Life has been tough for Betsy Swain (Sydney Martin) in Coronation Street over the past few months – having lost her mother and boyfriend and been shot herself.
Betsy was hit in the arm by a stray bullet when Lisa Swain (Vicky Myers) wrestled a gun from Rob Donovan (Marc Baylis) while he was holding both her and Carla Connor (Alison King) hostage.
Tragedy struck when the family were told Betsy may never regain feeling in her arm, leaving Lisa wracked with guilt and the relationship between mother and daughter more strained than ever.
However, it wasn’t the act of shooting her that Betsy was upset at Lisa for, but the fact that she’d put herself in danger in the first place, without thinking about the consequences.
‘I think it’s this repetitive cycle of she feels as though her mum isn’t listening – no matter how much she screams it in her face, they’re just going round and round in circles,’ actress Sydney Martin explained.
‘And I think we do see some explosive moments between the two of them, where she’s just trying to communicate with her mum, but I don’t think her mum always understands where it’s coming from.’
In upcoming scenes, Betsy will continue to struggle with the impact of her injury, lashing out at her loved ones, as well as taking revenge on Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford).
Next week, she refuses to go back to college, and Lisa decides to take some time away from work to be with her.
However, Carla can sense something fishy is going on, and is sure Betsy is playing her mum.
‘Betsy’s not acting up because she wants to get in trouble, she’s acting up because she wants her attention, she wants to feel that she loves and cares for her,’ Sydney clarified.
‘She doesn’t blame her mum for the situation necessarily, but she blames her mum for not putting her first and not thinking about her.’
When she’s left alone to look after Betsy later in the week, Carla is vindicated when she spots the teen picking up a pepper grinder with both hands.
As Carla confronts her over her clear exaggeration of her injury, Betsy leaps up and sends her dinner flying – just as Lisa arrives home…
With tensions high, Carla takes a swipe at Betsy for faking her injury, though Lisa lets it slide.
However, when Tracy demands payment for the damage caused to her van by Betsy, Carla insists that the teen should contribute.
How will Lisa react, and will it affect their relationship?
