Todd Grimshaw (Gareth Pierce) has never felt more optimistic about his relationship with Theo Silverton (James Cartwright) in Coronation Street. After a rocky road to love, things finally seem to be falling into place.
Beaming with pride, Todd confides in Billy Mathew (Daniel Brocklebank) that Theo is not only at ease with his sexuality but is even suggesting they take the next step and move in together. Todd is ecstatic and feels like he’s about to get the happy ending he’s been hoping for with Theo.
But the dream begins to unravel when Billy overhears Theo chatting to an old work colleague and claiming he’s got a new woman in his life. Alarm bells ringing, Billy wastes no time confronting him.
Theo insists it’s nothing, just a white lie told to avoid judgment from an irrelevant ex-colleague. He assures Billy that his relationship with Todd is genuine and that his old friend isn’t worth sharing his truth with.
Later that evening, Todd and Theo are enjoying a rare peaceful moment over dinner at the bistro when an unexpected figure appears: Noah, a man from Theo’s past. Noah approaches with a disturbingly familiar tone, handing Theo a leaflet and urging him to attend a religious meeting the next day in an effort to ‘save his soul.’ The mood instantly shifts. Todd, stunned and suspicious, watches as Theo politely but firmly declines.
The encounter sends Todd spiralling. Fearing Theo is being dragged back into the same toxic, oppressive environment he once escaped, Todd is crippled with anxiety. Theo insists he’s fine and brushes it off, but Todd can’t let it go.
When Theo heads to the community centre the next day, Todd takes a look at the leaflet – and is horrified. It’s promoting a so-called ‘faith healing’ session, but Todd is well aware it’s a guise for dangerous conversion therapy practices. Todd and Billy rush to the centre in search of Theo. What they find chills them to the core: Noah is in full flow, practising conversion therapy on a vulnerable young member of his congregation.
Then Noah drops a bombshell: Theo is ‘somewhere safe.’ Todd’s panic and fury collide, and in a moment of raw emotion, he lashes out, knocking Noah to the ground. What Todd doesn’t realise is that one of the attendees has filmed the altercation on their phone…
Back at No.11, the consequences catch up fast. A police officer arrives and informs Todd that he must come in for questioning and that Noah has officially reported him for assault.
Reeling from the situation, Todd is surprised when Theo tries to lighten the mood with a thoughtful gesture as he’s planned a romantic movie night at home to cheer him up. Theo apologises for everything that’s happened and reassures Todd that he’s committed to him and their future. He even brings up the idea of finding a place together again, which fills Todd with comfort.
But with legal trouble looming and Theo’s past threatening to destabilise their relationship, Todd is left wondering: can their love survive the pressure? Or has the return of old demons set the stage for heartbreak once again?
