With all the excitement around the impending arrival of the Driscoll-Price clan, all set to take over the Coronation Street’s iconic Rover’s Return pub, one promised aspect of their story is potentially the most exciting: the feud between Eva Price (Catherine Tyldesley) and mother-in-law from hell, Maggie Driscoll (Pauline McLynn).
Eva’s joy at partner Ben Driscoll’s (Aaron McCusker) big surprise – that he’s purchased the boozer for her – is upended when his ‘fierce and formidable’ mother, Maggie strolls into the pub and makes clear her intention to move in.
Speaking to Metro about the relationship between the pair, Catherine said: ‘It’s an interesting one. Early doors, I wouldn’t say she’s scared of her, she’s more irritated by her.
‘But as time goes on, Eva does start to see this side to her that’s like ‘Wow, okay, I’ve got your number,’ and I think that element develops where she goes ‘Yeah, I am a little bit scared of her now and intimidated.’
As becomes immediately evident, Eva and her mother-in-law don’t have the easiest relationship, and Maggie takes the earliest opportunity to stir the pot with after an embarrassing incident at the Rover’s Halloween party.
Crossing with ex-boyfriend Adam Barlow (Sam Robertson), Eva is delighted to catch up with him and offers an invite to the party at the Rover’s.
With the bash in full swing and the new landlord decked out as a vampire, Eva is in high spirits as she heads into the back room and flings her arms around a creature of the night, elated at the success of the party.
The only problem? Wrong vampired.
As it turns out, Adam has also decided to embody the spirit of Dracula for spooky season and Eva has embraced the wrong one!
As Adam panics and rushes out, leaving his briefcase behind, Eva is flustered by the encounter and brushes Ben off, claiming Adam is just an old friend, though she later decides to come clean.
As Maggie descends the stairs, unseen by Ben and Eva dressed as a demon of sorts, in a hilarious horror-parody, Eva opens up about her true history with Adam, explaining that they were an actual item and that she panicked and regrets lying. Ben is understanding and the two reach an understanding, while Maggie isn’t convinced.
Waiting for Ben to leave, she questions just how many more skeletons Eva has stored in her closet. Despite Eva’s protestations, Maggie looks thoroughly unconvinced.
