Coronation Street review, Monday 26 May

Fresh fears for Steve are set to rock the already rather rocky relationship between Steve and Michelle. For a while now, many viewers have been wondering what the point is of the Steve/ Michelle pairing. Except for on the odd occasion, Michelle seems to despise Steve. At every opportunity she belittles his attempts to improve himself by attending the local college and in truth, so does his own mother, but we'll leave Liz aside for now. Michelle screams at him, criticises him, treats him like her naughty little boy  and accuses him of only wanting her for sex.

We know that Steve knows about the affair between Tina and Peter. We also know that he has not told Michelle. Should he have done? Probably. What would Michelle have done? Stormed round and told Carla straight away? Threatened Tina? Threatened Peter? We will never know now. Maybe that is all happening in a parallel universe.

What we should be focused on is how Michelle will react towards Steve when she does find out that he knew, as she surely will. There might in fact be a clue to Steve's secret in the way he reacts to Tina's news that she is leaving and leaving right now. While Michelle hugs Tina and tells her that she will miss her, Steve is much cooler, not exactly dismissive, but not far off. He utters a formulaic, 'We'll be sad to see you go.'

It is likely that Michelle's reaction to Steve's knowing will reach a pretty high number on the Richter scale. This will be the end for Steve and Michelle. Just an afterthought - is it now Andrea's opportunity to snare Steve? Or is she truly settled with Lloyd? Is she? Is she really?

Rita has received much criticism later. That said, Rita has never shirked telling the truth to her protégées over time. Tina has  been one of Rita's charges for a while now and there is no doubting the affection between them.  As Tina arrives to say goodbye, she tells Rita that she has been her mate, her mum and her grandma rolled into one. Finally Tina tells Rita who it is she is running away with and Rita gives her what for. 'He's a user Tina. He'll bleed you dry then he'll dump you.' Tina turns on her and lists the surnames Rita has had. 'Tanner, Fairclough, Sullivan'  Rita is direct and honest with Tina but  her anger at what she believes is Tina's stupidity, results in a slap to Tina's face. Undeterred Tina waits for Peter and the taxi.

Despite it being her engagement party Tracy is still up to get involved in a few bits of dodgy dealing with Tony. Carla practically has to drag Peter to the party at The Rovers for 'Roy' and Tracy's engagement do. Deirdre was responsible for the cake and the ever unforgiving Tracy tells her mother off as well as banning all Deirdre's belts from the party.

Tracy decides to harangue her sister-in-law too, which results in Carla having to shout out that  the reason that she will not be drinking, is because she is pregnant, at which point Tina enters the pub to witness it all.

Peter has explained to Steve that he feels as if he is a tiny car in the middle of two juggernauts racing towards him. Who could possibly answer the question Peter asks? 'How do I break it to Tina that I'm not going with her, and stop her running straight to Carla."

Gail learns from Eva that Leanne and Kal have been seeing each other, which puts Gail's annoyance about the forgotten picnic into perspective.  Gail has never thought Leanne good enough for her precious Nick and Eva letting slip that they are seeing each other is just further fuel for Gail to carry on disliking Leanne.

Owen is doing his best to make Anna's birthday a good one. Izzy helps him and Owen and Anna end up in a hotel but it is clear that Anna's memory of the last time she was in a hotel was with Phelan and  it seems very much that that memory will result in spoiling her birthday treat. She will surely have to explain to Owen soon, won't she?


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