Coronation Street boss Kate Brooks has confirmed what is really going on with Sam Blakeman after his concerning behaviour in recent weeks, with sad scenes ahead on the ITV soap.
Sam's spiral explained
Fans have been worried for Sam Blakeman as he has been spiralling ever since he discovered teacher Megan Walsh was sexually abusing fellow teen Will Driscoll. Megan threatened him to stay quiet, and he was not believed when he did speak out. Megan has finally been exposed, and next week Will reports her. However, Sam has continued to spiral, seemingly suffering from psychosis, though it was never clear what he was seeing.
There have been moments where he has been threatened, and next week the strange moments continue, making it clear his mental health is deteriorating. Now, Corrie boss Kate Brooks has confirmed what is really going on with Sam, appearing to clarify whether Will is targeting Sam or not.
Kate Brooks' statement
Kate told The Mirror: "Getting him across the Megan story and having him be another victim of her manipulation felt like a really interesting way of telling the story. But as a result of that, his mental health has been really, really damaged by everything that has happened - by the manipulation, by the fact that he wasn't believed, by the fear that he felt every time he was with Megan."
She added: "We're going to tell a big mental health story with Sam, and he's going to really, really struggle over the course of spring and early summer. It's about his family realising, hopefully before it's too late, that he's in desperate need of help - and he's really vulnerable. It's showcasing that Megan's actions have not just directly impacted Will and the Driscolls; Sam is also collateral damage."
This confirms a mental health storyline is in the works, and that sad scenes are ahead. It is not known how far it will go and whether his loved ones will realise what is going on. Kate commented that they will need to get him help "before it is too late," hinting that Sam could be in danger.
Next week's spoilers
Spoilers reveal that Sam begs his friend Hope to accompany him to the Red Rec to watch a meteor shower, but Hope refuses. When Sam sees Will coming out of a classroom and giving an evil look, Sam is rattled. Later, when Will seemingly threatens him again, Sam runs for his life. Sam tells Hope about it, and she urges him to tell Leanne. After he loses it when Hope accuses him of being obsessed with Will, Sam is once again threatened.
Later, he overhears a chat between Nick and Toyah, who voice their concerns about Sam and wonder if some counselling would help with his anxiety. But what Sam hears is a very different conversation. Sam is horrified to think that his family do not believe him and that he is entirely on his own. Later, he finds a tracking device in his school bag. Who is tracking Sam?
Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X.
