Roy Cropper’s recent turmoil shows no signs of ending just yet as the Coronation Street character, recently released from prison for a crime he didn’t commit, suffers a fresh battle as he finds himself fighting for his life.

As viewers of the ITV soap know, the cafe owner has faced a frustrating and distressing start to the year having been accused of being behind the disappearance – and presumed death – of Lauren Bolton. The teenager mysteriously went missing from Weatherfield on February 23 after being sacked by Roy from her job at Roy’s Rolls – and there’s been no trace of her since.

Before she vanished, viewers saw her being visited both by the cafe boss with her wages and a mystery person. When new love interest Bobby Crawford found her flat unlocked and empty, he was concerned and soon filed a missing person’s report. Later, during a flat viewing, Sean Tully found blood on the curtains and it was long before a murder inquiry ensued.

The cobbles stalwart, played by David Neilson, was charged with Lauren’s murder and found himself targeted by online trolls and internet sleuths while on bail. But one woman, claiming to be Lauren’s mum, took things too far and a scuffle over a phone on the street led to her falling and being injured and with Roy arrested, he was denied bail.

He attempted to keep himself to himself in prison, but he eventually befriended cellmate Roscoe. However, unbeknownst to Roy, Roscoe was being threatened by far-right group leader Griff Reynolds who wanted to exact revenge on Roy on behalf of Lauren’s dad, Reece.

In heartbreaking scenes, Roy was lured to the prison library where Griff pounced and threatened his life unless he wrote a confession saying he did kill Lauren while holding a blade to his throat. The soap favourite had written the note before attention was called, and a crying Roy was rescued before emotional scenes saw him released from prison.

But next week, as he struggles to return to his normal life following his prison hell, Roy is seen heading out of the cafe to take some homemade soup to Shona Platt he is confronted by a gang of yobs calling him names and he stumbles to the floor. Carla Connor rushes to his aid but it is clear he is in pain.

Later, when Shona admits she was never ill, and it was a ploy to entice him back into the cafe, Roy sends her and Evelyn Plummer packing. Moments later outside, Shona is telling Nina Lucas what happened when an ambulance rounds the corner and they rush to the cafe where Roy being given CPR.

In the hospital, a visitor appears at Roy’s bedside. As he drifts in and out of consciousness, his visitor stays at his bedside before disappearing. When Roy tells Nina about his surprise visitor, she wonders if he is hallucinating. Who does he think he has seen?