Coronation Street actress Beth Nixon has provided insight into what will ultimately cause the downfall of her character, manipulative abuser Megan Walsh. The ITV soap's current storyline sees teacher Megan grooming teenager Will Driscoll, with her inappropriate relationship remaining hidden so far.
Narcissism as the Ultimate Weakness
According to Nixon, who portrays the villainous Megan, it will be the character's own narcissistic personality that brings about her demise. "Her cleverness is her downfall, but so is her self-righteousness," the actress explains. "She thinks she's God's gift and that she can get away with anything. The idea of prison is terrifying to her, so she might eventually try to run, but her cockiness is what would ultimately lead to her demise."
Nixon emphasizes that Megan genuinely believes she can manipulate everyone around her, a conviction that will prove to be her fatal flaw. This comes as schoolfriend Sam Blakeman, played by actor Jude Riordan, grows increasingly suspicious and vows to find evidence against Megan.
Underestimating the Opposition
Next week's episodes will see Sam taking decisive action by setting up a secret camera in hopes of capturing proof of the inappropriate relationship. Nixon reveals that Megan completely underestimates her young adversary. "Everyone tells her how smart Sam is, but she thinks she's smarter," she says. "She views him as just a kid and assumes she's in total control."
The actress describes how Megan has been "incredibly mean" to Sam because she perceives him as weak, actively manipulating him through his academic grades. "I think she'll do anything," Nixon adds. "She is the most important person in her life, and she'll step over anyone to come out on top."
Dark Character Exploration
This role marks Beth Nixon's first credited television appearance, and she admits that portraying such a manipulative character can be challenging. "It's a dark place to go, especially because Lucas [Hodgson-Wale, who plays Will] is so young," she shares. Thankfully, the actors have developed a strong rapport and trust each other, with intimacy on set being strictly limited to make the process more manageable.
Nixon approaches the character from the perspective that Megan doesn't believe she's doing anything wrong. "When I'm playing her, I have to be 100% genuine at the moment," she explains. "Ultimately, you have to convince yourself that Megan's actions are justified."
Complex Motivations Revealed
The actress provides further insight into Megan's motivations, revealing that the character doesn't actually want to be with Will and is primarily focused on self-preservation. "I think she gets bored very easily - with people and places," Nixon says. "Originally, she likely did enjoy Will's company, but as soon as things got tricky, he stopped serving a purpose."
Now, Will has become "an issue" for Megan. She stays with him because she's "dug herself into a hole" - if she lets him go, he might reveal their secret to his family. Megan keeps him compliant by telling him exactly what he wants to hear, essentially lying to herself to maintain the facade and continue the manipulative game.
Addressing Important Social Issues
Viewers have recently learned that Will is not the first child Megan has groomed, with teenager Lee confirming that he and the school coach had slept together the previous year when he was implied to be under sixteen. This revelation adds another layer to the disturbing storyline.
Nixon hopes the audience's strong reaction to the plot will encourage parents and peers to recognize warning signs of grooming and abuse. "We've seen stories like this before, but the role reversal of an older woman makes it that bit more shocking," she notes. "There is a massive stigma and a double standard - if this were a man, the reaction would be different."
The actress emphasizes the importance of challenging misconceptions, stating: "People often think the boy is 'lucky' but this is grooming and abuse. If it opens the eyes of one parent or peer to what is happening to a child, then we've done our job."
Nixon concludes by highlighting the increasing number of female offenders being convicted and the significance of portraying women as potential abusers and manipulators. "We are showing that women can be the abusers, the manipulators and the ones playing with emotions to get what they want," she asserts.
Coronation Street continues to air weeknights, bringing this compelling and socially relevant storyline to audiences across the country.
