Gary Windass (Mikey North) is hiding something in Coronation Street. Did he kill Theo Silverton (James Cartwright), or is he concealing an affair with his ex? His wife Maria (Samia Longchambon) is most concerned about the latter.
The Night of Theo's Murder
On the night abusive Theo was killed, Gary may have sneaked off for an illicit rendezvous with former flame Sarah Platt (Tina O'Brien). While Theo lay dead on the Cobbles, Sarah was also on the ground after being attacked by Jodie Ramsey (Olivia Frances-Brown), who had trashed the Platts' home after being thrown out by David (Jack P Shepherd).
Gary and Sarah had a relationship from 2016 to 2019, ending when Sarah grew tired of his criminal descent. That spiral led to Gary causing the factory roof collapse that killed Rana Habeeb (Bhavna Limbachia) and killing loan shark Rick Neelan (Greg Wood) in self-defence. Since settling with Maria, he has cleaned up his act, but his history makes him a suspect in Theo's death.
Gary's Connection to Theo
Gary befriended Theo and gave him a job at the building site. He even defended Theo against allegations of abusing Todd Grimshaw (Gareth Pierce), until Sarah set him straight. Gary despises bullies, but how does he feel about cheaters? The ex-lovers have been having cosy conversations since the murder and attack.
That night, Gary was eager to stop Sarah's boyfriend, Kit Green (Jacob Roberts), from seeing CCTV footage showing Gary wrecking Theo's van with a sledgehammer. Maria provided a false alibi. But what if the footage shows more than vandalism? While Kit has been away, Sarah repeatedly calls him, saying she misses him—possibly from guilt over infidelity.
Jodie's Suspicion
Jodie overheard Sarah telling Gary he wasn't alone and would always have him. When confronted, Sarah insisted nothing was going on, but Jodie believed they were carrying on behind Maria's back and promised to keep the secret 'for now'.
Sarah may have bigger problems with Maria. After Maria casually mentioned Sarah forgetting Bethany's (Lucy Fallon) birthday, Gary over-defended his ex, sparking Maria's suspicions. In upcoming episodes, as Kit considers Gary a prime suspect in Theo's murder, Maria shares the police officer's suspicions about Gary's erratic behaviour—but for different reasons.
Maria's Investigation
When Maria spots Gary and Sarah hugging, as Gary insists they delete all messages, Maria watches with suspicion. Increasingly worried, she opens up to Fiz (Jennie McAlpine) and Izzy (Cherylee Houston) about suspecting an affair. These suspicions reach Todd, who confronts Sarah about Maria's worries. Will Sarah come clean? Or will Gary admit the affair first, when a sombre Maria tells him they need to talk? Masking his unease, Gary suggests meeting for a curry later. Is he about to confess?
