Coronation Street 2026 preview: 10 spoilers for the year ahead

Coronation Street, the world’s longest-running soap opera, has already made history in 2026 with a special crossover event featuring characters from its sister show, Emmerdale. But that’s only the beginning – viewers can expect a year full of drama for the people of Weatherfield.

1. Swarla spring wedding joy

With Becky Swain’s schemes finally exposed, Carla Connor and Lisa Swain can begin to rebuild their relationship. Despite everything Becky put them through, their love for each other remained strong. Now that they’re engaged again, a wedding is likely coming soon, and they’re looking forward to a drama-free future and a happy life together. It promises to be a romantic spring for the couple, bringing joy to those around them.

2. Killer Theo exposed

3. Shona’s secret sister Jodie brings the drama

The woman with the tattoo seen in Corriedale has been revealed as Jodie, Shona Platt’s long-lost sister. We’ve mentioned Jodie before, and now feels like the right time to explore Shona’s past through her. Jodie is a complex character with a troubled history, and her relationship with Shona is strained – there’s a lot of unresolved resentment, but also a deep connection. We think viewers will be entertained by Jodie’s playful personality and the mystery surrounding her motives. She’s set to cause a lot of disruption for the Platt family, who are already busy caring for baby Harper. We’ll also be revealing Jodie’s connection to Graham Foster from Emmerdale and the reason she was on the run – a major storyline that will continue throughout spring and summer.

4. Debbie takes the rap for Carl

Debbie Webster’s dementia storyline is still unfolding, and recent events in Coronation Street have created a difficult situation. She’s decided to take responsibility for Carl’s reckless driving, even though she’s confused about what happened. This could mean she goes to prison, which is especially frightening given her early-stage dementia. The situation is tearing her family apart, particularly Carl and Kevin, and she’s desperately trying to protect them all. Fortunately, her friends – Glenda, Christina, Bernie, and Sally – are stepping up to support her through this tough time as she faces an uncertain future. Instead of enjoying her honeymoon, Debbie is now dealing with the community’s anger, as many believe she’s responsible for Billy’s death.

5. Flash forward murder mystery

In mid-February, we have a special episode that briefly jumps ahead in time. While other shows have done similar things recently, this idea has been in development for a while and will bring several major storylines together into a larger arc. The flash forward shows one of our characters discovering a dead body, and the mystery revolves around identifying the victim – there are five possibilities. We’ll take the audience on a journey to solve the puzzle of not just who died, but how and why. As the story unfolds throughout the summer, it will become a thrilling whodunit, impacting the entire community and keeping viewers guessing until the very end.

6. Grooming horror revealed

Megan Walsh is continuing to manipulate teenager Will Driscoll, and the storyline will explore the truth of what’s happening. Sam Blakeman will become involved when he suspects something isn’t right, and we’ll see how far Megan will go to control him and keep him silent, which will seriously harm his emotional state. Eva Price will be understandably angry when she discovers the truth, and she, along with Leanne Battersby and Toyah Habeeb – three strong and passionate sisters – will be devastated to learn someone they trusted has manipulated their children. The situation will be highly charged and create significant challenges for the family as they try to protect their kids and overcome these difficulties.

7. Tim’s trauma triggered

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The storyline also focuses on Tim Metcalfe, who begins to understand that his past relationship with Trina was inappropriate and harmful. Initially, he downplayed what happened, even seeing it as a youthful experience, but seeing Will’s vulnerability helps him realize the truth. The story will explore Tim’s friendship with Steve McDonald and Ben Driscoll, balancing the serious subject matter with moments of levity and the typical camaraderie of friends – like joking around while playing darts – mirroring the importance of strong female friendships.

8. Maggie’s secret Barlow connection

Eva Price (Catherine Tyldesley) glares angrily, while Will Driscoll (Lucas Hodgson-Wale) shoots a hostile look at Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard). After lunch, Maggie distributes the Secret Santa gifts, and Ben Driscoll (Aaron McCusker) is shocked by what he receives.

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There’s much more to come regarding the Driscoll family, especially Maggie. We’ve seen how far she’ll go to protect her sons, and she’s clearly keeping secrets. Keen viewers may have noticed something during the scene at the Barlow house – Maggie seemed unsettled after looking inside a cabinet, hinting at a hidden discovery. We’ll be revealing more about this in the coming months, but this is only the beginning of what’s to come.

9. Bernie in turmoil

Sally, Christina, Glenda, and Bernie Alahan are waiting for the bride to arrive. Bernie learns that Debbie is in Leeds and won’t be able to join the party. Despite this, the group decides to enjoy themselves, but Abi quickly leaves after receiving a call from Carl. This photograph is copyrighted by ITV and can only be used for editorial purposes related to the program or event it depicts. It cannot be altered in a way that negatively portrays the subject, nor can it be distributed or archived without ITV’s written permission. Full terms and conditions are available at www.itv.com/presscentre/itvpictures/terms. Contact: David.crook@itv.com. Photographer: Danielle Baguley.

Bernie has already experienced the heartbreaking loss of her son Paul to MND, and now she’s grieving the death of her son-in-law, Billy. She’s always been the strong one, the person everyone relies on, and has quietly carried a lot of pain as a result. We’re now going to see how she copes with this new loss and how her grief surfaces, as years of suppressed emotions begin to take their toll. This storyline will reveal a side of Bernie we haven’t seen before, and it will be a challenging time for her and her partner, Dev Alahan. Roy Cropper will also be involved in the unfolding events. This is a major storyline for Bernie as the year progresses.

10. More experimental episodes

Besides the flash forward, we’re planning more episodes in 2026 that will experiment with the traditional soap opera style. We think these different approaches are a really compelling way to tell stories. Whenever a storyline allows for it, we’ll embrace more creative and unconventional formats. Our talented team works hard to make sure these episodes still feel focused on the characters and their journeys – that’s what makes them work. The episode showing Todd and Theo’s private moments felt incredibly intimate, like watching real life unfold. Whether we film it like a documentary or not, it allows us to explore the story at our own pace in a new and interesting way, and that’s something we want to continue. It’s important to stay competitive and keep things feeling fresh, but we’ll always stay true to what makes Coronation Street so special.

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

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2026-01-09 00:36