Gary's guilt overwhelms him as he tries to confess in Coronation Street

But although Gary told Laura the truth, she knew he and his wife Maria (Samia Longchambon) were a stable family unit for Kelly, and made the ultimate sacrifice to secure her future.

Tonight, Gary struggled under the strain of his lies, and felt even worse when he went to see terminally ill Laura in hospital, who has now been disowned by Kelly. But Laura told him to pull himself together and put Kelly's needs first - which included keeping the situation quiet.

Read more

• Coronation Street star speaks out on Laura's murder confession and exit
• Who did Gary Windass kill in Corrie?

He was later confronted by ex-partner Sarah Barlow, who had overheard the news of Laura's confession and knew all too well that Gary was the real murderer.

Fuelled by his chat with a determined Laura, Gary explained to Sarah that it would do no good for him to set the police straight now, and he was doing what Laura wanted.

But inside, Gary's resolve was crumbling and he told Maria he couldn't take it any more - he was going to confess.

"No you are not!" she insisted, as an emotional Gary began to fall apart. Maria tried to calm her husband down, assuring him that the best thing he could do now would be to focus on their family and help a broken Kelly after such a troubled childhood at the hands of her parents.

For now, Gary has taken her words on board - but how long can he keep his secret as the guilt continues to eat away at him? Will he keep his promise to Laura, or reveal everything in order to ease his conscience and reunite the mother and daughter before her death?

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 is on sale now – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.