Coronation Street producer Iain MacLeod has given extensive teasers about what's to come on the soap in early 2022 - and Jenny's (Sally Ann Matthews) relationship with Leo (Joe Frost) looks like it might go the long haul.
Jenny started dating hunky rugby player Leo, who's around two decades her junior, last year but broke things off following the tragic death of her estranged husband Johnny.
Over the festive period Leo has come back into her life, however, and despite her reservations about the age difference she has slowly come around to the idea of seeing a younger man.
"When an older man dates a younger woman in soap no-one blinks an eye, but when it's the other way round it becomes the story," MacLeod told reporters.
"The relationship between Jenny and Leo addresses that. Jenny must overcome her own internalised prejudices of being a 'cougar' and whether he has some kind of fetish for older women.
"It's funny, romantic, cringey in a deliberate way, and sees Jenny single-mindedly decide to pursue her own happiness but it's not straightforward."
As for Jenny's pub, The Rovers, he added: "The Rovers has been one of the biggest challenges [during the coronavirus pandemic]. I am itching to chuck 15 people in there as soon as I can.
"We finally have a group working there that bring fun and chemistry - Emma, Gemma, Sean, Jenny and Daisy - so we want the Rovers back to what it should be."
Coronation Street continues Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on ITV.
Neil Wilkes
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