While everyone was busy arguing, the Becky Swain and Eva Costello characters were quietly taking Coronation Street in a darker direction.

After months of being missing, Becky was presumed dead in an accident.

But evidence has just emerged that – maybe – Becky is still alive.

DI Costello – the person in charge of the investigation – found signs that a homeless person had been mistaken for Becky.

And the strange thing is: Eva Costello – who seemed close to Becky – avoided all questions. The internet began to speculate: Eva and Becky were involved in a plan to stage a death.

This week, Carla Connor also joined the fray. She received an anonymous tip that “Becky is still in Weatherfield”. The scene of Carla sneaking into a filing cabinet at night – the weak yellow light reflecting off her suspicious face – gave everyone goosebumps.

This season of Corrie is a solid detective thriller, almost completely separate from the usual romantic drama. When Becky returns, the big question is: who is she running from, and what is so terrible that someone would fake their own death to survive? If Corrie is going to go big, Becky’s return will be the “earthquake” of the year.