Tense times lie ahead for David Platt (Jack P Shepherd) in Coronation Street as he heads to Weatherfield prison to see Clayton, the man who murdered his beloved wife Kylie (Paula Lane).
It becomes apparent in tomorrow’s episode of the ITV soap that Clayton has started sending emails to mum Shona (Julia Goulding) from the prison, where he’s been since 2020.
Shona remains unaware of this due to David intercepting emails and letters. Reluctant to tell Shona about her son making contact, David confides in Nick (Ben Price) next week about the visiting order from Clayton.
‘After her memory loss he tried to make her believe David was a bad man and she was in a very vulnerable position’, star Julia Goulding explained.
‘Years ago David and Shona made a pact never to speak about Clayton. She may visit him, she may not, she may think about him, she may not, we don’t ever see it on screen because they’ve promised each other they wouldn’t speak about him.
‘But I think he is more present in her thoughts and in her life than the audience are led to believe. He is her son after all and she still loves him even after everything he’s done.’
Nick – who knows all there is to know about secret keeping – tells his brother to come clean because Shona is bound to find out eventually.
With that, David forms a plan and visits Clayton in prison – but what does the killer want after all this time?
And if Shona does find out, how will she react?
‘Trudging through treacle is probably a good analogy’, Julia explained, pondering over David and Shona’s future amid this storyline.
‘There’s going to be a lot of anger and pain, a possibility they could destroy each other. There’s a lot of change already for David, his mum is leaving, the house might get sold, stress with the stolen money which Shona doesn’t know about yet, it’s like living in a washing machine!
‘The sad thing is they’ve been so solid for so long Shona is David’s final crutch. But he’s destroyed it himself in my opinion. I really am Team Shona in this!’
Kylie Platt was killed by Clayton in 2016. He stabbed her in broad daylight in some of soap’s most horrifying scenes.
David was seen cradling his lost soulmate and letting out a wail of anguish on the cobbles as she bled to death in his arms.
He would go on to attempt to kill Clayton, before the teen was finally arrested and jailed.
Actor Callum Harrison, who was last seen in 2020, has already filmed his scenes and it is not currently a permanent return storyline.
Since leaving Corrie, Paula Lane has gone on to play Ella Foster in Emmerdale, grimly enough who turned out to be a killer child herself.
