Corrie airs at 8.30pm on ITV1
This storyline tackles a deeply sensitive and rarely discussed subject on television – the physical dangers of consensual sexual strangulation. What was your initial reaction when you learned that Dylan and Betsy’s relationship would take such a devastating turn?
It was definitely a mixture of excitement to portray such an important storyline and of course nerves. Because Sydney and I work together quite a lot, there wasn’t any awkwardness between us, which was a massive help. We both looked at it and thought, Right, let’s really get our teeth stuck into this. But given the weight of the subject, those nerves were definitely there.
How were you first told that this storyline was coming up?
We actually got called in separately for a storyline chat. Initially, I just thought, “Oh great, something is coming up, let’s see what they have planned.” Then I had a meeting with the producer, Kate Brooks. I walked out thinking, “Okay, that is completely not what I expected!” Then we cracked straight on with it.
Dylan clearly has no malice or intent to harm Betsy, which makes the outcome so tragic. How did you prepare to portray a character who is coming to terms with the fact that a consensual act caused life-changing injuries?
Because there was such an innocence to Dylan in this scenario, we didn’t want to change who he is at his core. There was absolutely no malice or intent to hurt Betsy – in fact, hurting her is his absolute biggest fear. Because he still has that good moral compass, we didn’t need to prep by altering his character. Instead, we just went script-to-script to see how it would naturally unfold.
The heartbreak is that Dylan even visits Betsy in the hospital at first without realising that he was the one who caused her stroke. When his world finally comes crumbling down and he realises what happened, he doesn’t want to accept it. His dad, Sean, desperately tries to protect him too, convincing him it must have been someone else. Dylan almost allows himself to be manipulated by his dad’s denial just to cope, before everything completely spirals out of control.
The show worked very closely with charities to ensure this was handled accurately. How important was that research to your performance?
It was massively important. We had a few discussions with different charities, including the Stroke Association, IFAS and Safeline. Although it was Betsy that the Stroke Association element was for, I specifically asked to be a part of those meetings. We spoke with two young girls and their mothers who were survivors of strokes. While their strokes weren’t caused by sexual strangulation, hearing their lived experiences was invaluable.
I learned a lot about how a medical crisis like this picks a family apart – how the mums reacted, how the dads handled it and how their partners supported them. It really helped me understand Dylan’s mindset. In the scripts, Dylan packs a hospital bag for Betsy, which is a really sweet, innocent gesture. He walks down the hospital corridor full of confidence, only to have his head ripped off because everyone else has just found out it was him and he is the last person to realise the truth. Understanding how different family members react and support each other was incredibly useful from my perspective.
This storyline explores a risk that many young people genuinely do not realise exists. What do you hope viewers take away from watching this?
We’ve always said with the heavy storylines we do here that there is a very fine line between educating an audience and just scaring them. You have to find a good middle ground.
If viewers can take away the reality that there are severe physical risks to doing this, then we’ve done our job. Whether an injury is completely unintentional or intentional, people need to be aware of the real dangers.
Consent is a massive part of the conversation, but this plot demonstrates that consent does not automatically remove the physical or legal risks. Why do you think it’s important to highlight that distinction?
I think it’s crucial because of the recent legislation passed regarding non-fatal strangulation. A lot of people don’t actually know that even if consent is fully given by both parties, the act of strangulation during sex is still illegal.
Getting that message across is super important. With Dylan and Betsy, neither of them wanted to hurt the other. Even though Dylan initially echoes his dad’s defense that “Betsy wanted to do it” they ultimately try to stick together, with Betsy reassuring him, “This wasn’t your fault, we both wanted this.” Showing that huge, life-changing consequences and legal ramifications still exist – even with mutual consent – is a vital part of this story.
The statistics show that strangulation during sex is prevalent among 16-to-24-year-olds. Has the public reaction reflected that demographic?
To be honest, I try to stay off social media and I get a bit scared watching my own work back! But I know the amount of conversation this has started is a massive wake-up call. It’s got people talking. You see comments where someone says, “This would never happen,” and someone else replies, “Well, actually, yes it does.”
The generational difference in the response has been fascinating. I didn’t realise how widespread this issue was among young people. Our research with IFAS showed that there’s statistics showing how huge this trend is within the 16-24 age group. Dylan and Betsy are right in the middle of that demographic, which made them the right characters to deliver this message.
This week, we see Dylan completely losing his temper with Ronnie as the pressure mounts and he feels like everyone is talking about him. What is it going to be like for him to face the community now that the truth is out?
He’s definitely losing his rag with the wrong person when it comes to Ronnie! But for Dylan, it’s driven by pure embarrassment and overwhelming shock. At this point in the story, he still hasn’t truly come to terms with what has happened. This is a life-changing event that will stay with him forever. He has put his girlfriend in the hospital and given her a permanent injury.
It’s the sheer embarrassment of it – he wants to hide away and just get on with normal life, but how on earth does an 18-year-old balance all of that? That’s what I want the audience to remember: just how young these two characters are. In a way, they are battling through this nightmare together, feeling like it’s them against the world.
Can Dylan and Betsy actually find a way through this together?
I would really like to think so. Watching two young people face something this catastrophic, go through the wobbles and hopefully come out on the other side together would be really powerful. As an actor, portraying that level of struggle and finding a way back around is incredibly rewarding.
Catch up on ITVX, and for classic visits to Corrie, these episodes air weekdays on ITV3 as well as on YouTube.