Summer’s arrived in Coronation Street, and the time is right for drama. But as temperatures rise, what, exactly, is in store for our favourite Weatherfield residents?
Here’s a rundown of the big stories set to have us gripped over the coming weeks in Coronation Street…
1. It’s Fiz’s wedding — but which man does she really want?
Tyrone behaved like a complete prat when he left Fiz for Alina — and he looked like one, too, thanks to the skinny jeans and loafers his younger lover decked him out in.
The mechanic eventually came to his senses and realised he’d thrown away something special, by which point heartbroken Fiz had moved on with Phill. As Fiz and Phill’s wedding day arrives, will the bride-to-be say ‘I do’? or will she give regretful Ty another chance?
Naturally, number nine is brimming with tension in the run-up to the nuptials. Phill’s mum Mimi is a pain in the derriere, while Fiz is frantic when a few of the arrangements go awry. There’s also an unexpected arrival in the shape of Phill’s ex-wife, Camilla (Louise Marwood, best known for playing Emmerdale’s Chrissie White).
Tyrone has a heavy heart as he watches on, and is urged by Kevin to tell Fiz how he feels. Fiz, too, is troubled. Phill is a good man, but the bond between her and Ty runs deep.
“Fiz does want Tyrone back, but not as the man he is now,” says Jennie McAlpine, who plays her. “She wants the Tyrone she had before.”
As events reach a head, which man — if any — will Fiz choose?
2. Kelly’s in danger!
If anyone deserves a break, it’s Kelly. But as we head further into Summer, more drama is on the cards for the orphaned teen.
It all stems from a well-meaning gesture. Kelly, you’ll recall, inherited thousands of pounds when dad Rick’s body was found, including a £17k bundle of cash found underneath the floorboards at her old family home.
Aware that the money was made during his days as a violent loan shark, she decides to make amends for Rick’s wrongdoing by reimbursing the struggling folk he ripped off.
Reveals our Corrie mole, “Aadi finds out and thinks Kelly needs to think things through and perhaps speak to Gary and Maria.
“Apart from anything else, he’s not comfortable with her wandering around Weatherfield with thousands of pounds in her bag!”
But Kelly won’t listen… and her good deed later backfires as she comes up against one of Rick’s old adversaries and finds herself in a terrifying situation.
As Gary realises something is wrong, he must think fast to protect her.
But as he’s reacquainted with Rick’s world, could this be the start of an even bigger nightmare for Mr. Windass?
3. George’s sister Glenda arrives!
Northern powerhouse Jodie Prenger feels like an absolute natural for Coronation Street, and we’re predicting some exciting times ahead as the singer and actress — who shot to fame in 2008 when she won BBC One talent show I’d Do Anything — arrives on the cobbles in August as George Shuttleworth’s sister, Glenda.
Reveals show boss Iain MacLeod, “Glenda sails in fresh from the cruise ships with a whiff of the exotic, quickly making best friends and enemies in equal measure. The character is loads of fun and has echoes of classic Coronation Street females of old.”
Poor George has recently been rocked to set eyes on Frank Bardsley (Simon O'Brien), who used to bully him at school, so having Glenda back in his life will no doubt be quite the comfort.
As she quickly finds her feet and lands a job behind The Rover’s bar, which punter will rock her boat?
4. Maria’s living in fear
Blimey, who’d want a career in politics? Maria is seriously unnerved as she’s targeted by trolls, and the bad news for councillor Connor is that things are only going to get worse. After an encounter with a stranger, the stressed-out mum discovers that someone has put a tracker on her phone and is watching her every move...
"It knocks her confidence massively," reveals actress Samia Longchambon. "It’s quite sad because she was enjoying making a change and making people more aware of the environment."
Though Maria involves the police, she remains on edge and starts adjusting her behaviour to spend more time at home.
Meanwhile, the leader of the council refuse team, Jimmy, continues to be a thorn in her side. The pair have clashed because Maria has unintentionally increased his and his colleagues’ workload. He’s riled — and no doubt threatened — by the glamorous woman who’s swept in with her clipboard, wanting to put her stamp on Weatherfield.
As he issues her with a warning, can Maria find the strength to shake it off?
5. Wendy and Ken come face to face…
If you’ve tuned into Coronation Street recently, you’ll know that Ken Barlow’s ex-lover, Wendy ‘flamin’ Papadopoulos (nee Crozier) is back on the scene as a foster carer, responsible for assessing whether Abi Webster has what it takes to raise son Alfie.
Wendy and Ken haven’t yet come face to face, but those Corrie writers aren’t going to deny us a ‘Kendy’ reunion, and in the coming weeks, Wendy, spurred on by Abi, pays Ken a visit to try and build bridges.
The pair, if you need reminding, had an affair in the late 80s, which led to the breakdown of Ken and Deirdre’s first marriage. Wendy wanted to rekindle their romance when their paths crossed again in 2012, and she lied to Deirdre that they’d slept together, prompting a furious Ken to cut ties with her.
"It’s a tricky one because it was so awkward the way her relationship with Ken ended before," says Roberta Kerr, who plays Wendy.
How will Ken feel when he sees his former flame? Could sparks fly once again?
6. Sean’s boyfriend Frank shows his true colours
Sean’s had atrocious luck with the fellas, but he currently has a spring in his step after taking up with scouser Frank. In the coming weeks, he’ll have another man in his life, too — son Dylan comes to stay.
No doubt Sean will be hoping that a happy family set-up could be on the cards. But we know that Frank is a dubious character under that chirpy facade, having once bullied poor George. As Sean enjoys being a hands-on parent again, Frank’s nose is put firmly out of joint…
"Frank is jealous of anyone else having any kind of pull or bond with Sean," reveals actor Simon O’ Brien.
"You'll see a tug-of-war for the affections of Sean, and you'll start to see Frank's façade drop."
Sean isn’t always the most astute person on the planet, as his days as a Double Glammy sales rep showed. Will he realise that Frank isn’t the nice guy he seems?
7. Kevin’s under pressure
Now that Kevin and Abi have reunited and the latter is on course to win full custody of Alfie, it looks like the Websters can finally relax and enjoy the happy family life they’ve been striving for.
But as Abi’s dramas draw to a close (for now!), Kevin has parental woes of his own to deal with. His energies having been focused on his wife’s many crises, it should probably come as no surprise that son Jack has felt pushed out. Kevin’s thrown to realise how recent events have taken their toll on their lad, and he’s further stressed when Jack gets into trouble at school.
As he faces pressure from all angles — including at work — can Kev hold it together?
And the best of the rest…
Toyah breaks the law to help Spider with an eco-protest. But with a murder charge hanging over her following Imran’s death, will it prove a costly move?
Debbie’s forced to pay Ed compo when he’s injured on a job at her hotel… but her payout threatens to bring her business empire tumbling down.
Stu finally makes contact with his estranged daughter Bridget, thanks to some detective work from Yasmeen, but will Bridget welcome the chef back into her life?
Summer gets a job at Underworld, determined she doesn’t want to go to Uni, while boyfriend Aaron is taken on by Kevin at the garage.
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 ITV Hub.
