Coronation Street is going to include a male rape storyline for the first time in its history.
The Mirror reports today that David Platt will find himself the victim of the serious sexual assault after getting drunk on a night out with handsome new arrival Josh.
While the attack itself will not be shown, David – played by Jack P Shepherd – will wake up the next morning in Josh’s bed and realise he has been drugged and assaulted.
Corrie bosses are working closely with local charity Survivors Manchester to ensure the plot is portrayed accurately.
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28 comments:
I watch this show for entertainment, storylines like this just stress me out, Michelle losing a baby, Bethany’s grooming, the whole Phelan storyline, Robert has cancer and now this, I keep thinking that “When this storyline is over, things will lighten up a bit” but I’ve said that so many times recently. We need a bit of comedy!
I agree with the previous poster, things have gotten way too depressing and I'm not sure it's time just yet for this story. Unless it's going to be one of only two for the entire year!! We need some levity. I'm surprised at this point that everyone on the street hasn't slit their wrists, it's becoming such a sad place to live.
Can’t believe they are going to do this to Jack P Shepard (David) he has great comedic abilities and they put him in a story line like this! I have got to the point that if I miss an episode now I don’t bother catching up. They are destroying this show!
It is because this happen to people in real life, the ones we do not expect. Jack will act his heart out. But, I do hope that the women on the show ridicule him like they do in real life. It should show people out there to not to ridicule men.
Well, there goes another chunk of viewers.
I'm sorry, that's WAY too much for one family. Bethany was JUST groomed, we're still feeling the ramifications from Kylie's murder and now this? I don't mind them tackling this but I really feel they've chosen the wrong character, even though Jack P Shepherd will do the story justice.
Bluddy hell corrie, come on! Too far! You're taking the same disastrous path brookside took and we all know where that ended! You're actually making me want to watch eastenders for a bit of light hearted relief!!
Omg, I have found so many episodes hard to watch, Andy and Vinny shot, Bethany raped, poor Rita. There is a big difference between having storylines true to life that create awareness and exploiting traumatic situations and playing them one after another to keep ratings up. Come on Coronation Street.
Yes, I'm with everyone else.
WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU THINKING KATE OATES? ARE YOU DETERMINED TO SINK THIS PROGRAMME LIKE A STONE? BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN. FGS, LEAVE IT OUT, IF YOU CAN'T HONOUR CORONATION STREET, LEAVE AND LET SOMEONE ELSE TAKE OVER WHO CAN.
KO could go down in history as the producer who killed Corrie. Yes, I do know that some women do get groomed and some men do get raped. The problem is that these horrendous actions do not happen week after week in the same small group of residents in a small neighbourhood.
Of course, soaps do require us to suspend a certain amount of belief, but this is beyond ridiculous - - - it is absurd.
ITV, I hope you are paying heed.
Jeanie (anon):
It's actually an interesting and novel story line, but please, just not here! How many grim and terrible things can happen to the people who live on the street? And how many people in the same family can be raped, not to mention how many people on the same street? Bethany gang-raped, Sarah attached and almost raped by Callum, Kylie sexually abused by her stepdad, now David. Plus Mary, Michelle almost raped by stalker Will, Leanne, Toyah, Carla, Liz. I mean, come on!
I also agree with people who say it will ruin David's character...he's so good as the snarky, cynical bada--. I don't want to see the guy who calls his mother Gail and who pummelled her with peanuts turned into a male rape victim! Might be interesting for the actor to explore, but as a viewer, I don't want the character taken in that direction--particularly because it's an incredibly highly unlikely thing to happen. How many male victims of drugging and rape are there?!
There could be a good uplifting story about the out of work faktry employees making a real effort to better themselves but no. There could be a story about 60ish Gail trying to get a job. Post stroke Ken finally getting his Italy, maybe with Daniel. Leanne’s new business start up. Bethany’s rough choice to go to alternate school and reclaim her life. All of these can be complex and engaging and no one gets hurt. Why is it always doom and gloom? JPS will do a great job but I wish his energy were spent elsewhere.
Will this happen before or after Bethany becomes a stripper?
I'm honestly not shocked by what Oates dredges up anymore, I just wonder what a war zone the Eccleston Estates must have become since that used to be the bad part of town compared to working class Corrie but now and all this is happening to the street's residents.
Those would be great storylines but they require actual research, attention to detail and good writing to pull off.
Why bother with all that effort when you can mine a few made for TV movies for ideas, get the seal of approval from organizations who are grateful for any attention you shine on their issue to get critics off your back and then ultimately write whatever you like and rely on the actors' talents to make it watchable?
One thing to look forward to, is we will have a number of BTL commentators becoming instant experts in male rape.
"corrie's just not like it used to be in the old days bla bla bla it's all misery these days bla bla bla whatever happened to all the comedy bla bla bla"
NEVER thought it would come to this....BUT....I have been a constant Corrie viewer since the early 80's...but..these story lines of late...are over-the-top to the show I USED to love.... I seriously think I will be tuning off after Christmas....the writers AND Miss Oates, in my opinion have ruined this fine show....VERY disappointed......VERY.......
Jeanine in Atlanta..............
wow, when I read this item on the blog page this morning I was disappointed in Corrie and what it has become - there just seems to be no end to this misery - it's just day after day of misery - I wanted to leave a comment and I thought why bother? there were only 2 comments and I realized there and then that perhaps people have stopped caring about our beloved soap -so imagine my surprise when I just doubled checked on the blog page this evening & saw 18 comments - wow - and they all have the same negative comments - if TPTB don't realize how upset their loyal fan base is I don't know what to say except I guess nothing is going to make them pull their heads out of the sand - until it will be to late. We could watch the daily news for misery, we don't have to watch it on our beloved soap. Everybody booed Phil Collinson & Stuart Blackburn, but I would love to have either one of them back right now.
Well, it's official. Kaite Oates is honing her skills to go over to EE next. She can leave any time now. That would be fine.
Everyone else has expressed exactly how I feel about this latest storyline. This must have been the controversial one Kate Oates referred to in earlier interviews? I feel the writers sit with a list of social issues they are compelled to work into the scripts, and are ticking off each one. Rather than writing the strong, character-led drama that Corrie has been noted for.
R.I.P Corrie,
Well now, isn't this a surprise? Dammit, can one family have so much happen to them, are they bloody well cursed, because it would appear that Corrie is.
RATINGS GRAB!! RATINGS GRAB!!
It is no longer a story about a simple backstreet in fictional Weatherfield.
I find myself skipping, not caring if I miss an episode, just as easy to read about it.
I am saddened that the Powers that Be do not take heed when the diehard fans say
"enough is enough"
I still have forty years or more to watch of Classic Corrie, though I'll still check in from time to time.
Surely Emily will have returned from Peru, or maybe she ends up murdering Pat Phelan?
It’s a valid story to explore but not amid the current ‘explosive saturation’ that the show is suffering. And for it to happen to a Platt is utterly incredible. Jack Shepard will undoubtedly knock its out of the park, but if they must do it, why not give it to one of the other young male cast - Dean Fagan or Rob Mallard perhaps? Let them have the chance of an award next year.
I agree Cobblestone: I'm okay with the storyline but not with another Platt family focused issue. We've had overload of them this past year already! Give this storyline to one of the other young male cast members, perhaps Zeedan?"
Seems I'm on the same bandwagon as the other commentators. Find myself skipping many of the story lines. Pretty soon, I won't be following any. Never thought I'd see the day. Wanna feel depressed? Just watch the characters on Corrie. OMG Michelle is the star of 'misery'. Sara Platt another one. Robert is one miserable looking soul. Billy, the Lesbian lovers, Anna....all doom and gloom. The show is dying a slow painful death.
Long-time fan of the show, this however, is too much. I know, we're to suspend belief, it's only a TV show, but come on, how much more can happen to one family? Current producers/writers, trying way too hard to shock, aiming for controversy, it's just not working. Long, boring, drawn-out stories with Bethany's grooming, Michelle being stalked, Mary's grandson etc, then the outrageously unfunny 'comedic' moments, Roy as the crap Santa, Norris protesting dressed as Batman. Wow, dreadful stuff, lousy directing, poor writing and a waste of so much talent, never mind Eastenders...bring back 'Albion Market' at this stage.
At the rate it"s going, Corrie could end however ITV could run Classic Coronation St. They would makes lots of money and the viewers would be happy.
I totally agree with previous comments - THIS IS TOO MUCH AND WHEN WILL IT END? Kate Oates is ruining our beloved Coronation Street. Fans in Canada are complaining too and writing letters in protest to ITV. Not only do storylines go on and on forever, they are all unpleasant in nature. Yes, bad things happen in day to day life but good things also happen. Why so glum all the time. Miss Oates, if your aim was to turn the Street upside down, ignore everything in previous years that made the show a great success, make your mark and ruin the show, you've succeeded.
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