Josh survives stabbing in Coronation Street and will be out for revenge - but did David do it?
"Josh always finds a way to turn things to his advantage" warns Ryan Clayton
Violence erupted in Coronation Street when David Platt (Jack P Shepherd) found himself caught up in a prison riot that ended with his rapist Josh Tucker (Ryan Clayton) stabbed and fighting for his life.
Viewers are deliberately in the dark as to whether David, serving time for fraud, is actually responsible for the attack, which took place in a dramatic double bill on Monday 21st October, but it's not looking good for the incarcerated barber.
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In a tense showdown as they were locked in the medical wing while the riot raged, calculating Josh attempted to goad his victim into violence after getting a beating from the inmates, knowing it would scupper Mr Platt's chances of imminent parole.
Despite finally admitting the rape to David, something he has denied since it happened in March 2018, and owning up to a string of other sexual assaults, it was all part of Josh's plan to manipulate rather than magnanimously provide closure, as Clayton tells RadioTimes.com:
"It's incredibly high stakes for Josh but the more guilty David is, the less guilty Josh looks. He thinks if he can make it out of this situation and David has gone through with trying to kill him, it certainly makes Josh's story more plausible.
"When they're on their own, Josh knows he has leeway with David as he has so much to lose if he does attack him. In that respect Josh has power over David which he uses to his advantage."
Cutting away from the confrontation, David then rang fiancee Shona Ramsey back on the cobbles and told her Josh had been stabbed and he needed a lawyer sharpish - but as we did not see the scene of the stabbing itself it's not clear how the events ultimately unfolded.
Josh survives the knifing, but Clayton warns he will have a score to settle in the coming weeks…
"He is a pretty vengeful person, so I'm sure Josh will not be letting anyone get away with this - whoever has done it. He will definitely want revenge."
How far is his alter ego capable of going - could he commit murder himself? "I think he is capable of that," comes Clayton's careful reply, "but remember Josh is very intelligent so I think he'd get his own back in a much smarter way.
"Murder is too careless for him and he wouldn't want to get his hands dirty. That's one of the most powerful things about playing the character, he is a mastermind of deceit and manipulation. He's always working out how he can twist things to his advantage, even in a life or death situation like this."
Clayton has reprised the role a year after being driven out of Weatherfield when David finally stood up to his tormentor, and despite this evening's incident the actor teases there is more to come from the predatory mechanic. "I'll just say this - you might not get rid of Josh that easily quite yet…"
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