He's managed to avoid many serious scraps during his two decades on the cobbles, but should Coronation Street's David Platt be watching his back with uncle Stephen Reid on the scene? Jack P Shepherd, who has played to former bad boy and son of Platt matriarch Gail since he was 12, has shared how the cast really feels. The characters remain none the wiser about the dastardly businessman.
Stephen, played by Todd Boyce, returned to Weatherfield earlier this year and it wasn't long before the truth behind his reappearance was revealed. The character was suffering serious money trouble and soon began a plan to fleece his mother, Audrey Roberts, out of her cash.
But as he got more desperate, his plot came close to being revealed to those closest to him. And it's now been a couple of months since Corrie viewers were left floored when David's uncle Stephen turned to drastic measures to keep his money woes and plan to rob his mother secret and killed Leo.
While no future victims have been confirmed, it hasn't stopped viewers from guessing. Earlier this week, fans were thinking they had worked out that Stephen could be about to kill again after sinister scenes.
While still continuing to plot fleecing his mum out of her cash in the ITV soap, Stephen started working in secret as a delivery driver for a fast food company. In Bolton, he was accosted by teenagers who stole his delivery box, work phone and demanded money. As Stephen spotted family friend Elaine Jones approaching he attempted to race away on his moped.
But in his haste, he lost control and went sprawling across the road. Elaine rushed to his aid and later joined him in the hospital, offering him a place to stay with her but it appears she dropped a clanger as she revealed her plans to sell her house.
"I think that's going to be a slow burn," Jack exclusively told the Manchester Evening News about the Stephen storyline during the unveiling of the Weatherfield Precinct. "He's obviously going to be the next murderer, serial killer baddie on the street and usually when there is one of those characters it runs for a couple of years so I think there's more to come."
He added: "Anyone who comes into his path or has a storyline with Stephen could possibly end up on the chopping block. So any cast go, 'Oh c**p, I've got a scene with Stephen'. No one wants a scene with uncle Stephen at the moment because the writing might be on the wall."
Jack, 34, also chatted to us about his on-screen son Max Turner, played by Paddy Bever, and whether he'll be found down at the Precinct causing trouble as he continues to fall deeper into Giff and his extremist gang's web.
"He's getting groomed and manipulated and brainwashed into their little gang and if David figures it out in time, can he save Max?" the soap star teases. But the inclusion of Spider Nugent appears to be throwing David off his concerns for Max's welfare. "Hopefully Spider can save the day as well," Jack added.
Jack also confirmed that Julia Goulding, who plays on-screen wife Shona, will be temporarily written out of Corrie as she heads on maternity leave after welcoming her second child, a baby girl, last month. Viewers will see Shona head to London with Lily who has been included in a football tournament with the help of former neighbour James Bailey.
It is a stark difference to how Julia left during her maternity leave with her first child, son Franklin Wolf Silver who she shares with husband Ben Silver. Back in 2020, Shona was shot by Derek Milligan, a businessman in debt to then-loan shark Gary Windass, and was left in a coma.
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