Gareth Pierce has revealed the challenges of portraying Todd Grimshaw's (Gareth Pierce) domestic abuse storyline in Coronation Street.
A special standalone episode that aired today saw Todd bravely report his husband Theo Silverton (James Cartwright) to the police after being subjected to months of verbal, psychological and physical abuse.
On the surface, the relationship seemed to be a step in the right direction for Todd, though Theo slowly began to show his true colours. He stripped away Todd's finances, mocked his appearance and forced him to lose weight, and even held a knife to his chest earlier this year.
When Todd collated secret camera footage to prove what was going on, Theo manipulated the videos to look like he was the victim.
Earlier this week, a badly beaten Todd turned up on Sarah Platt's (Tina O'Brien) doorstep, begging her for help and asking her to take him to the police station. She'd believed that the couple had eloped to Northern Ireland, though it couldn't have been further from the truth.
Theo had held captive him in their bedroom, and when he made to leave, launched a violent attack. In emotional scenes, he told Kit Green (Jacob Roberts) and Lisa Swain (Vicky Myers) about what had happened.
"I do love the challenge of the way you get from A to B on a soap, because we don't always know the full arc - the full journey," Pierce told Radio Times.
"I think that's always a great bit of it, because [if you were working] on a six part drama, you would know the whole arc, and when you need to hit up [the highs and lows]. With us, it's a bit of a magnificent voyage of discovery with each set of scripts you get.
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"I've loved the challenge. And, yeah, it's also quite tiring to play emotion level 11. It's definitely more tiring than playing comedy."
Pierce also noted the change in his character. Todd traditionally showed Machiavellian tendencies, often becoming embittered by the fortunes of those around him and would seemingly stop at nothing to get what he desired.
Despite that, the character has repeatedly been forgiven, cementing himself as a key part of the Weatherfield community - particularly so during Pierce's portrayal, with him stepping into Todd's shoes for the first time in 2020.
Perhaps it was Todd's own backstory that wanted him to believe that there was something redeemable in Theo.
"It's all mixed in with with love, as well as a type of Stockholm Syndrome – or survivor guilt as well," Pierce reflected.
"I suppose that more forgiving part of Todd that's emerged in the last couple of years has slightly played a role in him being more patient with Theo than he should have been, and some of those early red flags he put up with, because he thought Theo was fixable. He's a reformed character himself."
With Theo as of the residents who could potentially meet their maker in the forthcoming 'Murder Week', viewers may be wondering whether Todd could be responsible for his demise.
"Perhaps," Pierce added.
"I think that our audience would certainly feel like he's got plenty of motive by this stage, because they find it quite an infuriating watch. I think there's possibly even justification if Todd were to do something like that. I don't know.
"I just think that in general, it's far more interesting narratively and also scarier in real life to think about if anyone is capable of murder than it is to think in terms of black and white, and good and evil."
Throughout the storyline the Coronation Street research team have worked alongside LGBT anti-abuse charity Galop.
You can contact Galop’s National LGBT+ Abuse and Violence Helpline by calling 0800 999 5428, emailing [email protected], or starting a webchat on www.galop.org.uk.
Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm and from 7am on ITVX.
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