Coronation Street Blog: Todd Boyce interview: Stephen sets his sights on Jenny and the Rovers

How is Stephen feeling that he has finally managed to start a relationship with Jenny?

He is delighted, she is the apple of his eye, he is insane about her and he can’t believe they have finally got together, this has been a dream of his since they first met, even whilst he was with Elaine he really only had eyes for Jenny

One of the things that made Jenny see him more in that light was when he understood her feelings about selling the Rovers, did he use that to his advantage?

He definitely witnessed her interaction with Owen and deliberately said the opposite as he knew that would get her attention but he also genuinely believed that he could help with some business ideas. He seized an opportunity which is very much Stephen’s way of working.

Do you think he would like the idea of running Rovers with Jenny? Do you think that would be a dream for him?

I think he sees himself as a kind of Mr. Business so the pub would be something that he would like to advise on but not but involved with on a day to day basis, I couldn't see him front of house as ‘Mein Host’ but he would love the idea of living in the pub and running it behind the scenes.

What is it that he sees in Jenny?

She's funny, she's sexy, he just wants her on his arm. He just thinks she's the bee’s knees. She caught his eye way back and that was it. She’s a character. Yeah. I think on every single level and she's fiery and she stands her ground. He likes women like that, Gabrielle had sass and intelligence but Jenny has the added element of being great fun, whereas Gabrielle wasn’t a whole lot of laughs. The thing is his love for intelligent and sassy women could be his downfall, Gabrielle got the measure of him and what is to say Jenny isn’t going to do that too.

We can see at the moment that despite getting with Jenny he is still feeling the pressure from the aftermath of Rufus’ inquest and memorial, is he going to be able to deal with that situation?

He thinks he's dealt with it by diverting attention to Peter and the watch but the real issue is here that for one of the first times he feels contrition after meeting Rufus’ son at the memorial. He's emotional about that for the first time. He's always been able to compartmentalise prior to this and move on from these murderers in a really extraordinary way. But not that one. He hated Rufus and he had to get rid of him but to be faced with the ex wife saying what a good dad he was and seeing how upset his son was has affected him and that is not helping him to keep a clear head when this is the time he really needs to do so. He's not able to just move on. With Teddy and Leo, he didn't really see the effects on the family. He didn't really care about how Teddy felt about Leo’s disappearance. But seeing a child reacting in that way affected him just to see this child's entire life being destroyed.

This week Audrey has had the letter from the equity release company. Do you like that all these little things are starting to build up now. And coming back to haunt him just as he's got with Jenny?

Yes it's very clever. I like the way the story is developing and how all these little things are starting to add up. For now he still feels that he can talk his way out of all these situations but actually the walls are starting to close in on him, how is he going to explain the equity release letter, what is his mental health like now as he struggles with the inquiry into Rufus’ death. Just when he feels he is getting where he wants to be it is all unravelling behind the scenes.

It seems as though the women around him may be the ones who are undoing?

Yes there are all these women in particular, who he hasn't necessarily harmed personally, but he has by association. Interesting that these are the people who are realising things. Sarah finds out about the equity release and she has always trusted him but for how long will she now? And Carla is starting to twig on to the whole LSD link with Rufus and her ‘psychoses’. He's still keeping up this facade of being a businessman as that's what he is first and foremost, but that can only keep the truth away for so long. He's got this obsession of being seen to be successful, that's what caused the first murder. That's what caused him to steal from his mum. It's just all this desperate attempt to appear to be successful.

Why do you think that proving that is his driving force and why is losing face is his worst nightmare?

I think for him it is part of his childhood experience, being adopted, seeing it as rejection It is about his perception that he wasn’t good enough and not being wanted. He then found his mother later in life and he wanted to stop those feelings of rejection, he loves her and he can't stop wanting her approval and wanting her to see him being successful. It's almost like he's sort of proving that he's made good despite what she did. And in proving that then he get her unconditional love, which is what he's been after.

What is Jenny and Stephen’s relationship like?

It is affectionate and playful, we see that in the kissing scene, it is a grown up relationship and Jenny brings out the best in him. She doesn’t know the truth about him but she does get him. It is early days with them but they are both going through a big change in their life and both are looking to a different future.

The grit in his oyster is also still Tim, does he think Tim is a problem?

He sees Tim as an annoyance, but Tim has lulled Stephn into a bit of a false sense of security. Stephen’s arrogance has led him to underestimate Tim. What Tim is doing is keeping his enemy close by allowing him to stay living in the flat. I enjoy playing those scenes with Joe as there is so much going on between the two of them on so many levels.

Is Tim in danger?

He isn’t planning on harming him but if Tim got run over I don’t think Stephen would rush to save him. However Tim is kind of putting himself in the most dangerous place with delving a bit too much into Stephen’s life because other people who have been in this place where Tim is are no longer with us. Tim is walking a fine line.

What is Stephen’s plan, does he want to stay in Weatherfield?

Well Jenny isn’t going to own the pub for much longer and if Stephen starts to feel that there is nothing for him here I think he would like the idea of the two of them making a new life elsewhere, maybe travelling. Jenny might not be as keen to leave Weatherfield but the idea of a life with Jenny away from the pressure and memories of what he has done might be the way forward for Stephen.

Glenda Young

Novelist published by Headline