Rapist Josh Tucker returns to Coronation Street - but there's something different about him…
He's made a miraculous recovery since his last appearance
Coronation Street's David Platt (Jack P Shepherd) gets an unwelcome blast from the past in prison when he sees a new inmate - rapist Josh Tucker (Ryan Clayton), the man who sexually assaulted him.
Friday 18th October's surprise reunion in an hour-long episode sparks off a chain of events leading to a riot in jail that eventually sees David contemplate taking terrible revenge on his tormentor.
- David stabs Josh in Coronation Street prison riot? "I don't even know if he's done it" says Jack P Shepherd
- Coronation Street airs rapist Josh Tucker's exit
Josh's controversial, groundbreaking storyline ended with a life-changing twist for the baddie when he went blind after being beaten up by a potential victim who fought back. But when he reappears on Friday 18th October his sight seems to have been miraculously restored. But then at the time doctors did say his loss of sight might only be temporary…
With Josh on our minds, it seems like a good time to remind ourselves of the cobbles villain and his story so far:
When did Josh Tucker first appear in Coronation Street?
The confident, handsome mechanic made his debut in January 2018 when he started a job at Kevin Webster's garage. Making an impact on the community by training the locals for a charity boxing match in memory of murdered Luke Britton, he soon struck up a close friendship with David.
A lads' night out on the lash in March 2018 ended in terror for David when Josh spiked his drink with a date rape drug, took him back to his flat and plied him with more booze. When predatory Josh made a move David tried to reject his advances, but he was too out of it to stop Mr Tucker taking advantage and raping him.
The next morning a horrified David realised he had been assaulted but kept quiet about it for months, spiralling into self-destructive behaviour.
Calculating Josh manipulated fragile David when he confronted him and goaded the perplexed Platt for months, playing mind games and issuing threats about what would happen if he went to the police. David's buried anger was misdirected at charity boxing match opponent Gary Windass in the ring who ended up in hospital after their friendly sparring got out of hand, while David himself was sent to prison.
When Aidan Connor took his own life in May 2018 as a result of his mental health struggles, David realised he couldn't bottle his ordeal up any longer and finally admitted to girlfriend Shona Ramsey what Josh had done.
Josh continued to deny it, but through some nifty detective work Shona tracked down an ex-colleague who made a similar allegation against him. With Josh finally exposed to the rest of the street he was driven out of town, although David still refused to report him.
In July 2018 David saw Josh on a night out with a bloke called Ethan who he managed to get on his own and warn off. Stopping short of revealing what Josh had done, David left Ethan confused until vicar Billy Mayhew, who had followed David fearing he was out for revenge, caught up with him and explained Josh had raped David.
Ethan then beat up Josh and put him in a coma, which was when he woke up having lost his sight. Billy blamed himself for causing the attack, and doctors did not know if Josh would ever regain his sight.
How was Josh Tucker written out of Coronation Street?
Josh showed up on Billy's doorstep in September 2018 - still blind - begging for forgiveness and a place to stay. Billy reluctantly took him in, still feeling responsible for his predicament, but hid his presence from David.
When the hairdresser eventually discovered who Billy was harbouring, he confronted the clergyman and made him realise his lodger had most likely committed a string of sexual offences, so Josh was chucked out on his ear.
A final showdown ensued in October 2018 when raging David bundled Josh into a car and drove him to an alleyway - but lied to his blind passenger they were at the police station and demanded he hand himself in.
Josh crumbled and pleaded for mercy, insisting he wouldn't cope in prison and would be branded a rapist - finally, if indirectly, admitting what he'd done. At last feeling he had closure and control, David revealed they were not at the police station and left rattled Josh alone by a remote ginnel.
Next week when the riot breaks out David's cellmates encourage him to get even with Josh, who is stabbed after an altercation. How far does David go to settle his score?
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