Coronation Street revisits one of its most controversial storylines of 2018 next week when David Platt confronts his rapist Josh Tucker. Drugged and sexually assaulted by the mechanic on a night back in the spring, David spiralled into self-destruction as he struggled to silently process his ordeal before eventually speaking out after Aidan Connor’s private battle with depression led to his tragic death by suicide.
The hard-hitting scenes earned praise from critics and audiences, and won street stalwart Jack P Shepherd the Best Actor prize at the British Soap Awards. Josh’s comeuppance came when a potential new victim beat him before he could spike his drink, and he ended in a coma before waking to the discovery he had lost his sight. On Monday 1 October, David discovers recovering Josh has been taken in by neighbour Billy Mayhew and abducts his tormentor, bundling him into a car – what is he planning? We asked Shepherd to shed some light on next week’s dramatic showdown.
What effect has Josh being released from hospital had on David?
David panicked he would come back to the street, which he did. Bethany then lets the cat out of the bag to David that Josh has been living with Billy, who says he’s trying to make him do the right thing. David is furious that somebody he considered a mate is housing Josh, he doesn’t cope very well when he finds out.
Does David feel betrayed by Billy?
He confronts Billy and calls him an absolute hypocrite because he told David not to go anywhere near him when he wanted revenge. Billy hasn’t thought about David’s feelings, only his own. Those two weren’t particularly friendly anyway, and I don’t think that will change now!
How does David feel when he comes face-to-face with Josh again?
Josh walks into the salon, cool as a cucumber. I think he’s wanting to make amends with David but it would take a lot to make amends to someone after what’s happened. David doesn’t take it very well and the conversation turns into an argument, ending up with David bundling Josh in a car and driving him off somewhere.
Will confronting Josh give David some closure on his ordeal?
It all depends what happens and what David sees fit to find that closure. It could be turning Josh into the police, or killing him, or getting someone to beat him up. I don’t think he’ll find closure in Josh just apologising, or maybe he will. Since he has come back from his holiday with the family in Barbados he’s been in a positive frame of mind, so maybe he might, but I don’t think Josh is the type of person to apologise – he’s more likely to try and worm his way out of it somehow.
Do you think the rape will affect David for the rest of his life?
If it does change him, then you must see what you want from the character. Do you want David to change, and if so, why? If he does change, does that mean he eventually has to leave the street? After a while the character must come to terms with what has happened to them and move on, then you can live out other stories. If they don’t, then what do they do? Get depressed and go? It comes down to that really. David has been through a lot and come out the other side, so we know he’s resilient.
What reaction have you had about the rape storyline?
A nice reaction. People say they’ve enjoyed it, but always hesitate and say ‘enjoy’ is a strange word to use, but what they mean is it’s a good topic that needed to be addressed. When the storyline was first announced there was a negative response with people saying ‘it’s disgusting, Corrie shouldn’t be putting that on the screen, it’s a family show’. As soon as it went out they realised you didn’t see the rape, it was left to the audiences’ imagination. The storyline was more about the aftermath and the mental effect on David. The audience got it and it was a good story, I think Corrie played it out really well.
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