Coronation Street viewers have expressed overwhelming anger and distress following Friday night's harrowing episode, with many admitting they wanted to 'punch their television sets' during intense scenes depicting Todd Grimshaw's abusive relationship.
Psychological Control Turns Violent
The storyline, which has been building for months, took a dramatic and violent turn in the episode aired on Friday, 28th November. Todd Grimshaw, portrayed by Gareth Pierce since 2020, has been subjected to increasing coercive control from his partner Theo Silverton, played by James Cartwright.
Previously, the abuse was primarily psychological, with Theo systematically isolating Todd from his friends and making critical comments about his body and appearance. Theo's obsession with controlling Todd's fitness escalated when he installed a full-length mirror in their living room to monitor Todd's physical 'progress'.
Mirror Smashing Incident Sparks Outrage
The situation turned physically violent when Theo became enraged after Todd's fitness session with instructor James Bailey. Accusing them of flirting, Theo confronted Todd once James had left. When Todd remarked that James 'wasn't pushing him around', Theo snapped.
In one of the episode's most disturbing moments, Theo grabbed Todd and forced him to look at his reflection in the mirror before smashing his face into the glass. The attack left Todd requiring medical attention, possibly needing stitches.
Theo then manipulated the situation, concocting a false story about an accidental 'tug-of-war' incident to explain Todd's injuries to medical staff. Back at their home, Theo continued his psychological manipulation by presenting Todd with a cold dinner and forcing him to eat it while delivering a monologue blaming Todd for the entire situation.
Viewer Reaction and Storyline Impact
Fans took to social media platform X to express their strong reactions to the difficult scenes. One viewer raged: 'Todd/Theo just makes me wanna punch the telly!' while acknowledging the importance of raising awareness about manipulative relationships.
Another described the episode as 'harrowing' and expressed hatred for the character of Theo, while a third commented that despite being well-acted and important, the storyline made for a 'hard watch'.
This isn't the first time Theo's abusive behaviour has shocked viewers. Previous incidents include throwing a table full of food during a rage, pouring milk over Todd, and force-feeding him a kebab while verbally abusing him. The coercive control pattern has been developing since earlier this year, with Theo increasingly isolating Todd from his support network.
Coronation Street continues to air on ITV1 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 8pm, with all episodes available for streaming on ITVX.
