Coronation Street star Todd Boyce has told how his co-stars are 'sweating it' as he shares frustration over constant questioning. It also comes as he appears to confirm how long Stephen Reid's murderous reign will last on the cobbles.
It was revealed earlier this week that Stephen, the son of Weatherfield favourite Audrey Roberts, will kill again after already claiming the life of Leo Thompkins. The ITV soap character resorted to murder when his plans to fleece his mother due to his money woes were uncovered by the builder.
In pure desperation, when Leo threatened to expose his plans, the conman shoved Leo to his death and has since done everything he can to try and cover it up by pretending his victim went to Canada. And he appeared to be keeping it very much hidden, until Leo's dad, Teddy returned. In shock scenes at New Year, Corrie fans thought Leo had been killed as a confrontation with Stephen in the street saw him get knocked over.
However, he has since recovered and is being nursed back to full health by Jenny at the Rovers. But she won't be able to help him next week when he is killed by Stephen. When Billy Mayhew says something to Teddy it triggers a memory and as Stephen heads out of the factory, Teddy approaches, revealing that he now remembers everything and accuses Stephen of having done something to Leo.
Teddy then grows angry, revealing that he remembers every word of their conversation before the accident. Stephen then leads Teddy into the factory, suggesting they can talk inside. But once inside the office, Teddy accuses Stephen of doing everything he can to stop him going to Canada because in truth he killed Leo in a bid to have Jenny for himself.
When Teddy vows to report him to the police, Stephen whacks him over the head and kills him. Speaking about becoming the soap's latest serial killer Todd, who returned to the soap last year fifteen years after last being in the role, became emotional. "It's amazing. Last time we did some press I spoke about Connor McIntyre [Pat Phelan] and Brian Capron [Richard Hillman] and I felt a bit pretentious in naming myself with those esteemed actors.
"I watch the show, I love the show, I've watched it for years, ever since I was a kid in Australia and you hope to play Hamlet in your 20s and 30s, you hope to play Macbeth in your 50s, you hope to play this and it's even rarer than that. It's such an honour and I get emotional about it."
But with his character now in villain territory, it's fair to say that his co-stars are pretty nervous about what this could mean for their own characters. "What is quite wonderful is Iain [MacLeod - Corrie's producer] and the writers, I think I’ve had a scene with probably every main character on the street, which makes them all terrified, I’m sure, they know to stay away from me," he told press.
"But if I get asked one more time, repeatedly, by the same people – 'so how long are you gonna be in the show?' I’ve had people ask me three or four times, the same person, because they want to know how long they’ve got to be worried for. They’re just sweating it, they just really are. And then there are rumours about people that I don’t think I would kill, I’m being told ‘I think you’re gonna kill that person’, I’m like 'are you sure?' They’re nervy."
And as for how long her may be around, Todd said back in December: "Iain was talking about maybe the end of next year." Meanwhile, one of the cast members he may be talking about it Jack P Shepherd who plays his on-screen nephew, David Platt.
Speaking exclusively to the Manchester Evening News about the Stephen storyline last month, he said: "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."
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