Even when Theo Silverton is physically miles away from Weatherfield, his presence looms large in Coronation Street — and nowhere is that more painfully evident than in the life of Todd Grimshaw. What initially appears to be a long-distance absence soon reveals itself as something far more devastating, as Theo’s grip on Todd tightens at home while he quietly begins a secret relationship elsewhere.

At the heart of this storyline is control — not loud, explosive control, but the quiet, methodical kind that erodes a person from the inside out. Theo has now taken full command of Todd’s finances, using Todd’s brief period of unemployment and accumulated debt as a justification to strip him of independence. Framing it as “help,” Theo destroys Todd’s bank cards and insists it will be simpler if Todd relies on cash instead. In reality, the move leaves Todd completely dependent on him for even the most basic needs.

When Theo announces he’s heading to Doncaster to visit his parents, Todd is quietly stung that he hasn’t been invited along. Theo soothes him with empty reassurance, promising he’ll be back soon and leaving him a single £10 note to last the day. It’s a gesture that masquerades as care but feels uncomfortably like an allowance.

That £10 disappears faster than Todd expects. At the café, George realises he’s forgotten his wallet and Todd instinctively covers both breakfasts. It’s a small act of kindness — but one that carries weight when you’re counting coins. By the time Todd gets home, there’s very little left, and the isolation Theo has engineered becomes impossible to ignore.

This isn’t the first time Theo has cut Todd off from the people around him. Over recent weeks, viewers have watched Theo subtly distance Todd from friends and family, sowing guilt and self-doubt at every turn. Controlling Todd’s access to money proves to be the most effective weapon yet. Without cash, Todd can’t socialise freely, can’t reciprocate generosity, can’t even join George and Christina at the pub without feeling ashamed.

George insists he’d happily pay, but Todd declines. He knows he can’t sit there unable to buy a round, unable to feel like an equal. So instead, he returns home alone, expecting Theo back any moment — only to receive a text saying Theo will now be staying overnight in Doncaster.

Todd is left stranded.

The evening stretches ahead in silence, his only meal cornflakes and tinned tomatoes. It’s a bleak image, made all the more heartbreaking by Todd’s emotional state. Still reeling from the death of his closest friend — the one person who truly understood what he was going through and could have helped him escape — Todd is now more vulnerable than ever. Cut off from companionship and stripped of financial autonomy, he’s left fragile, grieving, and increasingly trapped.

Behind the scenes, the show’s producers have been clear that this exploitation is deliberate. Theo is preying on Todd at his weakest point, positioning himself as the only source of stability in a life that feels like it’s falling apart. Todd doesn’t see a manipulator — he sees a lifeline.

But here’s where the cruelty deepens.

While Todd spends the night alone, hungry and isolated, Theo isn’t simply visiting family. Viewers learn that Theo has begun a secret relationship in Doncaster — one that starkly contrasts the rigid, controlling role he enforces back home. Away from Weatherfield, Theo is charming, relaxed, and unburdened by the responsibilities he claims weigh so heavily on him. The man who polices Todd’s spending down to the last pound is suddenly generous, attentive, and emotionally available to someone else.

The betrayal is twofold: emotional and practical. While Todd is rationing food, Theo is enjoying intimacy elsewhere. While Todd is questioning his own worth, Theo is seeking validation from someone new.

The tragedy is that Todd doesn’t know — not yet.

What he does know is that something feels wrong. Theo’s absence stretches longer. Messages become shorter, more perfunctory. And yet, the rules at home remain rigid. Todd is still expected to justify every purchase, still made to feel reckless and irresponsible, still reminded that Theo is the one “keeping things together.”

Producers have hinted that this storyline will not resolve quickly. This isn’t a short-term crisis — it’s a slow-burn exploration of coercive control and emotional abuse. However, cracks are beginning to form. People around Todd are starting to notice that he isn’t himself anymore. He’s withdrawn, anxious, apologetic for things that were once second nature. He’s becoming a shadow of the man he used to be.

And those observations may become crucial.

As Theo juggles his double life, the very control he’s exerting could end up exposing him. Todd’s friends may not yet know the full truth, but they can see the symptoms — and the question is how they’ll respond when they realise what’s really happening. Intervention in situations like this is delicate, and the show is set to explore just how complex and dangerous it can be to confront an abuser who hides behind concern.

Running parallel to Todd’s ordeal is another storyline steeped in secrecy and manipulation, as Jodie continues to sabotage Shona’s attempts to reconnect with her past. In the same ITVX episode, Jodie once again crosses the line by interfering in Shona’s search for their father. Already shaken by Jodie’s claims of mistreatment during Shona’s absence from their childhood home, Shona is driven by guilt and a desire to make amends — unaware that her half-sister is hiding uncomfortable truths of her own.

Shona remembers that her father was once close to Bernard Bennett and reaches out in the hope of finding answers. But Jodie overhears the call at Roy’s Rolls and acts fast. She contacts Bernard first, presenting herself warmly and steering the conversation before Shona can speak to him again. When Shona later calls Bernard, she’s met with a cold response — he now claims he hasn’t been in touch with her father for years.

The shift devastates Shona, and while she senses something isn’t right, she’s left with no proof. Once again, a woman is being quietly controlled, redirected, and denied the truth — a thematic echo of Todd’s storyline playing out elsewhere on the cobbles.

Meanwhile, fans are also learning more about the actors behind the drama. Brody Michaelis, played by Ryan Mulvey, has already made a strong impression on-screen as the troubled son of Mick and Lou. But off-screen, Ryan’s life couldn’t be more different. Coming from a supportive and accomplished family — including a father who coaches at Manchester United’s academy — Ryan’s path into acting was a deliberate choice to step away from a football legacy and forge his own identity.

It’s a contrast that underlines one of Coronation Street’s greatest strengths: the way it weaves stories of control, choice, and self-determination both on and off screen.

As Theo’s secret relationship deepens and Todd’s isolation worsens, viewers are bracing for the inevitable moment when the truth begins to surface. When it does, the fallout won’t just be about infidelity — it will be about power, betrayal, and the devastating cost of manipulation disguised as love.

Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays on ITV1, with episodes available to stream on ITVX.