Shona Platt welcomed her estranged half-sister Jodie Ramsey (Olivia Frances-Brown) into her home in Coronation Street, unaware that she wants to steal her family. Now Shona will finally catch Jodie in a lie. What will she do? Actress Julia Goulding spills the tea.
Ever since her shocking debut in the Corriedale crash, mysterious newcomer Jodie has had ‘mystery’ written through her like a stick of Blackpool rock. She escaped from the back of Emmerdale super-baddie Graham Foster’s (Andrew Scarborough) van, she’s fed Shona a story about escaping an abusive father, and has gone to great lengths to keep their mentally unwell father safely out of the way in a psych ward where her sister can’t find him.
Although she’s got serious bunny boiler potential, Jodie has yet to go full Becky Swain. She’s keeping her crazy powder dry, acting like the perfect aunt to Baby Harper and being a tower of strength for Shona’s husband David Platt (Jack P Shepherd).
Which is of course, all part of the plan.
Jodie resents Shona for walking out of the family home as a teenage mum and leaving her with their abusive father. Her mission seems to be that of a cuckoo in the nest, usurping Shona’s position in the Platt household by growing closer to David and pouring poison in her niece Lily Platt’s (Grace Ashcroft-Gardner) about her no-good mother.
It’s working. Julia Goulding explains the growing tension between Shona and David since Jodie arrived.
‘I think “hairline fractures” is the best way to put it. They are both incredibly tired and getting irritated with one another, but they are still solid. However, those cracks are starting to show specifically because of Jodie’s influence. Eventually, those hairline fractures are probably going to turn into canyons.’
In case Jodie’s Machiavellian machinations weren’t stressful enough, Shona and David are about to face every parent’s worse nightmare when their premature baby daughter Harper has a health scare.
Their little girl was born with a cancerous tumour growing on her neck, requiring NICU care and a planned operation on March 4th to remove it. Living in a constant state of fear, the beloved Cobbles couple face another scare when Baby Harper suffers a minor bleed. Julia explains the emotional impact this has on Shona.
‘It’s just one thing after another. Shona has been in fight or flight mode for a long time now. She’s highly strung, emotionally exhausted, and physically drained. Honestly, it’s only the support from David and Jodie that’s getting her through it.’
Or so it seems. While Shona and David are worried sick over their baby, Jodie crosses paths with a new mum, who assumes that Jodie is Harper’s mum and that David is her husband.
This does not go down well with Shona, who catches Jodie with the new mum, and is not happy to see her sister discussing ‘her daughter’s operation’ with this randomer. Julia teases Shona’s reaction.
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‘It definitely raised a red flag, but Jodie is a very skilled manipulator and a quick liar. Shona is so emotionally on her knees that she simply doesn’t have the capacity to take on any more drama.’
‘Oh, she’s fuming initially! She’s like, “What are you playing at?” But Jodie is so good at talking her way out of things. It’s hard to get into that headspace sometimes because it feels so risky, but Shona just wants to trust her sister.’
But Jodie can’t talk her way out of trouble forever. Sooner or later, she’s going to put a foot wrong and Shona will discover her web of lies.
With Coronation Street’s murder mystery whodunnit just round the corner, that day might come sooner than we think – especially seeing as Jodie is one of the five characters who may meet a sticky end. Does Shona resort to desperate measures to protect her family from her scheming sister? Julia Goulding seems to be hoping for it!
‘I’d love to see Shona kick off and bring back that “Bad Shona” energy! She’s been made a lot softer on the street lately. I want to see the hard Shona return – the one people should actually fear!’