The cobbles are no stranger to scandal, but the unfolding grooming storyline involving teacher Megan Walsh has left viewers in disgust. In a new interview, Beth Nixon talks about the dark psychology of her character, the thrill of the secret, and why Megan believes she is the hero of her own twisted story.
Getting into the headspace of a character who exploits their position of power requires a specific, often uncomfortable, approach. For Beth, it’s about finding Megan’s internal “truth,” however warped it may be.
‘I try to approach it from the perspective that she doesn’t think she’s doing anything wrong. When I’m playing her, I have to be 100% genuine at the moment. When she’s with Daniel, the way she looks at him and speaks to him is entirely sincere to her. That’s the only way I can play it.’
Beth acknowledges the gravity of the plot, noting, ‘It’s a dark place to go, especially because Lucas is so young. Thankfully, we have a great rapport and trust each other, and the level of intimacy on set is very restricted, which makes it easier. But ultimately, you have to convince yourself that Megan’s actions are justified. Even though it’s “icky,” she believes she is right.’
While some villains are purely cold, Beth suggests Megan does have flickers of humanity, she just chooses to ignore them in favor of her own ego.
‘Definitely. She feels guilt, but her own life and her own desires are more important than anything else. She’s a narcissist. She feels sadness and empathy, but she snaps herself out of it because guilt would hold her back from getting what she wants. Her needs always come first.’
This narcissism extends to her relationship with Will. What started as an interest has devolved into a tactical necessity.
‘I think she gets bored very easily – with people and places. Originally, she likely did enjoy Will’s company, but as soon as things got tricky, he stopped serving a purpose. Now, he’s an issue. She stays with him because she’s dug herself into a hole, if she lets him go, he’ll tell his family.’
As the heat turns up, Sam Blakeman has emerged as a potential threat to Megan’s facade. However, Megan’s arrogance may be her undoing.
‘She completely underestimates him. Everyone tells her how smart Sam is, but she thinks she’s smarter. She views him as just a kid and assumes she’s in total control. She’s been incredibly mean to him because she sees him as weak, and she’s actively manipulating him through his grades. For now, she’s staying cool as a cucumber.’
When asked how far Megan would go to protect her secret, Beth’s assessment is blunt: ‘I think she’ll do anything. She is the most important person in her life, and she’ll step over anyone to come out on top.’
As the walls begin to close in, the question remains: will Megan run or fight? According to Beth, Megan’s “God complex” will keep her planted firmly in Weatherfield.
‘Her cleverness is her downfall, but so is her self-righteousness. She thinks she’s God’s gift and that she can get away with anything. I think she’d stay and fight until the bitter end, telling as many lies as possible.’
Ultimately, it is her curated image as the “perfect teacher” that she fears losing most. ‘Her reputation. There’s a scene where Leanne says Megan is like apple pie – this cool, lovely, white-picket-fence teacher. She wants to keep that image while still having the freedom to mess people over.’
Beyond the drama, Beth hopes the storyline highlights the reality of female offenders and the signs of grooming that are often overlooked.
‘We’ve seen stories like this before, but the role reversal of an older woman makes it that bit more shocking. There is a massive stigma and a double standard – if this were a man, the reaction would be different. People often think the boy is “lucky” but this is grooming and abuse. I hope it shows the warning signs – Will’s lashing out, his stress, his grades slipping.’
‘If it opens the eyes of one parent or peer to what is happening to a child, then we’ve done our job. It’s important to talk about because there’s an increase in female offenders being convicted. We are showing that women can be the abusers, the manipulators and the ones playing with emotions to get what they want.’
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