Coronation Street double episode review, Monday 8 June

The heart that Gail has been protecting, Michael’s, finally submits to a heart attack. Gail’s fear all along, and it was a genuine fear, was that if Michael found out that his son was not his son but an imposter, he would have a heart attack. To tell Michael that his real son had died, Gail thought, would have been too much for him and would have triggered a heart attack.  He now knows the truth and has blasted his fury at Andy and at Gail for their deceit.

Michael has been staying at Eileen’s and Gail walks into Eileen’s to see him. But he’s not there, because he’s gone to see his ex-wife Susan, the mother of Gavin. Sadly that’s not screened – it would have been interesting. When he gets back he is surprised to see Gail there at number 11. When he tells Gail he’s been to see Susan she asks if he means Gavin’s mum. ‘No, Susan Sarandon,’ he tells her sarcastically.

Jason is furious with his brother. Seeing him Jason yells, ‘You’ve got a nerve haven’t you?’

‘I’m sorry, did you speak? Was it a full sentence?’ replies Todd.

‘You’re dead to me,’ responds Jason.

In The Rovers Todd tells Jason that he has done him a favour by messing up his relationship with Eva. ‘Wake up and smell the hair extensions!’ says Todd, suggesting Eva is an airhead.

A while later, Michael, very drunk indeed, wades into the Bistro, after having drunk a bottle of whisky, shouting that Andy is Andy and not Gavin and that it was Gail who hid from him the death of his real son.  He says to the astonished people in the Bistro, ‘Andy inveigled his way into my life.’ Andy is very upset and it is Eileen, fresh from her disappointment with Adrian and her realisation that Todd has been deceiving her, who takes Michael back home.

Once there, they discuss their disastrous lives. Michael says he would happily swap a son flirting on the internet, as Todd did with Eileen, than have his own situation. Michael tells Eileen that she is a handsome woman - wise, warm and womanly. Michael kisses her. Though rather taken aback, Eileen and Michael do become physically affectionate. (Apologies – that phrase ‘become physically affectionate’ is so repressed. Americans would say ‘make out’ but I’m not American and so it would seem pretentious. ‘Start to snog’ makes me seem as if I’m 16).  Anyway, whatever you call it, for Michael it is too much and he can barely breathe. He staggers around, much to Eileen’s horror and then collapses.

Gail returns to Eileen’s and is shocked to see Michael in such a bad way, not knowing what caused it. In hospital, Michael is barely conscious. Gail interrogates Eileen, but Michael comes round and asks what she’s doing here and that he doesn’t want to see her.

The doctor asks Eileen about Michael’s difficulty in breathing and his subsequent collapse. The doctor wants to know what he was doing at the time. She answers honestly, saying that he was lying on top of her. Eileen then notices Gail and fears she may have overheard. Fortunately Gail didn’t hear. The two go home in a taxi together and even hug, much to Jason’s surprise.

Simon is proving difficult. No surprise really as the father figures in his life have a habit of disappearing. Peter, Nick and now Kal – all three men have left Simon, their significant roles all gone. Nick is still around, but it’s not clear how much contact he has with him. Ken, though, is a constant. Still, Simon is moody and uncooperative. When Leanne asks him to help her he storms out only to return later in a dreadful mood. It seems he might be jealous of Zeedan and the attention he is receiving from Leanne.  He throws the TV remote at her and it hits her on the head. Leanne takes him to Ken’s. Ken catches sight of Leanne’s bruise and asks about it. Leanne fobs him off saying she hit her face on a cupboard. Ken tells her that Simon has been on edge. Simon is indeed very pleased to see her when she comes to collect him and when they arrive home, they have a cuddle and Leanne tells him he must not do that again. 

Grieving for Maddie and desperate to make sense of the text Maddie left on her phone, Sophie again questions Jenny and Jenny repeats that she was in the bath. Sophie wants to know where Jenny was on the night of the fire and what Maddie meant by the interrupted message, as Sophie already had her doubts about Jenny and her behaviour, especially around Jack.

Tony has the nerve to send flowers and asks for Liz’s forgiveness. Liz is having none of it.  ‘Gutless, spineless – if he thinks he can get round me with a few poxy flowers!’ She tells Sean that she wants nothing to do with Tony and that he must stay out of her life and remain a sleeping partner. When Tony turns up, Liz says she will be ready for him. Annoyed with Sarah for sitting with Callum and not standing behind the bar, she soon changes her attitude towards her as Sarah suggests that Liz cuts up his clothing. ‘Leather jackets and designer jeans,’ muses Liz.

Looks like it might be back on for Luke and Maria. She was disgusted with him when he punched Andy but now that she realises he was protecting his sister Steph, Maria is interested in him again. Hmm – there just doesn’t seem to be any chemistry between them. Maybe others disagree.  Kirk, if no one else, is pleased.

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