Roy Cropper (David Neilson) lands himself in more hot water in Coronation Street next week as he’s held hostage over Lauren Bolton’s (Cait Fitton) disappearance.
Viewers of the ITV soap have watched in horror as the street stalwart has accidentally implemented himself for the apparent murder of Lauren, who went missing at the end of February.
The troubled teen had lost her job at Roy’s Rolls and began looking forward to a fresh start away from Weatherfield, but when friend Bobby Crawford (Jack Carroll) went to check on her, she’d seemingly vanished into thin air.
With a bacon sandwich sat on the coffee table, music blaring from the radio and the door to her precinct flat unlocked, Bobby grew concerned and launched an appeal to find her.
He’d recently found out that she’d resumed selling nude pictures of herself on subscription site O-Vidz (think OnlyFans, but Corrie style) to fund her rising energy debts.
She’d also been dodging a worrying number of calls from a threatening ex-boyfriend whose identity still remains unknown.
Last week, when Gazette reporter Suki Waters (Laura Littlewood) recorded a heartfelt plea from Bobby for Lauren’s safe return in the café, Roy panicked on camera and made his actions appear suspicious.
To make matters worse Bobby then found him cleaning up her flat, which had been sublet to her by Evelyn Plummer (Maureen Lipman), to help her get the deposit back.
This week, after hearing about blood stains on her curtains, DS Lisa Swain (Vicky Myers) questions Roy on his relationship with the youngster.
After a spate of online attacks reach his phone, Roy decides to keep a low profile – but later in the day is arrested for Lauren’s murder.
Carla Connor (Alison King) and Nina Lucas (Mollie Gallagher) watch in horror as he makes his way into the car, unaware that somebody is filming the ordeal and posting it on social media.
Looking into next week, as David and Shona Platt (Jack P. Shepherd and Julia Goudling) suggest that Lauren’s dad Reece’s (Scott Anson) far right extremist group could be responsible, Max Turner (Paddy Bever) visits him in prison and tells him about the suspicion surrounding Roy when all he did was clean her flat.
Back at the café, Roy finds himself alone apart from two strange men, one of whom gets up and locks the door – he’s in danger.
Are the men from the extremist group, and will Roy be found in time?
