Throughout Todd Grimshaw’s (Gareth Pierce) domestic violence hell at the hands of abusive bully Theo Silverton (James Cartwright), the presence of his formidable mum, Eileen Grimshaw (Sue Cleaver), has never been missed more. Fear not. Coronation Street have got it covered.
Todd’s story has been an uncomfortable watch – which is obviously the point. Seeing a character so full of confidence and wit ground down physically and emotionally by relentless violence and gaslighting behind closed doors is supposed to make uneasy because it could happen to anyone – or anyone we know.
For months, nobody suspected that Theo was making Todd’s life one long nightmare.
Fortunately, that’s all over.
Once George Shuttleworth (Tony Maudsley) saw Theo’s vile abuse for himself, he rallied all of Todd’s closet friends like Christina Boyd (Amy Robbins), Summer Spellman (Harriet Bibby) and Sarah Platt (Tina O’Brien) to help him escape. After suffering a brutal beating from Theo, Todd reported him to the police for assault.
Throughout this hellish ordeal, it’s been heartwarming to see how far his friends have been willing to go to keep Todd safe. George gave Todd an ‘escape bag’ filled with essentials, in case he ever needed to run away from Theo.
Sarah Platt went rummaging through Theo’s belongings looking for evidence. Even Summer stood up to the bully. They’ve all been the light at the end of the tunnel that gave the story hope and reminded Todd that even in his darkest hour, he’s got his Weatherfield family.
However, his actual family felt conspicuous by their absence. What would Eileen make of all this?
The no-nonsense Street Cars switchboard operator trod the Cobbles for twenty give years, doling out tough love to family, friends and punters alike.
To say Eileen had a complex relationship with Todd would be something on an understatement. Her wayward son has driven his mum up the wall over the years, with greatest hits including cheating on Sarah was she was pregnant with his child, being suckered into a scam by Eileen’s psychotic husband Pat Phelan’s (Connor McIntyre) scam, and ruining his brother Jason’s (Ryan Thomas) business by cutting corners on Tyrone Dobbs’ (Alan Halsall) loft conversion, resulting in serious injury.
No matter the drama, Eileen loved Todd and would go to the ends of the earth to protect her lad. In 2025, she bid Weatherfield farewell and departed to Thailand with Jason in search of a new life.
Given how wonderful a mum Eileen was always portrayed to be, fans were crying out for the classic Cobbles character to be involved in her son’s abuse storyline.
Last Friday, Coronation Street gave the people what they want.
After sustaining serious injuries from Theo’s attack, Todd was released from hospital and moved back into Number 11 Coronation St , where George, Christina and Mary Taylor (Pattie Clare) fussed over him nonstop. It was in the episode that Todd decided to give Eileen a call and break the news about Theo.
Anyone else keeping everything crossed for Eileen to charge over from Bangkok and confront Theo?
This comes after a huge outpouring online where fans were decidedly confused by the lack of Eileen mentions during Todd’s story.
One user commented: ‘#corrie surely, Eileen will have to be brought back for a while at least, or are we supposed to think she doesn’t know about Todd.’
Another agreed, wondering: ‘At what point will someone in #Corrie decide it’s time to contact Eileen & Jason to let them know what is happening to Todd?”
They weren’t alone, with a third commenter noting ‘Gail gets a mention, but Todd nearly gets killed, and I still haven’t heard them mention Eileen #corrie.”
A fourth user added: ‘I understand actors leave their role but can’t the writers just write that Eileen and Jason have come back to comfort Todd but we just don’t see them on screen because Eileen would be straight on the first plane home and no way would George not tell her what’s gone on #corrie.’
If Eileen wants to have it out with Theo, she better get her skates on. With Corrie’s Whodunnit Murder Mystery just around the corner, Theo is one of five potential victims who could have a close encounter with the Grim Reaper on the Cobbles. Is it too much to ask that the iconic Mrs Grimshaw makes a return to Weatherfield to wreak revenge on Theo for Todd?
Come on, Eileen…
