Tim Metcalfe is about to get a family reunion unlike any other. Former Hollyoaks actor Nathan Sussex has joined Coronation Street as Richie, Tim's cousin, and his arrival sets off a chain of events that could tear Tim and Sally's marriage apart.
Tim, played by Joe Duttine, has long been one of Weatherfield's most dependable characters – a loveably clueless cabbie who bounces off Steve McDonald and Ben Driscoll, and who has triumphed over dark storylines involving his father Geoff and his own past abuse. He's the kind of bloke in the pub viewers always root for. Now, a surprise face from his past threatens to upend his world.
In upcoming scenes, Tim is stunned to pick up his cousin Richie as a fare in the precinct. The two haven't seen each other for years, and with Sally away, Tim invites Richie for drinks with the lads. Steve is soon jealous of the instant connection between the pair, but the real shock comes later when Richie confides that his marriage is unhappy. Tim offers him a place to stay for the night, and Richie accepts.
A test for the Metcalfes
The show's producer, Kate Brooks, has teased that the storyline will push Tim and Sally to their limits. “There's a massive story for Sally and Tim that comes to the to the fore, and it's a story that tests them as people, test them as a couple, but tests them as foster parents as well,” she said.
Brooks added: “It's a bit of a curveball, and it comes from slightly left field, but absolutely upends their lives. It's how they navigate that situation going forward.”
“Sally and Tim are so beloved, and I just adore them. And it's seeing them in a slightly different position than what we've seen them in before,” she continued.
Is Richie a villain in the making?
With no cheating involved, the danger may come from Richie himself. Nathan Sussex previously played the sexually abusive football coach Buster Smith in Hollyoaks, giving an outstanding performance that suggests he could bring a darker edge to Coronation Street. Could Richie be the latest in a long line of wrong 'uns to arrive in Weatherfield?
For now, Tim is simply glad to have his cousin back in his life. But with Tim and “Tim Two” under the same roof, Sally may not be quite so welcoming when she returns.
