Coronation Street reveals Daniel Osbourne’s fate on Boxing Day before horrifying twist
Daniel Osbourne was attacked in the Christmas Day episode of Coronation Street and his fate was quickly revealed on the next instalment of the world’s longest running soap
Daniel Osbourne’s attacker was revealed on the Boxing Day episode of Coronation Street(Image: ITV)
Daniel Osbourne’s attacker was revealed on the Boxing Day episode of Coronation Street. Fans of the world’s longest-running TV soap will know that Ken Barlow’s son was left for dead at the end of the Christmas Day special, and at the start of the episode, he was discovered by Evelyn Plummer as she walked her dog early in the morning.
No hint of an attacker had been given as it all came as a surprise twist, and the teacher, who has been played by Rob Mallard since 2016, had spent the big day at the Rovers with his girlfriend Megan Walsh and the Driscoll family. Viewers know that Megan is carrying out an illicit affair with Will Driscoll, her student, but there was no hint that the teenager was involved.
Evelyn promptly raised the alarm, and Daniel was soon seen in hospital, sitting up with a dressing on his head. He explained: “It’s no one’s fault, honestly. It looks worse than it actually is. Trust me.”
Will attacked Daniel after becoming enraged that his teacher Megan has started up a relationship with them amid their secret affair
When Maggie Driscoll, the owner of the pub, stormed in, she said: “I just wanted to clap eyes on you for my own peace of mind. Did you get a look at the perp? I watch every crime drama going!” Daniel then confirmed that he had no idea who had done it, but admitted he had had his watch and wallet stolen.
But Maggie already knew who was behind it all, having previously questioned Will on it in the café and goaded him into admitting it. After being cornered in the back room of the Rovers, Will said: “I wanted to kill him. I don’t know what I was thinking. I just launched at him from behind and for a minute I thought he’d croaked it.” Will insisted that he had didn’t rob Daniel, and Maggie theorised that an opportunistic criminal must have done it.
The soap employed the use of yet another flashback to reveal that Maggie had robbed Daniel whilst he was unconscious
Maggie agreed to not tell Will’s parents, but demanded to know what his problem with Daniel was. He said: “He hates me. And I shouldn’t have gotten a fail on that mock!” Furious, Maggie shot back: “He could be quite easily lying in the morgue mow with his toes tagged, and that would have been your future right down the pan. For a bright boy, you can be stupid!”
Luckily for Will, however, the police found Daniel’s stolen items onto the homeless man, and that removed him from the picture. On Christmas Day, Maggie had caused a row over the dinner table by revealing to the family that Eva had had an abortion several years ago, and wrongly accused her of having an affair with Adam Barlow. Ben later forgave Eva for her decision, but threw Maggie out.
The matriarch had hoped that Will would be able to persuade his parents to allow her to move back in after she covered for him, but it wasn’t to be. Refusing to apologise to Eva for her actions, Ben told her to get out once more and she dramatically declared that they would not be happy until she is “six feet under”. On her way out of the pub, she bumped into Evelyn, and ranted: “That bunch of self-righteous ingrates couldn’t tell the truth in a million years. They have no idea what I do for them! The lengths I go to to protect them. Not a clue!”
A flashback then revealed that Maggie had witnessed Will’s attack on Daniel from the upstairs window and waited til her grandson had gone back inside. She then exited the pub with her suitcase, checked Daniel’s pulse and promptly robbed him of his wallet and his watch.
This is not the first time viewers have had a glimpse into Maggie’s questionable morals. A flashback episode that aired just weeks ago explored Maggie’s past, and revealed what had happened to her husband Alan.
Maggie had had an affair a decade ago when she was “miserable,” and he raged that he should have left years ago but refused to leave his children.
Maggie protested: “I love those boys,” but he shot back: “Love. You don’t know the meaning of the word. Maybe that’s why he didn’t want you, he saw you for the controlling and manipulative cow you really are.”
She was standing at the top of the stairs, and when he demanded to get past to see his children in their bedrooms, she screamed: “I said no!” as she pushed him down the stairs, killing him instantly as a shocked Finlay watched on.
Back in the present, Ben raised a glass and said: “To Maggie, who’s had to be both ma, and da, and nana and grandpa. You’re the best. Happy birthday.”
Coronation Street runs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1. Episodes can also be viewed on ITVX.
