If Christmas in Coronation Street is a story of lights, music and weddings, this year’s Boxing Day takes a turn for a thriller when Evelyn Plummer accidentally becomes the first witness to a terrifying assault.

The spoiler images show Evelyn – still with her familiar “grumpy granny” demeanor – walking her dog Freddie in a small alley of Weatherfield at night.

Everything seems normal, until she realizes something is wrong in the darkness ahead.

The street lights are weak, the tiles are wet after the rain, the alley already has a creepy vibe of Corrie every time it is about to launch an incident.

Evelyn, who is usually fearless, suddenly stops when Freddie stretches his leash, barking continuously. She looks in the direction the dog is pulling, and at that moment, both the audience and the character feel a chill down their spines: on the tile floor, a body lies motionless, not a sound, not a movement.

Evelyn’s face when she realizes someone has been attacked is one of the most haunting images of the holiday season. No more sharp sarcasm or annoyed looks, but a very real panic: eyes wide open, lips pressed tightly together, steps hesitant between rushing to help or retreating to find someone to help.

In a few seconds, the woman who has always stayed out of other people’s dramas is suddenly forced to stand right in the center of a story that she probably didn’t want to be involved in.

The identity of the victim is kept secret in spoilers, creating a wave of heated predictions in the fan community. Is it a young face caught up in a love drama? Or is it a long-time character who has been at odds with half the neighborhood?