‘Coronation Street’ boss Kate Oates has revealed Bethany Platt will "save herself" in the show’s dramatic and disturbing grooming storyline.
The teenager – portrayed by Lucy Fallon – has turned to self-harm as a way of escaping her boyfriend Nathan (Chris Harper) manipulations, in which he’s drugged her and trapped her in a room with three men for sex, but the soap’s head honcho has confirmed that the youngster will overcome the situation and help herself.
She told RadioTimes.com: "We’ll see Bethany being active in saving herself. This is a story for feminists – I really want her to take some of that power back."
Kate had high praise for Lucy and her co-star Tina O’Brien – who plays Bethany’s on-screen mother Sarah Platt – for their performances during a very difficult and emotionally draining storyline for both the actors and viewers.
She added: "I definitely want to keep Lucy Fallon central to the show as she has shone through this. And Tina O’Brien has just been amazing too.
"We have some plans. And what is nice about where this storyline goes is that when the scales do fall from Bethany’s eyes, she does realise that all is not right."
Meanwhile, Lucy explained that – after consulting with various charities to establish how people get through such tough situations – it wouldn’t be a quick fix for Bethany as she tries to move on from Nathan’s abuse.
She explained: "It’ll be a long road to recovery for Bethany. Speaking to various charities, it’s clear that people to whom this has happened haven’t got over it.
"And, for a while, Bethany will just be really confused. She doesn’t believe that she’s being groomed for quite a long time."
Corrie’s Bethany to save herself from grooming
