Coronation Street Blog: Julia Goulding Interview on David and Shona together

How is Shona feeling about being in Weatherfield? What about her feelings for David?
The reason she came back to the street was to help Bethany with her case against Nathan and now David has said he’s OK with her sticking around, so she’s piecing her life on the street back together. Her life doesn’t involve David any more and when they do bump into each other it’s quite awkward. She’s back at Eileen’s, back working at the cafe after the massive bombshell that Clayton is her son.

Does she feel she’s helped to make things right by helping Bethany?
I don’t think it was a conscious thought of 'if I help Bethany, this will make things right with David', she genuinely does want to see Nathan go down and be punished. But in the back of her mind maybe she hopes this will make David see that she’s not a bad person and that she’s not like her son. I think it has made David thaw towards her.

How does she feel when she wins on the scratchcard?
Delighted obviously, it’s a lot of money. She tries to give Bethany half but she won’t take it because it was a gift. I don’t think she looks past that moment of elation initially as to what she’s going to do with the money.

Does she realise she’s been overheard by Zoe?
Zoe overhears her discussing her winnings with Roy but Shona's got no idea. I think she's just so happy celebrating that she doesn’t even clock that Zoe’s in the cafe or whether or not she knows her.

How does she feel about seeing Macca and what does she make of what he tells her?
Macca tips up and she's in the middle of a celebration so that dampens the mood somewhat. He is basically emotionally blackmailing her, saying that Clayton isn't coping inside, implying that he's suicidal and needs money from her to fund an appeal.

Is she surprised? Does she believe him?
I don’t think she's got a choice to question it just in case it is true. I don’t think she does believe him, but I think it’s the ‘what if’, and if anything did happen to Clayton I don’t think she’d ever be able to forgive herself

What kind of advice does Todd give her? What does she make of it?
She goes to Todd for a second opinion about if an appeal could be successful and Todd tells her it’s not that simple but legal loopholes do mean that there is a small possibility, however it is very unlikely. Then she decides to go and see Clayton herself and see what kind of state he's in because she's worried about him as well.

What happens when she visits Clayton in prison?
She’s very gentle with him at first and tries to be supportive because if he is in a state then she doesn't want to go in there all guns blazing. At first, he really does play on her heart strings and he manages to pull the wool over her eyes until the very end of that conversation.

What does she think about what he tells her?
If she was to find an appeal for Clayton she knows the implications that it would have on the Platts and the devastation that he's caused to them. Also, she does want to see Clayton punished for what he did. She's a good person and she doesn't want to just get her son off but then her mother’s instincts kick in and her main priority is, if her son is suicidal and wanting to hurt himself, then she needs to get him out of that situation. It’s not about him not being punished but it’s about her protecting her young.

How is the showdown with David sparked?
David finds out that Shona is looking into the possibility of using the money to get Clayton out of prison and he’s furious. However Shona has made a decision at this point, after seeing Clayton’s true colours, that she's not going to try and get him off and is going to put the money in a trust fund for him for when he gets out. She’s using the money for good in her eyes, and is also helping Clayton build a life for himself when he gets out of prison in 15 years. But David is obviously furious and storms round to the cafe and there is a massive showdown between Shona and David. Of course there is a lot of underlying tension there and some massive sexual chemistry. There are so many mixed feelings. It's like an electrical storm of emotion.

Is Shona a match for him as they argue?
She is, more than a match, because she is at breaking point. She says in the argument that David believes he has a right to treat her in this way, but not once has he stopped and seen what this has done to Shona. He can’t see past his own grief so he forgets that she's grieving too. Constantly being blamed for something that she's not actually done makes her snap at him.

Can the two of them make things work?
They clearly get on and they did have a friendship which was starting to turn into something more before David found out who she is. There are definitely feelings there but he's struggling with them more than she is. They need to figure out whether or not the feelings are strong enough to warrant the complications of them getting together.

Would you like them to?
I’d like to see the ups and downs and where that could take them. I don’t think it would ever be a smooth ride though.

What’s the best thing about working so closely with Jack P Shepherd?
His cheery disposition - I jest. He’s very funny and is a very clever, generous actor and he makes me absolutely LOL on set.

What’s been your favourite thing about being at Corrie so far?
All of it. I have been a fan since I can remember and there is not a day that goes by that I don’t pinch myself and think ‘oh my days, I’m working on Corrie’. It’s my dream job and I couldn't be happier.

What are you most hoping might be in the pipeline for Shona?
Plenty more drama and ups and downs. I’m looking forward to seeing her maybe one day being happy and settled. I think that will bring different colours in her personality. At the moment we’re seeing her struggle and her pushed back and forth through emotional high drama so I’d like to see her in a more domestic situation and find out who she is in that respect.

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