Coronation Street: David throws Shona out as he hides his rape ordeal – Julia Goulding interview

Before this point, what has Shona noticed about David’s behaviour?
David has become really distant with Shona – he’s very snappy, angry and short tempered. She’s focusing on the fact that he’snot engaging with her, but she’s not seeing the bigger picture because he’s also being like this with the kids, with Gail and with work.

Does she have any ideas about why their relationship has changed?
Shona thinks she is the problem - she thinks that he doesn’t want to be with her anymore and that he’s just not telling her. So because of this she’s not feeling great about herself, which makes her snappy and moody as well because she feels like she’s being lied to. David and Shona were very loved up over Christmas and this has literally changed overnight. She can’t for the life of her think of a reason why, so she assumes it must be to do with her.

Tell us what happens when Shona decides to ask David why they haven’t been intimate with each other…
One minute David is snapping back at Shona, saying there’s nothing wrong and the next minute he’s getting aggressively sexual with her. So Shona is completely at a loss with what to do with him because every time she tries to come on to him he will kiss her really passionately then he will pull away.

How does she feel when David tells Shona he will follow her upstairs but then ends up leaving?
She’s so hurt. They end the evening on a nice note where they decide to forget all about their problems and just have a cuddle and yet he still doesn’t come up to bed with her, so that is a nail in the coffin for her because she feels that he doesn’t want to be in their relationship anymore.

What does Shona decide to do next?
Shona finds him asleep on the sofa and tells him to stop messing her about and that she can handle it if he doesn’t want to be in this relationship. But he says he does, which she thinks is really weird because he’s not showing her that at all. She thinks that actions speak louder than words and when Shona says she feels like he’s just going through the motions, he says that maybe it is best that she should leave and he tells her that he doesn’t love her.

What are Shona’s first thoughts when she hears that?
Oh, it is gut-wrenching for her. She saves face in front of him because she’s so shocked - she can’t possibly believe that this is what he’s saying to her. But he’s so cold - he walks out of the room and slams the door, so she takes her stuff and goes.

Does Shona really believe that this is the end of their relationship?
She really does love him with all of her being, but he’s turned around and said that he doesn’t love her. So she’s very adamant that this is the end. She feels very stupid.

What has it being like filming these scenes with Jack?
It’s always amazing filming with Jack. When David and Shona are happy we have loads of fun filming those scenes, but filming conflict, especially with Jack, we bounce of each other really well.

What was your reaction when you first heard about this storyline?
It’s an important issue and a very brave issue for Corrie to tackle. I had every faith, I didn’t question it in any way, because hard subjects are done with such sensitivity and proper justice. It’s the aftermath that is the important story - the way David deals with what has happened and his mental health. So I feel really privileged that I have been trusted with this storyline.

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