Next week on Coronation Street, a familiar face returns as Eva Price takes over the Rovers, Hope accuses Jake of being her bully, and will Becky make her move on Lisa?
Note: Corrie will air on Thursday instead of Wednesday this week.
1) Eva Price returns!
The new owner of the Rovers Return is finally revealed this week, as a familiar face returns to the cobbles after seven years away.
Current owner Carla (Alison King) has recently revealed that the pub has been bought by a guy named Ben (Aaron McCusker), and as he rolls up with a removals van on Monday, he has his wife with him… who turns out to be none other than Eva Price (Catherine Tyldesley)!
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“Eva is completely different to any character that I’ve played in the last seven years, purposely so,” Catherine Tyldesley explained, as she sat down to talk with EverySoap and other press earlier this month.
“I love her because she keeps her inner child very near the surface. She’s great fun, but she often doesn’t think about consequences!”
“I asked [producer] Kate Brooks what Eva had been through over the years, and it was really refreshing actually because she’s had a lovely time in general,” Catherine reveals.
“She’s met this wonderful guy, Ben, and they’re deeply in love. They’ve got this blended family and it’s been really nice. I assumed when I was asked to come back that, ‘Oh gosh, is she going to have loads of baggage and trauma, but no, that’s not the case!‘”
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When Ben removes a blindfold placed on Eva, she’s stunned to find herself back on Coronation Street, with Ben revealing that he’s bought her the Rovers.
As Eva thanks Ben for the best surprise ever, across the street Maria (Samia Longchambon) is shocked to catch sight of her old foe back on the cobbles…
“I was so thrilled when Kate said we’d be playing that out with Maria,” Catherine tells us. “Kate referenced Gail and Eileen, which I just absolutely loved. She is a dog with a bone, she will lock onto things in the same way that Maria does.”
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“Eva really loved Aidan, she really loved him. Although she’s moved on and she loves Ben, she finds that very hard to let go of and she loves a grudge, so I think that’s going to be a long-term thing. Don’t let them near any water features!”
Overwhelmed, Eva’s thrilled when Leanne (Jane Danson) then appears. The sisters share an emotional hug, happy to be back in each other’s lives after so long apart.
Keen to rebuild bridges after hearing of the tension between Leanne and Toyah (Georgia Taylor), Eva urges Leanne to fetch her so the three of them can sit down together and finally clear the air.
But things are only made worse when Leanne walks into the bistro office to find her ex-fiancé Nick (Ben Price) down on one knee, in the process of proposing to Toyah!
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Back at the Rovers, Eva’s daughter Susie (Aurora Bradshaw, little sister of Jake Windass actor Bobby) arrives.
She’s closely followed by Ollie (Raphael Akuwudike) who turns out to be one of Ben’s sons, hidden in plain sight since his arrival in the street back in July!
After Ollie introduces girlfriend Dee-Dee to his dad, Ben quietly approaches him to discuss a possible business opportunity.
As Eva, Leanne and Susie catchup, their reunion soon takes a turn when Toyah storms into the pub and goes straight for Leanne.
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Before things spiral, Eva steps in and takes charge. Ordering everyone out, she locks the door behind them—determined that the sisters will finally face their issues head-on!
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2) Maggie Driscoll makes her entrance
As Eva and Ben toast their fresh start later that evening, their celebrations are cut short by an unexpected visitor—Ben’s mum, Maggie (Pauline McLynn).
Sweeping into the pub with her bags in tow, Eva’s smile quickly fades as Maggie cheerfully announces that she’s moving in!
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“I knew I was seeing a Corrie icon from the minute she came on set,” Catherine enthuses about working with Pauline McLynn. “I’m not just saying that because I’m scared that she’s sat over there, she’s just brilliant. And the dynamic, the way the writers have structured things for our characters, is hilarious.”
“It’s constant jibes. But there’s a moment that we did not so long ago where Eva says “If I wasn’t with Ben and I just met Maggie, I think we’d be mates’“.
The following day, Eva admires the new sign above the door bearing her name before gathering the Rovers staff to discuss plans for a Halloween party.
But the meeting soon takes an awkward turn when Maggie steps in to remind everyone that while Eva might hold the title of landlady, she’s technically working for her.
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Sean (Antony Cotton), Glenda (Jodie Prenger), Lauren (Cait Fitton) and Gemma (Dolly-Rose Campbell) exchange baffled looks and it’s clear Ben’s going to find himself caught squarely between the two women in his life.
“They both love the family,” Catherine continues. “They’re both striving for the same thing. It’s just that now and again, they come to blows.”
“Early doors, I wouldn’t say Eva’s scared of her, she’s more irritated by her. But as time goes on, Eva does start to see this side to her that’s like ‘Wow, okay, I’ve got your number!’ And that element develops where she’s like ‘I am a little bit scared of her now and intimidated.’”
3) Eva has an awkward encounter
Later in the week, Eva’s pleased when she sees ex-boyfriend Adam (Sam Robertson) outside the pub, and is quick to invite him along to the Halloween party later.
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That evening, as final preparations are made for the party, Eva heads into the back room in her costume and spots a man dressed as a vampire. Assuming it’s Ben, she throws her arms around him—only to recoil in surprise when he turns around to reveal himself as Adam!
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Ben appears behind Eva, in his matching vampire costume, and is amused by the encounter as a flustered Adam hurries out, leaving his briefcase behind.
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Keen to get things out in the open from the start, Eva admits to Ben that Adam is an ex, but insists there’s nothing to be jealous about. Listening from nearby, Maggie can’t help but wonder how many more ghosts from Eva’s past are still to surface!
4) Kevin humiliates Carl
Meanwhile, Dee-Dee has some good news for Ollie, when she informs him that the court case against him has been dropped. Forced to come clean to his family about the accident he was involved in, he explains that it transpired his car had been subject to a dodgy MOT.
Kevin’s (Michael Le Vell) nearby and overhears, pointing across the bar at brother Carl (Jonathan Howard) and calling him the real expert when it comes to dodgy certificates.
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The jibe sparks a row, and as tempers flare, Eva throws Kevin out. Furious, Carl later storms over to the garage to confront Kevin for embarrassing him in front of everyone.
5) Has Debbie discovered Carl’s other lover?
After Carl is thrown out of the pub again by Ben during the Halloween party, secret lover James (Jason Callender) finds him in the backyard and tells him that, despite everything that’s gone down, he still cares about him.
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But the moment is cut short when Debbie (Sue Devaney) appears—and it’s unclear just how much she’s overheard.
Already furious that his affair with Abi (Sally Carman-Duttine) has caused the end of Kev’s marriage, will she cotton on to Carl’s other bit on the side?
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Later, Kevin tells Debbie he misses her and wants to put their differences behind them, leaving her genuinely pleased. Spotting an opportunity, Carl suggests he and Kevin should do the same for Debbie’s sake, hinting that her dementia is clearly getting worse.
But is Carl really acting out of concern—or twisting the truth to suit himself?
6) Asha finds help from a stranger
As preparations for the quads’ 6th birthday party get underway at No.5, Asha (Tanisha Gorey) joins Gemma to help out, though it’s clear she’s finding it hard to stay upbeat following her recent troubles.
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Stepping outside for some air, she’s joined by Gemma, who talks openly about her own experiences with depression and how she learned to manage her darker thoughts. Asha listens quietly and thanks her before Gemma heads back inside.
Left alone, Asha’s composure begins to crumble, Naomi’s voice echoing in her head as memories of recent events resurface.
When Maggie later comes across her in Victoria Gardens, she can see Asha is struggling and gently encourages her to talk about what’s troubling her.
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Despite being a perfect stranger, Asha finds herself able to open up to Maggie about the strain of her job as a paramedic and her recent suicide attempt. Maggie points out that Asha has spent her career helping others through similar situations—and that it’s time she showed herself the same compassion.
The words clearly resonate, leaving Asha emotional but reflective. Could Maggie’s gentle advice be the first step towards Asha’s recovery?
7) Hope accuses Jake of being her bully
Elsewhere on the cobbles, Cassie (Claire Sweeney) treats Hope (Isabella Flanagan) to a Halloween makeover at the salon, but as Hope settles into the chair, her phone buzzes with yet another cruel message.
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Spotting Jake (Bobby Bradshaw) laughing at something on his own phone screen, Hope quickly jumps to conclusions.
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Only last week it seemed as though Jake had developed a soft spot for Hope, with her feeling as though he was constantly following her around, and she informed him that she wasn’t interested.
Now convinced he’s the one behind the texts, Hope lashes out at Jake in the middle of the salon before storming off in anger.
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Hope later corners Jake in the café and, still convinced she’s caught her tormentor, snatches his phone before smashing it to pieces.
The situation quickly takes another turn when Jake’s mum and dad Gary (Mikey North) and Izzy (Cherylee Houston) head to see Tyrone (Alan Halsall) to discuss the growing feud between the kids.
But the call comes as a surprise to Tyrone—Fiz (Jennie McAlpine) has kept the drama from him, not wanting to add to his stress.
8) Todd tries to appease Theo
At the corner shop flat, Todd (Gareth Pierce) is reeling after being brutally humiliated by partner Theo (James Cartwright). Theo had been furious with Todd last week, for supposedly showing no respect to the new car that he’d just bought him.
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Todd had a run of back luck with the car, after offering a lift to Sarah (Tina O’Brien) and her son Harry (Joshua Leavy) who managed to spill a milkshake over the back seat.
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After getting the car professionally cleaned, Todd then managed to scratch the paintwork.
Despite Todd’s efforts to get it patched up before Theo noticed, Kevin inadvertently landed Todd in it. After a furious tirade which was only interrupted by a brief visit from Sarah, Theo later told Todd to close his eyes before pouring a bottle of milk over his head.
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As Todd stood in the kitchen in shock, Theo sat back down and ate a bowl of cereal, looking very satisfied with himself.
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Next week, still stunned by Theo’s outburst, Todd confides in Sarah that he believes Theo is stressed about money worries, particularly after losing his partnership at the builder’s yard with Gary due to another outburst.
Sarah advises him to cut his losses—sell the car and give Theo his money back.
Meanwhile, George (Tony Maudsley) tries to help by presenting Theo with a list of odd jobs around the house, hoping to keep him busy and ease the strain. But as Theo scans the list, his expression makes it clear he sees the gesture as an insult rather than a favour.
9) Will Becky make her move on Lisa?
Over at the Swarla household, with Carla due home from Ireland, Lisa (Vicky Myers) tells Roy (David Neilson) she can’t wait to see her wife-to-be, and insists that any lingering feelings for Becky (Amy Cudden) are firmly in the past.
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Becky still has other ideas though, and when Carla returns later that day, she’s taken aback when Becky deliberately lets slip that she’s been staying over at No.6 in her absence, clearly stirring the pot.
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Later in the week, as Carla scrolls through a batch of photos Betsy (Sydney Martin) has taken of her and Lisa in their Halloween outfits at the Rovers, she stumbles across the video of Lisa and Becky modelling Betsy’s designs together.
The sight of the reunited family having fun together hits a nerve, and Carla decides to leave the party.
When Betsy fills Becky in on what’s happened, Becky wastes no time in taking advantage of the situation. Arriving at the Rovers, she joins Betsy at the bar and cues up the song that they’d played for her and Lisa’s wedding dance.
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As the music begins, Becky tells Lisa she meant every word of the vows they made back then, reminding her how happy they once were. But as emotions rise to the surface, is Becky about to make her move to win back Lisa?
10) Cassie scores a job
Also next week, fed up of Tracy’s (Kate Ford) constant jibes, Cassie (Claire Sweeney) is on the lookout for a job. Luckily, boyfriend Steve (Simon Gregson) comes to the rescue when he’s able to offer her some shifts on the switchboard at Street Cars.
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Cassie’s thrilled, though Tracy cannot resist having a say on the matter!
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