Coronation Street murder exposed in surprise flashback episode as fans say same thing
Coronation Street fans have wondered “what the point” of Monday night’s flashback episode was as the soap celebrated its 65th anniversary by revealing some shock twists
Coronation Street fans have blasted Monday night’s episode as “pointless” despite its shock revelations(Image: ITV)
Coronation Street fans have been stunned by a shock revelation in tonight’s anniversary episode. The world’s longest-running TV soap first aired on 9 December 1960, and in the latest instalment of the Manchester-based serial, newcomer Maggie Driscoll was seen celebrating her 65th birthday.
The episode began with several nods to the programme’s milestone, such as the mention of Florizel Street, which was the original name dreamed up for the programme by creator Tony Warren before the series went to air, and as things progressed, viewers were suddenly transported back to the 1980s as more was revealed about the current owner of the Rovers Return pub.
Towards the end of October, sitcom legend, Pauline McLynn 63, who is best know to fans for starring as Mrs Doyle on Father Ted, arrived alongside son Ben Driscoll, his partner Eva Price, arrived with the rest of their family to take over the backstreet pub. As the matriarch started the celebrations for her birthday, a young Maggie was seen doing the same, all set to a soundtrack including Cher classic If I Could Turn Back Time and Kylie Minogue hit Better the Devil You Know.
The episode featured yet more flashback scenes, in which viewers were transported back to the 1980s (Image: ITV)
Even though it was her birthday, she had decided to treat Ben, and his younger brother Finlay, who is yet to be seen as an adult, to a gift, much to the chagrin of her husband Alan. A young Ben had caught Maggie raising a hand to Alan during an argument, and she feigned that he had got upset over the rugby score. As she was putting the children to bed, Alan headed up the stairs to pop his head into their bedroom and another disagreement ensured. It was revealed that 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.”
He tried to push his way past, and she said: “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.”
Though the soap has not traditionally used flashbacks in its decades-long history, the storytelling method has been used more frequently in recent times. Earlier this year, Kit Green’s past was revealed in a special episode set in 2007, and just weeks later, viewers learned what really happened to Gary Windass during an attack with scenes that also went back in time.
A young Maggie Driscoll threw her husband Alan down the stairs (Image: ITV)
Despite mass revelations about the character starting to come to light, some viewers were left feeling cold. One said: “Sorry but what was the point of the Maggie flashback,” and another wrote: “Did we really need an entire episode based on that Maggie flashback? I thought the ‘murder’ was going to link her to someone we knew on the street?! Pointless!”
Writing on X, a third said: “100%, nice to see some of the long running characters get some overdue screen time with the pub scenes but the whole flashback/focus on that particular family fell flat for me!” and a fourth raged: “It really is a bit much to have a flashback sequence for a character who’s barely been in the show a month, especially in the show’s anniversary week.”
Fans previously theorised that Maggie’s killer past could be linked to a historic character from the soap. Many believed that 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 shortly after her arrival, 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.
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.
