Coronation Street spoilers follow for the latest episode to air on ITV1 and stream on ITVX. This article also contains mention of domestic abuse that readers may find distressing.
Coronation Street’s dark death plot has taken a turn as new evidence has sprung up, and it’s not looking good for Tim Metcalfe’s cousin Richie.
The new character was recently arrested and accused of murdering his wife, with Tim seeing her dead body on the floor.
ITV
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At the start of today’s episode (20 August), Sally told Tim that social services were happy for them to continue fostering Richie’s daughter Lucy, while Tim received a visiting request to go see his cousin in prison.
In the visiting room, Richie told Tim that his wife Rachel had attacked him, and not for the first time. “She’s been abusing me,” he said, before asking Tim to tell other people that she was like that.
“I never even met her”, Tim explained, but Richie insisted that Tim do what he asked.
“I need to convince them I acted in self-defence,” he said. “I need to get out of here to look after my daughter. I need you to do this.”
Tim responded by saying that he couldn’t lie, even if it was to protect Richie.
Richie raised his voice and looked like he was going to go for Tim, but prison guard Ross defused the situation.
ITV
Related: 15 huge Coronation Street spoilers for next week (24 to 28 August)
Back at home, Tim told Sally that he wasn’t sure whether Richie’s accusations of abuse were true or not, but said he couldn’t lie either way as he didn’t know Rachel.
The duo were interrupted by Lucy, who demanded to know why Tim didn’t tell her about the prison visit. Tim tried to say it had all gone fine, when Lucy got emotional.
“It wasn’t his fault! He acted in self-defence. I already told you she went for him with a knife, and she would have killed him,” she said through tears.
Things got even more confusing when Ross approached Tim in the pub, saying that it “wasn’t the first time” that Richie had kicked off.
Did Richie really kill Rachel, and was she really abusive towards him?
Coronation Street airs on weeknights at 8.30pm on ITV1 and streams on ITVX and YouTube.
Read more Coronation Street spoilers on our dedicated homepage
Organisations including The Mankind Initiative provide support and advice to men experiencing domestic abuse or coercive control. The helpline is open weekdays between 10am and 4pm, is 01823 334244.