In a bid to stay relevant in the age of streaming giants, the team behind Coronation Street has admitted to taking significant creative risks with the long-running ITV soap. Executive producer Kate Brooks has laid out a bold vision for 2026, confirming the show will continue to push boundaries with innovative storytelling formats.
Pushing Boundaries with Hard-Hitting Plots
The soap has never shied away from tough subjects, but recent months have seen it adopt increasingly daring methods to tell those stories. In December 2025, the programme courted controversy with a shocking scene where child abuser Megan Walsh (Beth Nixon) lured underage teenager Will Driscoll (Lucas Hodgson-Wale) into bed.
That same month, Todd Grimshaw's (Gareth Pierce) domestic abuse ordeal reached a horrifying climax in a special episode. The narrative was told through the perspective of secret cameras, Ring doorbell footage, and police bodycams, offering viewers a raw and unflinching look at life with an abuser.
A Groundbreaking Flash-Forward 'Whodunnit'
Now, Coronation Street is set to turn its traditional format on its head once again. Speaking about upcoming plans, Kate Brooks revealed a special episode scheduled for mid-February 2026 that will feature a dramatic flash-forward sequence.
"There’s a special episode coming up mid-February and in that episode we’re doing a bit of a flash-forward," Brooks explained. "I know it’s been done recently on another show but this is something that’s been in the making for a really long time."
The episode will centre on a major mystery: the discovery of a dead body on the famous cobbles. In a novel twist, neither the characters nor the audience will initially know the victim's identity. Five potential victims have been lined up, sending viewers on a journey to piece together the backstory and uncover who met an untimely demise.
"It’s very complicated and very intricate but essentially what we’re playing is a 'who is it?' story," Brooks said. "It will give the stories that are currently running a destination point."
Staying Fresh in a Competitive Era
Brooks defended the decision to innovate, citing the success of the Todd and Theo special episode as proof that audiences engage with fresh approaches. She acknowledged the intense competition from Netflix dramas and on-demand crime series, stating that soaps must get creative to retain viewers.
"We need to keep abreast of the competition and we need to make sure it’s relevant and we stay fresh and new," she stated, while emphasising the show will never lose its core DNA. "That is our strong women, which we have in abundance, our friendships, the community, the pub being the heart of that street."
Brooks confirmed that the flash-forward episode is just the beginning, with more special episodes already in the pipeline for 2026. These will continue to break the usual soap formula when a story affords a more abstract approach.
"We have a great team around us who work really hard to ensure that while the episode might feel different... it still feels very story-driven," she added. "I think that’s the key to making these episodes a success."
