Coronation Street’s Spider Nugent hiding his real reason for returning, teases Martin Hancock
TWENTY-FIVE years after making his first appearance on the cobbles, Spider Nugent has returned home again.
Coronation Street star Martin Hancock teased his character has an ulterior motive for coming back.
Toyah Battersby has had plenty on her plate after being accused of the murder of her scheming husband Imran Habeeb.
To keep her mind off her troubles, the character recently organised a protest during which she bumped into her former flame Spider Nugent.
It was a welcome opportunity for Toyah to reminisce on easier times with her ex-boyfriend.
But a recent furtive call to an anonymous contact has left fans on edge – could the eco-warrior bring Toyah more turmoil?
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Speaking to Radio Times on Friday, actor Martin Hancock promised “there is more to it”.
“Toyah is one of his oldest friends and he’s extremely worried about what she’s been through”, he said.
“He will do what he can to help. Spider being back in her life gives her a welcome distraction from everything that is going on, which she needs, but yes, there is more to it. And that is all I’ll say at this stage…”
Martin added: “It’s going to be a corker, and I was surprised when I found out what is coming up. I thought I was just coming back to open a mung bean shop!”
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But what could Spider be hiding from Toyah and ITV viewers?
As Corrie fans may remember, Spider first appeared in Weatherfield in 1997, when he showed up on his aunt Emily Bishop’s doorstep.
After wreaking some minor havoc due to his out-of-the-box thinking and embarking on a relationship with Toyah, who ended up being a kindred spirit, the misfit packed up and left the cobbles in 2003.
“It was mutual as there was fatigue on both sides”, Martin said, reflecting on his exit.
“The writers needed a break as we’d gone down a cul-de-sac where all we were doing with Spider was campaigning. It was time for him to move on for a little bit. Or 19 years as it turned out.”
Toyah and Spider ended up in London but broke up off-screen when the former came back to the Street in 2016 and her former boyfriend was said to have moved to Peru off-screen.
But a picture shared by actress Georgia Taylor online made Martin feel nostalgic and prompted him to get in touch with producers.
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“It’s all her fault”, Martin said, “last year Georgia posted a pic of us in our younger days on social media which got a big reaction from the press.”
“It made me nostalgic, and my wife encouraged me to get in touch with Corrie about a possible return.”
“What she actually said was, in her own special way: ‘You’re not getting any younger!’ I spoke to my agent who contacted the producer, and we worked it out from there.”
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Will Spider’s return be a good thing for Toyah?
Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on ITV.
