Michelle's abduction brings out the worst in Robert, Steve puts Leanne in an embarrassing position, Chesney's return to work is a disaster, and a desperate Gary lies to Sarah.

The police get involved following Michelle's abduction… But what's the news about Michelle that tips boyfriend Robert over the edge and leads him to attack Rich in Coronation Street?

Meanwhile, Steve's desperate to follow up on his off-the-cuff proposal to Leanne. Taking mum Liz's advice, he sets about doing the job properly and puts Leanne on the spot… Will Steve's public display win her heart or scare her off?

Following the trauma of his stabbing at the hands of drug dealer Rich, Chesney makes an effort to go back to work at the kebab shop. When he's faced with a difficult situation, how will he cope?

Following Michelle's abduction, Robert seeks revenge… But has he got the right person?

Following Michelle's abduction, Robert seeks revenge… But has he got the right person?

Michelle Connor

After Michelle escapes, police break the news to Robert that Rich has an alibi, meaning he couldn't have been the one to abduct Michelle.

Robert doesn't believe Rich isn't behind Michelle's abduction and gives the thug a severe beating… But has he got the right person?

Outside the Rovers, Steve approaches Leanne, who's horrified to see that baby Oliver is wearing a babygrow emblazoned with the words, 'Will you marry my Daddy?'

Next moment, Steve gets down on one knee to officially propose. He lists all the reasons their marriage could work, but how will Leanne respond?

When Chesney starts back at work in the kebab shop he finds himself faced with a rowdy bunch of lads on a stag night…

As the lads become more boisterous, Chesney suffers a panic attack and runs from the kebab shop struggling for breath… Can he overcome his trauma?

Alya lures Luke back to her flat on the pretence that her food processor is broken… When he spots a screwdriver on the side, he sees straight through her ruse… Will Alya get her way with him?

Gary accepts the security work he's been offered in Ukraine, but he lies to Sarah that he's landed a job with his dad in Hamburg and says it wouldn’t be a good idea for her join him… Will Sarah accept his story?

Steve says it with flowers for Leanne… But how will she react to the message included with them

Leanne Battersby got drunk and had Steve McDonald's baby. Now she’s got drunk again and agreed to marry him! Jane Danson talks about the mess she’s got herself in

Leanne Battersby shouldn’t drink. She has Steve McDonald’s baby because of a night of drinking with him in Coronation Street. Now, after a night on the booze with Steve, she wakes up engaged to him!

“It was definitely the drink that made her agree and she’s mortified when she wakes up the next day and realises what she’s done,” Jane Danson told Soaplife. And while she’s working out what to do next, Steve proposes again!

Why doesn’t Leanne tell Steve straight away that she didn’t mean to say ‘yes’? “She doesn’t really know what to do. Eva and Toyah tell her she must to do something so she sends Steve [Simon Gregson] a text saying they need to talk – but in doing so she potentially makes things worse!”

Can you talk us through Steve’s second proposal? “He dresses Oliver in a babygro with the words, ‘Will you marry my daddy?’ on it. It happens in the middle of the street, just as she is about to reject Steve’s first proposal, so she is really put on the spot.”

How does she feel about him using Oliver to propose? “She feels as though it is a little bit of emotional blackmail. He knows she wants a proper family life for Oliver so he has used the one thing that might strike a chord with her. She is quite horrified to find herself in this situation - in the middle of the street with everyone watching. The father of her child is proposing to her – how can she say ‘no’ in front of everyone?”

Has Leanne ever considered Steve as husband material? “Not really. OK, they had their drunken one-night stand, but other than that they’ve just been mates for years. You would have thought if something romantic was going to happen between them, it would have done so some time ago. Having said this, Steve and Leanne possibly could make a good couple if they sat down and talked about their feelings. But there isn’t much of a spark between them and is it possible to have a real relationship without that?”

Should Leanne marry Steve? “No! I would certainly advise her against marrying. It’s bound to end badly.”

Coronation Street, ITV

Coronation Street’s Simon Gregson reveals how Steve McDonald decides to propose to Leanne Battersby!

Just call Steve McDonald the Henry VIII of Coronation Street! He’s got it in mind to make Leanne Battersby his sixth missus, following in the footsteps of Vicky Arden, Karen Phillips (twice), Becky Granger and Michelle Connor.

“Steve’s decided he wants to wed Leanne because she’s a very good mum to their son, Oliver,” Simon Gregson told Soaplife. “She’s a good person and he also always tries to do right by his children. It’s why he proposed to Tracy Barlow, Amy’s mum, even though he didn’t love her!”

Has this marriage idea come to Steve out of the blue? “He and Leanne have been having a laugh together lately and they’re getting on really well, so he starts thinking about it and kind of asks himself, ‘Why not?’ They make a good team. They’re trying the controlled crying technique to get Oliver to sleep at night. Leanne’s a bit too soft at first and Steve’s the hard one, but then it’s the other way round.”

How does Steve justify the idea of marriage to Leanne? “He says they get on, they have a child together and they make a good team, so why don’t they go for it? It’s hardly the most romantic proposal. To be honest, there’s not a lot of sexual chemistry between Steve and Leanne. It obviously worked once, but it’s not really there now, which is going to make a marriage tricky.”

What does Leanne say to the proposal? “She’s absolutely stunned by the idea. She really hasn’t been expecting it. You’ll have to wait to see whether she accepts.”

What about Michelle? “It comes as a bit of a shock at first, but she’s then OK with it. She’s still fuming with Steve, but she’s happy with Robert Preston.”

How is this storyline likely to pan out? “It will go quite well purely because Jane Danson [who plays Leanne] and I just enjoy working with each other so much. I think this comes across in the scenes, so there’s a lot of scope in the future. It’s about time Steve had some happiness. Maybe this could be it!”

Do you fancy another screen wedding? “No! They’re no fun to film. There are just too many people involved in a small space and they take days. So, no, I’d prefer Steve not to marry again. Plus, they always film my screen weddings in the winter!”

Coronation Street, ITV

Rumours are circulating that Steve McDonald is about to pop the question to Leanne... but will she say yes?

Coronation Street's Steve McDonald is reportedly preparing to pop the question to Leanne Battersby in what could be his seventh wedding ceremony.

According to the Mirror, Steve will attempt to make an honest woman out of Leanne in a bid to give their son Oliver a stable family life.

Leanne is left stunned when Steve pops the question... but will she agree to become Corrie's next Mrs McDonald?

Steve's first wedding was in 1995 to Vicky Arden, but it didn't last.

Next up, Steve tied the knot with Karen Phillips. They split up, but remarried in 2004.

Then he attempted to marry Becky Granger, but she was too drunk to go through with it. They managed to walk down the aisle eventually, but it wasn't long before Steve was single again and fell in love with Tracy Barlow.

Steve and Tracy's marriage was so short-lived it ended at the reception after he found out she had lied about her miscarriage being caused by Becky pushing her.

Fans thought Steve had finally found The One when he married Michelle Connor, played by Kym Marsh, in 2015. But they split after she discovered he’d fathered a baby with Leanne.

Could it be seventh time lucky for Steve?

Leanne is being pulled in all directions by Nick, Steve and Peter. But that won’t last, says Corrie’s Jane Danson, who explains how she feels about Ben Price (Nick) leaving

As if having little baby Oliver to look after isn’t enough, Leanne Battersby also has big babies Peter Barlow, her ex, Nick Tilsley, her partner, and Steve McDonald, Oliver’s father, to keep sweet…

“All three want something from Leanne and none of them see the situation from her point of view,” Jane Danson told Soaplife. “There’s never been a moment where she’s been able to say, ‘I am fed up with this - what about me and Oliver?’”

Why is Peter (Chris Gascoyne) leaning on Leanne so heavily? “He needs her help to prove he didn’t push Ken [William Roache] down the stairs and also to disprove the Chloe assault charge.”

So she believes he’s innocent? “She does, actually. She knows that Peter wouldn’t really hit a woman. With regards to Ken, she thinks it would be very out of character for Peter to have pushed him. He had nothing to gain from it. If Ken’s fall was accidental, she can’t believe Peter would have left his dad to die. Peter’s not a bad bloke, just very flawed.”

Why does she go round to see Chloe (Jo-Anne Knowles)? “Mainly because of Simon - she doesn’t want Peter sent down for something he didn’t do which would mean him being absent from his son Simon’s life again. Toyah [Georgia Taylor] turns up at the same time and they kind of gang up and try to make Chloe confess that she is lying. It’s a bit like the battling Battersby girls of the old days.”

There is also Oliver’s naming ceremony to contend with... “Leanne’s torn about Steve [Simon Gregson] being there because Nick clearly isn’t happy about it. Then Liz [Beverley Callard] is unhappy about not knowing anything about it. The whole point is for everyone to come together and celebrate, but of course it doesn’t turn out that way. Everyone is at loggerheads and Leanne’s stuck in the middle of it all. No wonder she’s distracted and later on locks herself out of the flat with the baby still inside!”

How do you feel about Ben Price (who plays Nick) leaving the Street? “I’m devastated, absolutely gutted. I completely understand his reasons for wanting to go, but he will be a huge loss to the show and selfishly, on my part, to my working day. I will miss him so much.”

Coronation Street, ITV

Now everyone knows that Steve McDonald is the father of Leanne’s son, Oliver and things are going to get ugly. Jane Danson hints at the heartbreak to come…

We’ve seen and heard plenty about Michelle McDonald’s reaction to finding out that husband Steve is the father of Leanne Battersby’s baby. But what about Leanne? What’s she going to do now? Corrie's Jane Danson has revealed some insights into the future of mother and baby…

“There’s more to this whole story than ‘Steve is the dad’,” says Jane. “There are so many characters involved. It has so many repercussions for each and every one of them. It’s really sad.

“And now everyone knows it’s not just how Michelle [Kym Marsh] and Steve [Simon Gregson] deal with the news in their relationship… It’s how Leanne and Steve, and Nick and Leanne and Michelle and Nick deal with this mess that’s been left…

“Who is the dad now?’ Who is going to play the dad in this little boy’s life? Can they both be the dad?”

Nick clearly doesn’t think so…

“If you think you’re going play any part in my son’s upbringing you’re wrong,” Nick told Steve on Friday night.

But Nick actor Ben Price is leaving Corrie, so it sounds like he’s the one who loses…

“It’s certainly going to cause a few broken hearts along the way,” Jane adds. “The only person who really has got what they wanted is Leanne with her baby. But I wouldn’t say she lives happily ever after.

“She is quite sanctimonious. She thinks she’s always right. But most of the time she isn’t. I should hate her! I think she always knew that one day this would all come out in the wash. This is going to have a huge impact on Steve’s relationship with Michelle but also it will have a massive impact on his relationship with Leanne.

“I feel sorry for her but, equally, I feel sorry for Michelle,” adds Jane.

And, after Friday night’s violent reaction from Michelle, we think Leanne should learn how to duck!

Coronation Street, ITV

Leanne Battersby’s waters break just as she’s having a blazing row with sister Toyah, reveals Corrie star Jane Danson

When Leanne unexpectedly goes into labour in Coronation Street, it’s drama all the way.

“She’s been having twinges, but has ignored them, however her waters break just as she and Toyah are yelling at each other – again – over Toyah’s relationship with Leanne’s ex Peter,” Jane Danson told Soaplife.

How does Toyah cope? “Toyah [Georgia Taylor] is a caring person. She’s always had a soft side and this comes out as she tries to calm Leanne down even though they were in the middle of a big row.”

What were the scenes like to film? “I’ve never given birth on screen before although I’ve done it twice in real life. It was weirdly exhausting. The birth is very different to others we’ve seen on Corrie for reasons I don’t want to reveal or it will give too much away, but it is Leanne’s first baby and the birth situation is not ideal.

"Leanne is terrified, it’s technically difficult and there’s a lot of dialogue, which isn’t usually the case for the person giving birth. Leanne doesn’t make it to hospital and doesn’t have medical assistance so it’s quite intense. But she does have a son she calls Oliver.”

What does Nick make of Oliver’s arrival? “Nick and Leanne especially wanted to go through the birth together to help Nick [Ben Price] bond with the baby but, because of the way it happens, he isn’t there. As soon as Oliver is born the realisation that Nick is not his dad hits home. Nick will be there for him, but both Leanne and Nick know there’s a big obstacle: Steve McDonald [Simon Gregson].”

Is that why she doesn’t add Nick’s name to Oliver’s birth certificate? “It goes back to the fact that she was abandoned and lied to as a child. Leanne wants to start on the right foot with Oliver. If Nick’s name is on the birth certificate it is a big lie.”

Can Leanne deal with bringing up Oliver so close to Steve? “She has to. Leaving is not an option and she can only hope he will keep his side of the bargain and stay out of their lives. She is also bringing up Simon round the corner from Peter [Chris Gascoyne]. It’s like an episode of Jeremy Kyle!”

How worried is Leanne about the secret coming out? “She wasn’t worried until Michelle [Kym Marsh] lost her baby. That changed everything. But it isn’t the one thing occupying her mind. She has so much else going on what with being a new mum.”

Coronation Street, ITV

It's a bad week for a broody Toyah when she learns that Peter doesn't want children with her, and Leanne walks in on them together...

Toyah's torn when her husband, Toby, informs her that the fertility clinic are asking what they want to do with her frozen embryos, and he wants to give their relationship another chance in Corrie.

She was pinning her hopes on playing happy families with lover Peter, but he leaves her devastated when he tells her he doesn't want any more kids. When Peter finds out about Toyah's secret IVF attempts, he begins to wonder what other lies she's told him. And when Leanne walks in on the couple together, it throws their whole relationship into chaos.

Will Leanne put two and two together and realise her sister is having an affair with her ex?

Will Toyah go back to her husband when she realises she may not have the future she wants with Peter?

Will Toyah go back to her husband when she realises she may not have the future she wants with Peter?

Earlier, Toby tells her he wants to make another go of things

But is he the man Toyah really wants?

When Peter finds out about Toyah's secret struggle to have a baby, he begins to doubt whether he can trust her…

Peter goes for coffee with a glamorous taxi fare, Chloe

Is he up to his old tricks again?

When Leanne tries to sort out Toyah's love life by secretly replying to a text from 'Fred', knowing he's her secret lover, she'll be in for a shock when she sees Peter…

Will Leanne realise what's going on between Toyah and Peter? Watch Corrie on ITV from Monday, January 30

Corrie's Leanne has had her life turned upside-down and inside-out since she got pregnant by Steve. She thinks the only way she can keep the secret is to leave Weatherfield. But her ex, Nick, has other ideas, reveals Jane Danson

Mum-to-be Leanne plans to leave the Street to keep her baby secret... but Nick doesn't want her to go! Corrie's Jane Danson reveals all to Soaplife...

So, what’s going to happen with Leanne and Nick next? “Nick’s feelings for Leanne are very apparent and she’s realising she feels the same. But given what Nick’s gone through with Carla [Alison King], Leanne sacrifices herself to stop him hurting more and decides to leave. He’s heartbroken she’s leaving. But she feels she can’t force another man’s baby on him.”

That’s not the only reason Leanne packs her bags though, is it? “The fact that Steve [Simon Gregson] is the father of her baby is another reason why Leanne feels she’s better off making a fresh start. They only live about 20 yards from each other and he’s already said he wants nothing to do with the baby.”

And Steve's wife, Michelle, is pregnant too! “It makes everything even more complicated. Michelle [Kym Marsh] was there for Leanne when she was at her most vulnerable and now Michelle wants to be pregnancy buddies and it’s all too much.”

Nick makes a shock declaration. What can you reveal about what happens next? “Yes! Unbeknown to Leanne, Eva [Catherine Tyldesley] has told Nick [Ben Price] Leanne’s pregnant and that’s why she’s leaving, even though she’s fallen back in love with him. Nick declares his feelings and says maybe they can make it work. But can they, given the baby is another man’s – and one so close to home? She’s torn and feels guilty. Nick doesn’t know Steve is the baby’s father.”

In fact, Nick announces he’s the father! “Yes, because of Tracy [Kate Ford]. She’s seen them at the hospital and blabs in the pub. Leanne’s backed into a corner but Nick jumps in and says the baby’s his. This hardly gets them off to the best of starts – and there are many more problems to come!”

Coronation Street, ITV

Coronation Street’s Simon Barlow hits the bottle later this month, but it's Leanne Tilsley who will end up with the headache.

Leanne (Jane Danson) has custody of her ex Peter Barlow’s 12-year-old son, but since his alcoholic father decided to move to Portsmouth and leave Simon (Alex Bain) behind, the youngster has been behaving very badly.

Simon Barlow (Alex Bain) gets drunk in Corrie after stealing vodka from the restaurant (ITV)

Leanne hopes to get on Simon’s good side by letting him invite a group of friends over to her restaurant for lunch. But when her back is turned Simon steals a bottle of vodka from behind the bar and starts secretly downing it with his mates.

Leanne, played by Jane Danson, confronts Simon and his friends with the empty vodka bottle (ITV)

By the time Leanne realises what's going on the bottle is empty and Simon is drunk. But is he taking after his father, who has battled alcoholism for years, or is he just being a trouble maker?

These scenes will screen on Coronation Street on Wednesday, August 12.

Coronation Street’s Liz McDonald really knows how to pick them – on the rebound from cheater Tony Stewart, she gets involved with a violent former kerb crawler.

The Rovers Return landlady’s new boyfriend Dan Jones (Andrew Paul) is set for a terrifying hostage situation with ex-prostitute Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) when she recognises him as an old client.

According to The Sun, Leanne will try to warn Liz (Beverley Callard) about her new boyfriend’s volatile past, but when he gets wind of her interference the brewery rep will show his sinister side by holding her and son Simon hostage in their flat.

Liz (Beverley Callard) is growing close to Dan (Andrew Paul) (ITV)

Leanne is already struggling to cope with the death of her fiance Kal Nazir (Jimi Mistry) in the Victoria Court fire and her adopted son Simon’s increasingly aggressive behaviour.

A source told the paper: “This will be yet another horrific ordeal for Leanne, following Kal’s death. She knows from past experience what Dan is capable of. So when he traps her, she fears the worst. And then when he loses control and starts lashing out, all she cares about is protecting Simon from him.

“It has become clear at this point that Dan is a very dangerous man.”