Yasmeen defends Geoff but can he be redeemed? Coronation Street's Shelley King speaks out
"He's damaged and she wants to put things right."
Yasmeen Metcalfe (Shelley King) has defended the actions of abusive husband Geoff Metcalfe (Ian Bartholomew) as she faces trial for his attempted murder, blaming herself for how he treated her and insisting he too is troubled.
In an emotionally-charged edition of Coronation Street on Monday 8th June, the accused opened up to granddaughter Alya Nazir (Sair Khan) that she believes she deserved Geoff's manipulations due to her own perceived faults, and drove him to chip away at her strong, confident personality to control in order to control her.
"Geoff is damaged," says King, speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com. "Yasmeen wants to put things right and maintains he is a complex man and no one knows him like she does. Perhaps she can right these wrongs if she helps him.
"He can be kind and charming but when he feels alone and vulnerable he lashes out. That's how she understands what he's done. He and Yasmeen are co-dependent, he feeds off what he does to her. We saw him break down after locking her in the box - she was about to leave but Geoff crumbled and begged her to stay - he needed her."
As the storyline progresses, does King believe Geoff can be redeemed for his abusive behaviour?
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"From the people we spoke to in our research there hasn't been one story where any sort of rehabilitation is possible," she confesses. "Even if a process of rehabilitation has taken place I think it's very hard to go back to that person.
"We have been introduced why Geoff behaves this way very briefly - he told Yasmeen once it was the only way to get his father's attention. There is a vulnerability about him, and this is a kind of mental illness.
"When one person in a relationship is perceived to love the other person more, they try to control the other to keep them. It's wrong but it does happen. One of the messages of the storyline is if you can't solve this problem with an abusive partner on your own because it's hurting both of you, seek help from someone can so you can proceed with your life. It's not about blame, but getting help."
Later this week, Yasmeen enters a 'not guilty' plea for the frenzied attack on her spouse last month, much to the relief of her family and friends. Geoff's son Tim Metcalfe begins to doubt his dad's side of the story, so will the community finally accept the truth about Yasmeen's ordeal?
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