Dead baby found after rape of major character in horrific Coronation Street storyline

Coronation Street fans have been left reeling and are sharing their disgust at a shocking and grisly new storyline which will see the stillborn baby of Toyah Battersby (Georgia Taylor) unearthed.

In a development which viewers are calling a ret-con, it will emerge that Toyah suffered the tragic loss, having initially fallen pregnant at the hands of her violent rapist Phil Simmonds.

Toyah’s horrifying attack back in 2001 has long been considered one of the soap’s most traumatic and controversial ever storylines, in part due to the graphic nature.

Toyah was discovered bloodied and bruised in an alleyway after the assault, which left her completely shattered and petrified to leave her home.

In very questionable scenes, the plotline was treated as a whodunnit, with several established men on the street being accused or suspected of the attack.

It later transpired that Phil Simmonds, a homeless man who had befriended Toyah, was her rapist and she was taken hostage by him before being saved by Peter Barlow.

After months of trauma, including a lengthy battle with agoraphobia, Toyah got justice when Phil pleaded guilty in court.

With Toyah remaining on the Street until 2003 before leaving, there was no inkling at all of a pregnancy or stillbirth.

But in scenes to come, viewers will be expected to get on board with the belief that Toyah endured this ordeal in secret and buried her dead baby in the park.

When the grave looks like it will be disturbed, Toyah will be thrown into a panic and the entire ordeal will come back to her.

The scenes are yet to play out but viewers have already made their decision on the macabre storyline, branding it ‘appalling’, ‘atrocious’ and ‘absolutely repulsive.’

It’s very hard to disagree. Similarly, sources close to the show have told Metro.co.uk that the storyline has been met with levels of dismay by some working at Corrie.

The grim storyline comes at a time when a young teenager remains missing, presumed murdered, while a neighbour is terminally ill with Motor Neurone Disease.

Last week, one of the show’s lead comedy characters was subjected to a terrifying ordeal in an armed robbery, in the same week that another violent criminal was arrested for robbery after conspiring with his murderous brother.

With overnight ratings continuing to fall year-on-year, many – including the Metro Soaps team in a recent review of current Corrie – have cited endless dark storylines as part of the turn-off.

Weatherfield has played host to teen bullying leading to suicidal ideation, knife crime, acid attacks, non-consensual sex, drugs, alcoholism relapse, puppy farming and a gambling addiction almost causing a family to lose their home.

It comes after the end of a serial killer storyline, after three victims were murdered and the landlady of the Rovers was taken hostage with a broken bottle – before the culprit was then smashed onto the road by a car and killed.

And all the while, one of the show’s most pure characters, Roy Cropper (David Neilson), is facing life in prison for the murder of missing teen Lauren Bolton (Cait Fitton).

The cafe owner’s life lies in tatters and he has been the target of abusive backlash, threatened by thugs and is now too scared to go out.

Toyah’s new plotline will do anything but provide a reprieve from this misery, with many viewers still trying to recover from her inexplicably becoming a murderer and deliberately killing her cheating partner Imran.

The episodes are certain to be grim, but the other issue many are also taking with it alongside its tone is that it doesn’t fit into Corrie’s timeline.

‘I get they love to retcon, but this is another level. We saw Toyah during this time,’ wrote one user of Twitter/X.

‘This is worse than Lydia’s [in Emmerdale] as the aftermath of Toyah’s rape was played out onscreen and she explicitly wasn’t shown pregnant or even hinted to be,’ pointed out another.

Exhaustively, Toyah’s ordeal will air alongside a sinister arc for her sister Leanne (Jane Danson), who is being drawn into the grips of a cult.

Some are hoping that the show will pick up on fan reaction to the announced storyline and pull the plug, although we understand filming has already been underway and storylines already are planned months in advance.

‘I’ve watched every single episode of Corrie for the past 14 years & have never seen them attempt to do anything like this,’ another viewer lamented. ‘Not only does it make no sense & is a total recon, but it’s complete gross & horrific. I’m begging they see the uproar & pull the story.’

Coronation Street recently confirmed that former Emmerdale producer Kate Brooks, who oversaw an awards-heavy successful era of the soap, is to take over as the new boss.

She said of her new role: ‘Corrie has lit up my living room since I was a kid, so to be asked to produce a show I’ve revered for such a long time is the ultimate ‘pinch me’ moment.

‘I’ve adored the show from across the Pennines and have consistently been in awe of the talent on display, both on and off the screen.

‘It truly is a special show and I endeavour to take great care to ensure that it continues to thrive as we head into the next chapter. Coronation Street has, and always will be, part of my DNA, and I can’t wait to get stuck in.’