Coronation Street's Harvey in dramatic escape filming photos

Coronation Street spoilers follow.

Coronation Street evildoer Harvey Gaskell makes a bloodied prison escape in brand-new filming photos.

Portrayed by Will Mellor (Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps), the incarcerated drug dealer hasn't been seen since the spring, but he spies the perfect opportunity for revenge when his police van flips over on the road later this year.

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no reuse harvey gaskell's prison van escape in coronation street

MCPIX/Paul Cousans

Back in June, Mellor reflected on the unique challenges of playing a villain in the era of COVID-19.

"I knew exactly how I wanted to play him. I told the director and the producer about it. I said, 'Listen, I want to play this guy proper, straight and real. I don't want to be what you call a soap baddie and ham it up.' I wanted to play it proper straight so you believe you could do your damage," he said.

"It's quite hard to do that when you're in COVID because you've got to keep a three-metre distance. I couldn't physically get hold of anybody. The threat had to be with the looks in the eyes and the way you speak to people.

"I've done a lot of stuff with this character. He talks differently to me and the way he holds himself and the way he looks at people... all that is the character.

MCPIX/Paul Cousans

"It's not just the words. Whatever character I've played, you've got to believe it. I didn't want people to go, 'I can see him acting there.' Because then I've lost the audience, you know, you've got to believe it."

Job well done.

Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.30pm and 8.30pm.