Toyah Battersby confronts cult leader Rowan as Leanne falls under his spell in Coronation Street
Rowan fully believes in what he is peddling to Leanne and her son, Simon
TOYAH Battersby is set to confront cult leader Rowan as Leanne falls under his spell in Coronation Street.
The Bistro owner has become increasingly interested in Rowan’s club, The Autovalent Institute since meeting him at a hotel while attending a wedding show.
Leanne went on to attend one of his seminars with son Simon Barlow, and both were left impressed by what they heard.
In upcoming scenes, Nick catches Leanne with her eyes closed and she explains that she’s ‘reality coding’ in an attempt to eliminate the unexpected.
Elsewhere, Debbie tells Toyah that Rowan’s leaving for the States today and she’ll be glad to see the back of him as she’s sick of listening to his ‘reality coding’ nonsense.
As Rowan checks out of the hotel, a breathless Toyah arrives and quizzes him about the Autovalent Institute.
As Rowan spouts his reality coding drivel, Toyah reveals that she’s a trained counsellor and suggests that what he’s doing is harmful.
Toyah warns Nick that Rowan is a fraud who preys on vulnerable people and he needs to nip Leanne’s obsession with the Autovalent Institute in the bud before they take all her money.
The scenes come after actor Emrhys Cooper – who plays Rowan – opened up about what his character is really plotting.
He said: “Rowan’s main role at Autovalent is recruitment.
“He travels all over to present conferences and seminars, identifying the more receptive people and encouraging them into the fold.
“Once he’s done that, he schools them in how to recruit others. Rowan does not view Autovalent as a con.
“He can see people that are more susceptible. He can definitely see that Leanne is packing a lot, and he knows the right buttons to press.
“It’s going to be interesting to see what he does. [Fans should] keep an eye on what he’s gonna get up to.”
As for whether his interaction with Toyah derails Rowan’s goal, Emrhys said: “Rowan isn’t fazed by Toyah’s reaction. He’s used to it.
“He wholeheartedly believes in the cause and isn’t thrown easily.
“What you’ve seen of Rowan so far is only the tip of the iceberg. He’s very clever and good at what he does, and yes, Leanne is in awe of him.”
