It's crunch time for Coronation Street's Rob Donovan next week as his killer secret is finally rumbled by his sister Carla - but will she hand him into the police before he gets a chance to exchange his wedding vows with Tracy?
It's after Carla turns detective that she starts to question Rob's whereabouts on the night of Tina's murder, and soon enough, her brother cracks under the pressure. But as he confesses on the night before his wedding, is his future of bliss with Tracy in jeopardy?
Marc Baylis, who plays Rob, spills the beans on what's coming up for the doomed groom…
Does Rob believe that he's gotten away with murder?
"More or less, yeah. After the recent trial, the guilt has started to build up in Rob again after having been in denial for so long. Despite this, he's still pretty sure he's got away with it, especially after all of the evidence that has gone against Peter's favour!"
So how does Carla start to get suspicious of Rob?
"Because Rob's sister is very intelligent! It was when he was trying to desperately get out of court that he started to show some slightly erratic behaviour."
Why does Rob finally crack and tell her everything?
"He's just been lying to everyone for such a long time, and it's just his guilt finally becoming too much to bear. And it's his sister – they've been through so much together that he doesn't have to say anything. He's backed into a corner and can't lie to her any longer, and she just knows everything. Any other resident on the street probably wouldn't be able to see he's guilty, but for Carla, it becomes crystal clear to her."
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After his confession, does he believe that she'll keep her mouth shut and honour their family loyalty?
"He does, absolutely. That's at the heart of all the material, and the dramatic side of it all – to convince her that keeping quiet's the right thing to do. He's brainwashed himself during this whole thing, and is now trying to brainwash her too.
"The whole concept behind their relationship is the family loyalty. There's a lot to do with family values and morals. Obviously they're both as strong as each other, so it really puts them at loggerheads. He's being really selfish throughout this, and it puts her in a horrible situation. But what will she do?"
So tell us about Rob and Tracy's wedding. How can you describe it?
"The wedding's very romantic, and picturesque. It's their dream."
He must be the most stressed groom on the planet though…
"He sure is – and it being a soap, of course the wedding doesn't go to plan."
What was filming the wedding like?
"It took a while! Our director Kay Patrick filmed this block and she was immense because she did the hen do, the stag and the wedding - all in six weeks. It can be a hard slog filming something like a wedding, especially if you're a guest with not a lot to do. But for us, being at the heart of it, the time flew!"
Has it become harder to play Rob emotionally as the story has developed?
"It has. What's been the hardest is being able to maintain that level of emotion for long periods of time. I've never had to work so hard in my life. It's been a massive challenge but has been made easier by the material that I've had. There was a risk of burning out from this storyline though!"
With you departing the Street, it's obvious Rob and Tracy are not going to have a happy ending. Had Rob not killed Tina, do you think it would've been possible that they would have lived happy ever after?
"Yeah, I do. Before they got together, it felt a bit like we didn't quite know what to do with Rob, but as soon as he was put with Tracy, you saw them become this dastardly duo. It just worked!
"It's been the real deal for them both, real true love. Kate [Ford, aka Tracy] and I have had an absolute blast playing each other's partners."
What will you miss most about Kate?
"Her being convinced that she's unwell every day [laughs]. You never know what ailment she'll come up with next. I'll miss those and nursing her back to health!"
Alison King (Carla) must be bereft at losing both you, and Chris Gascoyne (Peter)…
"It is a tough one for her! She'll be fine obviously, as she's a tough cookie, but it's a weird change. In real life, we do feel like brother and sister. I do feel very protective of her."
What was filming your final scenes like?
"Bizarre! They weren't easy, because we were on location, and the elements were against us and we lost power in our generators and things like that. It was just a bit of a slog.
"I had a nice send-off though. Everyone's clubbed together to get me a lighting rig."
Would you like to star in US shows?
"Sure. I'm a huge fan of The Walking Dead actually - that's an awesome show. But I'm happy to go where the wind blows. There's great stuff being made in the country. If something good like that came along, it would be a dream!"
Read more Coronation Street spoilers and news
Coronation Street airs Rob's confession episodes on Monday, October 27 at 7.30pm and 8.30pm on ITV.
