Coronation Street spoilers follow from Friday night's episode (May 1).
Coronation Street has just given fans one huge question to ponder over the weekend – is Geoff Metcalfe being killed off?
The villain's life is currently hanging in the balance after his tormented wife Yasmeen lashed out at him in self-defence in Friday night's episode (May 1). And let's be honest, for many fans, it's not a moment too soon for the tables to turn on the malicious magician.
For nearly a year, Corrie viewers have watched in horror as the seemingly-affable Geoff gradually grew to become one of the most despicable creations in soap history.
In June 2019, Digital Spy picked up on the first subtle signs that something wasn't right in Geoff's relationship with Yasmeen.
Back then, a seemingly-minor incident – Yasmeen apologising for a misunderstanding that wasn't her fault – paved the way for a year-long storyline exploring the rarely-covered topic of coercive control in relationships.
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Over the past few months, Geoff has gradually chipped away at Yasmeen's self-esteem with nasty comments and cruel mind games, as well as working to isolate her from friends, family and other sources of support.
With the storyline reaching its peak after such a long journey, Yasmeen is tragically now a shell of her former self – broken, humiliated and even deprived of basic needs like regular meals.
The current real-life situation has also had two major impacts on this already-topical storyline. With Corrie episodes currently being rationed by ITV, we've seen Yasmeen's ordeal play out for slightly longer than originally planned – with her extended misery often feeling unbearable to watch.
With families across the country also being told to stay at home, and news reports revealing a worrying increase in cases of domestic abuse, Yasmeen's story has taken on an added significance and has never felt more relevant. It's a timely and concerning reminder that you often never really know what's going on behind closed doors.
Like many long-term soap arcs involving a villain, some fans have complained that the story has rumbled on for too long. However, the show's cast and crew have rightly pointed out the need to explore this journey over a realistic time-frame – some real-life cases of coercive control can go on for years.
Of course, one of the major requirements of soap is for stories to always be moving forwards. It now feels like the right time for a shift in dynamics and Corrie's latest cliffhanger certainly provides that big turning point for a new chapter of the story.
Corrie bosses haven't yet confirmed whether Geoff lives or dies, but we know that his life will still be hanging in the balance next week when he's rushed to hospital.
Another story point confirmed by the show is that Yasmeen will be arrested, charged and ultimately denied bail as a result of the frightening incident in her home.
Friday's episode (May 1), focusing entirely on Yasmeen's story, was one of Corrie's most powerful.
Without the usual cuts away to other scenes and storylines, a sense of claustrophobia was created as we were shown just how relentless and overwhelming Geoff's abuse can be.
Shelley King and Ian Bartholomew, who play Yasmeen and Geoff, should be applauded for their work creating some of Corrie's most impactful scenes in years.
As we look to the future, there are now many new possibilities for where this storyline could go next, regardless of whether Geoff survives or not.
Alya is back on screen next week to fight her gran's corner, while Sally Metcalfe has also been named as a surprise new ally for Yasmeen. This is sure to create tension with Sally's husband Tim, who's Geoff's son.
We're also hopeful for some nods to the past to tie in with this. Sally herself has experience of being in an abusive relationship with Greg Kelly in the late '90s.
After hints of other disturbing incidents in Geoff's past relationships, including with Tim's mother, it could also be interesting to delve into his backstory to back up Yasmeen's defence case.
Other characters like Cathy, Eileen and Peter, who've spotted the signs that something isn't right for Yasmeen, will also have to decide where their loyalties lie.
Sair Khan, who plays Alya, recently previewed what's to come: "The battle lines have been firmly drawn.
"Alya will stop at nothing to make sure the residents of Coronation Street find out what Geoff is really like. Her first plan is to find allies and she may just have found one in Sally."
Our main hope is that the story doesn't now shift too heavily towards familiar Corrie tropes, such as numerous characters on the Street obnoxiously believing the wrong person for the sake of it.
The "Yasmeen in prison" element also feels like old territory – at least on paper – after seeing Deirdre, Gail, Fiz and Sally in similar predicaments over the years. With that said, the show would argue that real-life abusers can be so manipulative that they do successfully manage to make their victims look like the wrongdoers.
For us, Corrie's greatest success with this story has been the quieter, more psychological moments in a domestic setting. Here's hoping that sense of subtlety isn't lost while we all get busy planning our "Free Yasmeen" campaign.
Coronation Street currently airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.30pm on ITV.
Organisations including Women's Aid can provide further support and information on coercive control or coercive behaviour.
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