Corrie star Elle Mulvaney's on-screen ex doesn't hold…

Corrie star Elle Mulvaney's on-screen ex doesn't hold back with stong reaction to Amy Barlow rape storyline

Coronation Street is tackling the issue of non-consensual sex with a harrowing storyline that saw soap favourite Amy Barlow preyed on by her best friend's boyfriend. In Friday night's episode (March 3) Amy was raped by Aaron Sandford after the pair both fell out with Aaron's girlfriend Summer Spellman.

Aaron celebrated his promotion to mechanic at Kevin Webster's garage at the Bistro, and they both ended up rowing with Summer again. Amy stormed off back to the flat they share first, followed by Aaron who hadn't been able to keep his eyes off Amy.

The teens played drinking games and when Amy went to find more booze, Aaron followed her into the bedroom and made a move on her. As they kissed on the bed, Amy complained of feeling sick and rolled over. But Aaron carried on kissing her and she was unware of what was happening as he made the decision for her that they would have sex.

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Heartbreakingly, Amy had tried to call her ex Jacob Hay before Aaron returned home but was upset when she couldn't reach him. Like many viewers, Jack James Ryan, who played the popular character until Jacob's sudden departure in January, had a strong reaction to the scenes.

The actor said he wished Jacob could have 'burst' through the door to stop Aaron. He tweeted: "Me sat watching #Corrie waiting for Jacob to burst through the door and beat up Aaron. It’s always the quiet ones."

Aaron preyed on Amy after they were played drinking games (ITV)

Jacob left the Coronation Street cobbles after becoming popular with soap watchers. The former drug dealer cried as he left in the back of a taxi in a shock exit.

Fans of the ITV soap, viewers protested as they saw a distraught Jacob forced to leave Weatherfield after his girlfriend Amy's life was threatened. Poor Jacob had worked hard to turn his life around after being introduced in 2021 as a dealer groomed by Harvey Gaskell, who ensnared Simon Barlow into their gang.

Last year he returned as a reformed character and was revealed to be Amy's secret boyfriend. As well as winning the hearts of viewers, he eventually gained the trust of her parents Steve and Tracy.

The couple moved into 19a Victoria Street in a flat-share with Aaron, played by James Craven, and Summer, played by Harriet Bibby, with Jacob landing work in the sales department at Underworld and as a waiter at the Bistro. But Jacob's life collapsed again when his dad Damon arrived on the scene and was revealed to be drug lord Harvey's brother.

Damon started his own drug operation, working through the Bistro, and planned for his son to help him. Despite not wanting to get mixed back up in that world, Jacob had no choice but to act when a delivery of thousands of pounds worth of drugs arrived hidden in a crate of olive oil during a meal attended by police and a sniffer dog.

Jacob got rid of the drugs and, after a horror beating from Damon in the ginnel, he was told that if he wanted to protect Amy, he needed to disappear for good. Hearing Amy entering the flat, a desperate Jacob pretended he was on the phone dealing drugs, leaving Amy, played by Elle Mulvaney, thinking he was up to his old tricks.

And he was cruel to be kind as he dumped her and made up an excuse about their relationship, sniping: "It's all a bit a straight and predictable. Sorry and that but it's how I feel. I want a bit more out of life."

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