Coronation Street actor Lorna Laidlaw has revealed that James Bailey's sexuality storyline is set to take a darker turn as he faces homophobic abuse. Laidlaw, who plays Aggie Bailey, said viewers have only seen 'the tip of the iceberg' and that the character's journey will explore how coming out can change people's perceptions.
In Wednesday's episodes, James came out to his father Ed, who initially seemed accepting but later lashed out at James' boyfriend Danny, calling him a 'corrupting' influence. Ed later told his wife Aggie that he was 'disgusted' by his son, prompting comparisons to racists who send hate mail.
Laidlaw told Digital Spy: 'These episodes were just the tip of the iceberg and it's a journey. All of us have to go along with this journey and it will get darker for this child.' She added that filming the emotional scenes was 'awful' and 'really difficult'.
Actor Nathan Graham, who plays James, spoke on Lorraine about the importance of showing Ed's struggle with his son's sexuality. He said: 'To show that, him struggling with it, is a good thing to highlight and point out.' Graham also noted that his character faces both homophobia and racism, saying: 'Discrimination is discrimination. Neither one is more important than the other.'
Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on ITV at 7.30pm and 8.30pm.
