A Christmas realisation for Peter and Carla in Corrie

Christmas Day is a family affair for the residents of Coronation Street…

Weatherfield locals gather together at their respective houses to reflect over the last 12 months and look forward to what the future holds.

Peter gives Carla a beautiful present, a silver bracelet inscribed with ‘P loves C’. But he is shocked when she reveals what she has bought him. For over a decade, their love story has captured the couple of million who tune in three times a week to catch up with the residents of Coronation Street. 

Described as the Burton and Taylor of the soap world, they have had a roller coaster of a relationship, getting married for a second time in 2021.

All that is about to change as Peter Barlow is about to say farewell in tomorrow’s (Boxing Day) edition.

Recently Alison King talked about Peter’s departure, what she will miss about working with Chris Gascoyne, how it felt filming those final scenes and what the future holds for Carla without her soulmate.

It’s Christmas in Weatherfield today, how are things between Carla and Peter?

They’re a little off-kilter. She is worried about him. Obviously, after the accident, he’s been struggling with his mental health and at the same time Carla has been busy and concentrating a lot on the factory. But she has noticed a kind of sadness in him that she can’t quite buffer for once. They are arguing a little bit. When he is going through something he can be quite irrational and he’s telling her, quite irrationally sometimes, that she doesn’t pay him attention, doesn’t give heed to what he wants. He says it’s all about what she wants, which is kind of dumbfounding to her at that point, because she’s trying to juggle so many balls and put her life back together after the money’s gone. So it’s a case of them not communicating properly.

Was Stephen’s death a big turning point for their relationship?

Yes it was a massive, massive turning point because although he acted on a whim, I think she doubted his motive and why he didn’t stop the car and what he actually did in that moment. I don’t think they talked about it properly or enough. They weren’t truthful enough with each other. And, actually, he believed he did save Jenny’s life, but then there was everything the witnesses said. Carla knew how angry he was with Stephen and when he sensed that she maybe was slightly doubting him that hit him hard. He didn’t think she was truly on his side.

When does Carla start to realise that Peter may be better off away from Weatherfield? What is he saying that makes her start to think that?

He starts getting the postcards and the messages from his mate on the boat asking him to go and join him, she starts to notice that he’s really excited. It is the first time in a while that anything has taken his mind off what has been going on. Obviously, he asks her to go with him and she flat out says no, because she’s trying to get the factory back up and running. And I think the realisation comes from him that she’s fighting for the business and they want different things. She’s realising that she can’t. She’s quite happy to carry on on her own and starts to feel sad. And it’s a slow sinking feeling that she realises that maybe it is time for them to do their own things, we had that and it was wonderful but maybe that is over. She isn’t aware that he is talking to Tim and is starting to think he should stay with her.

What was it like filming the final scenes with Chris, and how did you feel about the exit storyline?

We’re filming solidly together for two days. There was a lot to learn. But aside from that it was amazing, but it was so emotional, I did not need any tearstick for those scenes. There was no way of knowing what would happen because every time we did it I literally filled up with emotion and started crying at different times in every scene. Just seeing a different look from Chris would set me off because he’s so wonderful at Meisner technique which involves an actor reacting to another actor’s performance and behaviour, he’s so reactive. That’s why I’ve loved working with him so much, it’s always about the reaction. We can do things 1000 different ways in each take. And he’s so brilliant every single time, it was just a different journey and you’re absolutely spent and it’s such a roller coaster of emotions.

Are you pleased that that was what it was that it was a chance to really explore them as a couple in those final episodes?

Even though it doesn’t  go into specific details of all their past, it shows what they’re like, as a couple.  It was really nice to have that much time on them because people seem to enjoy them just having a conversation. It was something to get our teeth into with all the emotions and it was a real journey. It was really, really lovely to do those scenes.

Coronation Street, Christmas Day at 7pm and Boxing Day at 7.30 pm