Coronation Street character returns to cobbles after 16 years for dark storyline

12 February 2024 , 00:01

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Coronation Street actress Jenny Platt will reprise her role as Violet Wilson for the first time since 2011 (Image: ITV)

Coronation Street is welcoming back a familiar face, with a character returning to the street after nearly two decades away.

Violet Wilson, the mother of Dylan Wilson, is heading back to Weatherfield as part of a dark storyline. Actress Jenny Platt will reprise her role for the first time in 13 years, while it's actually been 16 years since she was last on the Street.

Back in 2011, Violet made a very brief comeback as Sean Tully visited their son Dylan in London. Violet had left the Cobbles with lover Jamie Baldwin three years earlier with Dylan in 2008.

Things ended quite badly for pals Sean and Violet, after their agreement to have a child together amid Violet's initial split with Jamie and her learning she had a reduced chance of fertility, after she suffered an ectopic pregnancy and needed surgery. Violet fell pregnant with Sean's child while she eventually got back with Jamie, and soon Sean felt pushed out.

Violet ended off fleeing the street in secret with Jamie and baby Dylan, leaving Sean devastated while he did make contact with them a couple of years later, leading to the visit to London. It was only recently that Dylan moved back to Weatherfield to live with his father, and now it's been confirmed Violet is making a brief return to the show as part of his current storyline.

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Coronation Street is welcoming back a familiar face (ITV)

Dylan is currently at the centre of a dark bullying plot, with his pal Mason Radcliffe terrorising Liam Connor. With Dylan also targeting Liam on Mason's orders, events reach a devastating point where Liam contemplates taking his own life.

Now, it's been revealed that as the plot takes a new turn, Dylan's mum Violet heads back to the cobbles. A new image reveals the character is back, with her first scenes set to air on Wednesday 20 March - as Dylan faces the serious repercussions of his actions.

Sean actor Antony Cotton recently told The Mirror and other press about the return. He said: "She's not coming back permanently. We've tried to get her back in various different ways.

"At the end of the day she's Dylan's mum. We do often talk about Violet and Sean, off screen, goes down and sees them and stays with them, or whatever. But no, 16 years ago she left with Dylan, and she's never been seen on screen since.

Violet left the show in 2008, and returned for an episode in 2011 (Unknown)

"I've remained in touch with Jenny and Rupert [Hill, who played Jamie] so it's really strange. I've not gone anywhere I'm just here, she's not even been in the new building let alone played Violet.

"So I am very excited to see my mate Jenny and see Violet. I just hope she's not nervous because she doesn't need to be nervous but I imagine she will be because it's a completely different set up."

Antony also teased there would be some "blame thrown back and forth" between Dylan's parents over his involvement in the bullying twist. He shared his hope to see more of Violet too, telling us: "I think we're probably filming for about four weeks, she's probably in like a dozen episodes or something. And then who knows, this storyline is gonna go on.

"So I hope that as long as it goes well and she enjoys it, I'm hoping that we might see her again because if there's more of this stuff and it gets more more serious, one would imagine that we would perhaps see Violet again."

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Charlotte Tutton