Coronation Street's Gary Windass has been sent to prison for eight months after helping Sarah Platt cover up a murder, a shock twist that has left fans predicting his exit from the ITV soap.
Gary, played by Mikey North, made his debut on the cobbles in 2008 alongside the rest of the Windass family, including his mother Anna, played by Debbie Rush. The builder quickly became a firm favourite with viewers and a staple on screens.
Over the years, Gary has been involved in several major storylines, from his romances to his battle with PTSD, making his time in Weatherfield full of drama.
Murder Cover-Up Leads to Sentencing
Recently, Gary helped Sarah Platt, played by Tina O'Brien, cover up the murder of Theo Silverton, played by James Cartwright. Theo was killed in April after his reign of terror over Todd Grimshaw, played by Gareth Pierce, was exposed.
It was eventually revealed that Sarah killed Theo in self-defence, and she was sent to prison on remand. However, she insisted to Gary that she would not tell the police about his involvement in the crime.
Last week, Sarah's trial took place, and she walked free, much to her and the Platt family's delight. In Tuesday's episode, broadcast on October 20, Gary headed to court and was given an eight-month sentence in a shock twist.
Fans React to Gary's Prison Sentence
A fuming Maria, played by Samia Longchambon, confronted Sarah, who was left baffled by the outcome and told Maria she hadn't implicated Gary in moving the murder weapon.
At the end of the episode, Gary was seen in prison on the phone to an emotional Maria before hanging up and walking into his jail cell.
Fans have been floored by the sentencing, with some predicting this could lead to a temporary exit. On a Coronation Street Facebook fan page, one person said: "Ludicrous, Sarah gets away with it and Gary in prison. Hope he isn't leaving!"
Another fan wrote: "I think he will just for a while." A third suggested: "He might get released early for good behaviour." Echoing their thoughts, someone else penned: "I thought the same as well."
Coronation Street airs Monday to Friday at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
