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Coronation Street’s Pat Phelan shows dark side with daughter Nicola Rubenstein

He's not changed at all

Coronation Street villain Pat Phelan might be trying to show a softer side and has even gone to church to absolve himself of his sins, but that dark side is never far away.

And it’s set to rear it’s ugly head again next week as he wades in on long-lost daughter Nicola Rubenstein’s business. But will she witness exactly what her father is capable of?

After a DNA test confirmed what Phelan was already sure of: Nicola is his daughter, the pair have been forming a bond.

Read more: Coronation Street autumn will “make history”

We saw Phelan actually crying after the news came out and were all stunned when it turned out he does have feelings and a heart. Not such a cold-blooded killer after all, huh?

Determined to put things right and be a better man, the baldy builder visited a priest to confess his sins. But he admitted he wanted forgiveness for all he’s done and “is still doing”, which clearly indicated he’s not as reformed as we think he is.

But either way, he’s desperate to be a good dad and make up for all those lost years.

It’s not long before an opportunity to impart his fatherly wisdom presents itself and Phelan’s lapping up the chance. Nicola is thinking of buying a flat and she wants his professional opinion.

Phelan is thrilled to be asked and sets about giving her the best advice he possibly can, telling her what he thinks is a reasonable offer.

He’s very pleased with himself for having been able to help, that is until Nicola returns and tells him she put the offer forward and the developer laughed in her face.

That’s like a red rag to a bull. Someone laughing at his daughter? Absolutely no way is Phelan going to let that one go and he decides to pay the developer a little visit.

Now, in the past we’ve all known what that means – he paid Andy Carver a visit and murdered him, he paid Michael Rodwell and visit and left him to die of a heart attack – do we see a pattern forming here?

This time though, he demands the name of the guy and gives him a different Phelan-style warning. He tells the guy he’s in the trade and he knows every trick and scam in the book (don’t we know it!) and puts the pressure on him to accept Nicola’s offer. But will he resort to violence to show the dodgy dealer he really means business?

His interference obviously works when Nicola finds out her offer’s been accepted, but she knows it’s clearly down to her dad.

She is grateful, but will she realise exactly how he managed to get the developer to change his mind? And how will she feel when she sees the other side to her supposedly soft and warm father?

It’s obvious that Phelan is still a man who always gets what he wants and the discovery of a daughter seems to be doing nothing to make him change his ways too much. Will this lead to his downfall?

Read more: Coronation Street villain hints at return to soap

Last week, actress Nicola Thorp spoke to Christine Lampard on Lorraine about Phelan maybe starting to own up to his crimes.

“It’s got to come out at some point. He’s got two choices; he can either own up to what he’s done and hope she loves him for who he is, or does he do everything he can to hide it?

“All of that will be unfolding over the autumn,” she continued. “It’s a really exciting time.

“If you don’t already watch Corrie then now is the time to start! I can’t reveal too much but what is going to happen over the next few months is going to make soap history!”


Carena Crawford
Associate Editor (Soaps)

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