Coronation Street killer Stephen Reid plots hilltop murder for Elaine

But Stephen called to change their plans when factory owner Carla Barlow (Alison King) insisted he needed to sit in on a meeting with a potential new buyer for the business. His ears pricked up when she warned him that the buyer's mother had recently taken her own life.

Stephen later learned that the man was having trouble with her life insurance, as they wouldn't pay out because of the circumstances of death. This forced Stephen to rethink his plan to stage Elaine's suicide so he could claim the insurance he had fraudulently set up in both their names, and he discarded the fake suicide note he had formed from parts of a letter Elaine had written.

Meanwhile, annoyed at Stephen's behaviour, Elaine was overheard lying that she couldn't do brunch with Stephen instead of lunch, as she was having her hair done. The person who heard this was none other than Stephen's mum Audrey Roberts (Sue Nicholls), but she was more concerned that Elaine may be depressed, having been told so by conniving Stephen.

But during a frank chat, Elaine confided that she didn't think Stephen loved her. Loyal and oblivious, Audrey promised that of course Stephen wanted to be with Elaine. Later, Stephen spoke to Audrey, who urged him to show Elaine that he appreciated her. At the flat, Stephen pleaded with an unimpressed Elaine, who wanted to call off their wedding.

He then walked away, ending up at the florists to buy some 'I'm sorry' flowers. While there, Stephen encountered Mary Taylor (Patti Clare) discussing Isabella Benvenuti's (Flaminia Cinque) need for safe footwear in the Peak District.

The cogs were soon turning in Stephen's mind once more, and he returned to Elaine, telling her he was nothing like her abusive husband Geoff Metcalfe (Ian Bartholomew) who had controlled her.

Stephen then asked Elaine to join him on a break in the Peak District, and when she agreed, he advised her to pack hiking boots for the "treacherous hills". Will Stephen kill Elaine?

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can visit Refuge for more information and contact 0808 2000 247 for support. Help can also be found at The Hideout.

Read more:

• Coronation Street villain to return – and it's bad news for Abi Webster
• Coronation Street star Chris Gascoyne to leave Peter Barlow role

Coronation Street airs weeknights on ITV. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.