Todd Grimshaw’s world continues to shrink as his relationship with Theo Silverton in Coronation Street takes an unsettling turn. What once appeared to be a promising new chapter now carries an undercurrent that the people around him are finally beginning to sense.
The Relationship That Started With Promise
Theo entered Coronation Street as a confident and charismatic newcomer who immediately caught Todd’s attention. Todd fell for him quickly, believing their connection marked a fresh start. It soon became clear that Theo was battling long-standing internal conflicts after spending years suppressing his sexuality due to pressure from the church and those close to him. Falling in love with Todd briefly looked like the beginning of a happier life, but the shift came fast.
Affection gave way to coercive control, followed by violent and unpredictable behaviour. James Cartwright explained that Theo’s emotional damage was surfacing in a way the character could no longer contain, and he suggested that this instability posed a risk to those around him. Control tightened further as Theo isolated Todd from the people who care about him, including Sarah and Billy. He also orchestrated Todd losing his job at the funeral parlour, which strained Todd’s relationship with George.
A Public Gesture Hides A Private Reality
Theo has taken charge of Todd’s half-marathon “training,” after publicly announcing that Todd would run to raise money for MND charities in memory of Paul Foreman. This move ensured that Todd could not back out, allowing Theo to disguise punishing training sessions as support while gaining admiration from others. In the latest episode, Todd stopped by the shop to buy ice to soothe his aching muscles and found Billy and Summer working a shift.
Both believed Todd was doing something thoughtful by running the race in Paul’s honour and praised him warmly. Billy gently asked why Todd was no longer working at the funeral parlour and whether he had fallen out with George. Todd began to respond before Theo suddenly appeared. Summer repeated how meaningful the race was, and Theo took the chance to undermine Todd by saying that, at this rate, he might have to push him over the finish line in a wheelbarrow.
Todd followed Theo out of the shop, and Summer watched them leave with a troubled look. Gareth Pierce later noted that viewers would notice how Todd relaxes briefly around friends like Sarah, George and Billy, but shifts into tense, people-pleasing behaviour the moment Theo enters the room. Stay tuned to Soap Opera Daily for all Coronation Street spoilers.