This is why soaps and their storylines matter in real life

CORONATION

- Pete Price

Street, take a bow. Along with the actors, the writers, and the entire production team who crafted this harrowing drama, you have shone a light on a powerful story that, sadly, unfolds every single day.The storyline between Todd Grimshaw (Gareth Pierce) and Theo Silverton (James Cartwright) reached a devastating climax last week.

It has held a mirror to a truth too often hidden in the real world: domestic abuse in all its insidious forms.

Gareth and James are sensational actors. Playing two gay men - one a survivor, the other a perpetrator - they have carried us through a storm of coercive control.

Once again, Coronation Street has proven why soaps and their storylines matter. They change lives and give people the strength to come forward, realising they are not alone.