David Platt (Coronation Street)

David Platt is a fictional character on the popular ITV soap opera Coronation Street. He is currently portrayed by Jack P. Shepherd, who is the second actor to play the character. David is almost three years younger than the actor who portrays him. He is named after the former England footballer.

Contents 1 Overview 2 History 2.1 Richard Hillman & the Hillman cards 2.2 Truancy 2.3 Warring with Charlie Stubbs 2.4 How David ruined Christmas 2.5 Murder of Charlie Stubbs 2.6 Expulsion and employment 2.7 David & Mel Morton 2.8 David's revenge 2.9 Beth & Ecstasy 2.10 Life on the outside 2.11 Bonfire Night 2.12 False remorse 2.13 Chance of a lifetime 2.14 David's girlfriend 3 Criticism 4 Family 5 Friends 6 Enemies 7 Quotes 8 References 9 External links

[edit] Overview

David is the son of Martin and Gail Platt. He was conceived as a result of a fling Gail had with the much younger Martin, after she was left with two small children by the death of her first husband Brian Tilsley. When Gail found out that she was pregnant, she considered an abortion; Martin persuaded her that he was mature enough to father a child. David was born on Christmas Day 1990. Martin also took on a fatherly role towards David's half-siblings, Nick Tilsley and Sarah-Louise Platt.

When Sarah gave birth to a baby girl, Bethany Platt, aged just thirteen, David became an uncle at the age of nine. He was jealous of Bethany at first, but grew to love her. Shortly after Bethany's birth, David's parents split up because of Martin's infidelity. David was devastated, although his parents remained friends. Throughout his time on the soap opera, David has slowly gone from being a mischievous rogue to a sadistic psychopath.

David's relationship with his family has proved to be the main talking point of Coronation Street fans. Theories state that David resents his family for getting over their ordeals with Richard Hillman, while he remained traumatized. David lost all security when his father left him, resulting in his psychological problems.

[edit] History

[edit] Richard Hillman & the Hillman cards

David's first major storyline occurred when he — along with his mother, sister, and niece — was kidnapped, bound, and gagged by his stepfather, Richard Hillman, who attempted to drown the entire family by driving their car into a canal. David, Gail, Sarah, and Bethany survived. Richard managed to kill only himself.

When Martin moved away to Liverpool with new girlfriend Robyn in 2005, David was very unhappy that his father was moving away. Some time after leaving, Martin called to tell David that he and Robyn were having a baby. David took this badly and refused to visit his father again.

David took a strong dislike to his mum's new boyfriend, Phil Nail, eventually provoking Phil to violence. From early 2006 until 21 May, David carried out an anonymous greeting card campaign that utlimately resulted in Phil and Gail splitting up.

Gail began receiving cards purportedly signed by her deceased husband, Richard Hillman. These caused her to become dependant on sleeping pills and alcohol. She contacted the police and accused arch-enemy Eileen Grimshaw of sending the cards.

Meanwhile, David pushed Phil to violence because he had been repeatedly "kicking off" and behaving like a 3-year-old. Gail was forced to break up with Phil when he pushed her son across a table. Moreover, Gail wrongly believed that it was Phil who was behind the cards. David continually poisoned his mother's mind against Phil, wanting Phil to suffer.

Weeks of mystery and misery followed as Gail and viewers tried to work out who was responsible for the Platt family's torment. All kinds of people were suspected of committing the crime. The suspects included Phil, Eileen Grimshaw, and Violet Wilson. Even Gail herself was mentioned by some as the possible hoaxer.

Her relationship with son David was strained to the point of breakdown. David finally convinced her Phil was the culprit.

The Hillman cards persisted even after Phil returned to Glasgow. David claimed to be innocent of the crime, but Gail's fears were confirmed. She misled him into believing the next day was Richard's birthday. David sent a card and was made to confess to the police. He claimed that he did it for attention, to split his mum up from Phil, and it "seemed funny at the time". David consequently lost the trust of his family, and his relationship with sister Sarah was soured.

No criminal charges were brought against him for his activities.

[edit] Truancy

In 2006, David began playing truant from school, which resulted in him being tutored at home, firstly by his mother, then by Ken Barlow. In September 2006, David returned to school, but, when caught truanting again, he falsely claimed that he was the victim of school bullying.

Gail took him to see the headmaster, Mr. Griffin, who tried to persuade David to tell him the bullies' names. Gail was told that she could be prosecuted for not sending David to school, and David was forced to give Mr. Griffin the names of the "bullies". The school authorities discovered no evidence whatsoever. David later admitted to Gail that he had been lying.

[edit] Warring with Charlie Stubbs

In October 2006, David found out that Maria Sutherland, to whom he was attracted, was having a fling with bad boy Charlie Stubbs. David sought to interfere in their affair, threatening to expose their liaisons to the rest of Weatherfield. He started a hate campaign against Charlie Stubbs, vandalising his property and slashing his tyres.

Charlie attempted to put a stop to David's activities through violence. First, Charlie attempted to throw David into the back of his van, to what end the viewer never discovered because Liam Connor heroically came to David's rescue, yanking him out of the van and interceding between him and Charlie. Later, Charlie lured David to the apartment that Maria rented from Charlie with a text message obtensibly from Maria. Once David arrived, Charlie dragged him forcibly into the bathroom almost drowning him in the bathtub in a controversial torture scene. But for Maria's arriving home in the nick of time, the viewer knows not how far Charlie would have gone.

[edit] How David ruined Christmas

In December 2006, David came into possession of a diary belonging to his late grandmother, Ivy Brennan, which Sophie Webster had found in the Battersbys' loft. Sitting in his car with Maria on Christmas Eve, he discovered that his mother had wanted him aborted, but his father Martin had stopped her. He wrapped up the diary as a Christmas present for Gail.

He produced the diary during Christmas Day dinner and told everyone how his mum had wanted a termination. After wrecking Gail's Christmas, he then embarrassed his grandmother, Audrey Roberts, by revealing her affair with Bill Webster to Bill's unsuspecting wife Maureen.

[edit] Murder of Charlie Stubbs

When Charlie was brutally murdered by his lover, Tracy Barlow, David tried to support the deceased's "mistress" Maria through her grief and attempted to woo her at the funeral. Maria was appalled and made it clear she had no feelings for him. Her rejection enraged David. It was then that David decided to punish Maria by helping Tracy whom Maria wanted imprisoned for life for having killed Maria's now sainted lover, Charlie Stubbs. To that end and Shortly after Maria's rebuff, David told Gail about how Charlie had tried to kill him, and falsely claimed that he had witnessed Tracy killing Charlie in self-defence.

At the same time, David began to blackmail Tracy, demanding that she 'be nice to him' or else he would not testify in her defence. Tracy tried paying David off, but what David really wanted was to sleep with her. Tracy eventually agreed, but kept finding excuses not to go through with it. They were observed in a near clinch by Jason Grimshaw outside Charlie Stubbs' flat on closed-circuit TV. Jason taped the pair showing the tape to David's sister, Sarah, with whom Jason was romantically involved. Sarah confronted Tracy about the incident in the cafe. When Tracy's mother, Deirdre, could no longer suppress her desire to unearth the truth about her daughter vis-à-vis David, she went to Jason to see the tape for herself. Jason gave her the tape to review at home. Deirdre watched it repeatedly until Tracy arrived at home, whereupon mother confronted daughter. Tracy told her mother that Deirdre had to make a decision: Destroy the tape or risk it coming to light where its contents could be misconstrued. Deirdre destroyed the tape, still believing that Tracy was innocent.

When David took the stand at Tracy's murder trial, his testimony went disastrously wrong. The prosecution highlighted the flaws in his evidence, and the Judge rebuked him for his attitude. David was outraged when Tracy was convicted and jailed for life to which he responded by branding the judge and jury 'mad'.

[edit] Expulsion and employment

As David's GCSEs approached, Gail urged him to work hard for the exams, but David lacked any interest in his studies. He agreed to sit the exams, but set fire to his test papers after an exam, and swaggered out of school screaming "SCHOOL'S OUT!" David's headmaster informed Gail that David was no longer welcome at the school. Despite this, he did manage to gain an A* in one of his GCSEs.

Having been expelled, David was given a job at the builder's yard. After facing teasing from his bosses, especially over Amber Kalirai and his still-intact virginity, he silenced Jason by claiming to be gay. He later revealed this to be untrue, though not before having pretended to come on to the stunned Jason.

Jason told David that he was afraid of heights. Following this, David took down the ladders while Jason was on the roof, leaving him stranded. The end result: David was fired. He was later accepted back at the builders' yard, but was fired again when he cut up all the roofing timber.

He was then given a job in the hairdressing salon run by his grandmother, Audrey.

[edit] David & Mel Morton

David made friends with Mel Morton, and thought they were going out. However Sarah sought revenge for David's role in preventing her boyfriend Jason from moving into the Platt household. Sarah told Mel that David was a fanatic who stalked women, referring to his relationships with Maria and Tracy. Mel stood David up.

Amber observed Mel telling David she was finished with him, but David later claimed to not only having dumped Mel, but to having slept with her. The rumour reached Mel's father, Jerry Morton, who told Gail. Gail confronted David and told him to apologise, when David refused, Gail grabbed David by the collar and dragged him into the Mortons' takeaway, and in front of a crowd, David was forced to apologise to Jerry and Mel.

[edit] David's revenge

David was spotted on the roof of Underworld by Jason, who had been asked by Gail to look out for him. When Jason reached the roof, David pointed an imaginary gun toward the Platt household, and pretended to shoot them. David told Jason that he had no friends, only enemies, classing Gail, Sarah, Audrey, Jason, Maria, Amber, Jerry, and Martin among them. The next day, David stopped calling Gail 'Mum' and began calling her by her first name as a sign of disrespect.

After Mel snubbed David's apology, David made a rude comment, and Gail came out and told him off. Later, David was shown playing on his Playstation 2, acting out a scene between him and Gail, repeating the words "die, die, die", which ended in a gunshot coming from the TV. David went into the garage and turned the fridge off, and later pretended to mend it for Gail. He threw away a parcel which was meant for his mum, but it was found. David was out in his back garden with Darryl Morton who was using an air rifle to shoot cans. When Jerry stopped them, David invited Darryl over to shoot some clay models David had made for Gail when he was at nursery. Gail was hurt by the action. She told David he would have to pay board, and he and Darryl stormed out. Later on David and Darryl were shooting pegs in the Platts' back garden, and shot at his mum's shopping. When he received his wages from the salon, he was furious to learn that Gail had taken some money out of his wages.

[edit] Beth & Ecstasy

On Sunday, 16 September 2007, Darryl gave David some Ecstasy ("E") tablets to hide for Darryl's pal Stig. David hid the tablets in one of Beth's dolls. While David was babysitting, Beth consumed a pill, thinking it was a sweet. David tried to get the pills out of Bethany by feeding her salt water to induce vomiting. But, when Sarah returned home, David urged her to call the doctor. When Bethany started fitting uncontrollably, David called an ambulance.

Beth was taken to hospital. Jason questioned David about what had happened, telling him it might be his last chance to save Beth. David admitted all, and Jason ran to tell Sarah. Sarah attacked David, but Jason held her back. Beth was later moved to intensive care, and David was left at No.8 crying.

David lied for Darryl telling Gail he wasn't involved, and Gail dragged David home to tell him that Beth was stable. The police arrived to arrest him for possession of a Class-A Drug. They gave David a warning, and told him if Beth died he would face manslaughter charges. When David returned home, Beth had pulled through, but she was still in Weatherfield General hospital. Sarah told David she would never forgive him, and said she was going to leave with Beth. Instead, Gail packed David's bags and he was made to leave home.

[edit] Life on the outside

After sleeping in Darryl's shed, David went to see his grandmother, Audrey, who decided to take David in. When Sarah refused to invite him to the wedding of her and Jason, David vowed that there would be no wedding.

He began his no-wedding campaign by inviting to the wedding the ex-boyfriend who had broken Sarah's heart: Jason's brother, Todd Grimshaw. Todd arrived believing that his brother had invited him. To stop David's plan from working, Sarah decided to forgive Todd.

David then loosened the bolts on some scaffolding at the builders' yard, causing it to collapse when Jason leant on it. David was the first on the scene and called an ambulance, but when Bill realised that the bolts had been tampered with, the finger of suspicion pointed to David.

David later bragged to Darryl that his father Martin was attending Sarah's wedding and would shout at Gail for kicking him out and not inviting him to the wedding. But, Martin was unable to attend as his and Robyn's baby daughter was ill.

That Friday, Gail invited David in to talk about what had gone wrong with him. David told Gail "I don't know how to be happy". He promised to stay away from the Platts and the wedding, and said "You'll never have to worry about me ever again". He continued, though, to observe the family from nearby. When he saw the Grimshaw and Platt families sitting down to Sunday lunch, from the Mortons' back garden, he was seen shooting at miniature bride and groom figurines he had stolen from Sarah's wedding cake. David then left Gail a note threatening to commit suicide. Sarah found it first and destroyed it on the day before her wedding.

On the morning of the wedding, David watched from the roof of Underworld as the police arrived at the Platt house in response to Gail's report that David's car was missing. Infuriated to see his family proceeding to the wedding as if nothing had happened, David drove his car to the canal, and left a phone message for his mother, blaming her for killing himself. Then, at the exact point where Richard Hillman had previously tried to kill the Platt family, he drove the car at full speed into the canal, witnessed by a passerby. In a further touch of irony, David accompanied his automotive plunge into the canal with the very same Wannadies’ song — “You and Me Song” — that Hillman had chosen when he had carried out his murder-suicide attempt.

The police interrupted the wedding to inform Gail that David's car had been driven into the canal. Gail and Audrey left the church, and Gail became furious with Sarah after learning she had destroyed the suicide note. Jason was in a quandary as to whether the wedding should be called off, but Sarah insisted on continuing. Later, David turned up at the house, having escaped from the car. After being made a fuss of by Gail, he had an encounter with Sarah as she was about to leave for her honeymoon. This confirmed for her that David had not intended to kill himself, only to ruin the wedding.

[edit] Bonfire Night

David was soon back to his evil self when he stole and threw Sarah's wedding dress out on 5 November (Jason had been taking the dress to the cleaner but had turned his back). David took the dress knowing that Kayleigh Morton and her half brother, Finlay Bryant, making a Guy Fawkes, would find it. It was burned to ashes on the Bonfire before a horrified Sarah.

Instead of being punished, David was rewarded when Audrey asked David to return to the salon. Upon discovering this, Sarah resigned. Sarah also commented that the salon would be burnt to the ground before a month passed. No doubt, Gail and Audrey will blame Sarah when the next disaster happens. David has now been placed on a cloud by Gail where he is safe from any and all blame.

[edit] False remorse

David is currently pretending to regret his attempted suicide. He lied to Jason Grimshaw about how he felt guilty about his behaviour. Further, he said that he thought it was strange that when he was trying to kill himself, he was feeling guilty that Richard Hillman had failed to do the job, making him feel bad about surviving (an allusion to survivor's guilt, perhaps).

Gail believed David's deception, whilst Jason felt bad for David and decided to play him at video games instead of doing the housework Sarah had left him. As soon as Jason and Gail were out of earshot, David grinned his evil grin and said in a cocky voice "psyche" showing he had been lying. David has also been making Sarah's life at the Salon a misery. His antics remain unpunished as Audrey and Gail refuse to accept that David is malevolent.

Jason sent Becky Granger a text message, apologising for his wife's childishness after she had attacked Becky in the cafe. David later stole Jason's phone, returned it to Sarah, and sent a deviously flirtatious message from Becky's Phone, and continued to watch the havoc unfold as Sarah started reading the texts. Jason finally realised who was behind the texts when Becky revealed her phone had been stolen. Jason confronted David in the salon and both he and Sarah launched at him, with Sarah screaming, "Why don't you do us a favour and go and try to kill yourself again?"

[edit] Chance of a lifetime

David's uncle, Stephen Reid, recently arrived on the Street and Gail went over David's life story with him. Uncle Stephen then offered David a job and an apartment abroad, in Milan. Gail agreed because she thought David could do with making something of himself.

However, the plan for David was sabotaged by sister Sarah when she planted some ecstasy tablets in David's drawer at the salon as revenge for him wrecking her wedding. Audrey found the drugs and went straight to Gail, who was furious. Uncle Stephen then said that David could not go with him and have the job or the apartment and that the whole thing was called off, due to mother Gail refusing to let him go. David tried to show his innocence but nobody believed him and Sarah was left smirking.

Later, Sarah told David that she would be going to Italy instead, leaving him fuming. In his anger he called her an "evil little cow", but she simply smiled.

On 28 December, after Sarah and Jason's leaving party at the Rovers, whilst David and Jason were alone together David told him that Sarah had stitched both of them up.

On 30th December, whilst Sarah, Jason and Bethany were at Manchester Piccadilly railway station, Sarah revealed to Jason that she planted the drugs on David after getting that off a bloke in the restaurant. This caused Jason to refuse to go onto the train to Milan whilst Sarah went with Bethany. When he got back to Coronation Street he told Gail that David had been telling the truth about the drugs all along and that he's had enough of Sarah. Jason leaves and house and David emerges, with a smug attitude. Gail sincerely apologizes to him and feels incredibly guilty. David grins and tells her that, with Sarah, Bethany and Jason out of the picture, it was just her and him, and adds "and i think you owe me."

[edit] David's girlfriend

On 7 January 2008 Tina McIntyre will be arriving in Coronation Street and will become David's girlfriend, after first rowing with David's mother Gail in the health centre, then spilling coffee all over David on her way out. ^[1][2]

[edit] Criticism

The current storyline involving David, including his attempted suicide and general nastiness, has become controversial with fans, with many describing it as boring and repetitive, ^[3] with David always “winning” and never having to face the consequences for his actions. ^[4]

[edit] Family

• Father: Martin Platt
• Mother: Gail Platt
• Half Brother: Nick Tilsley
• Half Sisters: Sarah-Louise Grimshaw, Caitlin Platt
• Grandfathers: Barry Platt, Ted Paige
• Grandmothers: Barbara Platt, Audrey Roberts
• Great Grandfather: Robert Potter
• Great Grandmother: Nancy Potter
• Nephew: Billy Platt (deceased)
• Niece: Bethany Platt
• Uncle: Stephen Reid

[edit] Friends

"I don't do friends. I do enemies." David Platt, 20th August 06. Aged 16. Despite this David has some ‘acquaintances' with the following residents:

• Darryl Morton
• Rosie Webster
• Amber Kalirai

Although nobody that he feels he can trust fully.

[edit] Enemies

• Sarah-Louise Grimshaw (née Tilsley, previously Platt) (David hates her for the attention she gets. She repeatedly calls him "psycho" and tries to turn the family against him.)
• Jerry Morton (banned David from his home and his shop)
• Bill Webster (repeatedly tells David he's "evil" and hates him for ruining his marriage)
• Jason Grimshaw (was almost killed by David's antics and refers to him as "bad news" )
• Mel Morton (never forgave David for lying about her.)
• Charlie Stubbs (tried to drown David in the bath after David blackmailed him over his affair with Maria)
• Richard Hillman (David's late stepdad who tried to kill the whole family)
• Becky Granger (David's bizarre behaviour led her to fall out with Sarah, and her relationship with Jason became awkward)

[edit] Quotes

• (When Gail brought Phil home while David was playing his music) :

GAIL: David! When I have people ’round for coffee I don’t want this noise!

DAVID: By “coffee” you mean “sex”?

GAIL: UPSTAIRS NOW!

DAVID: What, me or him?

• (Christmas Day, reading an extract from Granny Ivy’s diary) : “‘I honestly do not know how the good lord has seen me through today’s trial. Gail went to have an abortion. If it wasn’t for Martin Platt, that innocent little baby growing inside her would be dead now.’ Do you want the date or can you remember when you wanted me aborted?! More sprouts anyone?”

• (To Jason Grimshaw while atop the roof of Underworld, shooting his family with an imaginary gun) : “I don't do friends. I do enemies.”

• (Before driving into the canal) : “So did you think I didn’t mean what I said in the letter? Did you think, ‘Oh, it’s just one of David’s tricks … or one of his little games?’ Yeah well … big mistake there because this isn’t a trick or a game. And, I just wish I could be there to see the looks on your rotten faces when you realise that. Or … I dont know, maybe you might even be pleased! It’s not like any of you wanted me around before is it? Especially you mother! You even thought about killing me before I was even born didn’t you? You just couldn’t quite manage it could you? Yeah well I can. So happy days! You’re finally going to get what you always wanted.”

• (Explaining his once suicidal feelings to Jason) : “I just couldn’t cope. It kept building and building. It’s weird the images that go through your head when somebody did want you dead … like Richard. It’s hard to expalin, but it’s almost as if you feel guilty for being alive. Nothing makes sense. I suppose that’s what mental damage does to you … it’s kind of crazy.”

[edit] References

1. ^ AOL.uk
2. ^ Corrie blog
3. ^ Fan Forum
4. ^ Corrie Blog

[edit] External links

• Profile of David Platt at What's on TV

v • d • e Coronation Street
Current characters	Ken Barlow | Emily Bishop | Rita Sullivan | Betty Williams | Deirdre Barlow | Gail Platt | Blanche Hunt | Vera Duckworth | Audrey Roberts | Jack Duckworth | Kevin Webster | Bill Webster | Sally Webster | Jim McDonald | Liz Tomlin | Steve McDonald | Rosie Webster | David Platt | Norris Cole | Sophie Webster | Roy Cropper | Ashley Peacock | Janice Battersby | Leanne Battersby | Tyrone Dobbs | Dev Alahan | Eileen Grimshaw | Maria Sutherland | Kirk Sutherland | Jason Grimshaw | Paul Clayton | Fiz Brown | Claire Peacock | Sean Tully | Chesney Battersby-Brown | Amy Barlow | Jamie Baldwin | Kelly Crabtree | Violet Wilson | Lloyd Mullaney | Molly Compton | Vernon Tomlin | Becky Granger | Michelle Connor | Ryan Connor | Liam Connor | Carla Connor | Lauren Wilson Recurring and minor characters
Media	VHS and DVD releases
Related topics	Storylines | Weatherfield | Rovers Return Inn | Sets | Timeline | Humour

v • d • e The Platt Family in Coronation Street
Martin Platt | Nick Tilsley | Sarah-Louise Grimshaw | Bethany Platt | Billy Platt | David Platt Spouses: Gail Platt | Leanne Battersby | Jason Grimshaw

v • d • e The Tilsley Family in Coronation Street
Bert Tilsley | Brian Tilsley | Nick Tilsley | Sarah-Louise Grimshaw | Bethany Platt | Billy Platt | Spouses: Ivy Brennan | Gail Platt | Leanne Battersby | Jason Grimshaw

www.itv.com/coronationstreet