Sarah Platt’s future has been thrown into serious doubt after her dramatic arrest for the murder of Theo Silverton. But does the storyline mean actor Tina O’Brien is preparing to leave Coronation Street after more than two decades on the cobbles?
This Wednesday’s (22 July) episode saw Sarah receive a visit from Kit Green in prison, as the detective laid out the reality of her situation and urged her to rethink her decision to protect Gary Windass.
Kit reminded Sarah that she could reduce the consequences she faced by telling police about Gary’s role in covering up Theo’s death. However, Sarah refused to implicate him, insisting he had only become involved because she had desperately begged him for help.
Frustrated by her refusal, Kit warned Sarah that things were only going to get worse for her behind bars, particularly since she was charged with the crime. “I hope the accommodation’s to your taste, because none of this gets better,” he warned.
The conversation clearly weighed on Kit, who later struggled to contain his frustration after spotting Gary enjoying a meal with Maria. Unable to hide his anger, Kit confronted Gary over Sarah’s imprisonment.
His reaction wasn’t entirely surprising, given he had previously tried to frame Gary in a bid to spare Sarah from being arrested, only for the plan to fully unravel. Meanwhile, Gary continued to carry the burden of knowing exactly what happened on the night Theo died.
During this Wednesday’s instalment, he finally admitted the truth to Maria, confessing his involvement in helping Sarah cover up the killing. Maria was, understandably, shaken by the revelation, which could have major consequences for the couple.
With Sarah now behind bars, soap viewers have begun wondering whether the storyline could mark the end of Tina O’Brien’s long-running stint on the ITV show. For now, however, there has been no word that the actor is leaving Corrie.
Neither ITV nor O’Brien has announced an exit, and the actor has remained tight-lipped about Sarah’s long-term future on Coronation Street.
Speaking exclusively to Inside Soap, O’Brien reflected on how Sarah would cope with life in prison, admitting she didn’t think her character would find the experience easy.
“She’d hate it,” the actor said. “I think she’d really struggle. She can be feisty and she can hold her own, but against tough women, I think she’d be in trouble, to be quite honest.”
O’Brien also admitted keeping the storyline secret had been one of the biggest challenges of filming. “I’ve found it really difficult, especially with the audience trying to guess who it is,” she shared. “I’ve been genuinely trying to keep a low profile in real life and not post anything that would give anything away. So it’s nice that it’s finally out there.”
Rather than signalling an imminent departure, O’Brien revealed she was open to whatever outcome bosses deemed fit for her character. And Sarah’s prison storyline looks set to continue for the time being.
Official spoilers have already confirmed that Maria will visit Sarah in prison after learning Gary’s secret, leading to a charged confrontation over Theo’s death and Gary’s role in helping to conceal it.
Future episodes will also see Sarah decide to tell DS Lisa Swain that she killed Theo, although it remains unclear how much she will reveal about Gary’s involvement in the cover-up.
