In what must surely be the most ambitious and expensive week in Coronation Street history, disaster is set to hit Weatherfield later this month, all thanks to the sinkhole that has been ominously lurking in the Platts’ back garden for over a year and which still hasn’t been repaired.
As the ground gives way, Abi, Corey, Jenny and Johnny find themselves trapped in Victorian sewers below, and for added jeopardy, a torrential storm causes the water level to dangerously rise.
But had it not been for a pandemic, the saga would’ve aired much sooner - during the week of Coronation Street’s 60th anniversary, in fact.
Reveals show boss Iain MacLeod, “When we first collapsed the Platts’ back garden, it was with half an eye on doing something around the 60th. And then when we got to the 60 th, the COVID restrictions that were in place meant that we probably couldn't do quite what we were intending to do.
“A number of times, people in production have gone ‘Shall we just fill that hole in?’ and I’ve always said, ‘No! We're leaving it because I've got a plan for that. We just need to wait until we're actually able to do the thing I want to do.’
“We finally got to a stage, thanks to the incredible graft and professionalism of our crew, that we were able to do what it was that we always wanted to do with that sinkhole.
“It’s been a long, old, frustrating wait. Every time we were in the Platts or when somebody referenced the sinkhole, I was like ‘Oh, I just want to get on with the big thing that we want to do!’ We finally got there, and I couldn't be more pleased with the end result.”
The sinkhole saga will air as part of Coronation Street’s ‘Super Soap Week’ but there’s much more on the agenda than just watery mayhem.
Drug dealer Harvey Gaskell will make a dramatic return to the street, much to the horror of Leanne Battersby, while grieving mum Abi Franklin is determined to make Corey Brent pay for murdering her son, Seb, and gets her hands on a gun.
Meanwhile, Johnny Connor risks his own life to save his estranged wife Jenny when the ground literally opens up and swallows her, while away from the street, the Alahans are involved in a car crash and Dev faces a living nightmare as he’s forced to decide which of his kids to save from the wreck of his burning vehicle.
Coronation Street airs on Mondays and Wednesdays 7.30pm and 8.30pm with a hour-long episode at 7.30 on Fridays on ITV - see our TV Guide for full listings. You can also catch up on episodes on ITV Hub now.
