Coronation Street airs Bethany Platt’s return as the Rovers reopens

There’s mixed emotions for Daisy when Coronation Street sees in the New Year, as the Rovers finally reopens and the return of Bethany turns heads.

Daisy (Charlotte Jordan) and Jenny (Sally Ann Matthews) have recently managed to achieve the impossible by securing the purchase of their beloved Rovers Return, though only after gaining access to the stash of money that the late Stephen Reid (Todd Boyce) stole from Underworld.

The £250k was enough to see their bid for the pub through, and Daisy negotiated with previous owners Waterfords to reopen on New Year’s Eve.

Despite the pair having bought the pub together with the cash Daisy transferred, the pair have had to tell everyone that Jenny had applied for a bank loan, with Jenny’s name remaining as the sole proprietor above the door to avoid suspicions.

But will the pair be able to get used to secretly being equal business partners having worked together for so long?

“It’s going to be a power struggle,” Charlotte Jordan admits. “That relationship hierarchy has always been super clear. It’s Queen Jenny and her sidekick Daisy.

“For Jenny to now start treating Daisy as an equal is going to be really hard I imagine. Daisy has to publicly pretend nothing has changed so behind closed doors she will instantly want Jenny to treat her with respect and take her and her ideas seriously… and something tells me it’s not going to go smoothly!”

On New Year’s Eve, Jenny and Daisy round up bar staff Sean (Antony Cotton), Glenda (Jodie Prenger) and Gemma (Dolly-Rose Campbell) and they head back to the pub armed with boxes of booze. Many of the locals pitch in to spruce the place up and get it ready for the evening’s festivities, as Jenny and Daisy watch on with pride, and it’s down to Gary (Mikey North) to place Betty Turpin’s portrait back in its rightful place opposite the bar.

The staff decide on a ‘bad taste’ theme for their outfits for the night, but inadvertently manage to put one resident offside by their choice of clothing…

Meanwhile, Daniel (Rob Mallard) is returning home to his flat above the builder’s yard when he spies a taxi pull up on Victoria Street, with a very familiar face stepping out.

“What are you doing here?” Daniel asks with a grin on his face, and although the identity of the person isn’t initially revealed to viewers, it turns out to be none other than Daniel’s old flame Bethany Platt (Lucy Fallon)!

With things looking up at the Rovers, Jenny convinces Daisy that she should go and see Daniel, hoping the two can work towards a reconciliation following their recent break-up. But when she knocks on his door, she’s shocked by what she finds.

Back at the pub, everyone piles outside to ring in the New Year and join Glenda in singing Auld Lang Syne.

The next morning, Bethany pays a surprise visit to mum Sarah’s (Tina O’Brien) flat, who is thrilled to see her. The pair are soon heading around to No.8 for a full Platt reunion, and Gail (Helen Worth) suggests they celebrate with a family outing to Speed Daal.

As they head out onto the street, Bethany is spotted by Daisy, who points her out to Jenny as the woman she saw at Daniel’s flat the previous evening. Jenny’s gobsmacked when she realises that Daisy had been talking about Bethany, and soon manages to announce to everyone that Daniel and Bethany slept together last night—much to Gail, David (Jack P Shepherd) and Sarah’s surprise.

During a recent press call, Lucy Fallon told EverySoap and other media that whilst Bethany has matured in her three years in London, there’s still going to be hints of that wild child.

“She’s changed her dress sense, and gone a little bit rock chick,” Lucy laughs. “She’s grown up a lot but still has the same morals as before. The way Bethany comes back is a bit dramatic for some people on the street, she’s causing trouble already.

“One of the first things David says is that she’s only been back five minutes and she’s already causing problems. But I think it’s unintentional, she’s not come back to cause problems for people!”

So is Daisy finding herself feeling even more threatened now that she knows the identity of the mystery blonde?

“Oh god absolutely,” Charlotte reveals. “She’s beautiful, she’s been told how successful Bethany is living it up in London and Daisy is a naturally jealous, territorial person. Bethany had that connection with Daniel when he was at his most vulnerable which will instantly put Daisy on high alert and I have to say it’s a relationship I’m really looking forward to playing around with.”

“It’s been really fun having those scenes with Charlie, basically being bitchy with each other,” Lucy admits. “I know Bethany was super feisty when she came back in 2015, but then obviously with everything that happened it kind of got rid of that. Now that side has very much come out again with Daisy.”

Despite that, Lucy can see Daisy and Bethany becoming friends before too long.

“They’re both strong female characters,” Lucy continues. “So they are going to clash. Obviously they also want the same thing and there’ll be a bit of a power battle between them both. But I can’t imagine Bethany—with everything she’s been through in the past with men—being out to ‘get’ another woman in the street for a long period of time.

“I’d like to think they’d become friends rather than hating on each other like they are at the moment. I actually like Charlie and we are friends!”

Charlotte also agrees that she’d like to see an eventual turnaround for the pair.

“They’ve actually got a fair amount in common,” she tells us. “I think there’s room for a solid friendship to blossom and then selfishly, I’d get some scenes with more of the Platts. I’d like that. Start throwing Daisy into different social circles on the show. I’ve been asking them to make Daisy and Todd pals for yonks! Me, just desperately trying to get Daisy some friends!”

On Wednesday, Daisy and Jenny are already butting heads in their new partnership, as Daisy’s ideas for some special offers to bring the punters in are quickly vetoed.

“Daisy will be bursting with ideas to revamp the place,” Charlotte continues. “She knows the business model needs updating otherwise it wouldn’t have shut down in the first place. The Rovers is one of Daisy’s main anchors to the show. She loves that pub which is why she ventured into dodgy territory to save it! She will do everything she can to make it into a thriving business.”

When Bethany then comes in and comments on how empty the pub is, it’s particularly cutting for Daisy. As a result, Daisy goes against Jenny’s wishes and defiantly puts a new sign up, offering a free drink with every hotpot purchased.

As Daniel celebrates his birthday with Ken (William Roache) later in the week, he tells his dad that he and Bethany are getting along well. But does that mean he has a new romance in sight and that there’s no hope of Daisy winning Daniel back?

“Mmm, I wouldn’t necessarily refer to Daniel as a prize to be won – he’s also made some pretty manipulative moves which I think scream ‘red flag’”, Charlotte explains. “I can’t decide whether they need to go their separate ways for good or whether this has proved they’re more similar than we originally thought and maybe they’re made for each other.”

“I think if Daisy sees Daniel happy with someone else it will crush her, especially if he moves on fast. But it will also force her to take accountability for what she’s done to their relationship. I think because deep down she knows how royally she mucked it up, after the initial red mist fades away she may just want him to be happy but we can live in hope that he does eventually find his way back to her.”

“Bethany obviously wanted to be with Daniel last time she was on the street,” Lucy adds. “Obviously he’d proposed to her but he called her somebody else’s name, which was her cue to be off! I would say they probably haven’t spoken in all that time, so I feel bumping into each other again at this part in their lives will spark that connection again”.”

“Whether she pursues it or not… I don’t know whether I’m allowed to say!“