Theo on Coronation Street on August 11, 2025 / ITV
Coronation Street star James Cartwright has revealed that his character Theo Silverton will feel the effects of “unprecedented” pressure in this week’s episodes.
Having finally faced up to his sexuality, Theo has left his scorned wife Danielle (Natalie Anderson) and moved in with boyfriend Todd (Gareth Pierce).
Theo recently learned that Danielle has a new man in her life – Noah (Richard Winsor), who preaches gay conversion and has previously tried his techniques on Theo.
In upcoming episodes Theo learns that his wife and kids are pictured on a leaflet distributed by Noah that promotes “traditional family values” and takes his anger out on Gary’s (Mikey North) builders’ yard.
“I think it’s a pressure that’s built up inside of him,” explained Cartwright. “Something’s got to give and he can’t live like that any more. I think the amount of pressure he’s feeling is unprecedented.
“Threats to anyone’s family is most people’s main trigger. You’ve got this man coming back into his life who used to be a friend once upon a time who is now sleeping with his ex-wife, treating his kids like his own and indoctrinating them that homosexuality is wrong.
“So the amount of shame he must feel is incredible. He hates himself, he’s so unable to live comfortably with the choices he’s made. He can’t make peace with his decisions and at the same time he’s got someone telling him that it’s wrong.”
Gary finds Theo in a broken state and, having learned what Noah has been doing, decides to head off to confront him.
“What Theo likes about Gary is he sees him as a man’s man, he’s a builder, and he’s from Theo’s world which is scaffolding, yet he is completely accepting of the fact that Theo is a gay man,” Cartwright continued.
“If anything he’s not only accepting, he’s outraged that Noah is behaving the way he is with his family and towards Theo.
“Gary’s moral compass is very strong, although people might not always agree with his methods. He gets to the point where he just can’t see his friend being treated like that, so he takes it upon himself to serve a bit of vigilante justice.”
Despite some alarming signs of Theo’s temper towards Todd in recent weeks, Cartwright insists that Theo considers Todd to be the one.
“Todd is everything to him, Todd at the moment is all he has,” he added. “He really truly believes that Todd is his true love, he’s given up everything to be with him, Todd is his world. I think he’s the first person Theo has ever met that he can truly be himself with.”
Coronation Street streams Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7am on ITVX and airs at 8pm on ITV1.
