Silence & shame
Josh doesn’t regard it as a sex assault, he really believes that it is totally consensual
CORRIE’S Ryan Clayton admits he has not told his grandparents his character is a male rapist.
Viewers will be shocked when mechanic Josh Tucker pounces on his unsuspecting pal David Platt and drugs him before sexually assaulting him this week.
Ryan says: “My family are just happy for me, maybe when it comes round to my Nanna and Grandad, they’ll think, ‘oh, that’s what the part was.’
“My Nanna did ask ‘Ooh, he’s not playing a baddie, is he?’ and I was like ‘Er, well’...”
Male rape tends to be a TV taboo and Ryan, who worked closely with the charity Survivors Manchester, said: “I knew it’d be a challenging storyline but a very important plot.
“In his head, Josh doesn’t see it as sexual assault, he totally believes it’s consensual. He thinks David is attracted to him. There’s a trigger that Josh overhears.”
When he later realises David is horrified by what has happened, but too ashamed to tell anyone, he starts to manipulate him which plays havoc with David’s mental health.
Ryan is braced for a social media backlash. “I’m anticipating it, it’s nice to know they’re watching.” The attack happens on Friday, with David shown waking up in Josh’s bed in Monday’s episode. Realising he’s been drugged, he starts to remember what has happened and ashamed and disgusted he decides to keep silent.
Jack P Shepherd, who plays David, says: “He has no reason to think Josh is anything other than a mate. His reaction is not uncommon.
“Hopefully people will start talking about the plot and it may help someone who has gone through something similar to realise they need to speak up.”