Coronation Street will weave the colour purple, a global symbol for domestic violence awareness, throughout its latest episode to highlight the issue.
The soap is currently showing Todd Grimshaw, played by Gareth Pierce, as the victim of months of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of his partner, Theo Silverton (James Cartwright).
In the latest instalment of the soap, viewers will see Grimshaw finally report Silverton to the police after enduring a "horrific beating" in a stylised episode which uses purple to highlight those impacted by domestic violence.
In a preview of Wednesday night's episode, residents of Weatherfield including Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall) and Lauren Bolton (Cait Fitton) are seen dressed in purple or donning a purple accessory.
Dobbs and Bolton, who were both victims in previous domestic abuse storylines on the soap, and other characters wearing purple will serve as a visual reminder of the reality of how many people are impacted by the issue.
Grimshaw will also wear the colour – which represents peace, courage, survival, and dedication to ending abuse – as he prepares to free himself from the abusive relationship.
Pierce, who called the storyline a "tough watch at times", hailed the importance of highlighting the issue on TV and said: "So many domestic abuse survivors have shared their experiences with us throughout this storyline.
"Weaving those voices into this episode through the use of colour felt like a powerful reminder of how widespread stories like Todd’s are.
"I haven’t seen the finished episode yet, but the moment Todd first locks eyes with another survivor in the police station was particularly raw and cathartic to film."
Galop, an LGBTQ+ anti-abuse charity, was called in by the Coronation Street research team to ensure the story was told accurately and sensitively.
Manchester Women’s Aid, a charity which specialises in domestic abuse services, for the ongoing storyline, was also consulted for the storyline.
Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays on Virgin Media One and ITV1.
If you've been affected by the issues in this story, support is available via the helplines here.
Source: Press Association
