Abi Webster believes she is one step closer to finding out who is behind the shocking deepfake porn videos in Coronation Street next week. In fact, it all starts with Bethany Platt returning home from her interview and telling Sarah Barlow that she got the job but was afraid of her first assignment.
Bethany later calls the garage and tells Abi she got the job at the magazine but the first article they asked her to write was in support of Corey Brent, much to her dismay. Abi then tells her husband Kevin that she did some research and discovered that Corey’s father, Stefan Brent, is a board director of the production company that made the documentary.
He also revealed that he owned the magazine and may have created the deepfake videos out of revenge. Reporting Stefan to the police, Abi and Kevin watch as DS Swain drags him into an interview room, fervently hoping that their nightmare will soon end.
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Bethany later calls the garage and tells Abi she’ll quit her job if that’s what she wants, but says it might be helpful to have someone inside to keep tabs on Stefan. Kevin calls Bethany and tells her that if she really wants to help, she can lend her security pass to Stefan’s office, which Bethany reluctantly obliges.
The next day, Abi asks Kevin about waking up in the night, he gets stressed but later calls the lounge with a stolen mobile phone and asks Max Turner if he can hack it. When Tyron Dobbs opens an email to find video of Kevin breaking into Stefan’s office, Kev reassures him that it is another deepfake video.
However, after seeing Max on the phone, Bethany notices Kevin’s phone ringing and tells him not to put his family in this situation. When Kevin arrives at Stefan’s office, Stefan says the video footage of Kevin breaking and entering could get him put in jail. Meanwhile, Abi is shocked to hear Tyrone tell Craig Tinker that Kevin was the victim of a deepfake video, and when Kevin returns to number 13 he finds Abi and Craig waiting. Will she report Stefan?
Elsewhere, Leanne Battersby announces she will pay for Rose’s funeral costs from her savings. Outside the undertakers, George Shuttleworth places Rose’s coffin into the hearse, but when she sees Rowan Cuncliffe watching from Victoria Garden, a furious Toyah Battersby comes running and pushes her, ordering her to stay away as she is not welcome as Leanne watches in horror.
Later, after the funeral is over, Leanne admits that she has no savings and Rowan is paying for the funeral. Leanne then heads off, leaving Nick Tilsley in complete despair, and Toyah confronts Rowan and shakes him, telling him she will do everything in her power to reveal what a vile man he really is.
Toyah later returns home to find Nick alone and Leanne apologizing for his behaviour, leaving Toyah broken down. Nick takes her in his arms and they kiss passionately, unaware that a man is watching them intently in the abandoned builder’s yard, while Leanne meets Rowan for a loading session.
After enjoying sex for the afternoon, Nick and Toyah agree that it shouldn’t happen again and that they should stay away from each other as much as possible. But later Toyah tells Nick they have no choice but to confess their short-lived affair to Leanne.
To Nick and Toyah’s dismay, cocky Rowan calls a meeting at the Bistro. Rowan corners Toyah and gives her a copy of the confidentiality agreement, suggesting she sign it. When Toyah makes it clear that she will not be blackmailed and intends to confess, Rowan states that this will destroy Leanne but he will be happy to pick up the pieces and make Toyah sick.
Rowan then makes a speech and announces that Leanne has advanced to level 5 and he couldn’t be more proud of her. The members applaud and Leanne basks in victory while Nick and Toyah watch in disgust. At the end of the week, a police officer visits Toyah and informs her that she will not face any charges for burying her baby. Toyah feels as if a burden has been lifted.
Meanwhile, Joel Deering tells Dee-Dee Bailey about his sadness at keeping their engagement a secret from his family. Joel sees Sabrina in a distressed state outside the police station and learns that her brother has been arrested. Joel gives him his business card and tells him to call him. Joel walks in, happy to have found a new target, as Sabrina’s friend joins him.
Also, Chesney and Gemma Brown tell Bernie Winter that the boiler cannot be repaired and they are waiting for the landlord to install a new one. The homeowner calls number 5 and insists that he wants a second opinion on the boiler. Later, Gemma decides to chase the landlord again for the new boiler. Having no luck with the landlord, Chesney tells Gemma he will consider installing an electric shower as it is much cheaper than a boiler.
However, Dee Dee soon informs Gemma that if the landlord reports her, she could be fined for not making basic repairs to boiler No. 5. Will his advice work? Meanwhile, as Joseph is dropped off at his home by his schoolmate Olly’s flamboyant mother, Chesney realizes that Joseph runs a successful catering company.
And at the Rovers, Steve McDonald, Amy Barlow and Daniel Osbourne discuss care package options after Ken Barlow’s downfall and wonder how to finance them. Cassie Plummer listens with interest and then offers to be Ken’s babysitter for one-quarter the price of a professional. Daniel and Amy think it’s a good idea, and Steve reluctantly agrees to get Cassie excited.
Steve tells Ken that Cassie is a qualified carer and they hired her through an agency. However, when Cassie starts working at Number 1, she reveals that she has no training and only stepped in to help the family and save some money, leaving Ken silently furious. Will Cassie then convince him by revealing that she was honest with Ken and honest with Steve all along and never pretended to have any qualifications?
When Cassie arrives for work at Number 1, Steve delights in telling her that her first task will be to cut Ken’s toenails, and Cassie swallows her disgust. Enjoying Cassie’s company, Ken suggests they go out for lunch. Amy is amused to see how deep into Cassie’s father’s skin she is, and tells Steve that there is a spark between her and Cassie, and that Steve denies his attraction to her. Steve flatly denies this and Amy hides her amusement.