Coronation Street spoilers: Roy spends Christmas behind bars after attacking Gary with a cricket bat

Boxing Day’s visit to Weatherfield will see a desperate Gary resort to robbery after splitting up with girlfriend Alya and losing his job with her father Kal. But after letting himself into Roy’s Rolls with mum Anna’s keys, it’s Gary who ends up coming a Cropper after Roy lashes out.

“Gary’s overheard Roy telling Carla that he’s going round to hers for tea so, as far as he’s concerned, the café will be empty,” explains actor Mikey North, who plays Gary. “He doesn’t realise that Roy has slipped back into the café to avoid the teenagers who have been pestering him for a while. So when Gary lets himself in, he has no clue that Roy is there as well. Roy obviously assumes it’s one of the teens and, because he’s frightened he feels he has to protect himself. He doesn’t realise it’s Gary.”

In the aftermath of the attack, a shaky Roy will find himself spending a night in the cells. And where does Gary end up after coming into contact with Roy’s cricket bat?

“An injured Gary has to be taken to hospital. He has a lot of bruises, but he will make a recovery.” And will he have it in for Roy after what he did to him? “No, completely the opposite. He wants to protect Roy and he thinks this is all his own doing. Gary resorted to desperate measures and was prepared to do it to a family friend. He feels like the lowest of the low.”

You can watch a 60-second rundown of next week’s episodes of Coronation Street below: