Coronation Street is lining up some major storylines for the next year, with the ITV soap’s new boss Kate Brooks detailing a cancer plot, a stabbing storyline, a new family and some big returns

There’s some huge storylines about to hit Coronation Street in the new year, from health twists, to big returns and some unexpected departures.

There’s some hard-hitting plots on the way involving several characters, with a devastating knife crime plot amongst them. Current storylines escalate with “serious consequences”, while new plots form too – as well as the arrival of some new faces.

There are some unannounced returning characters set to cause trouble, amid the confirmed return of Rob Donovan. More than one Weatherfield family face huge scenes ahead too as we move into 2025.

Corrie boss Kate Brooks told The Mirror all about what’s to come on the ITV soap, with so much to unpack. She teased: “Coming up in 2025, there’s loads of really exciting stuff. There’s loads of shocks coming up. Just when you think a story is going in one direction, we do a complete 360 and it goes in a completely different direction.

I think bold, innovative storytelling is key. Exciting, thrilling drama that really keeps the audience captivated. Compelling drama, but at the heart of it there needs to be a truth, and I always seek to find the truth in those stories.

“I am genuinely, not just as a producer but as a fan, excited about what’s coming up, because all the stories are on fire! It feels like we’ve got all the big plans in place. The Platts are going to feature really heavily. We’ve got the Websters, building that clan and seeing those dynamics.

Corrie is lining up health twists, big returns and some unexpected departures ( 
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ITV)
“The Connors, with Lisa and Carla and Betsy and Ryan. Building that family and building the factory. We’ve got lots coming up that is going to be really exciting. My vision is making sure that we keep people engaged, keep people entertained and keep people guessing!

“We don’t want them to become complacent, we want to pull the rug from underneath them sometimes. We want them to be sat at home with a cup of tea and a biscuit and have something happen that they did not expect. So, expect the unexpected in 2025!”

Massive stunt

Kate teased a huge stunt was on the way and it could be thanks to David Platt, as he’s exposed for stealing Damon Hay and Harvey Gaskell’s money. With the plot set to “escalate massively”, Kate told us: “The story we’re telling is one of a very desperate David, trying to protect his family and keep Harvey and his goons at bay.

“He is struggling to navigate that, and struggling to pay back this big debt he has. He’s struggling to protect his family. It all comes to a massive head in early February, when we play a massive stunt that has huge consequences for David.

“So, in trying to protect everyone and do the right thing, he ends up losing quite a few things that he holds dear. So, a real journey for David. He’s well-intentioned, but he fails, messes up and makes mistakes, and there’s massive consequences not only for his own family, but for the wider community as well. Somebody does get embroiled in David’s downfall, which is quite unexpected.”

Coronation Street is lining up some major storylines for the next year ( 
Image:
ITV)

Drama for the Platts

Stunt drama and David’s downfall aside, the Platts as a whole are struggling it seems in the wake of Gail Platt’s exit this Christmas. Kate spilled: “So, lots of Platt drama. I love the Platts, for many reasons. They’re funny, they’re brilliant and they feel like a real family. What I’m keen to show is that this is Corrie.

“David’s a hairdresser, and he’s not used to being embroiled with drug barons and gangsters. That’s not his world. But what happens if you take a guy who’s very ordinary and put him in a world where people are acting and reacting without any thought or consequence.

“They don’t care about David, or that he’s got a dog – which might be a bit of a spoiler! He doesn’t die! The dog doesn’t die! But they don’t care because they don’t know David like we do. It’s really important to show how a normal fella reacts to all of this.

“There’s masses of stuff for the Platts going forward. They are such a fabulous family. I love David and Shona, they are so strong. They get everything and more thrown at them in 2025 – can they survive it?

“I’m not going to say, but it’s a lot, and they will struggle with the enormity of what’s going on. I also love David, Sarah and Nick. Now that their mum has left, they’re left to fend for themselves, and we realise that they do need Gail sometimes to steer them in the right direction, and she’s kept them on the straight and narrow.

“You’ve also got Max thrown into that mix, who is just as reckless as David is sometimes, and it’s a recipe for disaster. The Platts are going to be very busy indeed.”

Big returns

It’s been confirmed Carla Connor’s brother Rob Donovan is returning to the show, but it seems he isn’t the only familiar face coming back. Kate teased: “A big Rob Donovan return! There are other familiar faces coming back in 2025 which I will not disclose, but a few people will be returning to the street to cause their own forms of chaos.

“First up is Rob. We last left Rob languishing in prison. He made mistakes. He comes back to the show and we think he might be a reformed character who has seen the error of his ways, but whether that’s the case or not, I don’t know!”

On how long he will be sticking around, she went on: “It’s not just a couple of episodes – it’s a good chunk. He killed Tina, but we can get over that. Michelle’s fine on Netflix! It’s really exciting.”

Trouble for Carla and Lisa

With Rob’s return brings trouble for Carla and her girlfriend Lisa Swain! Kate told us: “He definitely comes back and causes a lot of trouble for Carla and Lisa. Just when Carla and Lisa think it’s safe to sit down and watch Netflix, Rob Donovan comes along and scuppers all of that.

“So, it’s a big story for them and a big story for Rob. Lots of twists and turns. It’s a big story for Betsy as well, who is fabulous and will be right at the centre of that.

“I love Rob and Carla. I love tapping into their history together, and we really explore that through this story. There’s so many twists and turns along the way, it’s really exciting. It’s going to be eventful for Carla and Lisa.”

“What I like about this story in particular is that Carla and Lisa are finally together and united. Everyone knows about them and they’re moving on with their lives, and then this drops on them, and they’re like, “How did that happen? Are we not meant to be relaxing and enjoying being with each other?”. So, it’s a real test for their relationship in the early stages, but a good test.”

Kevin’s cancer diagnosis

Amid reports that Debbie Webster will sadly be diagnosed with dementia in upcoming scenes, producer Kate has now confirmed that Debbie’s brother Kevin Webster has a health diagnosis of his own. Kevin is set to be diagnosed with testicular cancer in upcoming scenes, with the illness set to come between him and wife Abi Franklin.

Kate revealed: “The Websters are brilliant. Kevin and Sally are at the heart of it, then you’ve got Tim and you’ve got Abi. They’re a great character group. As we go into the new year, Kevin will discover that he’s got testicular cancer, which causes a massive strain on his relationship.

“Abi is a really strong character, but she’s going through her own turmoil at the same time. We want to tell this really truthfully. We’ve been working closely with Macmillan to make sure that we tell the story right.

“Ultimately, it’s about their relationship and testing that relationship. It was really important that we don’t show Kevin being embarrassed or being reticent to talk to his friends about it. He’s quite open about it, which I thought was quite refreshing.

“He talks to Tim and Steve about it, and they all have their own way of handling it, but ultimately it’s about his relationship with Abi, and that is going to be truly tested. As I alluded to, Abi is going through her own situation as she struggles with the aftermath of a big event that happens in January. She loves Kevin and he loves her, but temptation comes Abi’s way…”

There’s some hard-hitting plots on the way involving several characters, with a devastating knife crime plot amongst them ( 

Horror stabbing storyline

Kate revealed the ITV soap would be tackling the story of knife crime in upcoming episodes, working with a charity to share an important message. She revealed: “Just when you think it is safe to relax, we start the year with a big knife crime story.

“It’s a really important story to tackle, because the statistics are so alarming. I think knife crime has gone up by 80% in the last ten years. We work really closely with the Ben Kinsella Foundation to make sure we’re telling the story right, and that the message is to not carry a knife out of fear, because that escalates everything.

“We know we’re tackling a sensitive storyline, and it’s going to be very hard-hitting. We have Mason at the centre of it and Dylan and Betsy are involved. It has massive ramifications for Abi, and for Tim and Sally going forward.

“We just felt like it was a subject that we couldn’t ignore. It has big consequences for people going forward, and it isn’t a subject matter that we tackle lightly. It’s an important one to talk about and let young people know that carrying a bladed article is not the way.

“It’s a real community story and a shocking story. I love the shock storytelling tactics. I think they work and they keep people guessing. And it is definitely a shock! We’re telling the story in a very interesting way. It’s not your usual linear storytelling. It’s different and it’s bold, but I think it’s really impactful how we’re telling it.”

New family with Weatherfield links

Kate has revealed there’s new characters joining the show, and they may be known to some existing residents. She teased: “We’ve got some great characters coming in. They are Mick and Lou. They’re coming to live at the back of Chesney, on Maudsley Street, across the ginnell.

“They are live wires, they are ruffians, they are going to cause a lot of damage and a lot of chaos. There is a link to Chesney initially, but they are coming to stir up a lot of trouble, and open up the floodgates and unpack the past of one of our big characters, which is Kit.

“So, really interesting, wonderful and dynamic stuff that’s going to be fantastic. We’re really excited, they come in with oodles of drama. They are shaking things up. They’re neighbours from hell. They’re overfamiliar, likeable and they’ve got kids. Initially they develop a friendship with Chesney and Gemma, but there are other things to unpack.

“I wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of them, especially Mick! They are brilliant actors. They are coming to cause some chaos on the street, and they will leave a trail of devastation… They’re coming on the street all guns blazing and will land on screen around February time. Really chaotic but really enjoyable.

“They have a charm to them, but they do and say things that you shouldn’t!” A character previously mentioned but never seen is also set to debut. Kate said: “We’ve got Carl Webster coming into the show, who is Debbie and Kevin’s brother, to build up that Webster clan.

“We’ve got big stories coming up for Debbie and Kevin. It’s about building that clan up. For me, the Websters, Barlows and Platts are the big clans.”

Unexpected exits

As well as some new faces and some big returns, Kate has also confirmed more than one exit is planned for the coming months. Kate teased that some of them will be a shock, and will be “unexpected”.

She said: “There are a few exits this year, and some unexpected ones that will send shockwaves. People might not expect the exits, but there are a few.”

Corrie boss Kate Brooks told The Mirror all about what’s to come on the ITV soap ( 
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ITV)

Romance and other twists

Kate has also revealed what’s on the horizon or Corrie romances, and what else fans can expect. She told us: “Alya and Adam is definitely a slow burn. I think they’re really interesting to have in the solicitor’s office.

“We obviously have Dee-Dee as well in 2025. Just when you thought the Joel story had come to an end, there is another chapter that happens that is going to completely upend Dee-Dee’s life. There are a couple of infidelities here and there in 2025, but ultimately the relationships of the Platts, Carla and Lisa, these are all relationships that are going to be at the forefront of the show.

“There might be a new man for Todd coming… He’s been single for donkey’s years, and he’s fantastic. The Grimshaws are another big clan I am eager to explore. So, there might be a new man coming for Todd, which will come with its own tests and trials.”

Cassie and Ken plot

Amid Cassie Plummer being after Ken Barlow’s money, it seems, that plot is set to continue with new twists ahead. Cassie drugged Ken recently and pinned it on his daughter Tracy, but what exactly does she have planned for the soap legend?

Kate told us: “That will continue. Cassie is great to have with the Barlows, she causes such fun, and I love her relationship with Ken, which is just wonderful. There will be a lot more of that.

“The friendship is genuine and real, but Cassie has had a bad life. She’s had a terrible upbringing. She’s made mistakes in the past and it’s sometimes hard to shake off that persona. That’s what we’ll see with Cassie. She’ll be struggling with the good angel and the bad angel on her shoulder, and which way is she going to go?

“She does stir up a lot of trouble and a lot of bother, not just with the Barlows but within No.9 as well. So, Cassie and Ken, keep your eyes on them because it’s going to get good!”