Coronation Street fans watched as Audrey Roberts' drinking appeared to take a dark turn in the latest trip to Weatherfield. The ITV soap was back on screen on Wednesday night (June 22) and the iconic character's apparent drinking problem again took centre stage.
Audrey, played by Sue Nicholls, has been staying with daughter Gail Patt and her family after having cataract surgery. But the matriarch's daughter has been expressing concern for her mum over her fondness for a drink, much to Audrey's annoyance.
But during the latest scenes, Audrey was seen banging on the doors of the Rovers after Daisy Midgeley was a couple of minutes late opening. Rita Tanner found her friend enjoying her first drink of the day as she opened up about how she feels about her current life.
READ MORE: ITV Coronation Street's Summer star Harriet Bibby shows off hidden singing talent in charity single
And so Rita pointed out that she owns the barber shop Trim Up North where her grandson David works and suggested it was time Audrey went back to work. And it wasn't long before Audrey, after a few swift G&T's turned up at the barbers, insisting she get stuck back into her trade.
It started well as she got a generous tip from one of the customers but David soon despaired as his gran cracked open the wine and flirted with Ryan Connor who was in for a cut. As he pleaded for her to go home, she ended up sacking him and Kelly Neelan, who has been training and working at the barbers.
Left with Ryan in the salon, Maria Windass soon arrived and insisted she go home but again, Audrey refused and fired her too. At her wit’s end daughter Gail tried to talk some sense into Audrey, but when she raised the subject of her drinking again, Audrey hit the roof and announced she was moving back home with immediate effect.
But while Gail headed back home, back at the barbers, Audrey staggered into the ornamental motorbike which fell and trapped her underneath as she cried out for help. And Corrie fans were quick to point out that it reminded them of a situation faced by Rita before Christmas in 2019.
@penniless_poet tweeted: "Just thought - how long is Audrey going to be lying under that motorbike? Is she going to beat Rita's record of lying under a Christmas tree? #Corrie." @priya_kaur_uk commented: "Omg don't tell me this is another Rita and the Christmas tree scenario #Corrie."
Vikki Follett also wrote on Facebook: "Wasn't this the same as Rita being trapped under her Christmas tree?" Rita suffered her own fall. The Kabin owner was knocked to her living room floor while putting up decorations on her Christmas tree alone.
As the Corrie favourite drifted in and out of consciousness with only her ginger cat for company, fans feared it was the end. But thankfully, Jenny and Mary came to check on Rita just in time and found her unconscious and called the emergency services who said she was severely dehydrated but would be fine.
Back to Audrey and the latest trip to the cobbles, the Platt family gathered to discuss defiant Audrey's drinking and decided something needs to be done about it, with granddaughter Sarah saying she would ask recovering alcoholic Peter Barlow for his help.
But fans were soon calling them 'hypocrites' as they discussed their elderly family member over a drink. @lightbebe2020 tweeted: "The platts talking about audrey drinking while they're drinking the hypocrites...#Corrie."
@Goldflazz1986 echoed: "Three people drinking in a pub where they go every day trying to sort Audreys drinking problem out hypocritical...#corrie." @mikepriestley13 said: "What makes me laugh is David, Gail and Sarah are having a go at Audrey’s drinking yet discussing it over drinks in the pub #Corrie."
READ NEXT:
- ITV Coronation Street reveals reason for Spider's return as Martin Hancock speaks out on comeback
- Brooke Vincent mistaken for Jennifer Aniston after sharing natural snap taken by her two-year-old son
- ITV Coronation Street's Abi star Sally Carman poses in swimsuit before being flooded with get well messages
- ITV Coronation Street star Millie Gibson reveals actual name as brother gives her sweet gift
- ITV Coronation Street's Martin Hancock says former on-screen girlfriend sparked Spider's return