Coronation Street star Christopher Harper has revealed how he was ‘shaking’ when he was asked by show bosses to reprise his role as sex offender Nathan Curtis.
The 46-year-old actor appeared in the soap from 2016 to 2017, when his character groomed and raped a then-teenage Bethany Platt as part of a sex trafficking ring.
Nathan was jailed for rape, however, in next week’s episodes, Bethany will be horrified to discover he has been released from prison.
Asked about his reaction when he was approached about a return, Chris tells us, “I was really emotional actually, because of the number of survivors or victims of abuse or grooming who have approached me in the months and years around the original storyline, and my connection with the charities that I’ve worked with and stayed in touch with - the responsibility of the storyline suddenly loomed very large.
“I love playing Nathan - he’s slippery and manipulative and the devil gets the best tunes - but I was aware that it was our duty to continue Bethany’s story, so it was really wonderful to hear that the producers at Corrie had worked with the Maggie Oliver Foundation (a charity supporting survivors of abuse) and were very much putting Bethany’s continued survivors story at the centre of Nathan’s return.
“They really wanted to reflect what is going on in the real world, about these people coming out of prison, the way they’re behaving and what they’re able to get away with.
“I started shaking, and I talked to my wife (actress Emily Bowker) and to the charities and some of the survivors, just to make sure this was a sensible thing to do.
“They were like, ‘It’s fantastic.’ When I realised it was going to be oxygen for their campaigns and another chance to raise awareness, I thought, ‘I’ve got to do this.’”
Bethany initially spots Nathan in a crowd of people in the precinct, who have gathered to watch a reconstruction being filmed of missing teenager Lauren Bolton’s last movements.
Boyfriend Daniel insists her mind is playing tricks on her, but she spots Nathan again in the reconstruction footage and learns from DS Swain that he was freed several months earlier. She and Daniel then confront Nathan at a nearby building site, where he is now working, and Bethany - aware of what he is capable of - accuses him of being Lauren’s killer.
Adds Chris, “Bethany puts two and two together, and it does resemble Nathan. But we mustn’t think it could just be Nathan.”
He continues, “This is all very true to life. People are coming out of prison for sexual offences, changing their names very swiftly, ducking out of probation rules and not following their sexual harm prevention orders and turning up in the supermarket next to the person they were abusing - it’s just awful.
“Victims and survivors are trying to move on, and you’re suddenly face to face with the person who has caused you so much pain.
“The issues are not going away; they’re only exacerbated by increased levels of tech.”
Charities Barnardo’s and NSPCC have been involved with the plot, while Chris has also worked with Nottinghamshire-based She UK, which is working to raise money to provide sexual abuse victims and survivors with counselling.
Bethany’s initial abuse storyline was highly acclaimed and led to actress Lucy Fallon scooping two gongs at The British Soap Awards in 2018 - for Best Female Dramatic Performance and Best Actress.
The plot led to many abuse survivors approaching Chris and sharing their stories.
“It was three or four people every day without fail for about two years,” he recalls. “There was a percentage of viewers for whom the story had a special connection; an awful connection.
“It was fleeting moments on tram platforms - someone would come up and squeeze my arm and say ‘Thankyou’ and then walk on. Or people I’d known for 20 years would say, ‘I’ve never told anyone about this, but now I’ve told my sister and my mum.’
“The part didn’t change my career, as such, but it definitely changed my life. For the first time, I had an audience who were able to come up to me and feedback. It’s quite seismic, really.”
Coronation Street airs hour-long episodes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8 pm on ITV — see our TV Guide for full listings. You can also catch up on episodes on ITVX.
