Megan Walsh, the disgraced teacher played by Beth Nixon, was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday night's episode of Coronation Street, bringing an end to a controversial storyline involving the grooming of student Will Driscoll. Fans praised Nixon's performance, with many calling it 'phenomenal' as the character made her exit from the ITV soap.
Court Verdict and Sentencing
After a week-long trial, the jury found Megan guilty of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity while in a position of trust. Despite her earlier arrogance—approaching Will in the street to claim she would be found innocent—the verdict delivered a five-year prison sentence. Megan lashed out in court, screaming at Will: 'No, no, no. You are a liar! In your dreams, I like a real man. I'm innocent, please! He's a liar, he's a fantasist. This is a kangaroo court!' Through tears, she pleaded with her mother: 'Mum, Mum, please don't... please don't let them take me,' but was dragged away by guards.
Fan Reactions and Praise for Beth Nixon
Viewers took to social media to share their reactions. One fan wrote: 'What a story that was and what an actress she is. Beth Nixon was absolutely phenomenal throughout!' Another said: 'For whatever it’s worth, it SEEMS like this trial is Megan’s swan song. While I will most definitely not miss Megan, I’ll absolutely miss seeing Beth Nixon on my screen. She did a great job portraying such a vile character.'
Justice Served: Soaps Under Fire for Killing Villains
Some fans praised Coronation Street for allowing justice to be served, contrasting it with recent trends in soaps like Emmerdale and Coronation Street itself, where villains have been killed off instead of facing legal consequences. One viewer commented: 'Megan found guilty so Corrie CAN let the victims get justice sometimes….' Another added: 'It’s so refreshing to see Megan get convicted, instead of them killing her off like other abusers. You can see the relief on Will and his entire family’s faces.'
Recently, Emmerdale faced backlash for killing Dr. Caitlin Todd after she sexually abused Charity Dingle, and Coronation Street had Sarah Platt murder Theo Silverton instead of putting him on trial for domestic abuse. One fan raged: 'I just had a feeling that #Emmerdale was gonna kill Dr Todd off and here we are! Charity deserves justice, unfortunately now it’s not gonna happen. Soaps need to do better instead of killing off the villain!'
Celebration at the Rovers Return
Back at the Rovers Return, residents celebrated the verdict. Cassie Plummer (Claire Sweeney) quipped: 'Five years, eh? I bet her face was tripping, dirty perv!' Will's dad Ben added: 'Well, it's a matter of public record now. Yes, her face was trippin' her. She threw all her toys out of the dock,' as Eva noted: 'The guards had to drag her off kicking and screaming.'
