Coronation Street Viewers Not Pleased After Drug Dealer Rich Snorts Cocaine

Unhappy “Coronation Street,” viewers have taken offense at a controversial scene featured on the popular ITV soap which begins at 8:30 pm. In a recent episode, one character was seen and heard using drugs prior to the watershed hour, which is a time when television programming is expected to be suitable for younger viewers.

The scene in question involved two of the soap’s male characters, Rich (Fraser Ayres) and Robert (Tristan Gemmill). Bad guy Rich is nobody’s favorite on the cobbles since he’s an unscrupulous drug dealer and most recently stabbed Chesney. Robert, the chef, and co-owner of Nick’s Bistro knows Rich from the past, and when the two of them get together in Robert’s car appearances are deceiving.

Robert is seen handing over a bag of cocaine to Rich, who promptly and loudly snorts the contents. Robert watches but does not condemn the man’s actions, leading viewers to think he approves. It looked even sketchier when Rich then requested more drugs from Robert. But the scene is interrupted when someone knocks on the car, prompting Rich to get out and see what the ruckus is about.

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At that point Rich is shocked to be arrested by a plain clothes officer; Robert, not so much! It seems that Robert was part of the prearranged sting operation and cooperated with police to bring down Rich. But all of this drama paled in comparison to the ire of some Corrie fans. Unable to digest that the explicit drug taking scene occurred prior to the child-friendly watershed hour (9 pm), they expressed themselves online.

“Finding the drug taking a bit too much to watch again before the watershed. Kids are still watching,” tweeted one, while another added, “Cocaine and violence before the watershed? Are you sure ITV?”

Perhaps the showrunners might want to reconsider their programming if the sentiments of one disgruntled fan become widespread: “Think I’m going to stop watching Coronation Street. Far too much violence, drugs and aggressive scenes these days.”

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