Damon’s got a dark past (Picture: ITV)
The introduction of Jacob (Jack James Ryan)’s dad Damon (Ciarán Griffiths) – who is also the brother of killer Harvey Gaskell (Will Mellor) – to Coronation Street is going to lead to some massive drama in 2023, as producer Iain MacLeod revealed to us.
‘He’s dangerous,’ he said. ‘At first he might seem more sophisticated than his brother Harvey, less of a blunt instrument, but what we discover in the not too distant future is that more polished, jovial veneer masks something every bit as dangerous and brutal as Harvey.’
As well as the immediate impact Damon’s presence has on Jacob, who is quickly drawn back into a criminal world he was trying hard to put behind him, it sounds like another family are going to be drawn into Damon’s evil web. ‘He up ends a lot of peoples lives and brings criminality into a family that could probably do from moving on from their past,’ Iain teased. ‘Then wham! Right back in the mess again thanks to him.’
Whether he was referring to Nick and Leanne, who have been unwittingly drawn into Damon’s influence because of his involvement in the bistro or to another family, Iain wasn’t prepared to say but he did give us a huge hint about a romance that’s in the offing for Damon and a ‘high profile’ female character.
‘There’s something about a bad boy isn’t there?’ he said. ‘As the year goes on, he has a magnetic attraction for a notable high profile female character who ends up having her head turned, which has far reaching consequences. We’re currently working on June storylines, a build-up and a colossal explosion in that story involving Damon and this love story that will be on air then.’
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Iain was full of praise for how Ciarán Griffiths is playing the role of the evil Damon.
‘I’m really excited about Ciarán’s presence,’ he enthused. ‘Much like Damon he has a sense of danger and magnetism in performance. He turns on a sixpence from charming, affable youth oriented businessman to terrifying, dead eyed shark. It’s really riveting stuff. We’re pleased to have him.’
There’s a lot to unpack with this newcomer.
