Aaron McCusker, who plays Ben Driscoll on Coronation Street, has opened up about the 'huge moment' awaiting the Driscoll family as Megan Walsh's trial reaches its climax. The family has been on the cobbles for less than a year but has already been embroiled in major storylines, including the revelation that matriarch Maggie Driscoll killed her husband over 40 years ago and that Ben is Steve McDonald's half-brother.
Ben's Arrival and Family Secrets
Reflecting on the whirlwind year, McCusker said: 'When Ben arrived, he said he had bought the pub for Eva and his children, and that they would live happily ever after. He obviously didn’t have the funds and didn’t actually own it, which led to a desperate scramble for money. He turned to his mother, who then moved in, adding to the complicated family dynamic.'
The actor admitted he was unaware of the twists ahead: 'I knew he was happily in a relationship with Eva, and that his mother Maggie was a huge figure in his life, but I had no idea that he was going to turn out to be related to one of the biggest families on the street and at the centre of some really big storylines. He is still the same man that arrived, but his life has got a whole lot more complicated and I love that.'
The Grooming Trial of Megan Walsh
Currently, the Driscolls are anxiously awaiting the verdict in the trial of sports coach Megan Walsh, who groomed Ben's youngest son, Will Driscoll. McCusker explained: 'It’s difficult because even at this stage, Will still won’t admit he’s being groomed. Ben doesn’t necessarily blame himself, but he knows he should maybe have seen it coming. He’s trying to be a good dad and focus all his efforts on supporting Will.'
He added: 'He worries that the move potentially added to the control that Megan had over Will. Ben is still not sure exactly what went on. Is Will telling the truth that Megan is innocent? Actually, Eva is the one who has really got the bit between her teeth during all of this and is determined to make Megan pay for what she has done.'
A 'Huge Moment' for the Family
With the jury deliberating, the family can only wait. McCusker described the tension: 'This is a huge moment for them all but they don’t want Will to feel under any more pressure so they are trying to be very pragmatic about it and accept that it might not go the way they want it to. They feel they have done enough and she has been exposed for the sort of woman she really is but it is all in the hands of the jury and we all know Megan is a master manipulator. Let’s not forget she had the whole family fooled.'
The outcome remains uncertain, leaving viewers to wonder whether Megan will escape justice or face the consequences of her actions.
