Coronation Street‘s Todd Grimshaw will be in for a nasty surprise next week, when his abusive ex Theo Silverton corners him into a wedding. With Todd’s loved ones nowhere to be seen, will he succumb to the pressure, or could Theo be in for a shock of his own?

Despite breaking up recently, Theo has made it clear that he isn’t quite done with Todd. The scaffolder has been tracking and manipulating Todd, ensuring that he can’t move on.

Next week, the pair seem to reconcile after Todd breaks down over missing the marathon – not knowing Theo was the reason he overslept. Later, Theo takes Todd to the registry office, revealing he hadn’t cancelled their wedding slot, and suggests they go ahead with the nuptials.

“I think in that moment, he’s internally horrified,” shared Gareth Pierce, who plays Todd. “There’s this horrible sense of smiling but the eyes are absolutely dead.

“Maybe some part of him is weirdly flattered, that someone wants to marry him and has those big feelings for him. I think Todd has definitely wrestled with the high emotion delivered towards him, even when negative, he’s flattered in some quite twisted way.”

With George Shuttleworth, Christina Boyd and Sarah Platt all suspicious of Theo, the villain ensures they’re kept well away from the spontaneous event. Instead, Theo’s unwitting allies Maria Connor and Gary Windass are there to serve as witnesses.

“He’s actively cut him off from his closest people but also made him reliant on Theo as well, with the financial control, the body shaming, fitness bullying. It all serves to deconstruct his confidence and personality, but it also serves to make him really feel like there’s no way out,” explained Pierce.

The actor reflected on the tumultuous relationship, recalling that there were “periods where it feels like still waters”, which gave Todd a false sense of security.

“But unfortunately with that type of character, not just a narcissist but effectively a sociopath, the danger will return and the wedding is another way to try to trap Todd.”