Corrie's Simon Gregson: 'Jim tells Steve he has a potentially serious hereditary disease!'

Steve McDonald gets shock health news that has serious repercussions for Michelle, Leanne and their babies, reveals Corrie star Simon Gregson

When Steve McDonald gets an unexpected phone call from his dad, Jim, it turns his world upside down in Coronation Street.

"Jim tells Steve he’s discovered he has a potentially serious hereditary condition called Myotonic Dystrophy," Simon Gregson told Soaplife. "And this means Steve and his offspring – daughter Amy and both unborn babies – should be tested."

But Steve buries his head in the sand…

Why doesn’t Steve immediately act on what Jim has told him? "It’s an odd reaction but that’s typical Steve. He just doesn’t want to know and chooses not to. I think he’s frightened of what the test results could be."

Does he not even tell Michelle? "Not until the day of Michelle’s scan. Steve sees the pictures of the baby and feels really emotional. That’s when it hits home that this little baby he’s just seen could have this disease and it’s then he opens up to Michelle."

Does Michelle put pressure on him to have the test? "Yes, but not too much. Michelle’s playing the softly-softly game. She knows that if she goes in all guns blazing Steve’s going to shut down."

And then Leanne finds out and wants him to get tested, too, right? "Yes. Her plan is to make sure Tracy finds out, because Tracy will insist that Steve has the test because of Amy. This just heaps even more pressure on Steve."

She also threatens to tell Michelle about him being her baby’s father unless Steve has the test… "And that would be his marriage over, without a doubt. Steve cheated on Michelle with Becky and she took him back, but she wouldn’t do so again. OK, it wasn’t an affair and he and Michelle were on a break, but he should have been honest from the outset. This is Steve, though, and now he’s in way too deep."