Coronation Street spoilers follow.
Coronation Street star Ben Price has explained his character Nick Tilsley's reaction as son Sam Blakeman hits breaking point next week. The concerning scenes will see Sam's mental health hit a major crisis as he experiences psychosis amid his conflict with grooming victim Will Driscoll.
Sam locks himself in the café as he sees two versions of Roy Cropper, while Nick tries to get Sam to open the door, having not been aware of the extent of how serious his son's struggles have been in recent weeks.
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Ben explained that the "situation suddenly bridges the gap into becoming a bit dangerous" and Nick "sees a part in Sam that he’s never seen before", the star explaining: "He's not letting Nick in, and then he locks himself up and gets aggressive to Roy.
"Those moments, when Sam is showing something so different from how he has been, is the bit when Nick thinks, 'Oh, he's in real trouble'."
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As the situation gets increasingly concerning, Sam runs off and goes missing, though is thankfully found by Carla, who recognises signs of psychosis having experienced it herself.
"Carla and Nick have a history, but with Carla, it's a moment of currency for Nick," Ben said. "Carla isn't usually like that; she's very full of brusqueness. If Carla is saying it, and Carla has seen it and gone through it, there's a moment where I think Nick knows Carla enough to go, 'She's seen something properly.'
"What's so good about a character like Carla is that, because of what she's been through, she's very black and white. Everyone wants that so then when she does break that hard shell it makes you sit up and take notice. That is what happens to Nick.
"He's gone from, 'Oh, I just think it's teenage angst,' to, 'He's got psychosis. He's really not well. He's got to go to a hospital. He needs professional treatment'," Ben continued. "That's a big leap. Nick slightly rejects a lot from people. I think he feels slightly, either, is it his fault? Or is he on his own? He feels a bit unsure of himself and who's around him."
The star further noted that looking after Sam has been a "tricky balance" for Nick over the years, and is "aware that he wants Sam to be a young man and get out there".
Ben also agreed that it is "entirely true" that part of the situation stems from the complicated co-parenting dynamic between Nick, Toyah and Leanne, as well as Nick thinking it's down to normal teenage stress.
"You're thinking he's a teenage boy, lots is changing, as it does for all of us," he said. "So this could be that. And for Nick, he's trying to balance being that parent, not being on both sides, and maybe he's just not sure of himself as a father."
Coronation Street airs on weeknights at 8.30pm on ITV1 and streams on ITVX.
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