Harvey Gaskell (Will Mellor) was given a brutal beating in prison in tonight’s Coronation Street (19th December) – but what does this mean for his future on the ITV soap?
Well, before we get into that, let’s dive into the episode. It was revealed to viewers that Jacob Hay (Jack James Ryan) is actually Harvey’s nephew, after he reluctantly met with estranged father Damon (Ciarán Griffiths).
Jacob told girlfriend Amy Barlow (Elle Mulvaney) that his dad had only ever let him down, but he didn’t tell her everything, keen to keep his family connection with Harvey under wraps.
Amy encouraged Jacob to hear Damon out, and he told Damon how Harvey got him into a life of peddling drugs and even ordered for him to be beaten. Damon appeared apologetic, and was furious to hear what his brother had done to Jacob – but Jacob wasn’t interested.
Soon the screen cut to the prison, where Harvey is residing after being found guilty of his drug charges. Another prisoner informed a guard that Damon would make it worth his while if he looked the other way, and Harvey was seen sitting in his cell as the other man walked in with a weapon, ready to inflict some serious damage.
Nick Tilsley (Ben Price) and Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) were shocked to hear in the news that Harvey had been attacked and was now being moved for his own safety. But of course, Nick hasn’t told Leanne that he recently accepted money from Harvey in order to buy the Bistro.
Later, Nick was surprised to meet Damon, who revealed he was an associate of Harvey’s who was going to take an interest in the running of the restaurant. Although Damon appeared to accept that he wasn’t needed, he implied he would be watching over the place, leaving Nick feeling uneasy.
Meanwhile, Jacob relented when Amy persuaded him to take up Damon on his lunch invitation, but later, Jacob was horrified that his dad had ordered Harvey’s beating. What will Jacob do next?
And will we be seeing Harvey again any time soon? Read on for all you need to know.
Will Harvey be back in Coronation Street?
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So, will Harvey be popping up on screen again soon? Well, ITV has confirmed to RadioTimes.com that tonight was Harvey’s final appearance for now.
It means we won’t be seeing Mellor’s villainous character returning any time soon, but could we one day see him terrorising the cobbles again?
With Harvey’s brother and nephew now at the centre of their own story, there could be a reason for Harvey to turn up again in the future. Perhaps this could happen upon his release from jail, whenever that may be?
Remember, Harvey is also the nephew of Sharon Bentley (Tracie Bennett), who was the foster daughter of cobbles veteran Rita Tanner (Barbara Knox). So there are still plenty of links to Weatherfield for Harvey one way or another, even with no news of Sharon making her way back any time soon either.
As far as we know, though, the only confirmation we have is that Harvey’s time on Coronation Street is over. But with the character still alive and kicking, anything could happen in soapland!
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