Coronation Street’s Chris Harper has revealed the heartbreaking reason he agreed to reprise the role of evil paedophile Nathan Curtis in the ITV soap. 

The actor, who also plays Geoffrey Franklin in Call The Midwife, last appeared in the show in 2017 when the character groomed and raped teen Bethany Platt in one of Corrie’s most controversial storylines.

Now Chris has explained how he jumped at the chance to return to the cobbles, as Bethany comes face to face with Nathan following his release from prison, after he learned how often victims run into their rapists in real life. 

Telling The Mirror: ‘Coronation Street promised to keep Bethany’s story alive and I want to do the same’.

‘People who have been groomed can quite literally bump into their rapist in the frozen food aisle of the supermarket without any warning.’ 

Coronation Street ‘s Chris Harper has revealed the heartbreaking reason he agreed to reprise the role of evil paedophile Nathan Curtis in the ITV soap

The actor, who also plays Geoffrey Franklin in Call The Midwife , last appeared in the show in 2017 when the character groomed and raped teen Bethany Platt (Lucy Fallon pictured) in one of Corrie’s most controversial storylines

Now Chris has explained how he jumped at the chance to return to the cobbles, as Bethany comes face to face with Nathan following his release from prison, after learning how often victims run into their rapists in real life (pictured on the show in 2017)

Adding: ‘Although there is legislation in place for a victim to be told when someone is out of prison, the Maggie Oliver Foundation told our producers that quite often victims are not informed because the system is under-resourced’. 

He went on to reveal that he was left devastated when hearing the stories from victims when preparing for the role, so much so he has become a patron of S.H.E UK, a charity who helps victims of sexual abuse. 

Nathan returned to Weatherfield as part of Lauren Bolton’s murder storyline after she went missing in February with Roy Cropper in the frame. 

However viewers have now discovered that Joel Deering (Calum Lill) is in fact the killer following a harrowing flashback, with the solicitor now hoping to pass the blame onto paedophile Nathan.

It comes after ITV bosses faced a huge backlash after being accused of basing a controversial Coronation Street storyline on wrongful accusations that retired schoolteacher Christopher Jefferies brutally murdered Joanna Yeates in 2010.

Fan favourite and oddball Roy, who is on remand in prison after being charged with murdering troubled young female character Lauren.

The storyline has seen Roy verbally attacked by a group of thugs as he attended a vigil for the missing teenager and they then threw a brick through the window of Roy’s Rolls – Cropper’s cafe – after branding him a ‘creepy perv’ online.

Last month he appeared in court charged with Lauren’s murder and was remanded in custody, much to the horror of viewers.

He went on to reveal that he was left devastated when hearing the stories from victims when preparing for the role, so much so he has become a patron of S.H.E UK, a charity who helps victims of sexual abuse

Nathan has returned to Weatherfield as part of Lauren Bolton’s murder storyline after she went missing in February with Roy Cropper (David Neilson) in the frame 

However viewers have now discovered that Joel Deering (Calum Lill, left) is in fact the killer following a harrowing flashback, with the solicitor now hoping to pass the blame onto paedophile Nathan

He was also brutally attacked in prison by a terrorist called Griff, who is friends with Lauren’s dad. He pulled out a weapon and demands to know where Lauren’s body is. With Roy refusing to confess, Griff holds the makeshift knife to his throat leaving him terrified.

The MailOnline can reveal that writers are using the real life story of Jefferies – Ms Yeates’ landlord in the Clifton, Bristol – who was falsely suspected of killing the landscape architect.

Police arrested Mr Jefferies, then 65, who also lived in a flat in the same building as Ms Yeates. He was subsequently released without charge and it was another of his tenant’s, Dutch engineer Vincent Tabak who was convicted of her murder.

However, his life was destroyed after the wrongful claims and he later received an apology and substantial damages from eight media outlets.

It comes after ITV bosses faced a huge backlash after being accused of basing a controversial Coronation Street storyline on wrongful accusations that retired schoolteacher Christopher Jefferies brutally murdered Joanna Yeates in 2010 

Christopher Jeffries (left) was wrongly accused of murdering Joanna Yeates (right) in Bristol in December 2010

A Coronation Street source said: ‘The Christopher Jefferies story is a well-known one. He was vilified by the public and labelled a creep and an oddball.

‘Roy was Lauren’s boss. She worked for him in the cafe and it didn’t take the police long to return their attention to him. There are some key similarities and the Jefferies case was used to base this plot on.

‘Corrie’s writers have taken inspiration from the success of ITV drama The Lost Honour of Christopher Jeffries by showing how kind hearted Roy could be viewed in the same way.

‘Once Roy’s name is out it’s a case of trial by social media. Everyone knows and loves Roy. He’s been in the show for nearly 30 years so it’s causing quite a lot of outrage amongst the viewers which is what the writers wanted.

Ms Yeates, 25, went missing from the flat she shared with her partner on December 17 2010 after an evening out with colleagues. On Christmas Day, eight days later, her fully clothed body was found in the snow by a couple walking their dogs next to the entrance of a quarry three miles away from her home. Tabak was convicted of her murder in October 2011.

An ITV spokesperson didn’t respond when offered the opportunity to comment.