Liam McCheyne, the actor portraying Dylan Wilson on Coronation Street, has received high praise from co-star Vicky Myers for his involvement in a major storyline that saw Betsy Swain suffer a life-changing stroke. The emotional scenes aired during Wednesday's (July 15) episode of the ITV soap confirmed that Betsy had experienced a stroke, highlighting the devastating realities of non-fatal strangulation.
Shock Scenes and Hospital Drama
The episode featured shocking moments as an ambulance departed from No.6 Coronation Street, with Ryan Connor discovering an unconscious Betsy on the kitchen floor. A frantic Carla Connor-Swain rushed to the hospital, where Ryan guided her to be with her wife, Lisa Connor-Swain, and their ill daughter. Doctors soon confirmed that the teenager had suffered a stroke, a diagnosis Lisa struggled to accept given Betsy's young age.
The situation worsened when Betsy suffered a second stroke while being visited by her boyfriend, Dylan Wilson, after her condition initially appeared stable. Medical professionals later determined that the stroke was caused by a blood clot resulting from neck artery damage due to temporary loss of circulation. This led Betsy to confess to her mother that Dylan had strangled her during consensual sex, despite both believing the pressure applied was minimal.
Collaboration with Experts
The soap opera worked closely with the Institute for Addressing Strangulation (IFAS), The Stroke Association, and Safeline to ensure the storyline was portrayed responsibly. Experts reviewed scripts and met directly with the production team and actors to provide guidance.
Following the episode, Sydney Martin, who plays Betsy, took to Instagram with a photo holding a cake iced with the message "Proud of me," captioning it: "Reminder to celebrate your wins." She also shared behind-the-scenes photos from a dance sequence used in the programme to depict what happened between the couple through movement, writing: "This one means a lot to me."
Co-Star Support and Praise
Liam McCheyne later shared additional behind-the-scenes photos from the filming of that sequence on his Instagram Story, posting a grid of images and writing: "Few more snaps from last night's ep. Such an amazing team to be apart of." Vicky Myers, who plays Lisa Connor-Swain, reshared the post and praised McCheyne, saying: "You have been superb throughout and an utter joy to be around @liammcheyne."
Myers had previously shown similar support for on-screen daughter Sydney Martin, gushing on Martin's social media post: "You have worked tirelessly throughout and your commitment, dedication, care, respect, hours of research, your attention to detail… Wow! You have embraced this storyline and delivered take after take, with such deep, emotional sincerity. I’m in awe. A tour de force and I’m enormously proud of you. Love you."
