Coronation Street fans have shared their dismay at the return of a storyline they have branded 'vile'. During Jacob Hay's first appearance in Weatherfield back in 2020, viewers of the ITV soap were horrified as he groomed an impressionable Simon Barlow into joining a drugs gang while also tormenting his grieving mum, Leanne Battersby.
It wasn't long before he disappeared off the screen having crossed drug lord Harvey Gaskell, who has recently been revealed as his uncle, but returned in 2021 and struck up a relationship with Amy Barlow which has seen him stay on the street. While his return was initially met with disapproval, he has since turned things around.
He was given a chance by Carla Barlow, bagging a job at Underworld before quickly becoming the factory's best seller. However, the arrival of his absent father, Damon, has completely changed things for Jacob, played by Jack James Ryan.
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The new character, played by Ciarán Griffiths, showed up on the street to meet with his son, saying he wanted to make things right. However, having started a new life away from his former crimes, Jacob initially rejected him. But Jacob later had a change of heart and Damon has since been giving him money and got him a new job at the Bistro.
Last week, Corrie fans saw Damon get Jacob to quit his job at the factory and go full-time at the Bistro while he told Nick Tilsley that he must pay his son double his current wage. And it has since become clear why.
In scenes aired during Wednesday night's trip to the cobbles, viewers saw Jacob left suspicious when Damon told him that Dan's first delivery is due this afternoon and hidden in the crate of olive oil will be a package containing drugs. Expecting the first drugs delivery, Jacob is obviously stressed when a party of police officers arrived for a retirement do with their sniffer dog in tow.
When the crate of olive oil is delivered, Jacob manages to get the box into the kitchen, take the drugs and leave the Bistro faking feeling unwell. But when the sniffer dog starts to act suspiciously, his handler, along with PC Craig Tinker, took him into the kitchen where he barked at the crate.
While there was nothing to be found, fingers were pointed at Jacob and Craig headed straight for Jacob's flat. Locking himself in the bathroom Jacob hastily tipped the drugs down the toilet and flushed them away before facing Craig and his colleagues. They're soon given the all clear with Craig apologetic that they had to conduct a search.
Amy then arrived home and demanded to know what was going on and later, Jacob faced his dad in the ginnel and broke the news to that he destroyed the drugs. Damon was furious with his son and was prepared to give him a beating. However, as Jacob reacted, Damon warned that he needs to run or he'll die.
And fans are fuming about the return of the drugs storyline and have been asking 'why' after Jacob managed to turn his life around. @rash_frankenstein said: "Poor Jacob - I like his character and the way he turned his life around." @cazstorey57 commented: "Jacob is such a great character and funny! Why the hell are they changing him."
@sandraarmstrongblack posted: "Hate This vile storyline, fgs just let Jacob continue the way he was, without dragging him back." @kirsty.innes shared: "You've changed a horrible character into one of the most lovable characters so why the hell do this storyline. No need."
@gemma_mealand95 typed: "Can someone please not let this happen again to Jacob he. Hanged his life around before his drug dealing no good job of a dad ce back on the seen. Don't kill Jacob off please. Can't you just keep one couple happy." @mikepriestley13 added: "I wish Damon never turned up trying to turn jacobs head because Jacob was turning his life around he found himself Amy and becoming a likeable character rather than a villain. #Corrie."
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