Shona and Jodie on Coronation Street on January 22, 2026 / ITV
Julia Goulding has hinted that her Coronation Street character Shona could return to harsher ways if she discovers the truth about her sister Jodie (Olivia Frances-Brown).
First appearing in the Corriedale special at the start of the year, Jodie has since been taken in by the Platts and has steadily ingratiated herself with the family – but it has been clear to viewers that she has been harbouring more than one secret.
Subtly undermining her sister at every turn and getting close to her husband David (Jack P Shepherd), Jodie is also known to have lied about having had an abortion in an abusive relationship, while she is also concealing a trinket box full of secrets.
In this week’s episodes, her deception could be exposed when Shona catches Jodie implying to another mum at the hospital that she is baby Harper’s mother.
“It definitely raised a red flag, but Jodie is a very skilled manipulator and a quick liar,” said Goulding, who will mark 10 years on the cobbles this December. “Shona is so emotionally on her knees that she simply doesn’t have the capacity to take on any more drama. She just brushes it off because she’s too exhausted to fight it.”
“She’s fuming initially,” she continued. “She’s like, ‘What are you playing at?’ But Jodie is so good at talking her way out of things that Shona ends up believing her. It’s hard to get into that headspace sometimes because it feels so risky, but Shona just wants to trust her sister.”
Asked how Shona might react when the truth about her manipulative sister is exposed, Goulding replied: “I’d love to see Shona kick off and bring back that ‘Bad Shona’ energy! She’s been made a lot softer on the street lately. I want to see the hard Shona return – the one people should actually fear!”
Coronation Street is released weekdays at 7am on ITVX and airs at 7.30pm on ITV1.
