Our favourite soaps have been really pushing the boat out recently in terms of experimenting with interesting new formats to keep viewers engaged, and Coronation Street is no exception.
This evening, it told the story of Maggie Driscoll’s (Pauline McLynn) killer past through flashbacks – but there is more to come, as this new trailer reveals.
Next week, it will be Todd Grimshaw (Gareth Pierce) at the centre of a special episode as his abuse from boyfriend Theo Silverton (James Cartwright) reaches its pinnacle.
In this special episode, Todd’s suffering at Theo’s hands intensifies until the police are called to a domestic disturbance, but will Theo’s cruelty finally be exposed?
In a first for the ITV soap, the episode will be shown entirely through camera footage, such as CCTV, dashcam, video doorbell, police bodycams and the secret cameras Todd hid in recent scenes.
‘We were discovering how to play to that style of filming “on the job”, so it felt like an exciting collaborative adventure for all departments,’ actor Gareth Pierce said.
‘I think I anticipated it might feel like we were watching Corrie characters through a haze, a slight step further back from the action, but it actually has the opposite effect where it feels like it brings us closer, like we’re eavesdropping on our characters and seeing something we shouldn’t.
‘I haven’t seen the full episode yet, but the bits I have seen are very effective and disorientating.’
Director Matt Hilton also warned that it would make for ‘uncomfortable’ viewing.
‘It felt like a really bold idea to show it in this intimate and voyeuristic way that I’d never seen done before and as a fan of the true crime genre I could see how it could work if we did it right, something that would be intriguing for the viewer and make them feel uncomfortable in watching it all take place,’ he said.
Viewers will recall that Todd bought cameras disguised as picture frames after Theo’s behaviour turned nasty last week.
Having already injured Todd by smashing his head into a mirror, Theo emotionally blackmailed him when he tried to leave after another row, leaving Todd feeling trapped.
Coronation Street has been supported by charities Stonewall and Galop in their telling of this story.
‘Domestic violence is real for a lot of people, it often escalates around Christmas, so there’s a real level of respect on the set,’ actor James Cartwright said.
‘You’ve got to tread that line between drama, storytelling and authenticity.
‘It will be very challenging to watch for anybody who’s been through it, or is going through something similar, but we also have to be careful not to rush it or you run the risk of doing a disservice to people who’ve been through it.’
This special episode of Coronation Street will air at 8pm on Monday, December 15, 2025, on ITV1 and will also be available on ITVX.
