Warning: This article contains minor spoilers for the upcoming Christmas Day episode of Coronation Street.
Coronation Street boss Iain MacLeod has defended an upcoming shooting storyline which will air in the soap later this month.
As part of this year’s Christmas Day episode, the ITV soap will feature a shooting on the cobbles at the hands of desperate business Derek Milligan, who is out for revenge against Gary Windass.
It’s already been revealed that at least one Weatherfield resident will be killed by Craig Els’ character in the incident, set to take place around a Winter Wonderland-style fairground.
While some have suggested the scenes might be too much for a Corrie Christmas special, Iain has insisted it’s important that the soap tackles “realistic” issues.
“I’m aware that the presence of firearms on the Street is a controversial one – it isn’t a decision we took lightly,” he told Metro. “But I just felt there was an interesting side avenue to what Gary had been doing that hadn’t been explored yet.
“Doing something involving firearms would provide a realistic and truthful pay off to the story about loan sharking and the pressures of poverty and the mental collapse that can cause.”
A press release for the upcoming episode explained: “Festive frivolity is the last thing on one man’s mind – Derek Milligan believes Gary Windass has destroyed his life and he wants to make him pay.
“When he finds an antique rifle, left by Fiz in Gary’s furniture shop, the scene is set for a seasonal showdown that puts the lives of some of our favourite residents in peril. Heading for the Rovers he is a man on a mission - to hunt down Gary Windass.
“After terrifying the locals in the pub Derek chases Gary out onto the cobbles and the pair end up battling it out on the top of the Helter Skelter at the funfair. Fists and bullets start flying – with fatal consequences.”
The episode will air on Christmas Day on ITV.