The moment that Coronation Street fans have been waiting five months for arrives tonight as The Joinery explodes and a tram crashes onto the cobbles in a dramatic double bill of the ITV1 soap. Created to mark the show's 50th anniversary, the shock disaster will see the drama lose some much-loved characters over the coming days, send existing storylines in new directions and also spark some new plots which are expected to start the New Year with a bang.
Join DS here from 7.30pm as we provide live updates from tonight's episodes on the night that Weatherfield changes forever. As the episode airs and afterwards, don't forget to use the form at the bottom of the page to have your say!
7.30pm: Janice approaches Ken on the street and reminds him that they're about to be related as the camera pans up and we see a glimpse above the viaduct and of wider Weatherfield.
7.32pm: Molly is on the phone to her father and says that she'll be catching the tram and will see him later. Tyrone is unhappy and firmly warns that he's not going to let her leave.
7.33pm: At The Kabin, Norris chastises Becky for letting Max wander off from the pub, but Rita warns him to mind his own business. At the bookies, Peter and Leanne flirt as they discuss their upcoming marriage - but as Leanne leaves, it's clear that she still has doubts about their future.
7.34pm: Sally bumps into Tyrone at the Corner Shop and hassles him about Christmas arrangements. Tyrone loses his temper and reveals that Molly plans to leave tonight and take the baby with her. Sally is shocked as Tyrone admits that Molly no longer loves him.
7.35pm: At The Joinery, Ciaran complains about problems with the gas supply, so Nick tells him that he'll have to serve up cold food instead.
7.36pm: In the back room at The Joinery, Leanne tells Nick that she plans to stay with Peter, leaving him crushed. She then heads over The Rovers for her hen night celebrations, where Tina is having her first night behind the bar.
7.37pm: Janice admits that she's fed up with being alone, while Eileen insists that she's alone by choice. Meanwhile, Tina tells Julie that Graeme is having a quiet night in at the flat.
7.38pm: Sally has told the Websters about the problems between Tyrone and Molly. Sally wants to get involved and head over there, but Kevin furiously warns her to stay away - saying that the last thing they need is an audience. At the Dobbs house, Tyrone tells Molly that she's "not right in the head" and angrily throws her clothes out of her suitcase, saying that she's not leaving.
7.39pm: Tyrone is becoming increasingly distraught as the thought of life without Molly and Jack sinks in. At his lowest ebb, he begs Molly to stay and says that she can carry on having her affair as long as he can keep living with the baby. As he asks his wife to take pity on him, Molly deals Tyrone a new blow by declaring that this is exactly what she has been doing…
7.40pm: John is trying to hang up a Christmas wreath on his front door, and Fiz offers to get him a hammer. Chesney and Katy tell the pair what they have planned for the evening, while Peter and Carla have a friendly chat on the cobbles and Ashley bids Claire farewell as he heads off to the stag night.
7.41pm: John receives a phone call from Charlotte, who is keeping an eye on proceedings outside. After she quizzes him about whether he's told Fiz the truth yet, Fiz heads out to the hen night and Charlotte watches with a sinister look on her face as they affectionately part company…
7.46pm: Back from an advert break, and it's all getting a bit rowdy at the stag night, while Lloyd teases Steve about his history of weddings.
7.47pm: At The Rovers, Norris asks Tina how she's enjoying her new job and confesses that he'll be leaving soon due to all the rowdy women at the hen night.
7.48pm: Julie admits that she'd love to be married - even if it was just for a day so she'd know what it's like! Leanne tells the others that she wants to be with Peter for the rest of her life, but Carla can't keep her mouth shut and makes a barbed comment, to Leanne's frustration.
7.49pm: Ken ponders whether he's done the right thing with regard to Leanne, as he and Deirdre head off to the respective parties. At The Joinery, Chris is giving Cheryl grief about getting a babysitter rather than letting him look after his own son. Lloyd steps in and things get heated, while Ken turns up at the bar.
7.50pm: A depressed Nick knocks back the booze at The Joinery, before heading off purposefully.
7.51pm: Nick turns up at the pub and takes Leanne outside. He says that Leanne knows in her heart that she's doing the wrong thing and could still run away with him. Leanne is shocked by the suggestion, but it's clear that she's tempted.
7.52pm: Both Nick and Leanne are now in tears. Nick tells Leanne that he won't let her marry Peter, but Leanne insists that the wedding will be going ahead. Nick hints that the truth could come out, but Leanne says that Peter won't hear it from her and storms off. Will Nick reveal all?
7.53pm: Back inside, scheming Carla can't resist sticking her oar in and encourages Nick to return to The Joinery and tell Peter the truth. At the Dobbs' residence, Tyrone stands in Molly's way to stop her from leaving.
7.54pm: Tyrone finally agrees that Molly can leave, but says she must leave Jack behind. Meanwhile, Maria arrives at The Rovers and Becky panics as Max has gone missing again. She heads out onto the street. Meanwhile, Charlotte knocks furiously on John's door…
7.55pm: A panicked John brings Charlotte inside the house. At the Dobbs house, Tyrone insists that he won't let Molly leave with his flesh and blood. Pushed to the edge, Molly admits that Jack isn't Tyrone's flesh and blood at all - he's somebody else's child...
7.56pm: Shocked to the core, Tyrone demands to know who the father is. We're then treated to a preview of what's in store in half an hour's time - that tram is coming down…
7.57pm: Our live updates will resume when Corrie continues at 8.30pm! In the meantime, ITV1 will be re-airing the show's historic first episode...
8.29pm: We're back, and the ITV announcer promises an event that's going to change the lives of Weatherfield's residents forever.
8.30pm: Tyrone demands answers from Molly and claims that she must be lying to provide an excuse for her behaviour, so Molly explains that she had a long affair last year and even came close to leaving him at Christmas. She apologises for everything and says that Tyrone deserves better.
8.31pm: Tyrone angrily declares that Molly should have never returned to him following their previous problems. Meanwhile, Rita's plans for the evening have changed following a phone call from her friend, so outside on the cobbles, she tells Nick that she's facing another quiet night in front of the telly.
8.32pm: After trying to get a kiss from John under the mistletoe, Charlotte demands that he call Fiz and order her home so he can tell her the truth. Meanwhile, at the Dobbs residence, Tyrone brands Molly "a cheating liar". She tries to make him feel better by saying that he can keep the house, but a tearful Tyrone is unimpressed, shouting that she's ripped his life to shreds.
8.33pm: Tyrone shouts "I hate you - you're an evil slag!" as Molly makes her exit. At the hen night, Leanne is looking miserable while Sean frets about Max's disappearance. Dr. Carter arrives at the pub - he may come in handy later…
8.34pm: Molly waits outside on the street and tries to call Kevin, but at the Websters', he chooses not to answer his phone. Meanwhile, Sally says that they should get some dessert from the Corner Shop.
8.35pm: Becky scours the street for Max. Meanwhile, at the Stapes', John tries to buy more time by sending Charlotte away. However, Charlotte isn't having any of it - she says they love each other and should be together forever.
8.36pm: At the stag night, everyone complains about Ciaran's cold food. He explains the problem with the gas. Meanwhile, the men share some banter as they name the one thing in life they can't live without. A drunken Ashley admits that he couldn't live without Claire, while the other men also declare their love for their partners - although Ciaran isn't impressed by their soppiness.
8.37pm: Nick tells Ken that he's planning to tell Peter the truth, leaving Ken stunned. Meanwhile, at John's, Charlotte complaints about her arch-rival "Fizzy Wizzy"!
8.38pm: John finally tells Charlotte that he'll never love her and the whole farce has to stop. But a distressed Charlotte says that his relationship with Fiz is based on a lie because she doesn't know the real him.
8.39pm: Charlotte seems more crazed than ever and insists that she's about to go over to The Rovers to tell Fiz everything. John tries to stop her from leaving, so Charlotte asks whether he's about to add violence against a woman to his growing list of crimes. Picking up a hammer, she swings it wildly, but John grabs it off her. As Charlotte goes to leave, promising to tell Fiz "the dirty truth about John Stape", John violently plunges the hammer into Charlotte. The force of his shock attack knocks her against the front door - causing the Christmas wreath to fall outside...
8.44pm: Back from an advert break, and John checks for Charlotte's pulse, but his hands end up covered in blood. Tyrone turns up at the Websters' and tells Sally the shocking truth about Jack. Meanwhile, Kevin has gone out to buy pudding.
8.45pm: Tension between Lloyd and Chris is continuing to develop. Meanwhile, Nick lies to Peter, saying that Leanne is on the phone in the office. Peter is confused but follows him in. At the Corner Shop, Molly says goodbye to Sunita and admits that she won't be back.
8.46pm: Kevin turns up at the shop looking for pudding, leading to an awkward moment between him and Molly. Jack smiles at Kevin, making him feel even worse. As Sunita heads into the back, Molly admits that she's left Tyrone and that he's crushed. She also reveals that she's told him the truth about Jack but remained discreet about Kevin's involvement.
8.47pm: Molly suggests to Kevin that he should leave with her, but Kevin refuses. Molly tells him that he'll have to say goodbye to his son in that case - as she's not coming back… Meanwhile, Becky continues the search for Max, asking Claire if she's seen him.
8.48pm: Dr. Carter vows to have one more drink before leaving The Rovers. At the pub, Ken tells Leanne about Nick's intentions. Leanne says that she can't do anything about it, making Ken wonder whether she wants him to tell Peter the truth.
8.49pm: John tries to move Charlotte's dead body. Steve knocks on his door to tell him about the wreath and ask about Max, but John gets rid of him. Grabbing his phone, John wonders whether to dial 999. Meanwhile, at The Kabin, Rita reaches up for some sweets.
8.50pm: Ashley interrupts Nick's plan to tell Peter the truth, telling Peter that he's leaving early. The pair say their goodbyes.
8.51pm: Tension boils over between Lloyd and Chris as they brawl at The Joinery. Meanwhile, Ken and Leanne head over to the venue. With the tension reaching a climax, we're offered glimpses of the characters at the centre of the drama, before The Joinery is rocked by a ferocious and terrifying explosion. Ken, Leanne and Kevin are all knocked to the ground on the cobbles, while at The Joinery, many of the patrons are trapped under rubble - including Nick, Peter and Ashley.
8.53pm: Everyone pours out of The Rovers, stunned by the scene of devastation on the end of the street. Deirdre calls the emergency services. Everyone heads towards the disaster scene, but Ken spots a tram coming along the viaduct and shouts for everyone to get back.
8.54pm: The front end of the tram careers from the viaduct and into the Corner Shop, despite the driver's attempts to slam on the brakes. Molly is horrified as the tram chases her and baby Jack through the shop - will she be okay? The back end, meanwhile, hangs precariously over the viaduct - there's a tense moment before it falls into The Kabin.
8.55pm: We leave the street in a scene of utter devastation. The camera pans up once again, giving us that glimpse of wider Weatherfield at a terrifying moment for the street's residents. Who will be injured? Who will live? Who will die? Those questions will be answered across the rest of the week…
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