Coronation Street’s Emma Brooker hasn’t had an easy time of it – especially not with her fiancé Curtis Delamere lying to her about his health.
Since his entrance onto the cobbles, Curtis has claimed to have a terminal heart condition – but viewers now know that he is actually suffering from a fictitious disorder.
With the pair due imminently to wed in an intimate winter ceremony, will they ever make it to the altar after Emma discovers the huge secret Curtis has been keeping from her and dad Steve, who has stumped up the funds to pay for hospital treatment?
Speaking to Daily Star and other publications, actor Sam Retford, who plays Curtis, explained that the couple might not have the wedding of their dreams.
Sam explained: “It’s really difficult, because I think he’s just got far too deep – because for him, she taught him so much about himself but just a bit too late.
“He would do this before, with other people, but he would leave in really timely manner. He would get what he wanted to, not consciously, but once he felt that fulfilment, he would say, ‘Well – the risk is too high to stay now’, so he would make up an excuse and he would run away so he didn’t have to face any more authentic introspection.”
(Image: ITV)
But things were different with Emma, Sam said.
He continued: “I think with Emma it was different, because he found someone where it was worth it. I think he knew it was going to come up – and while he didn’t necessarily have the emotional intelligence to bring it up himself, he knew it would come up – and I think he was almost looking forward to that moment.
“Because as well as fearing it, he’s thinking it’s going to be the only chance he gets, and if she stays, she stays, and if she doesn’t, she doesn’t.”
And Curtis’ lies likely haven’t come to an end, as he promises Emma he’ll get help.
(Image: ITV)
“When we look at people with fictitious illness disorder, it’s easy to say you’ll get help. If someone turns around and says, ‘I’ll stay with you if you get help’, you’d go, ‘Yeah, sure, absolutely’.
“But to actually take it on board and go and do it is another question entirely. I think Curtis does want help, but it’s an immense challenge for a young adult to completely rewrite their past and their life; you’re completely re-mapping the way that you think.”
And his lies to Steve about the funding could drive an even bigger wedge between him and the McDonald family.
“I think the trouble with lying is that even if you think it’s a small lie and make amends to it, once Curtis has betrayed that trust once it’s very difficult to come back from that.
“He’s never had to do that before – because once he’s betrayed someone’s trust and been found out he’s left. He’s never had to stick around before.
(Image: ITV)
“So Steve is another learning platform for him and a paternal figure that is willing to help. And when Curtis sees that tangibly he grasps onto it.”
But Sam is keen to demystify – and de-villainise – the condition of fictitious disorder, and Emma’s relationship with Curtis is the perfect way for him to do that.
He went on: “He has a huge amount of anxiety with [telling Emma] and his brain immediately goes to the worst case scenario and because he’s never built an unconditional relationship in his life he thinks, ‘The slightest flaw I have they’ll think I’m a monster’.
“But [Emma] is a safety net for him. She sits there and she’s like, ‘I’ll take these lies, keep going’, and she just weathers them thankfully and breaks him down to the point where he feels he can be honest with her.
“I think it’s the first time he’s been honest in his entire life, so that was a really beautiful moment to play with Allie [Mardell].”
He added of Emma’s character: “She sits in such an emotionally mature realm within the relationship, where she’s able to have her own internal turmoil and yet know there’s a person here that she loves, that she is willing to stand with and help.
“And I think it really de-villainises the disorder, shows that it’s just sad and lonely and then I got really happy for him when Curtis is shown a world where you can still have these demons that make you do these things, but people are willing to fight for that side of you.”
Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on ITV from 7:30pm.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
