Gory shock for viewers

CORRIE fans will be left in shock as Peter Barlow is blasted in the chest in one of the most violent scenes ever.

The former Rovers’ landlord gets caught in the crossfire when Tyler Jefferies (Will Barnett) carries out a drive-by shooting after a row with his son Simon Barlow (Alex Bain).

The horror unfolds as Peter arrives at knicker factory Underworld with lover Carla Connor (Alison King).

The extreme violence is likely to enrage loyal viewers, who have hit out at its dark plotlines.

Chris Gascoyne, who plays Peter, said: “This has been hanging over them for months and he knows Simon is not safe with Tyler out for revenge.

“Things turn nasty this week when Peter gets caught in the crossfire, literally.

“Tyler’s mates have a gun and they fire out of a car window, Peter is hit in the chest and Carla is hysterical.”

Gun violence has blighted the cobbles before.

Jim McDonald (Charles Lawson) tried and failed to carry out an armed robbery in 2011. Emily Bishop (Eileen Derbyshire) and Rita Sullivan (Barbara Knox) also had to fight off an armed carjacker in 2002.

But the ITV show has been dogged by complaints about gloomy storylines. These include David Platt’s male rape, the sexual grooming of teenager Bethany Platt, serial killer Pat Phelan’s rampage and Aidan Connor’s suicide.

Last month, the soap’s bosses were looking for a new scriptwriter to add some humour.

Boss Iain MacLeod said he wanted to lighten up the show and return to its glory days. Even veteran broadcaster Sir Michael Parkinson said the “once gentle and funny” soap was more like a “horror film than a family show”. The gun drama follows a recent focus in EastEnders on stabbings, reflecting the crime blighting London. The BBC soap last month featured real-life families affected by it, and there was a teen stabbing storyline earlier this year.