Coronation Street’s Bethany Platt has had some very tough times lately, but she’s set for another controversial storyline.
Read more: Coronation Street viewers confused over Norris’s secret child plot
Viewers have seen Bethany go through a grooming plot over the last year, with the 16 year old character suffering horribly at the hands of her former boyfriend, Nathan Curtis.
Nathan brainwashed Bethany into sleeping with other men for money, and was finally stopped by the police after having forced Bethany into bed with a group of three men.
Nathan, who worked with policeman Neil Clifton to manipulate Bethany, has now been jailed for rape, but Bethany’s ordeal is far from over.
The character, played by 22 year old Lucy Fallon, is set to start working as a lapdancer in a forthcoming storyline, and she plans to keep her new job a secret.
An Insider told The Sun: “Becoming a lapdancer is about having control over men for Bethany.
“She feels she has power over the punters she’s dancing for because they are paying to watch her but can’t touch her.
“She pities them for wanting her and the fact she refuses to take all her clothes off helps her feel like she’s the one calling the shots. But she keeps what she’s doing a secret.”
Bethany’s harrowing storyline saw Lucy win the Best Actress award at the Inside Soap awards earlier this month, and on the night Lucy hinted that there was still more to come for her character.
Read more: Coronation Street SPOILER: Massive courtroom showdown ahead
“I think Bethany hasn’t recovered, and won’t for a while after what’s happened to her, so there’s going to be a lot of repercussions from that,” she said. “She is still really sad so not a lot of happiness yet, but hopefully there will be.”
Bethany’s storylines have all been down to new Coronation Street boss Kate Oates, who has put plenty of energy into the show since taking over last April.
As well as Bethany’s ordeal, viewers have seen Pat Phelan become a murderer in scenes that caused hundreds of people to complain to TV watchdog Ofcom.
Bethany’s new scenes could become just as controversial, but we’re hoping there’s some happiness round the corner for the much- loved character.