Coronation Street boss Iain MacLeod has promised challenging times ahead for Yasmeen Nazir, as the businesswoman’s traumatic ordeal at the hands of ex-husband Geoff Metcalfe threatens to jeopardise her blossoming romance with newcomer Stu Carpenter.
Stu, a former Navy cook who ended up on the streets, was recently given a part-time chef job at Speed Daal by Yasmeen, but Yasmeen revoked her subsequent invitation for him to move into her spare room when he joked about having high standards of cleanliness - a comment that took her straight back to the days when Geoff constantly criticised her housework.
In Monday night’s double bill (10th January), Yasmeen offered Stu a full-time position and once again offered him her spare room, which he accepted.
But in the coming weeks, Stu will continue to remind Yasmeen of her painful past, which then threatens to put a stop to the pair making the leap from friendship to something more.
Says MacLeod: “It’s such a colossal bomb that fell on Yasmeen, emotionally and psychologically, that it would have lifelong after effects. We want to explore that, but without retreading old ground.
“The big question is whether Yasmeen can get past the damage that Geoff did and embrace a happy future, or whether she is irretrievably damaged to the extent that it will cost her her happy ending.”
Previously married to love cheat Sharif, Yasmeen started dating Geoff in 2018 and the pair tied the knot in Las Vegas the following year.
But Geoff constantly bullied and belittled her, and manipulated her into feeling reliant on him.
As his behaviour escalated and Yasmeen feared for her life, she snapped and attacked him with a wine bottle.
She was cleared of his attempted murder, and Geoff later died after falling from the roof of number six during a confrontation with his former partner.
Adds MacLeod of the new man in Yasmeen's life, “Stu is characterful and funny, he likes carousing and causing trouble.
“Some of his behaviour - which viewers will know is entirely benign - will subtly resemble some of the things Geoff did.
“Yasmeen has to disentangle that, and work out to what degree he is like Geoff.
“It’s a complicated and unique love story, and I’m remaining tight lipped about how it ends…”
Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 7.30pm and 8.30pm on ITV - see our TV Guide for full listings. You can also catch up on episodes on ITV Hub now.
