Murder shocker as vile Coronation Street villain returns while Lauren truth is ‘revealed’ in spring preview

It’s spring preview season, soap fans and Coronation Street is set to be packed with huge twists, tragedies and titillating romances in coming months.

Dominated currently by the mystery of Lauren Bolton’s (Cait Fitton) disappearance and the injustice of Roy Cropper’s (David Neilson) incarceration, it’s fair to say that it’s all going to come to a head before summer hits.

Well, if summer ever hits, he says while clutching a hot water bottle.

Alongside this arc also sees the return of one of soap’s most evil ever characters – Nathan Curtis (Christopher Harper) is back after being released from prison, which can only prove a nightmare for Bethany Platt (Lucy Fallon).

But, as fans have previously speculated, does he have a part to play in what has happened to Lauren?

However, don’t assume it’s full on Lauren mania; there is a lot of other stuff going down with new castings, surprise romances, a sinister return and a dangerous situation unfolding.

Will Paul Foreman’s (Peter Ash) dad make his son’s final months even worse? Will Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) finally get lucky in love? Will Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) find herself in the most horrific danger?

That’s all just the tip of the iceberg!

Nasty Nathan returns to Weatherfield

Christopher Harper, who portrayed vile Nathan Curtis, has reportedly reprised his role in the ITV soap as part of an upcoming story.

Nathan, as viewers will recall, was the manager of Supreme Tanning and notoriously part of a gang which groomed young girls, including Bethany Platt.

After being released from prison, he’s sure to cause a stir on the cobbles, and especially if he comes face to face with those who he wronged!

Some months ago, some fans had predicted that he would make a comeback, speculating that he might play a role in the disappearance of Lauren Bolton.

Bethany, meanwhile, left the cobbles in 2020 but Lucy Fallon reprised her role last year.

What really happened to Lauren Bolton?

Despite being missing since February, we still don’t really know what happened to Lauren Bolton when she went missing.

After months of talking about her wealthy, controlling boyfriend, we’re still none the wiser to his true identity.

We also know that she had turned to selling explicit content through subscription website O-Vidz in order to pay her mounting energy bills – has that played a part in her disappearance?

Daniel Osborne has since met up with old pal Nicky Wheatley, a former sex worker, in the hope she can shed some light on whether she was mixing in the same circles.

Having seemingly vanished into thin air, DS Lisa Swain and her team have come to the conclusion that she’s been murdered, but with no body being found we still don’t know the truth.

Justice for Roy Cropper!

The iconic café owner has been wrongly accused of Lauren’s murder, and after being refused bail has been banged up in Highfield Prison ahead of the trial beginning.

Trying to be a good person, he helped to clean up her flat after she disappeared and in the process, managed to dispose of vital evidence.

His naivety and good nature has been twisted beyond belief, so much so that even his neighbours have questioned his innocence.

In a campaign to rival that of Deirdre Barlow’s false imprisonment in 1998, viewers up and down the country have called for his release – but with evidence stacked up against him, it’s looking increasingly unlikely.

Will everything unravel before it’s too late?

Paul Foreman’s dad returns in his dying days

Following his tragic terminal motor neurone disease diagnosis, Paul Foreman has struggled adapting to a new way of life – having to rely on carers (or PAs, as he prefers) to help him with everyday tasks, recording common phrases on a tablet for when he’s unable to speak and having to use a motorised wheelchair.

He’s set to face a further hurdle in upcoming scenes as his wayward and abusive dad Denny rears his head for the first time in decades.

Having been estranged since Paul was a child, he looks set to try and reconcile their relationship, but is too little, too late?

Actor Peter Ash said: ‘I don’t think he’s changed that much! He leaves Paul alone for a bit, they’re gonna watch a film and just hang out together.

‘But then Denny goes out, and he shouldn’t really leave him alone, but he leaves him alone too long. Paul has a bit of a coughing fit, which really kind of shakes up Denny when he does eventually come back to the flat.’

Bernie Winter is to be rattled by his presence on the cobbles, and following a heart to heart with her boyfriend Dev Alahan, sets about rifling through old documents and photos.

What is she looking for, and is Denny a changed man?

The Institute takes hold of Leanne Battersby

As soon as Leanne Battersby met Rowan Cunliffe, leader of the mysterious Altovalent Institute, we could figure that his motives were less than desirable.

Conning her out of hundreds of pounds and praying on her vulnerability, his dangerous ‘reality coding’ ideologies have so far raised eyebrows within her family.

Even her thirteen year old step-son Sam has questioned Rowan’s ‘inspirational’ seminars.

Whilst Simon Barlow has also become involved with the cult, his fresh perspective on life in the wake of his alcoholism has seen him contemplate his future in Weatherfield.

His dad Peter has reached out on a number of occasions to brag about the glorious time he’s having abroad, which has left him feeling regretful that he didn’t join him on the same adventure.

We know that Alex Bain has filmed his final scenes after 15 years on the show, could he be heading out to join his dad on a boating trip?

The fall out of Toyah Battersby’s baby secret

This week we saw Toyah confide in Nick that 23 years ago she buried a stillborn baby in North Cross Park after being raped by Phil Simmonds in 2001.

The huge confession was revealed when super sleuths began digging up the park in the hope of finding Lauren’s body, and later, a rumour that the police had been searching the site sparked fears that her biggest secret could be out in the open.

Heading to the station to tell all, Nick quickly stopped her when he was informed that it was a false alarm.

After eventually coming clean to her sister Leanne, the two shared an emotional moment when they visited the grave together.

However, back at Victoria Court, Nick admitted how proud he was of her for opening up and they hugged… perhaps going on a little longer than it should have done.

Could an affair be on the cards?

Dating dilemmas at No. 1

Following on from Tracy McDonald’s explosive affair with husband Steve’s footballing hero Tommy Orpington, he’s hit the dating scene but so far has had little luck in the way of wooing ladies.

A disastrous speed dating night and a cocktail evening at the Chariot Square Hotel caused further disappointment, especially when elderly father-in-law Ken managed to catch someone’s eye, and he didn’t!

In the coming weeks, after exhausting every match on his dating apps, Steve looks set to give up… that is until he meets with Demi, and the two instantly hit it off.

Meanwhile, his daughter Amy looks set to reunite with ex-boyfriend Aadi Alahan after he agreed to take part in an interview for her student radio show.

He just has to realise her attraction first!

Wonga woes for the Winter-Browns

Gemma and Chesney Winter-Brown have struggled to make ends meet for years ever since she gave birth to their quadruplets.

With his domineering ex-mother-in-law Linda back on the scene, the couple have felt under pressure to keep up with the Joneses to provide their children with a better future.