Coronation Street fans were left demanding explanations after Jodie Ramsey was finally exposed as the Truthteller in Tuesday night's episode, but viewers remained divided and begged bosses to return the programme to its former glory.
Jodie, played by Olivia Frances-Brown, turned up earlier this year as the long-lost sister of Shona Ramsey (Julia Goulding) in the programme's crossover with Emmerdale. Since then, she has exhibited bizarre behaviour, stealing items from neighbours and trying to pass herself off as her ill niece's mother. More recently, she wormed her way into the life of schoolteacher Daniel Osbourne, who is struggling after discovering his ex-girlfriend had an illicit relationship with a student.
In recent weeks, Daniel has been subjected to malicious lies spread online by an anonymous user under the name Truthteller. All the while, Jodie played innocent and acted as a shoulder to cry on. However, in the latest instalment of the world's longest-running TV soap, Daniel realised the truth.
Putting his head in his hands as the kettle boiled, Daniel said: "It's you." He had set a private post for his troll, and Jodie mentioned it in passing, unaware she should have no knowledge of it. He said: "Challenging them to meet me was a private post. Has it been you the whole time?"
Through tears, Daniel raged: "I know it was you. My son adores you! You've been persecuting his father, his only parent! You have had me on edge, you have had me distracted at work, at home. Do me the courtesy of telling me the truth." Jodie then took a deep breath and said: "Okay, it was me."
Daniel told Shona to get out and stay out, and Jodie immediately set her sights back on her brother-in-law David (Jack P Shepherd), whom she tried to sleep with on the night of Theo Silverton's murder. Walking softly towards him, she said: "I've had a bit of a row with Daniel," and later claimed: "The night of Carla's wedding. You and me. You knew it wasn't Shona in that bed. You knew it was me. You said my name, David. You might not remember it, but you sure as hell said it." David was having none of it, so Jodie popped round to the Rovers to wind Daniel up again.
With all the punters watching, Daniel said: "Everybody, this is the Truthteller! AKA my online stalker. She's a troll. Posts poison about me online. She's a keyboard warrior, you see? Poisonous posts inciting the herd to go after a single dad of one!" Jodie insisted Daniel had "no evidence" and played the victim again, saying: "I'm sorry, everyone, that you've had your afternoon ruined. He's clearly very stressed. I can't cope with this," as she marched out of the pub in tears.
She instantly went back to number eight, where she claimed Daniel had "had a wobble," and managed to get Shona to let her stay the night. Meanwhile, Daniel passed out drunk at home while his son Bertie tried to cook, with disastrous results as smoke billowed through the flat.
Now that Jodie has been exposed, viewers took to X to wonder about her motive. Despite spending several months on the soap, no one seems to have any clue. One fan wrote: "Can someone explain the point of this character to me? Nearly half a year on the show and all she's done is cause bits of trouble for random characters with no real motive."
Another said: "Used to like Jodie but she's one manipulative b****," and another said: "Oh f*** off Jodie, David has never been interested in you, you twisted f***!" Another said: "Why not change the name to The Jodie show? I don't care about her, she's unlikeable, she's pointless!"
A fifth pleaded with bosses to change the programme, claiming it had become far removed from its original premise created by Tony Warren more than 65 years ago. They wrote: "It really makes my teeth itch! Does ANYone in this Godforsaken street have a normal life? Like most of the rest of us? It's SO far away from the original premise. Please stop!"
Another said: "Daniel has figured that Jodie is trolling. What I don't understand about her character is, what is the point in all of the chaos she causes? I don't quite understand the point."
