Episode 10339/40 (31st May 2021)

## Plot

**Part One:** Johnny warns a worrying Jenny to give Sharon a wide berth because of her connections to drugs. It is the day of Seb’s funeral, Abi calls at the funeral parlour where George invites her to sit with her son's coffin for as long as she wants. Sharon tells Harvey she wants to leave the area immediately as Jenny is on to her. Her nephew refuses to let her go until he’s out of prison and tells her to do what’s necessary to ensure Leanne doesn’t change her mind. Sarah chases Lucas as he’s not paid for the delivery. Carla thanks Adam for giving Peter hope. Unaware that Ronnie is listening in, Sharon chats to Toyah in the cafe, saying she was sure she saw Leanne in the area last week. Toyah’s taken aback, having had no idea about her sister’s return. A horrified Nina overhears Asha talking to Corey about their reconciliation. Determined to stick to her plan, Asha defends Corey, leaving Nina devastated by her apparent betrayal. As Jenny washes the Rovers’ windows outside the pub, Gary asks a passing Natasha how Sam is. She accuses him of hiring the man with a van who kidnapped Sam, but Jenny hears his reply that it was Sharon who did the hiring.

**Part Two:** Abi’s heart breaks as she tells Seb how she wonders how she’ll live the rest of her life without him. Unable to work out why Sharon would kidnap Sam, Jenny hears from Ronnie about the conversation he overheard. Sharon squirms with guilt as Rita praises the way she’s turned out. Sarah begs Adam to reconsider donating his liver, suggesting that he’s only doing it out of guilt and it’s a hell of a price to pay. Carla’s unable to contact Lucas. Jenny's mind racing, she tells Toyah and Imran how she suspects Sharon was involved in Sam’s kidnap. When Imran reveals everything that’s happened recently concerning the boy and Leanne, Jenny’s stunned as she manages to connect everything together. Kevin collects a reluctant Abi from the funeral parlour as it’s time to get ready for the funeral. Jenny looks for Rita, leaving a panicked message on her phone warning her about Sharon. She immediately bumps into the lady herself and accuses her of everything she’s found out. Sharon tasers Jenny as she walks off to contact the police and she collapses to the cobbles.

**Part Three:** Sharon looks at her victim’s phone messages and tells a passing Tim she found her in that state and is about to ring an ambulance. Asha assures a hostile Nina she’s still her friend and things aren’t how they look but is told they’re finished. Adam tells Sarah he’s taken his name off the donor list and wonders how he’s going to break the news to Peter and Carla. Having been taken to hospital, Jenny comes round as Sharon blackmails her about the texts she’s read. Johnny arrives in a panic. Nina tells Roy she’s not going to the funeral as Abi doesn’t want her there. Jenny’s forced to thank Sharon for her help in front of Johnny. Gary is offered a security job in Bristol which means he can be near Zack. Rita listens to Jenny’s message.

**Part Four:** Having been alerted by Imran, the police set out to arrest Sharon. Carla admits to Sarah that she was right not to trust Lucas as it seems he’s gone bust. Convinced that Gary was involved in Sam's kidnapping, Maria isn’t concerned about him moving away from the area. Carrying a new telescope, Sam sees Sharon walking away with a suitcase. Rita intercepts her, calmly demanding immediate answers as to what's really going on or she will phone the police. After a chat with Roy about his niece’s dark thoughts which he saw expressed through her drawings, Abi hands over to her a bag of goth dresses, retrieved by Asha, and asks her to go and put one on as Seb would want her at his funeral dressed as the girl he loved. They will sit at the front of the church together. Johnny tries to prevent Jenny discharging herself to see if Rita is safe, and she is forced to tell her husband about Sharon’s blackmail over the fling with Ronnie.

## Cast

### Regular cast

* Abi Franklin - Sally Carman
* Nina Lucas - Mollie Gallagher
* Ronnie Bailey - Vinta Morgan
* Jenny Connor - Sally Ann Matthews
* Johnny Connor - Richard Hawley
* George Shuttleworth - Tony Maudsley *(10339 only)*
* Sharon Bentley - Tracie Bennett
* Brian Packham - Peter Gunn *(10339 only)*
* Maria Connor - Samia Longchambon
* Gary Windass - Mikey North
* Adam Barlow - Samuel Robertson
* Sarah Barlow - Tina O'Brien
* Carla Barlow - Alison King
* Toyah Battersby - Georgia Taylor *(10339 only)*
* Imran Habeeb - Charlie De Melo
* Asha Alahan - Tanisha Gorey
* Natasha Blakeman - Rachel Leskovac *(10339 only)*
* Rita Tanner - Barbara Knox
* Kevin Webster - Michael Le Vell
* Tim Metcalfe - Joe Duttine *(10340 only)*
* Roy Cropper - David Neilson *(10340 only)*
* Sam Blakeman - Jude Riordan *(10340 only)*

### Guest cast

* Harvey Gaskell - Will Mellor *(10339 only)*
* Corey Brent - Maximus Evans *(10339 only)*

## Notes

* Continuing, albeit with some amendments, a tradition established in 2010, *Coronation Street* was transmitted at 9.00pm each weekday (except for Wednesday) after an extended edition of *The Masked Dancer*. This episode, alone for the week, was a one hour edition made up of two production codes. P694/10339 was written by Emily Gascoyne and P694/10340 by Carmel Morgan.
* Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this episode was made with social distancing rules being observed by both cast and production crew, even when they were playing family members or people who shared residences.
* Kate Waters was credited as the fight arranger for the scene in 10339 where Sharon Bentley tasers Jenny Connor.
* *TV Times* synopsis: Jenny learns the truth about Sharon; Nina is devastated by Asha 's betrayal; and Sarah persuades Adam to back out of a promise.
* Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast: 5,563,000 viewers (3rd place).