Coronation Street star Catherine Tyldesley has confirmed that her character Eva Price survives the attack by Sam Blakeman, while teasing that her family faces 'jeopardy' in upcoming storylines.
The actress, who plays Eva, spoke to the Mirror and other press about the fallout of Sam's attack, which left fans fearing Eva might be written out. Tyldesley's comments suggest Eva does not die and will recover from her injuries.
Eva's recovery and her understanding of Sam
Teasing the aftermath, Tyldesley said: "What happened really scared her, and once she's out of hospital, she's genuinely in a lot of pain. She's kind of 50/50 initially, but very much appreciates the fact as well that it takes a while for certain medications to kick in with certain patients that are in the same position as Sam, and she fully understands that."
She added: "In her eyes, she wants to take a step back briefly while she recovers, and hopefully Sam adjusts to his medication, and then her first thing will then be to get the family back together because that is always at the forefront of her mind. She can't stand any arguing. That's always her first objective, to keep the family tight."
Surprise at Sam as the attacker
Tyldesley admitted she was surprised by the twist that Sam was the attacker. She said: "I was really surprised initially. But because of where Sam is at and because of his storyline, once I'd read the script, I was like, 'Ah, okay, this makes a lot more sense'. Eva takes mental health very seriously, after what happened with Aidan."
She continued: "That was the first time she'd come across a situation like that, and the first time that suicide had affected her. And since then, I think it's really opened her eyes up to how important mental health is. It's a difficult juggle for her because she's got a family to protect. She doesn't want to feel scared, but at the same time she feels deeply sorry for Sam, and she just wants him to get better. So it's finding that balance that trust again, I suppose."
Family storylines ahead
Asked about Eva's relationship with her sister Leanne and Toyah, Tyldesley hinted at big scenes for the wider family, though she did not specify who would be involved. She teased: "I think we've got a few mountains to climb. There's a couple of storylines coming up with the family at the forefront, and if Eva thinks her family is in any kind of jeopardy, which they certainly are, she turns into mafia wife style."
She added: "She will do anything to defend her family, and that's what I love about her. It's my belief that if she had to kill for her kids, if she was pushed that far, she would. I think it's an interesting part of her personality. She's a very, very strong character."
Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X.
