Coronation Street star Emrhys Cooper has confirmed his return to the cobbles as Rowan Cunliffe.
We were introduced to Rowan earlier this year when Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) attended a self-help class with Simon Barlow (Alex Bain).
What followed next was a plot that saw Rowan slowly manipulate Leanne into joining The Institute. To Leanne, it’s an organisation full of people looking for positivity after experiencing a traumatic event. To Nick (Ben Price) and Toyah (Georgia Taylor) though, the business is completely corrupt.
His exit was confirmed in July this year, but it looks like the villain is back as he teased his return on Instagram.
Sharing a mirror selfie via Instagram Stories, Emrhys captioned the post: ‘It’s not personal, it’s strictly business.’
The Coronation Street location tag was also seen in the bottom right corner.
In the most recent development, Toyah decided to attend a ‘new taster’ class with Leanne, which surprised her a great deal. There, they found Amy (Elle Mulvaney), who looks set to become Rowan’s next victim after Leanne tempted her.
After the session, Leanne was taken aback when Toyah said she can see why the group works. It features CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), so would be ideal for someone who had been through something difficult and wanted to change.
When they returned home, Nick was surprised to hear Leanne say that Toyah was warming to The Institute. However, when Leanne left the flat, Toyah confirmed her actual plan.
She knew that if she wanted to destroy the group and Rowan, appearing ‘hostile’ wasn’t the right approach. She needed to become someone on the inside, a perfect way to gather vital information.
Speaking to Metro Online about his compelling storyline, he previously said: ‘There’s already been a lot of heated arguments between them [Nick, Toyah and Rowan] and he’s used to people being suspicious of The Institute.’
‘We are going to learn more about his chequered past. I think he’s such a master-manipulator that he can spin it and still work it in his favour, turning his past into what helped him grow into who he is now.’
Adding that there is still ‘a bit more of a journey’ ahead for Leanne, he also told us that Rowan truly believes in what the cult stands for – something which us viewers know little about.
‘I think it’s an interesting duality. He does really believe in it, but at the same time he is taking advantage and he’s aware of that – he’s justifying his actions.’
