Sarah exit ‘confirmed’ after 23 years as she is jailed for murder in Coronation Street

It happened. This writer has toget the tram to Coronation Street and order a big portion of humble pie from the Rovers’ Return. Because Sarah Platt (Tina O’Brien) is going to prison for the murder of Theo Silverton (James Cartwright).

I said it wouldn’t happen.

In my list of impossible things to transpire on the Cobbles, ‘Sarah going to prison for murdering her best friend’s abusive partner’ was right up there with ‘Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford) taking personal responsibility for anything she’s ever done’ and Carl Webster (Jonathan Howard) deciding to be a nice person’.

Recently, Sarah was revealed to be the murderer of the sinister scaffolder himself, domestic abuser Theo Silverton. This came as a shock to the audience, who hadbeen led to believe there were six suspects in the case, and Sarah was not among them.

Now, anybody who follows Metro Soaps on a regular basisknows that I have my qualms.

My main concern, was that Sarah, darling of Weatherfield that she is, would escape the scales of justice consequence free. Because Tina O’Brien is an amazing actress, and we all grew up with Sarah Platt, so there is no way that Corrie bosses would ever sacrifice such a legacy character with such a massive fan following for a nefarious, issue story character like Theo. Right?

Right?!

Wrong, it would seem.

In my recent article protesting the decision to make Sarah the killer, one of my main arguments was the seemingly undeniable fact that Gail Platt’s (Helen Worth) iconic daughter is not taking a break from the Cobbles any time soon. Befuddled as we all may be at the idea that Coronation Street might be saying goodbye to such a critical part of their brand just so the Gods of Soap Justice can be satisfied, it’s certainly a bold direction to take the story.

It wasn’t a calculated kill. Sarah dispatched Theo in a moment of panic, battering the bully with a conveniently-placed pipe in self defence, sending him to his death off the scaffolding and onto the cold Cobbles below.

In a blow to the usually strong and independent character, Sarah is managing to cover up the murder thanks to two men in her life – her ex Gary Windass (Mikey North), who helped her dispose of the body, and her current beau Kit Green (Jacob Roberts), the investigating office in Theo’s murder case who is helping her frame Gary.

This certainly explains all the knowing looks and private moments Sarah and Gary have been enjoying of late. Moments which, Gary’s partner Maria Connor (Samia Longchambon) quite understandable misinterpreted as a steamy affair and tore Sarah to shreds for at a hilariously uncomfortable dinner party.

Then came the big reveal.

I predicted that Kit would revert to classic dodgiest copper trope to frame Gary for Theo’s murder to keep Sarah safe, and not to toot my own horn, but that is absolutely what is going to happen.

The bent bobby of Weatherfield is hoping Sarah will accept his proposal after all, so he’s hellbent on framing Gary for the crime… and Sarah, it would seem, is hellbent on letting him.

But that all changes during next week’s trip to Weatherfield. In a special single hand episode, Sarah finally has nowhere left to hide and comes to the tragic conclusion to hand herself in.

In the café, Kit tries to quiz his superior  DC McLaughlin (Michelle Tate) about Theo’s murder case.  McLaughlin gives nothing away but eyes Kit suspiciously. Has Kit just made himself look very guilty indeed?

Sure that Gary is about to be arrested, Kit tells Sarah and she panics about her wedding outfit that forensics took away.

Meanwhile, Maria hears from Fiz (Jennie McAlpine) that Kit believes Gary is going to be arrested.

But it soon becomes clear that the evidence is all pointing to Sarah and, as the Platt family finish filming a birthday video message for Audrey (Sue Nicholls), the police totally ruin the Cobbles’ queen’s big moment by arresting Sarah under suspicion of murder.

But has Gary escaped scot free? In Victoria Garden, Kit takes a call from Sarah at the station and does his best to reassure her

And in case you thought this was a throwaway, consequence free arrest, think again. In Friday’s episode, Maria visits Sarah and rails at her for involving Gary in Theo’s death. Sarah finally decides to come clean to a shocked DS Lisa Connor-Swain (Vicky Myers) about killing Theo – but will she drag Gary under the bus with her?

More importantly, how will the Street cope with Sarah behind bars? Orange is the new Platt…