There’s a wedding in Coronation Street this Christmas...or is there?
Hairdresser and barmaid Emma Brooker (Alexandra Mardell) is due to tie the knot with Curtis Delamere (Sam Retford), but with the couple’s relationship plagued by secrets and lies, it remains to be seen whether they’ll actually become husband and wife.
Curtis has been pretending to Emma and the rest of the cobbles’ residents that he has a terminal heart condition.
As viewers now know, however, the handsome waiter is, in fact, suffering from a factitious disorder, and has been faking ill health to get sympathy and attention.
Emma is currently in the dark, but in next week’s episodes, an incident whilst babysitting Tyrone’s daughter Ruby leads her to discover that her boyfriend’s ‘heart pills’ are just off-the-shelf vitamins.
When she confronts Curtis, he admits the truth - that he isn’t dying.
Meanwhile, a drunk Steve, unaware of his future son-in-law’s lies, hands Curtis his bank card and PIN, and asks him to transfer £100k of fundraising money into Oliver’s charity account.
As the wedding day later arrives - set to hit screens on Dec. 20th - Emma is forced to decide whether to accept Curtis for the flawed man he really is, rather than the Mr. Perfect he seemed to be.
“Curtis isn’t getting up in the morning, thinking 'What lies am I going to tell today?'" says actor Sam Retford, who plays him. "His behaviour isn’t malicious. It comes from a need for care and love that was absent when he was a child.
“His feelings for Emma are authentic, and it’s a miracle to him that he’s been able to be honest with her and she hasn’t run away.”
But as Emma ponders what do, it seems the decision may be taken out of her hands. The money Steve entrusted Curtis with hasn’t turned up in Oliver’s charity account. What’s more, Curtis is on the phone, ominously enquiring about flights.
Steve frets as Emma later decides to go ahead with the nuptials, and he’s panic-stricken when Curtis fails to show up to the venue.
Has the groom pocketed the cash and done a runner?
Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 7.30pm and 8.30pm on ITV - see our TV Guide for full listings. You can also catch up on episodes on ITV Hub now.
