Coronation Street fans watched as Max Turner’s explosive nude leak storyline kicked off on the ITV soap on Monday night, with many guessing who could be behind the blackmailing messaged.
Over the last few weeks, soap fans have watched the troubled teen attempt to impress his new girlfriend, Sonya, online as the pair began messaging one another and she agreed to go on a date with him.
Monday’s hour-long episode saw Max preparing for his date when he received a text from her, asking him to send her a picture of the ‘whole package’ so she can see what to expect.
A slightly stunned Max decided to play ball and was see returning home unbuttoning his shirt.
But then as the couple sat down to dinner, a perplexed Sonya revealed that she had never received any messages from him, nor sent any back.
Max and Sonya were horrified to realise someone had set them up and moments later outside, Max's phone pinged with a message demanding £1,000 or his naked picture goes viral.
As Coronation Street viewers finally saw a vulnerable side to Max, he's left secretly grappling with shame after the horrifying twist.
But while many guessed the culprit could be the group of friends he was seen chatting to, a number of soap fans thought this outcome was too obvious.
Taking to Twitter, fans noted that Max's enemy list is extensive and suggested the culprit is more likely to be Amy, who he spiked in upsetting scenes earlier this year, among other possible people wronged by the teen.
One fan wrote: "So obviously it’s Amy," as another put: "But Max kind of earned this with his upskirting.
"IN FACT, I would have preferred if Asha/Amy/Summer had conspired to teach him a lesson."
Another asked: "Don't think it's his mates. Could it actually be Sonya? Amy getting revenge? Asha?"
One fan wrote: "Danial had spent months planning his revenge on Max lol!!"
Actor Paddy Bever, who plays the 15 year old, told the Mirror that his ordeal will prove to be a "turning point" for the character, who will be left struggling over feelings of "shame" and toxic masculinity.
Appearing on the British Soap Awards red carpet, the young actor addressed Max's nude selfies getting into the hands of someone he didn't want them to.
"I think it was very important to me to be very focused and to get it very right because this genuinely affects so many people," he said. "I even know tens of people this has happened to at a very young age and it really does happen. What could make someone more vulnerable than a photo of that? I don't know. I think it's a turning point, I really do."
He explained that it would differ from Asha's storyline as it would focus on the element of toxic masculinity and shame.
Paddy said: "With Max's, you're going to see it from more of a male perspective and you're going to see a lot of toxic masculinity, a lot of bravado and a lot of fear that I think Max feels quite ashamed of because this kind of thing itself - he's 15 - but because he's a boy, his mates are boys, it's a very different situation.
"I did a lot of research into the new laws that have come about more recently and sort of where Max's head would be at. Because he's a 15 year old with a laptop. I think when I spoke to lots of people that have been affected by this, it's genuinely horrifying to see this epidemic. It really is an epidemic."
Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV.
