Lauren Bolton (Cait Fitton) and Betsy Swain (Sydney Martin) haven’t exactly been seeing eye to eye in Coronation Street recently, and next week Carla Connor-Swain (Alison King) is forced to step in.
Betsy’s life was turned upside down this month when she suffered a stroke after participating in consensual strangulation during sex with Dylan Wilson (Liam McCheyne).
This left her with aphasia and dysarthria, which has affected her ability to talk and move.
As any good friend would, Lauren wants Betsy to get justice for what has happened to her. However, she has so far refused to take Betsy’s wishes into account.
This has become a point of contention between them both. While Lauren is pushing for Betsy to report Dylan to the police, Betsy is adamant that it was an accident and Dylan has been punished enough.
In recent scenes, Lauren tried to get Betsy to consider telling the police about Dylan’s involvement, but was thrown out by an upset Betsy, who refused to discuss it.
‘It’s two consenting young adults. There isn’t a villain in this,’ actress Sydney Martin told Metro when discussing this storyline.
‘They’re just experimenting with something that seems so natural. I mean, the law was only brought in last year that you have to prove your age to watch porn.
‘These are people who have only just turned 18 who would have grown up with access to porn and access to that side of things, and to see sex portrayed in a light that’s not realistic and that’s heightened. So, I really feel for both of them in this situation.’
Next week, Betsy confides in Ryan Connor (Ryan Prescott) that she’d like to talk to Dylan, but she’s worried about how her mum will react.
However, Lisa Connor-Swain (Vicky Myers) isn’t the only one wanting to keep Dylan and Betsy apart, as Lauren is once again angry when she learns from Ryan that Dylan has been round to visit Betsy.
Lauren shares her frustrations with Brody Michaelis (Ryan Mulvey), insisting that Dylan must be held accountable for his actions. When Brody later confronts Dylan, a row breaks out between them.
Later in the week, Lauren and Betsy have another row, and Lauren storms out, leaving Betsy alone.
When she returns, she finds a furious Carla comforting a tearful Betsy who has had an accident after being unable to make it to the bathroom alone.
Carla rails at Lauren for abandoning Betsy.
The next day, Betsy is clearly feeling down as she refuses to leave the house when Lisa suggests she get some fresh air.
When Lauren calls round, she is ready to make amends, and apologises to Betsy for leaving her.
Will Betsy accept her apology and make up with Lauren, or is this the end of their friendship?
