ITV Coronation Street what’s happened to Leanne Battersby and what is Rowan up to?

Coronation Street has been full of explosive scenes recently thanks to newcomer Rowan Cunliffe.

Soap watchers will recall that mysterious newcomer Rowan has targeted Leanne Battersby with his “self-improvement group” The Institute. Rowan has also been pulling Leanne away from partner Nick Tilsley and even her sister Toyah Battersby during her time of need.

Rowan has been encouraging Leanne to open up about her past and the trauma she has faced, using his tools and guiding her to speak aloud about parts of her life. In a shock twist, Rowan was recently revealed to be recording everything Leanne was saying without her knowledge. Of course, viewers will recall that Toyah has been concerned for Leanne and extremely sceptical of Rowan.

In scenes last week, Leanne was urged to take some time away by Rowan, and she didn’t even say goodbye to some of her family leaving them annoyed. Despite their fears Leanne revealed she was heading off on a retreat with the institute, amid the soap’s new cult storyline. The character headed out of the street last week, with no real word on when she would be back, 27 years after the character debuted onscreen.

However, her partner Nick Tilsley was worried in her absence, as her stepson Simon collapsed after drinking. After throwing up in Tim Metcalfe’s cab Simon did a runner, with him found passed out on a bench by Nick and Leanne’s sister Toyah. Nick and Toyah were desperate to find Leanne and get in contact with her, to no avail. They then tried to contact Rowan for him to pass a message on, but this also did not work out.

They panicked as they had no idea where Leanne was with her now missing, and with them unable to contact her. Earlier this week, Rowan turned his attentions to Simon as he told the hungover youngster that he knows what it’s like to drift through life without direction. On Wednesday’s episode (tonight), it appears Rowan has persuaded Simon as he gets ready to leave for the retreat – with Nick and Toyah resorting to desperate measures to try and stop him.

Viewers will recall that only recently Toyah started snooping for dirt on Rowan, and seemingly found online posts from ex members of the institute saying it is not to be trusted. After meeting with Rowan’s “bitter ex”, Una, Toyah was left further stunned when she claimed Rowan was “honest” and “good”, saying there was nothing to be scared of about her husband or the institute.

Many viewers are wondering what dodgy Rowan is really up to and have taken to Twitter, now X, to share their theories.Viewers have predicted he isn’t genuine, and hasn’t been listening to Leanne for support but instead to blackmail her out of her money. Viewers have questioned whether he will later use the information she told him, all recorded, against her.

One fan posted: “Perhaps that Rowan will blackmail Leanne with the info she ‘uploads’ to him,” as another agreed: “Rowan: tell me all your secrets. Non-one is listening but I might blackmail you about them later.” A third fan said: “I think Rowan gets people to tell them secrets about their lives and blackmails them,” as a fourth asked: “Is idiot Rowan going to use whatever Leanne is telling him against her at some point?”