CORONATION STREET

Poor old Steve and Tracy, inextricably linked by a one-night stand some two decades ago which resulted in the arrival of little Amy and a lifetime of bickering thereafter.

Back then, it was Tracy desperate to snare Steve, goading his fiancées and ruining his weddings until he eventually gave in. So, it’s ironic that the shoe is now on the other foot, with Steve desperate to hang on to Tracy.

Her affair with faded footie star turned painter and decorator Tommy Orpington felt like a breath of fresh air to the show, as Tommy went from hero to zero in Steve’s eyes when the heartbroken hubby discovered his idol had been stripping more than the Anaglypta at No 1. All in all, a welcome break from the arrests or kidnappings which now seem to be an almost daily occurrence in Weatherfield.

This week, we find Tracy realising she’s scored an own goal now that Tommy’s packed up and headed to a new life in Spain, and Steve is delighted when she suggests reuniting.

There’s only one small problem. Steve has in his possession a letter from Tommy asking Tracy to join him in his new life.

Will Steve come clean, making their new start a truly fresh one? Of course not. This is Steve, and his cowardice shines through as he sets fire to the letter.

Sadly, the thing he really ends up burning is his bridges with Tracy after she discovers his deception. Tracy accepts Tommy’s offer, and as she and her family raise a toast in the Rovers to her new life in the sun, poor Steve is more out in the cold than ever.

Elsewhere, the Lauren disappearance mystery rumbles on after Roy finds a contact for Lauren’s mum. It’s a strange tale this one – while it’s good to feel the show has a big story at its centre once again, it is a little distracting that it feels we only knew Lauren for five minutes. But anything that gives David Neilson a chance to act his socks off as Roy is more than worth it in my book.