Implicated in a murder on Coronation Street, Summer Spellman (Harriet Bibby) is not feeling very sunny, and there's a storm about to break. The troubled youngster's problems began when she became the prime suspect in the murder of Theo Silverton, a crime she had every reason to commit given how the monster left her adoptive stepdad to die and terrorised one of her closest friends, Todd Grimshaw (Gareth Pierce), behind closed doors.
Evidence mounts against Summer
It didn't help that the word on the Cobbles was that she was the last person to see Theo alive, after the abuser cornered her in the flat and threatened her life with the chilling line: 'I guess Summer had to end some time.' Of course, Summer was completely innocent. We all know who the real killer was, but unfortunately, Summer does not. The police had plenty of evidence against Summer, including her incriminating diary containing fantasies about holding a gun to Theo's head.
When she was arrested and hauled in for questioning, Summer informed DS Lisa Connor-Swain (Vicky Myers) that Theo had been alive when she'd left his flat after their confrontation. But her fate was sealed by Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall), who refused to vouch for her whereabouts that night at risk of incriminating himself in causing Carl Webster's (Jonathan Howard) accident at the garage. In case Summer needed to look any more guilty, she was planning on running off to America to study, which looks an awful lot like trying to escape justice.
Summer's drastic action
With her situation looking hopeless, Summer took drastic action to escape prison and turned off her insulin pump. This was essentially an act of attempted suicide, resulting in the poor girl being rushed to hospital where she admitted to her loved ones — Todd, Nina Lucas (Mollie Gallagher) and Asha Alahan (Tanisha Gorey) — the tragic reason why she did it: because she didn't think she would survive prison. The ordeal has even cost Summer her belief in God. After losing all three father figures in her life — Billy Mayhew, Paul Foreman and her biological dad — she tearfully expressed to Todd that she didn't believe He was there for her in prison, and was starting to lose faith that He was anywhere at all.
Release and new danger
But then a miracle occurred. After Tyrone explained everything to Fiz Stape (Jennie McAlpine), he made the decision to come forward with the truth, thereby ensuring Summer's release from prison. However, Summer is still looking pretty bleak. Her experiences have taken their toll on the once sunny Corrie resident, and upcoming scenes will see her newfound personality change put her in jeopardy.
When Asha, Nina and Amy (Elle Mulvaney) call at the bistro to find Summer already tipsy, worse still, she's hanging out with some guys they met yesterday. It's a million miles away from the Summer we know and love as she announces that she's off into town with these perfect strangers, her so-called 'new mates'. Asha, Nina and Amy are left concerned for Summer's safety, as are we. Is Coronation Street's original Little Miss Sunshine heading down a very dark road?
