If we’d been thinking that the Bethany plot in Coronation Street couldn’t get any darker, news that it would be covered during this week’s post-watershed episodes put paid to that.
And the soap went in hard with Monday night’s 9pm outing, as sick groomer Nathan DRUGGED Bethany.
He had another of his ‘parties’ planned and clearly wanted his victim as pliable as possible.
As Bethany was putting on her lipstick, the evil slime ball came up behind her in the mirror and told her she was going to “knock them dead”.
Nathan then offered her some white powder, explaining it was like the Valium he had given her before, but this stuff wasn’t available on prescription.
The teenager declined, accepting a drink instead – and her so-called boyfriend then secretly poured some of the drugs into her vodka.
Viewers were appalled as Nathan excitedly plotted the sex party with Mel, informing her that 10 men would be attending so they needed plenty of booze and ‘sweeties’ (drugs).
One wrote on Twitter: “I can’t believe Nathan talks about girls like we’re some sort of means of entertainment.”
Another said: “To think what is happening to Bethany is happening to others all around the world.This story relates to so many people.”
A third posted: “Nathan makes my blood boil!”
Mel was concerned that they would not have enough girls in attendance to ‘service’ all the male guests.
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Nathan chilling replied that there was no problem as Bethany was the night’s “star attraction” – signalling his horrific intention to pimp Bethany out to three men this time.
As the week of 9pm episodes progresses, we will see the brainwashed schoolgirl enter Nathan’s bedroom with three men at least twice her age in tow.
Lucy Fallon, who plays her, explains: “Bethany’s drugged and confused, she doesn’t really know what’s happening.
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“Nathan directs her towards a room with three of his mates where it looks like she’s going to be raped.
“She knows what’s happening to her isn’t right because she doesn’t want to sleep with these men but she can’t see it as though she’s being raped because she can’t see past her love for Nathan.”
Coronation Street continues tonight at 9pm on ITV.