Bistro BLACKMAIL!
Nick’s manipulated by cobbles newcomer Damon
Nick Tilsley’s normally one of the more sensible residents on the cobbles, but his brain was definitely having an off day when he accepted money from Harvey Gaskell to fund the Bistro repairs.
This week, his rash decision doesn’t so much as bite him on the backside as tear a bloomin’ big chunk out of him, as he discovers he’s indebted to the new baddie on the block, Jacob’s dad Damon.
As the week kicks off, Nick’s still lying to Leanne that the restaurant’s wet-rot problem that Debbie lumbered them with is being fixed courtesy of a loan from Sam’s inheritance.
Damon, meanwhile, is on a mission to build bridges with Jacob, and asks the lad to join him for a drink. Jacob agrees after a talking-to from Amy, and, as father and son have a frosty catch-up, Damon’s angry to learn that Harvey lured Jacob into drug dealing. Having carved out a nice life for himself on t’ cobbles, Jacob begs his wayward parent to take a hike. But Damon’s going nowhere, and vows to make things up to his bitter offspring. In an unexpected turn of events, Nick then finds himself in quite the pickle. Ciaran Griffiths, who plays Damon, reveals, ‘Harvey has lent money to Nick for Sam, which he’s invested in the Bistro, but Damon says to Nick, “Actually, I lent that money to Harvey, so it’s my stake in the business.”
‘Nick doesn’t want Leanne to know about the deal he did with Harvey, so Damon has got Nick in his back pocket. He blackmails Nick, who’s forced to go along with what Damon wants.’
As Damon makes his presence felt, Nick lies to Leanne that the fella is an old mate who’s lending them cash so they can get back on their feet.
She’s unimpressed to learn that Damon is Jacob’s dad, and gobsmacked when Nick, under orders from Damon, tells her he wants to give Jacob a job.
She’s still got the hump with Debbie for pulling a fast one. How will she react when she discovers she’s been massively betrayed by the man she loves?