Gary Windass attacks Liam’s bully Mason as the truth is finally revealed in Coronation Street
Liam has contemplated ending his life to escape Mason's bullying.
MASON Radcliffe is roaming around the cobbles in total impunity despite tormenting Liam Connor in recent months.
Next week, Coronation Street’s Gary Windass gives him a taste of his own medicine as the truth is revealed. But could it backfire?
Times have been hard for Liam Connor (portrayed by Charlie Wrenshall) since Mason Radcliffe first rocked up the ITV cobbles in late 2023.
Played by Luca Toolan, the lad has been bullying Liam Connor for months on end and viewers were left scared the ordeal could turn deadly when he pulled out a knife.
After suffering in silence for weeks, Liam decided to take matters into his own hands and, drained by the psychological weight of his ordeal, chose to end his own life.
This has left his mother Maria (Samia Longchambon) devastated and, in scenes airing next week, her husband Gary Windass (Mikey North) takes action.
It all starts when Mason goads Gary, telling him that Liam needs to watch his back.
As he realises that his stepson has been relentlessly bullied by Mason, Gary sees red and throws him to the ground.
Mason is clearly in danger as Gary is known to not shy away from murder if the situation requires it, as he proved when loan shark Rick Neelan was preying on Weatherfield residents.
Fortunately for the teenager, Sean Tully (Antony Cotton) gets involved and dashes over to them.
He threatens to report Gary to the police but also remains determined to clear his own son Dylan’s name.
Sean thus demands that Dylan hands over his phone but as he scrolls through the youngster’s messages, a look of horror appears on his face.
While Mason has been the main instigator of Liam’s bullying ordeal, Dylan (Liam McCheyne) refused to stand up for him.
He has also been peer pressured into taking part in the bullying.
This was despite Liam and Mason starting off as friends due to the latter’s vapes landing the lad in hospital after an asthma attack.
As mentioned above, Liam has been considering suicide, unable to cope with the turmoil inflicted on him and the depths of his despair could reopen old wounds, six years after Aidan Connor’s suicide.
Coronation Street has been working with the National Bullying Helpline to ensure that Liam’s story remains authentic and told with sensitivity.
“We felt it was important to show the mental damage that bullying can do to people on the receiving end, especially in the modern world, when children are faced with what can seem like inescapable cyber-bullying”, soap boss Iain MacLeod explained.
“The aggression doesn’t stop at the school gates but can find you in the safety of your own home.”
“Having said that, it was also important that across the story as a whole, we showed some hope for Liam and that by speaking up, finally, he can begin the process of escaping his nightmare and beginning to heal.”
How will it play out for Liam?
Could Gary decide to get revenge on Mason and his supposed criminal family?
Coronation Street airs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8pm on ITV.
