Coronation Street producer Iain MacLeod has given extensive teasers about what's to come on the soap in early 2022 - and the feud between David (Jack P Shepherd) and Daniel (Rob Mallard) is set to rumble on.
The pair spent the second half of 2021 engaged in dispute after David's adopted son Max (Paddy Bever) caused all kinds of trouble for teacher Daniel because of his teenage crush on fellow pupil Summer (Harriet Bibby).
Speaking to reporters, MacLeod revealed that the storyline was just the beginning of a long-term rivalry between David and Daniel that he hopes could one day become as legendary as the one between Ken Barlow (Bill Roache) and Mike Baldwin (Johnny Briggs) in the 1980s and '90s.
"I was struck with Daniel and David in many scenes – I asked if they'd had many scenes and Jack quipped that he maybe passed him a beer mat!" he said.
"Having these two actors in really big angry and emotional scenes – they're both quite witty, it's just dynamite. The moment I saw them going at it, I just knew. Why didn't we do this before?
"I don't want to jinx it by saying it's like Ken and Mike but it has the potential to go on a long time. I hope it works."
On what's to come in 2022, he said: "Summer has been the catalyst for Max and Daniel's feud which lights a burning fuse between two huge legacy families, who have just spent an uncomfortable Christmas together.
"Daniel and Max leads to a fairly pronounced feud – David and Daniel develop a bitter rivalry which sucks in Sarah and Adam and soon we have a 'clan warfare' vibe."
Coronation Street continues Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on ITV.
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