Sitcom legend revealed as Coronation Street’s latest killer and fans ‘work out’ victim
Coronation Street is reportedly set to welcome a new killer to the cobbles, and a historic death will be explained at Christmas, more than 20 years after it all took place
The newcomer just moved into the Rovers Return with her family (Image: Getty Images)
Coronation Street viewers could be about to see a new killer revealed on the cobbles. Fans of the show have seen numerous gruesome deaths over the programme’s 65-year history, and will likely remember the reign of terror that Richard Hillman (Brian Capron) unleashed on the show as the backstreet’s first serial killer in the early 2000s, and Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford) battering cheating boyfriend Charlie Stubbs to death just a few years later.
Cowboy builder Pat Phelan (Connor McIntyre) then murdered Vinny Ashford and Luke Britton during his time on the show, and Michelle Keegan‘s character Tina McIntyre was memorably killed off after she was thrown off the builder’s yard roof, but one historic death is set to receive a new explanation more than 20 years after it took place.
Pauline McLynn has just made her debut as Maggie Driscoll on the world’s longest running TV soap but there’s already a shocking twist in store for the Irish pub owner. The sitcom legend, 63, who is best know to fans for starring as Mrs Doyle on Father Ted, arrived alongside son Ben Driscoll, his partner Eva Price, and the rest of their family to take over the Rovers Return.
Pauline McLynn has just made her debut as Maggie Driscoll on the world’s longest running TV soap but there’s already a shocking twist in store for the Irish pub owner
Her rocky relationship with Eva (Catherine Tyldesley) has been very well established, but a new flashback episode, which will reportedly air over the festive period, is said to reveal a much darker side to the character, which none of her family have any knowledge of.
It’s thought that the revelation will explain a death of a character who previously resided in Weatherfield, and the information is set to send shockwaves through the Manchester backstreet.
A source told The Sun : “The killing happened prior to her moving into the Rovers Return with her son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren, and none of them will be aware of it. But it will all come out in a bombshell storyline leading up to the festive season.”
A Coronation Street spokesperson declined to comment.
Pauline is best known for her role as Mrs Doyle on Father Ted(Image: Channel 4)
Maggie bought the pub for her family and has already ruffled a few feathers
After the news was revealed, fans took to social media to speculate which historic character could have died at the hands of Maggie, with many believing that it could be Susan Barlow, who was the daughter of Ken Barlow (William Roache) and the twin sister of Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne). One fan wrote on Reddit: “My guess – she’s gonna turn out to be the one who actually killed Susan Barlow,” and another said: “I think Maggie might have murdered Susan Barlow years ago and I think Tracy will go on a chokehold on Maggie and Eva [and] Ben.”
Susan was also the mother of Adam Barlow (Sam Robertson) and he became the subject of a family dispute when it turned out she had lied about having an abortion years earlier. In February 2001, Susan tried to flee to Ireland with her son when they were involved in a car crash and while he survived, she was killed instantly. In 2017, Billy Mayhew (Daniel Brocklebank) told Peter that he was behind the death of his sister, although some fans now think that the new twist will somehow play a part in the vicar’s upcoming exit from the serial. One said: “If this is true I bet it ties in with Billy’s exit storyline as he is leaving early 2026!”
Another fan recalled that Maggie had exhibited some odd behaviour when she called round to Ken Barlow’s house just last week, and they wrote: “Didn’t Maggie act really weirdly in the Barlows? I wonder if she was close to Susan or something. Or like you said she was the one who actually did it.”
The scenes in question saw Amy Barlow looking for a punch bowl to loan to Maggie wen she took it upon herself to start looking in the cupboards as well. Just as Ken Barlow (William Roache) walked in, Maggie, who appeared to have spotted something odd in the living room, promptly introduced herself as the new owner of the Rovers, and shook Ken’s hand.
She then invited him to the party, but he declined as he had a book to read that evening. Just before she left the house, Ken said it was ‘lovely to meet’ Maggie but gave a somewhat telling look which could imply that he knew her from somewhere.
Whatever the case may be, actress Pauline has promised there is plenty ahead for the new family on the street.
Speaking to The Mirror, she teased a new storyline as well as a dramatic Christmas, hinting her character would spark uproar with some of her “bad behaviour”. She shared: “She’s fiercely loyal and protective of her family.
“There’ll be things happening over Christmas where you think, ‘Oh come on, that’s very bad behaviour at the very least!’ My family will probably say, ‘Is that your mother Sheila you’re playing there?’ The older she got, the more she’d push boundaries – and I’ve got a bit of that in me too.
“Maggie likes to throw in the most outrageous things just to see how far she can go. But often that line has been long passed! And she’ll say, ‘What’s the fuss about? You’re a bit touchy, aren’t you?’ If you’re a certain age you might feel you have a certain licence to act badly, you know? Because you’re the Mammy.
“And, of course, she has that thing she can hold over all the family, and she uses that like a blunt instrument: ‘You’re only here because of my money. I own the place – you just work in it.’ Which is a hard one for anyone to get over.”
On what’s ahead, she added: “It’s great to be the bearer of such good news – something great coming down the line in a great series. It’s a very happy time.”
Coronation Street runs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1. Episodes can also be viewed on ITVX. Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.
