Coronation Street villain Theo Silverton may not be done with his murderous ways, according to actor James Cartwright, who plays the character. In a chilling warning to fans, Cartwright suggested that Theo could kill again, despite the mounting consequences of his past crimes.
Theo's Reign of Terror
Theo has been one of Weatherfield's most despicable characters, subjecting Todd Grimshaw (Gareth Pierce) to a campaign of abuse, killing Billy Mayhew, and terrorizing those close to Todd. Now, with his crimes exposed, the actor believes his character has nothing left to lose.
"100% he could, and I think he could kill Todd," Cartwright declared. "Yeah, just you know, like a death pact. He could definitely kill Carl after he grabs him in the crotch in a scene. He could kill George. There are all these people I think, if I was watching that, I would think he is gonna kill some of them because he's done it before."
A Dangerous Predicament
Cartwright explained that Theo's situation has become increasingly desperate. "He knows he's in trouble now, the story with Billy's out. So I would say he probably could kill again – it's highly likely he could kill again!"
The actor compared his character to a feral animal. "He's like a stray dog that keeps biting people's legs. I think ultimately, sooner or later, you want the dog dead, you know? And he's sort of feral by this point, isn't he? He's painted himself into a corner, and I think he's become so awful that he's making ordinary, nice people do extraordinary, horrible things."
Potential Suspects in Theo's Demise
With at least one death confirmed for next week, speculation is rife about who might meet their end. Cartwright hinted that Theo could be the one to die, but he wouldn't rule out any suspects. "If Theo was to be the unfortunate specimen to befall the justice of Corrie, let's stick a pin in a map!" he laughed. "You've got George, George could do it because George could put him in a coffin and bury him and you'd never know. You've got Todd, you've got Carl obviously. I think Carl's like the tarantula of Coronation Street. He sort of prowls, sinks his teeth into anyone."
He even suggested a surprising candidate: "It could be any number of people and I think very often with these things, it could be who you least expect. I mean imagine someone like Summer! Imagine he walks into the shop and she just cracks him over the head with a tin of beans, closes the shop sign and sticks him in a bin bag."
Theo's Unhinged State
In recent episodes, Theo has become increasingly unhinged, with nothing to lose. "He's really desperate – I think eventually it's got to the point where he's not even bothered now. He is not even bothered trying to persuade people he's a nice fellow. Because you know, the game's up and so now it's about survival," Cartwright said. "And I think very much like the wild dog analogy. You know, a dog backed into a corner is a dangerous dog and actually he's suddenly become incredibly unpredictable. I think he's become hyper-aggressive. I think all his negative traits have suddenly bubbled to the surface and you realise what a dangerous nut job he is."
Behind the Scenes
Cartwright admitted that playing such a dark role can be exhausting. "When he has been crying and shouting all day, the body doesn't necessarily know it's not real so can physically be exhausted." However, he expressed gratitude for the opportunity. "It has, and continues to be, one of the great privileges of my life. To be involved in the show in the manner of which I have the arc with Todd, and the two-hander episode and then obviously the stuff with Billy and the Christmas stuff, and also to tell a story of meaning, of weight and importance, I honestly, from the bottom of my heart, could not feel more privileged."
He praised the current creative team. "It feels like I'm in the show at the most amazing time. You've got the wonderful Kate Brooks, you've got Iain and Verity MacLeod, all the writers. It feels like it's in a real purple patch and I think there's so much competition now from YouTube and streaming platforms and I really think it's interesting to see the show evolve and raise its stakes in order to keep ahead of the game and it's still by far the best show you can watch on TV or anywhere."
Whether Theo will become the latest addition to the Corrie body count remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: his story is far from over.
