Coronation Street icon Carla Connor (Alison King) was revealed to have become a victim of evil Becky Swain on the Christmas Eve episode of world’s longest-running TV soap
The fate of Coronation Street icon Carla Connor was revealed in harrowing scenes that aired on Christmas Eve. The factory boss, who has been played by Alison King since 2006, struck up a relationship with DS Lisa Swain (Vicky Myers) and their union has enthralled viewers, leading them to become a social media sensation known as Swarla.
But things turned sour just after they got engaged, when Lisa’s wife Becky arrived back from the dead. It was initially thought that Becky, also a police officer, had been killed in the line of duty more than four years ago and Lisa and their daughter Betsy settled into life with Carla at number six. But, in actual fact, Becky’s supposed death had been part of a corrupt police cover-up and she has been hellbent on winning Lisa back ever since returning from her hideout in Spain.
Having managed to move her way into number six after claiming that a gang was after her, Becky was thrilled when Carla announced last week she was off to the Canary Islands. But in the latest episode if the world’s longest-running TV soap, things took a shocking turn when it was revealed that was not where she had ended up at all.
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Before the twist involving Carla came to light, Becky set about taking full advantage of Lisa when they were in the house alone. What started as a massage ended up with the pair heading upstairs. When all was said and done, Becky told Lisa: “I never stopped loving you, you know. We do need to think about…where do we go from here? “
Lisa insisted: “I’ve lost so much trust. I still love Carla too,” and Becky shot back: “Of course. Complicated Carla. I’m not being horrible, but which one of us is here? Carla was just a tourist, and it looks like she heard the bell ring and finally it was time to jump off the bus.”
Later that evening, Lisa voice noted Carla. She said: “It’s Christmas Eve, babe. I can’ stop thinking about you. I want you back in my life and I’m gonna do whatever it takes to get you back. It’s you. And it will only ever be you. I love you. Merry Christmas.” To Lisa’s relief, a message from Carla popped back up almost straight away.
In the very next scene, it turned out that Becky had gone back to her flat, and was texting Lisa herself, from Carla’s phone. This would mean that all of Carla’s social media pictures of herself on a beach were in fact, fake.
Becky threw down the mobile phone, got out of her chair and a terrified Carla appeared on screen, having been bound and gagged. She kicked Carla and coldly said: “Get back in the closet, Carla,” before slamming the door. Fans of the Manchester-based soap will remember that this is not the first time the businesswoman has found herself in this sort of sticky situation.
In 2010, Carla’s now-late husband Tony Gordon returned to Underworld from prison and, seeking revenge, he held Carla hostage along with fellow Street legend Hayley Cropper in the factory as he set it on fire. They both made it out alive, just before the building exploded, but earlier this year, Carla was held hostage by her brother Rob Donovan at number one, who had escaped from prison after almost a decade behind bars for the murder of Tina McIntyre.
Reacting to the latest kidnap twist, fans predicted that even if Carla does manage to make it out of her latest scrape, there will never be a reconciliation between herself and Lisa, and that the policewoman will likely be leaving Weatherfield for good.
One fan wrote on Reddit: “I don’t see a way back for Carla and Lisa at present and more importantly I can’t see a way back for Lisa as a character in 2026 in general and I am someone that actually likes her character.”
Another said: “I said about a month ago Lisa wants her cake and to eat it too and that’s what’s transpired. She’s quite happy to have Becky around and enjoys her being there regardless of Betsy or fake gangs. She was lying to herself saying otherwise at the start. She expected Carla to be fine with that which is just ridiculous.”
Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok, Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads