It’s hard to believe that Carl Webster has only been part of Coronation Street for 9 months. In that short space of time, the Weatherfield bad boy has left a trail of emotional wreckage that rivals some of the soap’s most notorious villains, and it now looks like he’s lining up his next move.
Carl’s destructive streak began close to home, when his affair with sister-in-law Abi tore apart brother Kevin’s marriage. If that betrayal wasn’t enough, Carl then embarked on another secret relationship, this time with James Bailey. The double life eventually unravelled in explosive fashion just days before sister Debbie’s wedding, with Abi determined to make Carl pay for the pain he caused.
Her revenge came at the worst possible moment for Carl, who had been planning to flee to Germany after stealing thousands from the Chariot Square Hotel. His escape was cut short when his car was caught in a devastating multi-vehicle crash, a moment that marked one of the darkest turns in his storyline so far.
In a chilling act of self-preservation, Carl dragged Debbie’s unconscious body into the driver’s seat to avoid being jailed for drink-driving. He then allowed Debbie to believe she was responsible for the death of neighbour Billy Mayhew, a lie that continues to haunt her. Viewers later learned the shocking reason Debbie has stayed silent: Carl isn’t her brother at all, but her son, a secret she’s terrified will be exposed.
Now ostracised by much of the community, Carl appears to be running out of allies. But rather than keeping a low profile, he’s already begun circling a new target.
In today’s episode, Carl set his sights on newcomer Jodie Ramsey, the mysterious sister of Shona Platt. Jodie arrived on the cobbles during Corriedale under dramatic circumstances, fleeing what appeared to be a hostage situation linked to Graham Foster. Since then, her behaviour has raised more questions than answers.
Although she’s settled into life at the Platts’ house, Jodie has repeatedly told stories that don’t quite add up, including repeating a domestic abuse survivor’s account word-for-word to Shona earlier this week. Her motives remain unclear, as does the reason she seems determined to undermine Shona’s reputation.
After days of hiding indoors, Jodie was finally coaxed out to Roy’s Rolls, where she offered to help while Nina Lucas ran errands. Watching from afar, Carl seized his opportunity, buying Leanne Battersby a drink just to spark a conversation with Jodie. The chemistry was instant, but the moment was cut short by Abi, who wasted no time warning Jodie to steer well clear.
Elsewhere, alarm bells are ringing. Kit Green is increasingly suspicious about Jodie’s past, while Shona has confided in David that she’s trying to track down their father in the hope of uncovering the truth about what her sister is running from.
With two deeply damaged characters now gravitating towards each other, Coronation Street appears to be laying the groundwork for a volatile partnership. Whether this marks a fresh start for Carl or the beginning of another manipulative scheme remains to be seen, but history suggests Weatherfield should brace itself for more chaos.
