Coronation Street aired scenes in which Toyah Battersby confessed she had given birth to a stillborn baby 23 years ago last night.
From the very first moment the storyline was rumoured last month, fans were not impressed by the idea. And now it has played out on screen, it’s left a very bitter taste for many long-time Corrie viewers. That’s especially because it seems to have been used as a plot device for an affair between Toyah and Nick Tilsley.
Despite the powerhouse performance of Georgia Taylor as she revisited the traumatic incident, fans are resolutely unhappy.
Fans hit out at Coronation Street over Toyah baby storyline
Writing on X as the show aired, viewers didn’t hold back saying they were “disgusted”.
“Typical. The moment can’t just be about Toyah revisiting one of the worst moments of her life, reliving not just losing her baby but also the rape, but it has to be turned into a potential affair now too really?” cried one.
Another added: “Feels like they created a new trauma for Toyah (in case she’s not been through enough) just for the sake of an affair storyline. I’m disgusted with the Corrie executive producers for this tbh. She could’ve still had an affair with Nick without it.”
“Imagine using a dead baby storyline just as an easy segue into some boring affair between Nick and Toyah. This show,” sighed a third.
Multiple plots holes have been called out following the scenes. So just what was wrong with Toyah‘s big confession?
1. Toyah was on screen in Coronation Street when supposedly pregnant
When Toyah was raped in 2001 she was on screen throughout. She never looked pregnant, nor seemed upset or unwell in the days that followed her supposedly giving birth in a traumatic way. In fact the scenes have recently aired in Classic Coronation Street on ITV3, so fans have been able to go back and see exactly what happened.
Toyah was assaulted mid April 2001. She says she had the baby 26 weeks later. This is a very non pregnant Toyah from an episode that was broadcast at the beginning of October 2001, just before she would of had giver birth
Pack this ridiculousness in!!#Corrie #CoronationStreet pic.twitter.com/1YamXWDPAs
— AL PARR (@MrAlParr) April 24, 2024
Another fan even went so far as to dig out lots of old clips of the time Toyah would have given birth. They showed her happy and not at all pregnant or traumatised. They then wrote: “Coronation Street writers have told us a few porkies in the past, but this one is provably false. I’m stunned such a huge retcon has made it to air, and I’m disappointed the actors involved appear to have not objected to it.
“If Corrie want to treat its viewers like fools, they can expect a few less of them. This story is insulting, not to mention in poor taste. Complaints will come I’m sure of it, and they deserve every one of them.”
Someone else agreed: “Toyah was on screen in 2001. If she gave birth and buried her dead child there would be [bleep] signs, yet she was completely normal! What a barbaric retcon for ‘entertainment’.”
Others expressed their confusion: “I don’t remember Toyah being pregnant?” queried one.
“Scenes of Toyah’s distress?” Is that because the retcon of Toyah’s history is completely unnecessary, tacky and insulting to the character and viewership?!” raged one more.
A further commenter agreed: “I hate seeing Coronation Street rewriting history regarding Toyah. This whole storyline is just wrong and not in keeping with the original storytelling. Don’t get me wrong Georgia Taylor is a fantastic actress though but this isn’t what happened.”
2. She’s never mentioned it
This is the big one. Why has this never been brought up before?
Toyah’s whole character arc has been based around her desperate, gut-wrenching longing for a baby of her own. Yet not once, not at any point has she ever mentioned this before. Not even when her sister was devastated after losing her own child, Oliver. She also would have undergone countless tests during her fertility journey and it would have been revealed then she had had a previous pregnancy.
“Toyah came back there was so much about her wanting children and fostering that this would have come out then! It’s stupid and insulting to viewers,” declared one.
Another added: “I find it quite alarming/confusing how when Leanne lost Oliver, Toyah never mentioned this dead baby.”
“Toyah helped deliver Oliver and was involved in the early days of Eva’s baby and Alfie’s lives when they were born. Surely that would have triggered something with Toyah or are we now seeing why she so badly wanted to be a mum?” asked someone else.
A fourth wrote: “Why are we hearing about Toyah’s baby now and not when she was desperate for a child with Peter? It’s so unconvincing.”
“You’re trying to tell me Toyah has managed to conceal this information for 23 years not a shed of grief whatsoever and in the last two eps she’s a grieving mother?” added another incredulous viewer.
Someone else agreed:”Something like this should have been brought up during Toyah’s relationship with Peter especially with the Eva and Susie situation. Why are they only bringing this up now? Very bad taste.”
3. Les and Janice would have noticed
Despite Toyah claiming her mum and stepdad, Les and Janice Battersby, were too preoccupied with their own lives at the time to notice her, it’s simply not true. They were absolutely there for her during the rape scenes and beyond, and fans have insisted that’s just not what would have happened.
“I’m sorry but Janice and Les were both great with Toyah. They would have noticed. Les was always in that house too,” said one.
Another agreed: “As if she wouldn’t have been begging her mammy to help her, this was Janice, ridiculous.”
“Is this an alternate Corrie universe as that never happened to Toyah on this timeline did it, Janice would have noticed surely,” added someone else.
“This is such [bleep]. Janice was totally there for Toyah after her rape,” raged another.
4. Toyah took the morning after pill
Several fans have pointed out Toyah had lots of tests after being raped and even took the morning after pill.
“Toyah took the morning after pill after Phil Simmonds raped her though,” said one. Others added the same comment.
Someone else said: “What is it with them and Toyah? It’s crazy! When she was raped in 2001 they made a big fuss out of the whole storyline with the morning after pill as well.”
And a third wrote: “Janice really stepped up and made Toyah go for tests afterwards. Pretty sure they all came back negative.”
5. How did she know?
Toyah at first claimed she didn’t even know she was pregnant. She then said she was 26 weeks gone when Rose was born. How did she add all that up?
“One minute Toyah says she didn’t know she was pregnant, the next she says it was 26 weeks along. Guess she must’ve kept a diary back then? So many plot holes!” said one.
Another added: “If Toyah didn’t know she was pregnant, how did she know she was 26 weeks? What a load of nonsense.”
However, this could be explained by the fact Toyah knew when she was raped and worked backwards to then.
But, it doesn’t explain how she knew she was in labour. Any woman who’s given birth will know when the pain starts if you don’t know you’re expecting a baby you’d call an ambulance straight away because it’s so bad.
How will Corrie cope with the aftermath of this story? Is there any way to put it right?
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Read more: Who’s leaving Coronation Street in 2024?
Coronation Street usually airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV.
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