An actress who took part in what was potentially Coronation Street’s darkest storyline ever is returning for another bleak plot.
When young, vulnerable Bethany Platt (Lucy Fallon) found herself in the orbit of Nathan Curtis (Christopher Harper), it became clear that she was in major trouble.
He set about grooming her immediately, isolating her from her family and friends while convincing her to move in with him and that they were in a loving, committed relationship.
Nathan’s real motives began to shine through, though, when he was convinced that he had Bethany exactly where he wanted her.
He began to pimp her out to a grotesque ring of older men, while telling her that he was aroused by the thought of her being intimate with his friends.
Never had Corrie attempted such a dark storyline: the incredibly realistic and down right brutal portrayal of the sexual exploitation of a child was utterly chilling.
As the story reached a crescendo, with Nathan attempting to traffic Bethany to Belgium to be sold to a ‘friend’, she finally began to understand the true horror of what she’d become trapped in, and en route to Hull’s shipping port, she pleaded with a stranger for help at a motorway service station.
The lady she asked for help told Nathan that Bethany didn’t want to leave with him when he began to demand that they head for the docks after having called the police, leading to his arrest and the ultimate downfall of his grooming, exploitation, sexual abuse and trafficking ring.
The stranger Bethany turned to for help, who remained nameless, was played by actress Lucinda Sinclair, who’ll be returning to the show for another episode later this month, this time in a brand new role.
A source told The Sun: ‘It’s a guest role but Lucinda is delighted to be back on the cobbles.’
This time, Lucinda will be playing Beatrice, who’s set to be a part of another grim plotline: the murder of Rachel Parkinson.
Beatrice will appear as the counsellor of Lucy Parkinson (Anya Dewin), the daughter of Tim Metcalfe’s (Joe Duttine) cousin, Richie (Nathan Sussex), who arrived on the cobbles last month before brutally murdering his wife.
Though their reunion was initially a pleasant one, Richie soon began complaining to Tim that his marriage to Rachel was deeply troubled, and he found himself kipping on the Metcalfes couch when she kicked him out after he and Tim shared a drunken night.
Tim was riddled with glee upon turning relationship therapist and convincing Richie to head home and make things right with his wife, but when he headed over to his cousin’s house to return the wallet he’d left behind, he was absolutely horrified by what he found.
Richie’s shirt was splattered with blood, and as Tim investigated further, he found Rachel’s corpse in the back room of the house.
Ever since the bloody crime, Tim and wife Sally (Sally Dynevor) have fostered Lucy, though the deeply traumatised and emotionally fraught teenager has proved on several occasions to be more than the Metcalfes were prepared for.
Sally will suggest that Lucy see a counsellor to help her work through her deep trauma, leading the family to find Beatrice.
Can she help the Metcalfe’s through this utterly terrifying time, though?
