In a dramatic Boxing Day episode of Coronation Street, the identity of Daniel Osbourne's assailant was finally revealed, following a brutal attack that left him for dead on Christmas Day.
Christmas Day Attack and Boxing Day Discovery
The festive special of the world's longest-running soap ended with teacher Daniel Osbourne, played by Rob Mallard, lying unconscious after a surprise assault. The Boxing Day instalment opened with Evelyn Plummer discovering his body while walking her dog in the early hours.
Daniel had spent Christmas Day at the Rovers Return with his girlfriend, teacher Megan Walsh, and the Driscoll family. While viewers are aware of Megan's secret affair with her student, Will Driscoll, there was no immediate indication he was involved in the violence.
Rushed to hospital, a bandaged Daniel played down his injuries, insisting "It's no one's fault, honestly" and claiming his stolen watch and wallet were the only losses.
The True Culprit and a Cover-Up
The episode quickly took a darker turn. Pub owner Maggie Driscoll confronted her grandson, Will, having already suspected him. Cornered in the Rovers' back room, a distraught Will confessed.
"I wanted to kill him. I just launched at him from behind," he admitted, explaining his rage stemmed from Daniel's relationship with Megan and a failing mock exam grade. Maggie was furious, berating him for risking his future.
However, in a shocking twist, a flashback revealed Maggie's own crime. After witnessing Will's attack from an upstairs window, she waited for him to leave, checked Daniel's pulse, and then stole his wallet and watch herself, framing a homeless man who was later caught with the items.
A Pattern of Dark Secrets
This is not the first glimpse into Maggie's morally dubious character. A recent flashback episode explored her past, revealing she killed her husband, Alan, by pushing him down the stairs a decade ago after he discovered her affair.
Back in the present, her attempt to leverage covering for Will to regain her family's favour failed. After being thrown out by her son Ben for causing Christmas dinner chaos, she bitterly ranted to Evelyn, claiming her family had "no idea what I do for them."
The episode concluded with Ben toasting Maggie at a birthday gathering, tragically unaware of the lengths she goes to "protect" her family. Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
