In a devastating turn of events, the highly anticipated Coronation Street and Emmerdale crossover, dubbed 'Corriedale', has claimed the life of a beloved character. Vicar Billy Mayhew, played by Daniel Brocklebank, met a fiery end in an episode that aired on Monday 5th January 2026, leaving fans and residents of Weatherfield in shock.
A Fatal Crash and a Sinister Act
The tragedy unfolded following a multi-vehicle pile-up. A minivan carrying several Weatherfield residents back from Debbie Webster's wedding crashed and flipped over. Billy was trapped in the driver's seat as flames began to engulf the vehicle.
Nearby, Todd Grimshaw (Gareth Pierce), who had been dragged from the wreckage, was drifting in and out of consciousness. His abusive partner, Theo Silverton (James Cartwright), tried to rouse him, but to Theo's clear dismay, Todd called out for Billy.
In a desperate bid, Todd crawled back into the burning van where he found Billy reciting the Lord's Prayer. Todd managed to unclip Billy's seatbelt, offering a chance of escape. However, in a heart-stopping moment of pure malice, Theo clipped the seatbelt back in, deliberately trapping Billy inside.
The Aftermath of a Murder
Todd was forced to flee the inferno, leaving Billy behind. As the vicar uttered the final word of his prayer, the van exploded, killing him instantly. Horrified onlookers from both Weatherfield and Emmerdale witnessed the blast, but no one saw Theo's murderous intervention.
This cruel act was the culmination of weeks of escalating abuse Theo had inflicted on Todd. What began as psychological torment had turned physical, including incidents where Todd had milk poured over him, was forced to eat cold food, and was recently abandoned miles from home in freezing temperatures without a coat.
A Friendship Cut Short
Theo's jealousy had increasingly focused on Billy, who was Todd's confidant. Just days before the crash, after seeing Todd's ordeal, Billy had given Todd a key to his flat as a safe haven, telling him, "Theo is lucky to have you."
Tragically, Todd is now left completely isolated, having lost the one person who knew the truth about his abusive relationship. The storyline, which featured a special episode filmed with CCTV cameras before Christmas, continues to explore the dark reality of domestic abuse.
Coronation Street continues to air on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
