He could be setting up his own downfall.

By Laura Denby

Published: Wednesday, 20 July 2022 at 12:00 am


Gary Windass (Mikey North) could be set to bring about his own downfall after the dramatic events of tonight’s Coronation Street (20th July).

Viewers know that Gary is responsible for the murder of Rick Neelan (Greg Wood) and the death of Rana Habeeb (Bhavna Limbachia), but he has managed to keep his grisly deeds well-contained so far. But it’s now been three years since he crossed the line; and his angry reaction to the kidnapping of Rick’s daughter Kelly (Millie Gibson), who is currently in Gary’s care, was a worrying reminder of what he is capable of.

An oblivious Kelly recently decided to start returning her dad’s dodgy money to all those he conned in his dealings – but this decision put her in danger when one such client, Ross, called a vengeful pal who locked Kelly in a cellar.

With her phone just out of reach, Kelly was able to use the wonders of modern technology (good old voice recognition) to call Gary, but he had left his phone at home – a whopping error when someone has gone missing! However, it wasn’t long before Gary heard from thug Kieron, who instructed him to pay £50k for Kelly’s safety.

""
Gary’s rescue mission spiralled out of control (ITV)
Gary could only raise £24k, and they were not impressed. But as the two men took the cash, a tracking device Gary had placed in the bag led him to Kelly’s location. Just as he was untying her, though, Kieron arrived with a crowbar, knocking Gary out – or so he thought.

Waiting for the right moment to strike, Gary jumped up and launched himself at Kieron as a fight broke out. With Gary at risk, Kelly grabbed the weapon and struck Kieron, sending him crashing to the floor. Gary was still filled with rage and revealed that he planned to finish the job, leaving Kelly horrified at the lengths he was prepared to go to. She eventually managed to convince him to walk away.

Back at home, Gary’s wife Maria Connor (Samia Longchambon) had no idea just how far things could have gone as the trio discussed the situation, with the police having taken statements and confirmed that Kelly would not be charged for using reasonable force to stop Kieron.

Later when they were alone, Kelly questioned Gary. He admitted that he had let his anger get the better of him; but lied that this had never happened before. He asked Kelly not to tell Maria what had almost happened, and a traumatised Kelly agreed to keep it just their secret.

But the shocking scenes surely prove that it can’t be much longer before Gary’s crimes are exposed. How long can he keep lying to Kelly – and will Maria, who is already aware of her husband’s past, find out about his latest move?

Read more:

Visit our dedicated Coronation Street page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide.

The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now and get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.