Coronation Street fans have questioned the latest Todd Grimshaw plot twist, saying his sudden emotional breakthrough "makes no sense" after the death of a newcomer he had known for only a short time.
In Tuesday's episode of the ITV soap, Todd, played by Gareth Pierce, broke down in tears while reading a letter left by terminally ill Celeste Bloomfield (Frances Barber). Celeste had moved into Debbie Webster's hotel for her final hours and had enlisted Todd's help to plan her funeral. On the episode, Todd confirmed she had left him a letter telling him to abandon the Dolly Parton-themed funeral they had been working on. Instead, she asked him to read a letter at her wake, held at the Chariot Square Hotel and attended by her long-lost niece Bernie and the rest of her family.
Todd's emotional apology
After reading the letter, Todd became visibly emotional and apologised to his boss George Shuttleworth (Tony Maudsley) and his partner Christina Boyd (Amy Robbins) for his behaviour lately. The letter's end read: "Bernie, I hope you got the better genes. I think you did." It continued: "And don't... don't die a lonely old bat like me."
Todd said: "I've been, erm, doing my best to end up... ..a lonely old bat, haven't I?" George replied: "We'll not see you lonely, son," and Christina called them the "old bat trinity" as they all hugged.
Fans question the timing
The scenes come after Todd had been at the centre of a long-running abuse plot at the hands of boyfriend Theo Silverton. In April, Todd's best friend Sarah Platt (Tina O'Brien) killed Theo and is currently serving time in prison. Since then, Todd has spiralled and turned to alcohol to cope.
Some viewers were unhappy that a client he had known for such a short time triggered his turnaround. One fan wrote on Reddit: "The thing that makes no sense to me is why he's had this sudden epiphany all seemingly because of Celeste when he's known her for all of five minutes. I really don't think the amount he's been through can be rectified like that in a matter of days. Seems like to me they're just sweeping the whole abuse plot under the carpet yet again as fast as they can so they can move on."
Another said: "I'm sorry but Todd knew Celeste all of, what, two weeks?" and a third wrote: "I know this isn't really about her but it's allowing him to feel his feelings regarding everything that's happened to him this last year but Todd has known Celeste for literally 4 business days."
Questions over Celeste's backstory
Others also questioned how Celeste, who had never been seen or mentioned beforehand, came to die at the local hotel and what her living circumstances were before she turned up. One fan asked: "Can anyone tell me why Celeste had no home prior to her death and insisted on dying at the local hotel?"
Another wrote: "But, where did Celeste live and why is she now at the hotel. Are the hotel happy to have someone waiting to die? Seems bad for business really. Memories of Fawlty Towers," and another said: "How has a stranger dying in the hotel caused so many problems for this number of residents in the street."
Coronation Street airs Monday to Friday at 8:30pm on ITV1 and is available to stream from 7am on ITV X.
