Coronation Street aired Jim McDonald's funeral on Thursday night, but the episode sparked controversy as it appeared to rewrite the character's history. The funeral took place off-screen, with only 17 attendees, including his son Steve and granddaughter Amy.
During the episode, a new secret was revealed: Jim had an affair with Maggie Driscoll while married to Liz McDonald, and may have fathered her son Ben. This contradicts Jim's long-established character as a faithful husband, despite Liz's infidelities.
Actor Charlie Lawson, who played Jim, had previously criticised his final storyline, calling it "weak" and stating that it ruined the character. He expressed relief that Jim was now "out of his misery."
The revelation came as a shock to viewers, who had never known Jim to be unfaithful. The storyline was introduced in a flashback episode last year, but this was the first time it was explicitly linked to Jim.
