Daily Mail - Daily Mail Weekend Magazine
CORRIE CARNAGE!
Adam Hussain on Aadi’s horror crash – one of the disasters that puts at least eight characters in peril. But which of them dies?
The Alahans are torn apart when Dev has to choose which of his 15year-old twins to save after they’re involved in a devastating car crash. A storm has hit while Dev, son Aadi and daughter Asha are driving away on holiday, and they are lost on
a country road when their car is smashed into by a prison van transporting injured gangster Harvey Gaskell to hospital. As smoke seeps into the car Dev helps Asha first, believing her to be in more danger, and trapped Aadi watches on in anguish as his dad carries his sister to safety just before the car explodes.
The horror smash is part of a series of blockbuster episodes – including Emmerdale’s survival special – which make up ITV’S socalled ‘Super Soap Week’.
‘Aadi is lying in the wreckage asking Dev to help him so they can help Asha together,’ explains Adam Hussain, who plays Aadi. ‘But in a frantic moment Dev stumbles out of the car to rescue Asha and says to Aadi, “Help yourself.”
‘Aadi has long felt his dad prefers his sister to him and treats her better. Resentment has been building, but the crash is the tipping point that makes Aadi fully believe Dev
doesn’t care about him. Just imagine being chosen to die over someone else! That would mentally scar anyone, and I can see Aadi going off the rails as a result.’
The storyline is one of several plots linked to the extreme weather – including Harvey’s escape from custody and the Platts’ huge sinkhole opening up and swallowing residents – in the special week, which took more than a month to film. ‘I think we’ve given viewers a good selection of drama during the pandemic, but due to social distancing we’ve not been able to offer a spectacle,’ says Corrie producer Iain Macleod. ‘This is a reward for them and shows we haven’t forgotten about ambitious set-pieces.’
The Alahans are at the centre of the action. ‘They’re a fantastic family
for us,’ says Iain. ‘The aftermath of this storyline will resonate with anyone who has a sibling.’
Adam, who replaced Zennon Ditchett as Aadi in April last year, loved being involved in such a major stunt. ‘My favourite part was watching the vehicles crash,’ he says. ‘The back of the car flew off. It was so
intense. The experience was so much bigger than I’d imagined.’
The 21-year-old reveals he has Jimmi Harkishin, who plays Dev, to thank for ‘showing him the ropes’. ‘He’s been a bit of a mentor,’ says Adam. ‘We meet up outside of work for a drink and he’ll go through the scripts with me, and we’ll rehearse it. Jimmi has taken me under his wing, and I appreciate that.’ ■