like there’s no way out.” 

Will Todd be forced into marriage?!

3) George discovers Theo’s true colours

The next day, Todd is left with a pounding head in the wake of Theo’s surprise, while Theo shows little sympathy and heads out for a run.

Later, George calls in for a cuppa, and when Theo comes back shortly afterwards and hears someone in the bathroom, he naturally presumes it’s Todd in there.

Believing it’s just him and Todd alone, he starts firing off abusive remarks through the door, only for the moment to unravel when Todd appears through the front door having nipped downstairs for some teabags.

Theo is a rabbit caught in the headlights as a shocked George then steps out of the bathroom… and whilst he attempts to laugh it off, it’s clear that George isn’t buying it.

“The game’s up, isn’t it,” James points out. “This could be the beginning of the end. Theo’s mask has slipped, somebody else has seen it, and he’ll never be able to undo that.”

“The damage is really catastrophic for Theo’s reputation. His public perception is really damaged so from here on in, it’s going to be a real uphill battle to try and get George back on side.

“He’s seen that side of Theo, he may have suspected it was there, but now he’s had it confirmed.”

4) Dev is questioned by the police

Elsewhere on the street, Bernie’s (Jane Hazlegrove) situation with Mal (Tim Treloar) takes another horrifying turn.

After an attack on Mal ended with him rushed to hospital, Bernie had found herself as suspect number one, particularly after a passer-by had witnessed her threatening to kill her tormentor.

In the end, CCTV footage from the shop proved Bernie’s innocence, as her son Kit (Jacob Roberts) quietly admitted that he had been the one responsible.

When Mal regained consciousness, Kit was the one assigned to go and ask him questions about the attack.

Having already scared off one eyewitness, Kit was left uncertain when Mal claimed that he couldn’t remember who attacked him.

Next week, Dev (Jimmi Harkishin) and Bernie return from their short break hoping for a fresh start, only to be thrown when Mal immediately turns up and cheerfully announces that he plans to stick around. 

Dev’s anger and Bernie’s unease are clear, but Mal acts as though nothing has happened.

The situation worsens on Tuesday when Mal goes to the police station and tells Lisa (Vicky Myers) that a memory flashback has made him realise who attacked him.

Kit soon receives a message summoning him to the station and informing him that Mal has remembered who was responsible, prompting a worried exchange between Kit and Bernie.

But things take another twist with Dev ends up being the one hauled down to the station to be questioned!

As Dev is interviewed, Bernie confides in Gemma (Dolly-Rose Campbell) that it was Kit who assaulted Mal—and that the only way to clear Dev would be to reveal the truth and implicate her own son.

Faced with that impossible choice, Bernie is left torn, while Kit insists there is no evidence against Dev and tries to reassure her that neither of them has anything to worry about.

5) Mal has an indecent proposal for Bernie

It soon becomes clear that Mal has a bigger plan in mind, as he corners Bernie with a shocking proposition.

The demand leaves Bernie reeling, fully aware of what he’s asking, and the position it puts her in as she tries to protect both her husband and her son.

Ryan (Ryan Prescott) later watches with concern as Bernie makes her way along a corridor at the Chariot Square Hotel and knocks on a bedroom door.

Inside, Mal makes it clear that simply having her there means everything to him, before patting the bed and urging her to sit beside him.

As Bernie forces herself to go along with it, doing her best to mask her revulsion, will she be able to find a way out before Mal gets what he wants?

6) The Driscolls face an uphill battle with Will

Elsewhere, the fallout continues for the Driscoll family following Megan’s (Beth Nixon) arrest, after Sam (Jude Riordan) exposed her predatory relationship with student Will (Lucas Hodgson-Wale).

Both have denied any wrongdoing, and Megan has since been released due to a lack of evidence—but the situation has only become more complicated with the discovery that she’s still pregnant, despite Leanne (Jane Danson) accompanying her to an abortion clinic some weeks back.

Megan’s refusal to take a DNA test has only deepened suspicions, particularly as she hadn’t told boyfriend Daniel (Rob Mallard) about the pregnancy.

Confronted with the inconsistencies, Daniel began to question whether the baby could in fact be Will’s, and ultimately decided he could no longer support Megan—ending their relationship and loudly voicing his concerns in the pub, leaving Will exposed in the process.

Next week, Ben (Aaron McCusker) gathers the family together to address everything that’s come to light, including Megan’s pregnancy and her refusal to provide any clarity.

While Maggie (Pauline McLynn) makes her feelings clear, Will continues to defend Megan, putting him firmly at odds with the rest of the family.

Hoping to get through to him, Ben later persuades Will to attend a counselling session, in the hope that he might finally open up about what’s been going on.

But when Kit reveals that forensic checks on both Will and Megan’s phones have found nothing to suggest any wrongdoing, Ben and Eva (Catherine Tyldesley) are left no further forward.

As the week continues, the strain begins to take its toll on Will. Returning to school, he admits he’s now a laughing stock amongst his peers, leaving Eva increasingly concerned.

Meanwhile, the pressure is clear for Ben, with Steve (Simon Gregson) and Tim (Joe Duttine) able to see the strain he’s under as he tries to support his son through the ongoing ordeal, feeling that he’s failed him.

7) Sam’s paranoia spirals

Sam’s behaviour also continues to raise concern, as the pressure of everything that’s happened begins to take its toll.

In the wake of exposing Megan and Will, Sam finds himself increasingly on edge, convinced that those around him can’t be trusted.

When Daniel urges him to go to the police with everything he knows, Sam is left conflicted—particularly after Hope warns him that Daniel and Megan could be working together.

As the week goes on, Sam’s paranoia deepens. Fearing that his movements are being monitored, he admits to Hope that he’s got rid of his phone altogether, convinced Daniel had hacked into his emails and was using it to track him.

Having already been driven to misusing ADHD medication as Megan tormented him, will anyone realise that Sam’s mental health is continuing to spiral?

8) Does Jodie have a hidden motive in helping out Swarla?

Also next week, after being left holding the baby when Carla’s (Alison King) niece Connie was dropped on their doorstep, she and Lisa are beginning to struggle with the practicalities of caring for her.

As the pair head out to work next week, Betsy (Sydney Martin) and Dylan (Liam McCheyne) offer to help by looking after Connie.

With the baby settled and asleep, the pair take the opportunity to enjoy some time alone on the sofa.

Clearly unimpressed by Betsy and Dylan’s efforts, later in the week Carla is quick to take up Jodie (Olivia Fraser-Brown) on her offer of babysitting, after she pops her head over the fence and points out she’s fully qualified.

But given Jodie’s recent behaviour, her eagerness to get involved may raise the question about what she’s really after…

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