Coronation Street spoilers: Soap first, Christmas twists and 'unmissable' crossover

There's some huge twists and turns on the way on Coronation Street, bringing 2025 to an end in style.

Soap boss Kate Brooks has told The Mirror and other press that Christmas is one to watch this year, full of fun, drama and unexpected moments. The lead-up to the festive period is just as action-packed, as several storylines take huge turns.

Fans can expect a special episode with a format "not done before" by soap, as Todd Grimshaw's domestic abuse ordeal at the hands of boyfriend Theo Silverton escalates. There's also new drama ahead for Swarla, as Lisa Swain and Carla Connor continue to navigate the arrival of Lisa's not-so-dead ex Becky Swain.

Kate's promised this plot is about to head in a new direction, as the truth about Becky comes to light. Then there's wedding bells, as Debbie Webster moves forward with her plans to marry Ronnie Bailey months on from her dementia diagnosis.

With Kate confirming Debbie will be remaining on the show for a while yet, there's some brilliant scenes for the character on the cards. Other characters featuring in big scenes ahead include the Websters, Fiz and Tyrone and of course the brand new family, the Driscolls, featuring returning character Eva Price. Here's all the big twists ahead...

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Eva's return and the arrival of the Driscolls

Kate gave us the lowdown on Eva's return and her drama with the new arrivals, with them set to take centre-stage on Christmas Day. She told us: "For me the pub works really well if there's a big family at the heart of it, a family that really loves each other.

"These guys love each other with a real fierceness and a real protectiveness. Obviously there are niggles, issues and dramas, as happens to every family but at the heart of it, there's a real loyalty to each other.

"Eva's such an amazing character who's so Coronation Street. So to bring her back with family, and with a mother-in-law who is definitely going to ruffle many feathers, it felt like the time was right to bring that kind of dynamic and energy into the pub.

"You just continue to fall in love with them because they are just delightful. They are a delight to watch. Pauline (McLynn), Aaron (McCusker) and Cath (Tyldesley) are just a breath of fresh air. They've come in, they've hit the ground running, they're super busy and they continue to be really busy moving forward because there's lots of stories for them.

"There's so much more to come with them. There's so much drama. Really family-centric dramas. Friendships are formed, friendships are developed. And you've just got this family at the heart of the Street now, they just invite people in warmly into their space, into their pub. The pub has never looked more lively and full of life. It's great, they're amazing, I love them. I am absolutely in love with the Driscolls."

Todd and Theo

Todd's ordeal at the hands of Theo will escalate in the coming weeks and months, as we see just what Theo is capable of. Kate shared: "It's a really important story. We've deliberately played a bit of a slow burn with it. We've seen Todd falling for this guy who is complex and has got issues and has given up everything for Todd.

"By the time the story really gets going, Todd's in a place where he really feels indebted to Theo. At this point, Theo's true colours really are revealed. He's a dark character, he's really going to manipulate Todd.

"Fundamentally it's a story about domestic abuse in a same sex relationship. We've been working very closely with a charity called Galop and some of the statistics are really quite shocking."

Kate added: "We wanted to take a character like Todd and to see how he would respond to a character like Theo, who just bulldozes his way into his life. We're going to slowly see Todd start to strip bare who he is, and his vulnerabilities become very, very prominent in all the episodes, as he struggles to navigate this relationship with this man who he does love, but this man is abusive, he's violent.

"He's controlling. He uses many tactics to make sure that Todd is constantly second guessing himself and constantly questioning who he is. He does some really vile things to Todd, but Todd's seeing the goodness in him as well.

"We've still got quite a bit of a journey to go on with these two. There's some quite dark episodes, but very important episodes and very raw episodes, very authentic episodes.

"We have played about with the format a little bit to tell these stories. I've just been in a viewing this morning and it's a really brilliant episode, a really powerful episode, focused primarily on their relationship. I don't think anyone's ever told a story in this format in this way and the impact it has… I've just watched it, and been quite stunned by it. It really is powerful. It's really emotive.

"Gareth (Pierce) and James (Cartwright) are playing these roles so well. You still see Todd's personality desperately trying to break through at times. This story will naturally progress and hopefully Todd will realise what is going on and that this is not acceptable."

Christmas

Kate also teased the festive period, as well as a big Christmas Day episode. She said: "So there's loads going on Christmas Day. Christmas Day itself is a real family affair. The Driscolls are very much at the heart of Christmas Day. It's a proper pub Christmas Day. It's very community based, very lively. There's loads going on. Secrets are exposed and whatnot. So it's a real feel good episode with a lot of drama as well thrown to the mix.

"The stories we've got going which build to that, we've got Ronnie and Debbie, who are very keen to crack on with the wedding and lots of preparation for that, fun and games in terms of that.

"The other stories, which are really kicking off around about that time, we've got Carla/Lisa/Becky. That really goes up a gear around about Christmas time. There's a few really big twists that will keep people hooked and keep people watching as they watch this all unfold. So that's another big story, which will feature heavily around the Christmas period.

"We also wanted to really show Todd and Theo's journey in the lead and the build to Christmas. We've got a really special episode which is just focused primarily on their relationship. It will really pack a punch on many levels. So we've got that story really shaping up, and Todd becomes more embroiled in that.

"And, yeah, they're the big ones. Obviously, the Websters. Abi, Carl and James, that's all still happening. You've got Tyrone and Fiz."

Swarla drama and Becky twists

Speaking of Carla, Lisa and Becky, Kate revealed there's some big twists ahead. She shared: "So Becky is a bit of a villain. She's come back. She knows what she wants. She wants her family back. She wants Betsy. She wants Lisa back. She wants to oust Carla from this very happy home life that she's created.

"So we are watching this story develop, and slowly we'll start to peel away the layers of Becky and who she is and what she's actually capable of. At the minute on screen, we've only really scratched the surface, but she is capable of many things.

"The thing that she's capable of doing the best is reminding Lisa of the life they had. They were together for a long time. They've got a child together. There's that history between them. There's that love there.

"While we are all very happy and rooting for Carla and Lisa, there's a history that we can't ignore. Carla and Lisa are a brilliant love story. They're a brilliant soap couple. I think the journey we're going to go on with these two, [is how] they navigate this woman who's been literally dropped from a great height and landed like a bomb inside their house.

"How Carla, who is bolshy and feisty and doesn't take any messing, she struggles to comprehend that this woman is at her kitchen island drinking tea, and she's having to restrain herself from doing anything crazy to oust this woman.

"I feel really proud of Carla. She's been really mature about the situation, but obviously that maturity and that understanding can only last a certain amount of time before somebody's going to flip.

"There's loads more to come. It's a really exciting story. You don't want to mess with Becky. She knows what she's doing. She knows how to lie her way out of situations. She also capitalises on the fact that Lisa's still struggling to process this, and what she's offering is a glimpse of the past and the life they had together.

"So yeah, there's loads more to come. There's loads of twists, there's loads of turns, there's loads of moments where you watch it and go: 'Oh my God'. But ultimately, it's a really enjoyable ride and it's really exciting.

"She's quite calculated and she ostensibly feels a bit cold and measured. I think, the more she behaves like this, the more we see Carla getting really wound up and riled, because Becky's just so calm and cool and collected. But she will get ruffled at some point. And as I say, there's lots of there's lots of explosions to come."

She went on: "We're all watching going 'what happening!' For Lisa and Betsy, this woman's come back, who they loved, you know? That love doesn't just go away. And yeah, there's a sense of she's hurt, and that betrayal is huge and massive and obviously that's not to be ignored. But this was one of the people she loved and trusted more than anyone else in the world.

"And now she's here in the present day and it's how they navigate that, and how Lisa… she wants to protect Betsy as well. This is Betsy's mum, you know? And she's not going to be there dismissing Becky, because she can't stand in the way of them redeveloping that relationship.

"So yeah, there loads of exciting things to come. Becky's quite a badass. Yes, we the audience will discover that she is, as I say, not quite the innocent and quite the hero that she's led people to believe. We will realise that quite soon on screen actually, but it takes a while for the rest of the people of Weatherfield to realise what type of person she is and what she's capable of.

"Obviously Carla's already got a few suspicions, but we really cement those suspicions quite soon. Carla has every right to be wary of this woman."

Crossover

While giving very little away, Kate also teased the big soap crossover, Corriedale. Kate said: "Filming's going brilliant. We've got a brilliant director. The script's brilliant. The actors are loving it, because it's so different and unique from what they've ever done before.

"I've been on set a few times. The mood and the camaraderie is really infectious. People are loving working with people they have not worked with before. It's just dead exciting. I just can't help but imagine what my mum's gonna be like watching this episode.

"She'll be so beside herself, because, as a soap fan, the idea of sitting down watching your two favourite shows with all your favourite characters interact in this massive, unmissable piece of telly, it's just amazing."

Kate added: "I think what we've done really well is make sure that the episode encapsulates what makes both shows unique, but also that universal appeal that soap is brilliant telly and it's soaptastic. So I think that those combinations are going to be a real treat for fans. But I've said a lot of things without giving anything away.

"Everyone's worked so, so hard on this as well behind the scenes. Obviously, the cast have been amazing, brilliant. But behind the scenes, people have worked really hard. It's been quite a feat logistically to get everything in the right place.

"So I just think, as a testament to how hard and how passionate all the people are behind the scenes, from schedulers to crew and DOPs and directors and ADs, it is just a testament to the fact that they love what they do, and everyone has put their heart and soul into it."

Debbie's future

While she did mention Debbie and Ronnie's wedding, Kate also teased more of what's ahead for Debbie after her dementia diagnosis. She said: "We're not galloping our way through the story at all. We love Debbie. There are so many stories that are happening around Debbie that are not dependent on whether she's got dementia or not.

"For Debbie, she's enjoying life. She's living life. She's making the most of it. She's obviously planning for a big wedding with Ronnie. It's going to be a really gorgeous, joyful wedding. It's very Debbie in its execution. It smacks of Debbie being lovable and a bit out there.

"Also, we'll get to see the debut of the dementia choir that Debbie's been so invested and involved in. She's focusing on that because she wants to enjoy the time she has here. She wants to enjoy her love for Ronnie. She's desperate for her family to get back on an even keel, for her brothers to be united again.

"She navigating all this as well as still running a successful business. This story is really in its infancy. There are some times when she will forget things but she's living with it. You know, she's still got a life. She's not just a person who has dementia. She's not defined by it at all. Her stories are not defined by it either, for a really long time. So we are just enjoying Debbie being Debbie."

Kate went on: "The other thing we have as well, which I think is so important to Coronation Street, is Debbie has this real strong group of female friends. We really start to develop and invest in that friendship. Glenda, Sally, Bernie, Christina, Debbie - this gang of women who are navigating life at the same time. They're doing it with such humour and such loyalty to each other. Watching those friendships develop, there's a lot of fun stuff coming up.

"It's so classic Corrie. The episodes I'm watching at the minute, it's them on nights out, getting up to mischief. Just really earthy humour with these women. Debbie's dementia is there, but she's not in the grips of it. We're not anywhere near end game.

"For me, enjoy Debbie's story. It's powerful, it's brilliant. It's got so many different layers to it. But Debbie will be Debbie for a good while yet. So enjoy all the Debbie isms that you can get. It's a real dementia choir that we're working with too.

"It's important to show that there is life, there's joy and there's humour. Obviously we work closely with charities as well. A lot of the people we've spoken to, the message that they want to get out is, don't be scared too much about this. It happens, and obviously it's very tragic and heartbreaking and sad. But there are so many moments and so much life to live as well.

"It doesn't. Just because she's been handed this, doesn't mean she suddenly becomes a completely different person. Debbie's still Debbie for a long time. And fabulous. She's so fabulous, like, just her wardrobe alone is fabulous, and throw in that amazing set she now has with Ronnie.

"So just because you are handed that diagnosis doesn't mean that your life just stops. There is so much more to live, and that's what we want to tell with Debbie. She's embracing life. She's grabbing it by every horn going."

Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter , Facebook, and Threads.