Coronation Street spoilers follow, and this article also discusses subject matter such as rape and grooming.
Tim Metcalfe will soon take a huge step on Coronation Street in the dark storyline involving Trisha Marlow, which has seen the beloved character gradually consider the truth that he was groomed in his teenage years.
Last year, the ITV soap began an issue-based storyline with Tim, which saw him run into a former flame. Way back when, a 20-year-old Trisha slept with Tim when he was just 14 years old, though the matter hadn’t adversely affected him in his life.
ITV
Related: Coronation Street confirms big trouble for David and Shona as Jodie closes in
However, his wife, Sally, raised the point that he wasn’t a consenting adult and therefore a victim of statutory rape. Tim didn’t see himself as a victim, though he didn’t continue talking to Trisha.
In upcoming scenes, Tim will request a face-to-face meeting with Trisha, with Sally questioning his motives. He is clearly troubled over the matter, and leaves as he becomes overwhelmed.
Later in the week, Tim makes the decision to confront Trisha after receiving a tip-off regarding her whereabouts, with Sally waiting outside. It doesn’t go to plan, however, and Tim is left shaken.
He later confides in Steve McDonald, sharing that he doesn’t really have any idea what he wants to say to Trisha. With the character slowly realising that he was groomed as a teenager, will he get the chance to confront his abuser?
“Tim has come to realise that his relationship with Trisha when he was younger was wrong,” our Corrie source explains. “He feels that he can’t get closure without talking things through properly.”
“Sally and Steve are both there to support Tim, but he feels that this is something he needs to do alone. When will Trisha make an appearance?” continues our Weatherfield insider.
ITV
Related: Coronation Street reveals the truth over Megan’s baby cliffhanger in early ITVX episode
Trisha’s return was reported last month when it was rumoured that Anita Booth would be reprising her role as the character, while Corrie producer Kate Brooks confirmed in January that the storyline would be explored in the future.
“We’ve seen Tim being quite dismissive about what happened in the past and not fully realise the extent of what had happened,” she said. “He didn’t feel tarnished by it… We wanted to take Tim and the audience on a similar journey at the same time.”
Coronation Street airs on weeknights at 8.30pm on ITV1 and streams on ITVX.
Read more Coronation Street spoilers on our dedicated homepage