Coronation Street is set to air a special "flashforward" episode in February, offering viewers a dramatic glimpse into 2026.
The unique instalment will open with a mysterious death on the street, before revealing five potential victims.
This sets the stage for what has been described as a complicated and intricate storyline for the long-running soap.
Producer Kate Brooks said: “This is something that’s been in the making for a really long time.
“There are five potential victims, and we will take the audience on a journey to try and figure out who that body is and what happened.
“It is a who have they done it to, not a whodunit.”
She said the special episode will give the stories currently running a destination point, and added: “I don’t think I’ve ever told a story that involves quite as many character groups.
“Everyone’s impacted – everyone’s affected by this story. There’s so many twists and so many turns.”
It was revealed that the flashforward includes a character being interviewed by police, after finding the dead body of an unseen individual on the street.
Brooks said: “We understand what’s happened, we understand the context of what’s happened, but we don’t know who it’s happened to.”
The producer went on to tease a “romantic spring” for characters Carla Connor (Alison King) and Lisa Swain (Vicky Myers), and said: “Wedding bells are certainly ringing in the not too distant future, and they’ll get their happy ever after.”
She also discussed the relationship between characters Theo Silverton (James Cartwright) and Todd Grimshaw (Gareth Pierce), which has seen Theo exert controlling and coercive behaviour over his partner.
Brooks said: “Early new year, Todd and Theo are still very front and centre of the show, as we continue to tell the story about this domestic abuse.
“It’s a hard watch at times, I’m not going to lie.
“Todd will start to realise that maybe all is not what it seems, as will other people around him.”
The soap has worked with Galop, an LGBTQ+ anti-abuse charity, for the ongoing storyline.
Coronation Street is available on ITV1 and ITVX.
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