We're well into Spring 2026 now. CORONATION STREET THREAD. **No spoilers please.**

[SabreIsMyFave]

Can't believe we're on a new thread already. Filling up so fast these days!

Brief summary:

Todd has finally left the dreadful Theo, (after he badly beat up Todd,) but Theo is not keen on leaving him alone (although he has been told to by the police.)

Carla and Lisa (Swain) are planning on getting married very shortly.

Carl has been trying to extort money out of Summer for information, as he knows Theo killed Billy. (Summer knows this now too as Theo cornered her in the shop and told her as much, threatening to 'bury her too.') Summer is - very sensibly - not giving Carl a penny until Theo is arrested!

The ghastly Megan (Trainer) seems to have vanished, so Sam is relatively safe for now, but Sam has been having hallucinations and keeps seeing Will there - coming at him - when Will is nowhere near. Toyah, Leanne, and Eva have tricked Megan into meeting her (by sending a text from the burner phone Megan gave Will, and pretending to be Will...) Not sure what they're going to do when they meet her!

Ben Driscoll has just found out the man he knew as dad is not his bio father, and Jim McDonald is actually his father (so he is.)

The effervescent Debbie is declining a little bit more by the week, but is still in fighting spirit, and is seeing Carl for the parasite he really is. The gorgeous Ronnie is always by her side. Carl has just decided to cause a flood in Debbie's hotel by leaving the taps running in one of the rooms, after she told him he was very difficult to love, and refused to let him have half the hotel after he threatened to report Ronnie to the police for hitting him.

Shona's annoying sister Jodie is causing trouble all over the place! She's stolen Lisa's police badge, and a girl she uses to be a nanny for has turned up. Jodie is not happy about this!

Probably a bit more is happening, but I'm sure it will come up soon.

I’m surprised with all the worry, panic, & commotion going on that Christina even noticed George had changed his jumper. I didn’t notice and I was sitting here calmly drinking my tea. I mean, it’s not like his 1st jumper was pink leopard spots or anything.

Please no, I do not want more of that family

I agree with him. We've already lived through the plot, we don't need it rehashed in court.

The only abuser I can think of who was jailed rather than killed is Kirsty and she was convicted because she confessed. Every other abuser has ended up dead, and for a soap I think that's right, it's soap justice.

I hope they haven't ruined a perfectly good character like Summer or George by making them the killer. I'm still hoping it was Carl as that gets rid of Villain no.2, but I wouldn't mind if it was Christina (because I don't like her!)

But obviously we'll have to go through weeks or months of the wrong person being accused.

It could have been him though. He’d been in the episode, smashing up his van and saying he’s coming for Theo. I wouldn’t have put it past him. It would be a good twist from the usual suspects. Although I couldn’t bear Maria being a grieving widow again!

Yes. How has Maria been in it for years? Such a dreary character & not a particularly good actress.

Maria isn't great but she is streets ahead of Kirk and Shaun. Gary has killed before and gotten away with it, not cold blooded murder though.

Maria had a good spell during the Liam/Tony Gordon years but aside from that I agree she has been really dreary.

I'm not keen on Christina either, she encouraged George to keep the inheritance money, when he wanted to give it back. She's trouble.

In an ideal world they need to frame Carl (if alive) for killing Theo.

People get away with murder on Corrie is they’re a baddie (like Neelan and Callum). So I’m hoping whoever the killer is will be safe.

In a possible Corrie related aside, did anyone watch the Welsh Chapel programme with Pottery Throwdown's Keith and Marj, his partner? Did I see a fleeting glimpse of Eyelash at the party towards the end? I haven't watched the whole programme so don't know if she's had anything to do with it or maybe she has a doppelganger.

They matched her up with Gary just because they had two characters at loose ends but she hardly ever even speaks to her brother

I agree about Maria, actress not great. She’s relying on whichever character she’s close too. Watch classic Corrie too, and the same, can’t hold a scene, just doesn’t have the ability or gravitas. She’s background, like Shaun etc. Sarah likewise.

I think that Sarah has great chemistry with David.

Have to agree about Maria. I don't think Corrie would suffer if she was axed, she is boring and breathy and has no decent storylines. She was better in Classic Corrie, but still not amazing. Also Kirk and Sean can go. All are pointless characters that are only being kept (IMO) because they've been there 25 years or more, and they're not terribly keen on axing older characters as there aren't many left.

Oh, and Sarah doesn't bring much to it either IMO. Quite nice to look at but a bit of a pointless and vacant character. Just floats around in nice clothes, hands in her pocket, flicking her hair about, biting her lip, whispering half her lines, and moving from man to man. She used to be a spirited and feisty character, but she's quite wet now.

Mary can go too. She has been there nearly 20 years, but is pretty much a rubbish character now IMO. She's just gone daft, like Kirk.

As I say, I think some are only being kept because they've been there 25-ish years or more.. The other long-stayers (25-ish years or more,) are Sally, Kevin, Fiz, David, Steve, Leanne, Tracy, Dev, Tyrone, Roy, and Toyah. (And Audrey, Rita, and Ken, though those last 3 aren't in it often.) Gary and Mary have been in it nearly 20 years. Most of the others are fairly new-ish.

Agree Maria is very dull, but I suppose you have to have a few dull characters to even out the murderers. Half of the characters could leave and I doubt I’d notice.
I actually really like Ben & Eva, and have warmed to Ma Driscoll. I really like George, Todd, Christina, Ronnie, Leanne, Gary, Glenda & Kit.
I know I’ll probably be kicked off the group for saying this, but I won’t really miss Debbie if she leaves.
Oh, & I actually liked Carl 🫣

Just watched tonight's episode and thought it was a very good one ( after the confusion last week).
Agree with previous posters that perhaps the current cast could be reviewed. Some sadly add very little to the programme.
I thought ITV was keen to cut costs so this may happen soon.
I really like Ben and Maggie Driscoll - good additions.

The characters I really do not like are the ones that hang around for ever and just become a caricature of themselves. We have Kirk being stupid, Mary being quirky, Gemma being vulgar, Brian being a buffoon, Sean throwing a tea towel over his shoulder. Either develop them as characters or move them on.

@AmusedMaker
I agree with all your likes except Christina. I find her so hammy.

I like Carl, very good actor, interesting complex character, and in the old days he would have been rehabilitated after his crimes and stay on (like David). But they don't do that nowadays and he'll be in the bin shortly.

(Obviously I can't agree about Debbie! She is being quite over-used now though so I may not be that sorry by the time she goes.)

I don’t like Debbie much either. I find her a bit OTT, too happy, too sad, too much. But that’s the character, not the actress. Seems to be how Corrie likes its characters. Carla is similar.

I don’t think there are any characters I would be particularly upset about if they left.

I think Carl still has time to be rehabilitated if he survives. We saw him saying goodbye and apologising for his misdeeds, too little too late though it may be. They could have him like Gary, living a normal life but always a little shady.

I wont miss Debbie either, its like she has Histrionic PD
Meeeee!
Meeeee!

I know someone in RL just like her and shes exhausting

Just me that loves Sarah and Maria then. They have been able to drive a lot of the love interest drama, characters like them are needed.

I think there are too many baddies on the street, although some recently culled. I prefer the exchanges between regular characters, dull conversations and the funny one liners, back to Corrie roots.

I do hope Carl character stays but glad Theo gone, he was a such a tense watch.

It’s not that I dislike Maria etc, they’re just a bit dull.
( add Ryan to the dull list too )
The only characters I actually dislike are Shona, Gemma. & Kirk. If I can skip any scenes they’re in I will. And it’s annoying because I like David but most of his scenes are with Shona.

I quite like Sarah. I used to really like her when she was younger, she had decent storylines and a lot of interaction with David and Gail. But lately they have ruined her with a string of hopeless relationships. She never had any chemistry with Adam or that awful gangster.

I agree with PP that Maria and Gary are an unlikely couple, no chemistry and no reason to be together.