Coronation Street paedophile returns to cobbles as actor issues warning to fans
Nathan Curtis (played by Chris Harper) will return to Coronation Street in scenes set to air in May and will come face-to-face with his victim Bethany Platt (Lucy Fallon).
Nathan was last seen on-screen in 2017 when he was jailed for the grooming and exploitation of young girls, including Bethany. He was put behind bars but has since been released much to the horror of Bethany - who also discovers he’s working in the precinct.
Realising just how close by he is, Bethany starts to suspect he’s had something to do with the disappearance of Lauren Bolton (Cait Fitton) - and even goes as far to accuse him of murder.
Chris is reprising his role on Coronation Street after seven years off-screen, and has a word of warning about his character. He said: “I really don’t think prison has reformed Nathan in the slightest, in some ways I think he’s even more clever and more manipulative.
"He’s hardened, he’s aware that he can take a kicking and he’s aware of the advantages of getting other people into trouble so he plays people off against the law. He’s hardened, he’s trickier, he’s starting again so the stakes are higher for him because he knows if he makes one mistake he’ll be back inside. He’s furious at having got caught rather than being repentant.”
However since being jailed, Bethany has grown up, she got a job in London and moved away from Coronation Street - before returning on New Year’s Eve 2023. And Chris reveals that Nathan is surprised by that side of her.
Chris explained: “I think Nathan tries to stamp his authority and it doesn’t work as well as it did and that catches him off guard momentarily. She's definitely grown up, she’s been through a lot but she’s been lucky enough to be supported by family and friends and there’s a strength she can find in that, so even when she’s faced with the snake she can stand up to it a bit.
“He’s not used to that, so not being able to push her over anymore means he’ll move on pretty quickly. But I imagine he’ll spend a lot of time loitering and making his presence felt.”
Viewers took a huge and understandable dislike to Nathan the last time he was on the cobbles. So how does Chris feel about playing him again?
He said: “If I get it right on set the crew laugh and shudder at him at the same time because he’s so vile and that’s really good fun. If I’m horrible enough, he really is repugnant so I do like the challenge of playing that side of him.
“My rule was that we didn’t want Nathan in any way to be forgiven, he’s not a prodigal son, he’s still manipulative and unkind but the writers really give him some witty lines and he has an ability to bounce things back at people in a way that I don’t think many other characters have licence to. There is a joy in playing that, the devil definitely gets the best tunes.”
