Alison King, the actress behind Coronation Street's formidable Carla Connor, has revealed her biggest hope for her character ahead of the soap's monumental crossover with Emmerdale, dubbed 'Corriedale'.
Carla's Desperate Plight Before the Carnage
Life has been anything but easy for Carla Connor in recent weeks. For over a week, she has been held captive by the unhinged Becky Swain (Amy Cudden), who has locked her in an airing cupboard. This drastic move was prompted after Carla was caught snooping in Becky's flat, getting dangerously close to uncovering the full truth about Becky's criminal past.
Becky's motivation, however, is not just about covering her tracks. She is delusionally obsessed with reclaiming her ex-partner, Lisa Swain (Vicky Myers), and sees Carla as the primary obstacle. By keeping Carla imprisoned and manipulating Lisa with a trail of false clues, Becky has successfully isolated Lisa and her daughter Betsy (Sydney Martin).
In a sinister ploy before the crossover events, Becky convinces Lisa and Betsy to discard their phones for 'safety', promising replacements before they leave for a ferry. This act of control sets the stage for disaster, as the Swains' journey from the Chariot Square Hotel to the ferry port ends in catastrophe on a country road outside Hotten.
A Surprising Call to the Dales
Despite the long-building storyline following Becky's shocking summer resurrection, Alison King admitted she had no expectation of being involved in the historic Corriedale crossover. Speaking at the event's premiere, she described her reaction to receiving the script.
"Nothing for Carla," she said. "I was thinking, 'What on earth is this? There's no words!' It was just one thing after another." The scripts detailed pages of relentless twists, turns, and the now-infamous multi-vehicle pile-up.
Yet, after absorbing the sheer scale of the drama, King pinpointed one clear desire for her beleaguered alter ego. "I hoped that Carla would be alive at the end of it," she laughed. This simple hope underscores the extreme peril Carla faces, not just in her current captivity but amidst the impending road chaos that will intertwine her fate with the residents of Emmerdale.
Will Corriedale Be the End for Carla?
The question now hangs over Weatherfield: after months of suffering, could the Corriedale crossover be the event that finally breaks Carla Connor? Her presence at the crash site remains a mystery, given her imprisonment, suggesting a dramatic escape or intervention must occur.
The crossover promises epic carnage and game-changing consequences for both soaps. With Becky's plan in motion and Carla fighting for survival, viewers are left to wonder if Alison King's hope for Carla's survival will be granted, or if the ordeal will prove too much for the Street's resilient businesswoman.
All will be revealed as Coronation Street and Emmerdale collide in this unprecedented television event, marking a first for ITV's flagship serials.
