CORONATION Street killer Joel Deering has already selected his next victim – and she’s a very familiar face.
The sick solicitor – who is played by actor Callum Lil in the ITV soap – was revealed to be the man behind Lauren Bolton’s murder in last night’s episode.
Viewers discovered the truth but those in Weatherfield have no idea just yet.
In tonight’s episode Bethany was determined to prove to herself that Nathan was responsible for Lauren’s murder – because of her mum’s plot to set him up.
She convinced outreach worker Nicky to set up a meeting with victim Ellie so she could find out once and for all if Nathan was the man who abused her too.
Sitting down with Ellie at her bedsit, Bethany opened up about her own experience with Nathan in an effort to get Ellie to trust her.
“I am genuinely sorry,” she said as she showed Ellie a picture of Nathan and asked her if this was the man who abused her and was involved with Lauren.
But when she asked Ellie if she would testify, Ellie refused, insisting her mum was ill and that it would kill her if she found out.
She wouldn’t even answer when she was asked to go to the police, so Bethany left her and asked her to take care of herself.
However as Bethany left, the horrifying truth emerged when Joel stepped out of the bathroom.
Putting his hand around Ellie’s neck, he told her: “I’ve got to hand it to you. The mum line was a lovely touch. You did the right thing calling me.”
He then handed over some cash and called her a good girl before creepily watching Bethany go from the window adding: “Bye bye Bethany.”
Bethany was mostly convinced that Nathan was responsible but she was determined to get to the truth about what happened to Lauren and opened up about it in the pub.
Joel listened intensely and starred at Bethany.
Coronation Street's finally got another killer worthy of Hillman
The Sun's Soaps Editor Carl Greenwood on Corrie's new killer
CORONATION Street is finally getting a killer storyline right with the evil Joel Deering being revealed as Lauren Bolton’s murderer.
After a serious misfire with the terminally dull Stephen Reid – the only serial killer in soap that had characters begging to be killed so they could spared further scenes with him – Corrie’s back on form with Joel.
He was always going to be a baddie. He wears a suit on the cobbles and has a professional job – he might as well add a giant neon sign saying VILLAIN to every outfit.
And while his attack on Lauren was brutal and a bit too much for my liking, the end result is turning into something special.
He’s every bit as vicious as Pat Phelan, but can hide in plain sight like Richard Hillman. A classic Corrie killer.
Joel is a monster in a nice suit with a veneer of respectability and while watching him as a secret villain will be fun – the true enjoyment will come with his downfall.
It will put Dee-Dee Bailey at the centre of the show exactly where she belongs – and if the hints the show is dropping are anything to go by – she’ll be there with Lucy Fallon’s Bethany Platt.
Bethany is on the hunt for what really happened to Lauren, and Dee-Dee is set for some serious devastation – but with those two against him, Joel doesn’t stand a chance. And viewers will love it.
And later when Dee-Dee fell asleep in the flat, he began looking up Bethany on the internet and it became clear he’d found his next victim.
But will Bethany prove to be more than a match for him? Or should she be terrified about what he’s capable of?