‘Anger and pain’ threatens to tear a fan-favourite couple apart in Coronation Street next week.
Actress Julia Goulding has revealed how her character Shona Platt and her husband David (Jack P Shepherd) could ‘destroy each other’ when she finds out the huge secret he has been keeping from her.
It was recently announced that Shona’s on-screen son Clayton Hibbs (Callum Harrison) would be returning to the ITV soap after four years.
As fans know, he is currently in prison for stabbing David’s first wife Kylie Platt (Paula Lane) to death in broad daylight back in 2016.
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He was last seen back in 2020 when Shona visited him in jail amid her memory loss.
Since then, her and David had agreed never to speak about Clayton again and she disowned her son – but in scenes to air this week, David gets a shock when he receives a call from him in prison.
After David then visits him behind Shona’s back, the following week’s episodes will see Shona distraught when she finds out Clayton is in hospital after trying to take his own life.
Shona then heads to the hospital ‘in a blind panic’, but she’s confused to learn both he and the prison had tried to contact her – but David had been blocking contact.
‘When Shona finds out her husband has been gaslighting her and had a part in Clayton trying to take his own life, I dread to think what she’s going to do,’ Julia says. ‘But I don’t think she’ll take it lying down!
‘There’s going to be a lot of anger and pain, a possibility they could destroy each other,’ she continues. ‘Trudging through treacle is probably a good analogy.
‘There’s a lot of change already for David, his mum is leaving, the house might get sold, stress with the stolen money which Shona doesn’t know about yet, it’s like living in a washing machine!
‘The sad thing is they’ve been so solid for so long Shona is David’s final crutch. But he’s destroyed it himself in my opinion.’
Julia also revealed that David’s actions have split opinions between her and co-star Jack P Shepherd.
‘Jack and I are very much on her own characters’ sides in this,’ she admits. ‘We’ve had barneys in the green room about who’s right, David is to blame!’
The latest twist in Shona and David’s relationship also comes just as the couple are thinking about having their first child together – so the timing could not be worse.
But Julia admits she prefers to see her on-screen alter ego going through it.
‘Let’s keep the drama going for David and Shona, otherwise it’d be very dull wouldn’t it?’ she adds.
Coronation Street airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm on ITV1 and from 7am on ITVX.
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