Coronation Street killer Stephen Reid puts Carla Connor in danger in frightening scenes next week on the ITV soap, as the walls close in on the character.
Stephen (Todd Boyce) has seen his body count rise on the cobbles after he disposed of his second victim, Teddy Thompkins (Grant Burgin), in a car roof box hurled into the river.
Stephen has proven highly dangerous as he has wrought a path of death and deception through those around him – but has still successfully evaded being caught.
It looks like his next victim might be set now as Stephen sets his sights on Carla (Alison King) after a series of run-ins with the factory boss.
Stephen has a plan to get control of Underworld from Carla and he’s putting that into action by trying to set up a big contract behind her back for the new designs that Michael (Ryan Russell) and Sarah (Tina O’Brien) have come up with.
He and Michael last week met up with Rufus from Donahues to show him the samples they’ve had Beth (Lisa George) work through the night to produce.
ITV spoilers have now revealed that next week Stephen is desperate to seal the deal with Rufus – and will stop at nothing to do so.
In scenes next Monday, Carla tells Sarah that she can finish working on her designs in return for an apology.
The factory boss then tells Stephen to resurrect the deal with Rufus and in return he’ll receive 15% commission and a permanent contract.
At Rufus’s hotel, Rufus makes it clear he’s not interested but Stephen begs him to reconsider – prompting him to hand Stephen a vial of LSD and heads to the bathroom, where he snorts a line of coke.
Suddenly, Rufus collapses clutching his chest and as the paramedics attend to Rufus, Carla calls Stephen wondering if he’s sealed the deal.
Stephen – inexplicably — assures her it’s in the bag as the paramedics wheel Rufus out.
The scammer extraordinaire then practises Rufus’s signature on the unsigned contract when he hears a knock at the door.
A sex worker called Candice barges her way in and demands her money – giving Stephen an idea.
The storyline continues on Wednesday, when Carla calls a meeting with Sarah and Stephen and explains that Sarah is now Head of Design whilst Stephen will be Office Manager.
Determined to have his revenge on Carla, Stephen slips into the Underworld office with the vial of LSD from Rufus’s briefcase and slips the LSD into Carla’s coffee.
In later frightening scenes, Carla heads onto the factory floor, clearly discombobulated and woozy.
In the Rovers, Stephen strikes again as he spikes Carla’s red wine with another vial of LSD.
Peter calls at the pub and immediately realises Carla isn’t well, while she stares at the factory girls, her paranoia growing by the second.
Carla is helped out of the pub by Peter, who is worried sick that her psychosis is returning.
Stephen sneaks into Carla’s office, deletes a meeting with Dick Haversham from her diary and muddles up her paperwork.
The situation reaches chilling new heights on Friday, when Carla checks her diary and tells Peter she was convinced she had a meeting with Dick.
In the factory, Stephen hands Carla a mug of tea laced with LSD and convinces her that she cancelled the meeting.
When Dick Havisham calls wondering where she’s got to, Carla heads off to meet him, clearly flustered.
Later, Peter offers Paul a spin on his new motorbike just as Carla calls at the garage to collect her car.
But when Abi refuses to hand over her keys, Carla spots the Underworld van and starts the engine – only to career down the street, crashing into Paul astride on Peter’s bike.
Will Carla be alright? And what is Stephen planning next for her?
Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV.
Got any theories or thoughts on the storyline? Let us know in the comments section below.
