Coronation Street fans ‘rumble’ who really reported Maria and it’s not Lou

Coronation Street enthusiasts believe they’ve cracked the mystery of who tipped off the police about Maria Connor, and it’s not Lou Michaelis.

Fans will remember that Maria has been on edge due to the arrival of Lou, particularly after her husband Mick Michaelis committed a shocking crime by killing police officer Craig Tinker.

Lou has found herself ostracised from the community as many hold her accountable for Mick’s actions, leading Maria to sack Lou from the hair salon. However, Gary Windass, who has been standing by Lou, persuaded his wife Maria to reconsider and give Lou her job back.

Despite reinstating Lou, the pair have remained at odds, making their mutual dislike abundantly clear.

On Friday evening, Maria was buzzing with anticipation for the Platt family’s barbeque, celebrating their newly refurbished home after a devastating fire, reports Belfast Live.

Maria delighted in discussing the upcoming event with Shona Platt, fully aware that Lou was within earshot. Later, at the salon, Audrey Roberts counted the takings and handed the cash to Shona for David Platt to deposit at the bank.

Spotting that Shona had left her mobile behind, Lou seized the chance to crash Shona’s barbeque, where she was reluctantly allowed to stay, much to Maria’s annoyance.

Lou noticed an envelope full of cash in Shona’s bag and while Nick was making a toast, she sneaked into the house, contemplating stealing the money before deciding against it.

The plot thickened as the character was caught in the act by Maria, who jumped to conclusions and demanded she show what was in her pockets. In a heated moment, a tussle broke out between them while Maria tried to pry the supposed money from Lou’s grasp.

This led to chaos as Lou stumbled and crashed into David’s prized glass coffee table.

Chaos ensued when, amid the noise of a resounding crash from the living room, Lou was discovered amidst the shattered remnants of the coffee table with Maria standing above her. In shock, Maria blurted out concerns for Lou’s well-being, highlighting that it was a clumsy trip that caused the mishap.

Gary, Maria’s other half, whisked Lou off to A&E post-haste even as their barbeque guests were reeling from the startling developments.

Attention turned to Audrey, sensing some fibs from Maria, pressed her for honesty, prompting the hairdresser to spill: “There was a bit of a scuffle… okay? But I was angry, she was doing my head in!”.

Maria continued, defensively clarifying the situation: “Then she went to go and I just grabbed her arm to pull her back but I didn’t push her into the table or trip her up, she tripped herself up. It was all just a massive accident!” only to be met by Shona’s sceptical query, “So you did grab her?”.

Across town in the hospital, Lou conveyed to Gary her decision to not involve the police, but their interaction bristled with unresolved tension as Gary quickly made his exit.

Back at the Rovers where Maria vented to Sarah Platt, her tirade was abruptly interrupted by the arrival of the coppers, announcing they were carting Maria off on suspicion of Actual Bodily Harm (ABH).

Speculation is rife on social media that Shona might have tipped off the police about Maria, with fans dissecting her pointed glance during Friday’s episode. A viewer speculated: “I think Shona reported Maria, as Lou tells Maria it wasn’t her” and the theory has been gaining traction among the soap’s audience.