’Coronation Street’ kicked off a new ‘whodunnit?’ storyline on Monday (27 March) night, after Ken Barlow was pushed down the stairs in a shock attack.
The soap has lined up six suspects who will come under intense scrutiny over the next few weeks, in the hunt for the real culprit.
Ken had fallen out with a lot of people before his attack, and no less than four of the suspects are characters he is directly related to - but could one of his own flesh and blood really have attempted to kill him?
As the plot kicks off, we line up all the potential attackers and take a look at their motives for wanting Ken dead, as well as their all-important whereabouts at the time of the attack...
Adam Barlow
Motive: Adam feels marginalized and pushed out by Ken who he believes favours his children over him, seeing him more as the son of his arch enemy Mike Baldwin, than his grandson and his own flesh and blood. In the weeks leading up to attack on Ken the pair have become completely estranged. Ken discovered Adam’s stash of cash and burned it leaving Adam as a sitting duck for drug dealer Ronan who had demanded the money back. When Adam was beaten half to death, for not having the money to hand over, Ken visited his grandson his hospital. However far from being a caring grandfather he told Adam it would be better if he left Weatherfield and went back to Canada. Ken subsequently told the family Adam had left to follow up a job opportunity
Whereabouts: As far as the family are concerned Adam is in Canada but he was seen by viewers skulking around by the salon before boarding a bus out of town without being seen by anyone. Was he back in Weatherfield to seek revenge for Ken washing his hands of him?
Daniel Osbourne
Motive: Daniel arrived in Weatherfield at the back end of last year with abandonment issues and a whole host of secrets. Since then there has been nothing but trouble on the cobbles for the prodigal son, more recently with Ken mounting the pressure on Daniel over his future and meddling in his affairs of the heart. When Sinead and Daniel decide to keep their baby, Daniel pushes his Oxford place to the back of his mind meanwhile Ken arranges a celebratory meal in the Bistro for his son. As Daniel’s two worlds collide, the storm begins but Daniel is adamant that he will turn down his university offer for love. So Daniel is devastated when he discovers Sinead has had a miscarriage but her lies unravel further and it is revealed she got rid of the baby alone. With a black cloud looming over him, Daniel attempts to find solace in a book Ken gave him but reading the inscription inside, his mood darkens and he leaves Sinead an urgent phone message before heading out - has the emotional turmoil of the last few weeks tipped Daniel over the edge?
Whereabouts: Daniel was licking his wounds alone in the shop flat before letting himself in to No.1 where he finds a flustered Phelan standing over his father. Although he was the one to call the ambulance, could his all consuming fury put him in the frame?
Pat Phelan
Motive: Phelan is fuming with Ken after he accused him of doing a botched job on the Barlows kitchen, claiming Phelan should be grateful for the work when most people wouldn’t give him the time of day. Seething, Phelan was heard venting his spleen in the Rovers, shocking Todd and Billy with the strength of his anger. Phelan hates being criticised by anyone, has he seen red and pushed Ken?
Whereabouts: Phelan was found by Daniel standing over an unconscious, lifeless Ken in the Barlows hallway. He claimed he’d just walked in but was Phelan there minutes earlier to deliver the deadly blow? With no alibi Phelan could be top of the police’s suspect list.
Peter Barlow
Motive: Peter has always had a fractious relationship with his father and the two have rarely seen eye to eye. Growing up Peter felt abandoned by Ken and felt he was a disappointment to him. Despite Peter turning over a new leaf and cleaning up his act before his return to Weatherfield last year it seems Ken is still all too ready to believe the worst of his eldest child. In recent weeks viewers have seen Ken horrified by Peter’s plans to buy the Rovers leaving Peter feeling belittled by his father. Things reached a head when Ken believed Chloe’s lies about Peter and her being together and him being back on the bottle. Ken told Toyah what he had learned which resulted in her dumping Peter and going back to husband Toby. Left with nothing has Ken pushed Peter to the brink?
Whereabouts: Having accused Ken of wrecking his life Peter helped himself to a bottle of whiskey from the Rovers and headed back to his flat where he stared temptation in the eye. Having reached a decision he smashed the bottle to smithereens before slamming out of the flat. Did Peter attack Ken before then packing his bags and preparing to leave Weatherfield just as Toyah returned?
Tracy Barlow
Motive: Tracy has got more than one motive for wanting to kill Ken and let’s face it she’s got form, having previously murdered Charlie Stubbs. Tracy was appalled when she overheard Ken ranting at Sinead about his wasted life with her mum Deirdre. When Ken then refused to lend her the money to buy the flower shop premises she was fuming and rowed with Ken, accusing him of putting his real kids before her and daughter Amy. Tracy also found Ken’s will at the Barlows. Tracy’s always at her worst when she feels the world is against her, has this cocktail of disappointment served by Ken pushed a vengeful Tracy to want to kill once more?
Whereabouts: Tracy was at the Community Centre talent show with boyfriend Luke, all set to watch her daughter Amy perform her violin recital. But when Amy went missing just before her performance Luke and Tracy left to search the street for Amy. Did Tracy sneak away for a few minutes in order to have it out with her father, resulting in them coming to blows.
Sinead Tinker
Motive: Heartache has been at the centre of Sinead and Daniel’s relationship and the course of love has been a rocky road of disapproval from family and neighbours amid a baby bombshell. Sinead was preparing to play happy families with Daniel until she bore the brunt of Ken’s rage after the Oxford Uni celebration party at the Bistro. Accusing her of stifling Daniel’s university dream, Ken insisted that she was nothing more than a factory girl. Weatherfield’s Romeo and Juliet failed to get their happy ending when Sinead confessed to Daniel that she went ahead with an abortion in a bid to give him his golden Oxford opportunity, much to his disgust. Later, through tears, Sinead revealed to Beth that it was Ken’s wrath that prompted her final decision. With her heart in tatters and her head a whirlpool of Ken’s wicked words, could Sinead be the guilty one?
Whereabouts: A heartbroken Sinead was drunk and devastated as she hammered on the door of No.1, looking for Daniel. Getting no answer, did Sinead get in another way and come face to face with the man who she blames for forcing her to abort her child?
'Coronation Street' continues on Wednesday at 7.30pm on ITV.