Coronation Street star Chris Harper has defended the soap’s grim grooming plotline – despite soaring complaints
His character Nathan Curtis, 35, plans to sell his girlfriend Bethany Platt, 16, to pals for sex
CORRIE star Chris Harper has defended the soap’s controversial sex grooming plot.
His character Nathan Curtis, 35, plans to sell his girlfriend Bethany Platt, 16, to pals for sex.
The storyline was inspired by the Rotherham child sex scandal where eight men were jailed last year for sex crimes, including rape, against girls.
Chris, 39, and Bethany, played by Lucy Fallon, 21, met a grooming survivor to discuss the plot, which began on Christmas Day.
He said: “Some of the research has been harrowing and the storyline, where it’s going, quite hard to act.
“But these crimes affect families and young people.
“Abuse is not limited to a class, race or religion. It happens across the board in school groups, football groups. It could be your uncle.”
Details of the plot twists are being kept under wraps but newly released stills show Bethany sat on a canal path with a deep cut on one hand.
Complaints from viewers about Corrie’s plots have increased.
Ofcom received 1,204 in the year to March compared with 154 in the previous 12 months.