CORONATION Street has dropped a hint about a shock incest storyline as a major family secret is exposed.
The ITV soap looks set to dabble in the controversial topic as two characters who don’t know they are related begin to become close.
The Sun exclusively revealed how Ben Driscoll will soon be exposed as Jim McDonald’s secret lovechild – and therefore Steve McDonald’s secret brother.
But now the soap has shared an intriguing moment between Ben’s son Ollie and Steve’s daughter Amy that suggests an incest love match is on the cards – as the pair are cousins.
The unwitting relatives shared a flirty moment in last night’s episode as Ollie tried to tempt Amy with his home-made baked beans.
Amy had arrived at the Rovers to find her dad who crashed out after getting drunk with new pal Ben – only to find Ollie cooking him a breakfast.
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While dating your cousin is not illegal in the UK, it is restricted or banned in other countries and some states of the US.
Viewers know Ollie is currently interested in single mum and killer Lauren Bolton.
But with his killer grandma Maggie determined to put a stop to it – will he turn his eye towards Amy?
However that could set Maggie off further and could force her to confess who Ben’s biological father is.
A source said: “It’s going to be a huge shock for Steve when he finds out his dad’s dead but that’s not the biggest shock to come.
“It’s no surprise that Jim had an affair but for Steve to discover he’s got another brother out there is a huge shock.
“When Steve finds out it’s Ben it’s an even bigger shock – especially with how close he’s been getting to Ben.”
ACROSS the globe, more than 10 percent of marriages are between first or second cousins.
In the UK, there’s no legal bar to two cousins having a relationship.
That means that if end up falling for the children of your aunts and uncles, there’s nothing stopping you from eventually tying the knot.
If you’re over the age of 18, you can do this without the consent of your legal guardian or parent.
First-cousin marriages were once quite common in Europe, especially among the elite.
Viewers know Maggie has been hiding a major secret from her family after a flashback episode revealed she had killed her late husband during an argument.
The episode also revealed that she had been having an affair at the time when she conceived son Ben.
Another scene in the Barlow house saw Maggie visibly recoil when she spotted something in Ken’s sideboard.
She made a hasty exit and the moment hasn’t been explored – but now The Sun can confirm that her secret will come out when the news of Jim’s death reaches her.
It was revealed earlier this year that cobbles icon Jim would be killed off in a major storyline, almost 40 years since he arrived on the cobbles.
