Geoff reveals more about his past in Coronation Street - but his lies will soon be exposed
What really happened with Tim's mum Tessa?
Geoff Metcalfe (Ian Bartholomew) made another attempt at manipulating wife Yasmeen Metcalfe (Shelley King) in Coronation Street by opening up about his own abusive past with ex-wife Tessa, but his deceptive nature makes it unclear as to whether he is telling the truth - and a new arrival in Weatherfield next week is set to shed light on the bully's backstory.
Calling her abusive husband on a burner phone from prison, where she's currently awaiting trial for trying to kill her controlling spouse, Yasmeen was floored by Geoff's apparent remorse for how he treated her.
Begging her to come home and forget the last few months, having already tried to drop the assault charges he brought against her, Mr Metcalfe appeared to bear his soul as he recalled being a victim of psychological abuse himself from old flame Tessa, who he insisted "made me despise myself… she took everything".
Apologising to his other half and insisting he would seek professional help for his issues if she took him back left Yas even more confused and unsure as to what to believe, just as she was starting to realise how unacceptable Geoff's behaviour was.
A huge twist is coming next week when a woman called Elaine (played by guest star Paula Wilcox, formerly Laurel's mum in Emmerdale), purporting to be from a domestic abuse charity, visits Mrs Metcalfe in prison. But when she reveals her true identity and link to Geoff's past, it turns the entire storyline on hits head and causes shocked Yasmeen to collapse with a heart attack.
Speculation is rife about who Elaine really is, could she be linked in some way to Tessa? Geoff has always maintained to son Tim Metcalfe that Tessa, his mother, was a difficult woman who made their lives hell, and abandoned them when he was a child.
Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com earlier this year, Bartholomew teased his character had not been completely honest about why his relationship with Tessa broke down, with more set to be revealed as the plot progressed.
"Geoff has basically lied to Tim for years about what really happened with his mother, Geoff's first wife. We will be exploring things a little deeper which I've always wanted to do. It would be good to find out more about their past, it could be key to how the story develops."
Evil Geoff has been meticulous in his quest to paint himself as the victim, but now appears to be backtracking by persuading Yasmeen he 'forgives' her and wants to save their marriage. Is this just a way of regaining control, or is there any hope of redemption for the calculating character?
"Geoff is certainly damaged and Yasmeen has previously thought she could fix him," King previously told us in an exclusive interview. "There is a vulnerability about him, and it's a kind of mental illness.
"But from the people we spoke to in our research there hasn't been one story where any sort of rehabilitation is possible. Even if a process of rehabilitation has taken place I think it's very hard to go back to that person."
The coming weeks are set to spin the gripping storyline off in some surprising directions, as the real reasons behind Geoff's behaviour become clear - which could bring his whole world crashing down.
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