Coronation Street isn’t a stranger to a 9pm, post-watershed time slot on occasion – usually for a week while the Britain’s Got Talent Finals air.
The later slot means the ITV soap can explore themes they wouldn’t be allowed to during their early evening ‘family’ times.
Read more: Even Corrie’s boss Kate Oates thinks the show has become darker
But now bookmakers are giving odds of just 4/1 that the long-running show will be moved to a later time slot for good.
This comes after Corrie has aired a host of controversial storylines including teenage Bethany Platt being groomed for sex and evil builder Pat Phelan going on a murder spree.
Another highly controversial storyline will kick off in the next few weeks which will see David Platt become the victim of male rape.
The hairdresser will befriend newcomer Josh Tucker, but will live to regret it when he drugs and rapes him after a night out.
Long term fans have already threatened to boycott the show while the storyline airs.
Reports today suggest that Pat Phelan’s comeuppance will be equally grisly as his murders, with rumours circulating he’ll be bumped off by his own wife, Eileen.
It’s also been suggested that Phelan could murder more people before Karma finally catches up with him.
The gritty scenes have been too much for some viewers and telly watchdog OFCOM has been flooded with complaints about Corrie recently.
A spokesperson for Paddy Power told Express.co.uk: “One option could be to move the fan favourite to a post-watershed spot, which would no doubt make Pat Phelan’s plots even more evil.”
Earlier this week Corrie’s executive producer Kate Oates defended the darker plots the soap is exploring.
She told Radio Times: “I realise that, at the moment, Corrie is divisive,
“I love the old-school viewers because they’re key to our audience.
“But the audience is changing – the dynamic needs to move and shift. It’s all about keeping current with what people want.
“As long as we cater for everyone in the mix then I think we’re doing okay.”
Read more: Corrie fans are sure Phelan will kill again after seeing behind the scenes make-up shots
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Coronation Street continues tonight at 7.30pm and 8.30pm on ITV