Yahoo News 9 of the most toxic relationships in soap
A relationship in Soapland wouldn't be normal without its usual ups and downs, but then there's the darker side to some unions – a toxic relationship, to be precise. One that's addictive, in some cases abusive, but nearly always destructive and dangerous to one or both parties involved.
These relationship red flags are often easy and obvious to spot, while others are subtle slow-burners and don't rear their ugly heads until the couple are quite far down the road.
Many of these partnerships look like they're going to work on paper, but the reality is somewhat different and they find themselves trapped in a poisonous cycle of problems. Let's take a look at nine soapy couples whose love stories turned very sour...
1. Peter and Carla (Coronation Street)
When two alcoholics hook up in Soapland, you're in for an exhilarating and intoxicating ride, and that's just what we got with Peter and Carla. It all began as a fling after connecting at AA meetings, but developed into a passionate love affair. When things were good they were great, but Peter's dependence on drink kept driving a wedge between the couple.
Predictably, it all went wrong in the end when Carla discovered Peter had been sleeping with Simon's babysitter Tina McIntyre (once a cheater, always a cheater), leading her to lose their unborn baby.
Fans still to this day wonder what could have been had Carla and Peter been given a proper shot at happiness, and with rumours swirling that she could be about to return to Weatherfield, maybe they'll get the chance to find out.
2. Lauren and Steven (EastEnders)
Where to even start with this farcical fandango of a relationship? Lauren was all ready to call it quits and jet back to New Zealand (we were willing her to get on that plane), but now Steven's gone and made out he's got a terminal brain tumour, and quelle surprise she's staying put to nurse him through his 'final' months. Oh FFS!
And now we're going to have to watch the pair getting even more tangled up in their web of lies and deceit. How the hell is this going to end? Answer: inevitably very, very badly.
There's déjà vu here, harking back to the time when Steven's stepdad Ian told former flame Mel Healy his daughter was dying just to keep hold of her. Snakey Steven is at serious risk of losing everything he's ever loved. Don't worry, mate, there's always Abi to fall back on.
3. Ste and Brendan (Hollyoaks)
Fans were as obsessed with Stendan as they were with one another. But there was a destructive side to the boys' tumultuous relationship, meaning they were never quite able to achieve true happiness for more than five minutes. Ste often found himself on the receiving end of Brendan's violent temper, and old Double B had to continuously compete with Ste's other on/off squeeze Doug.
Ultimately, Brendan's criminal behaviour was their undoing, and the couple were forced to call it quits when he got carted off to prison for murder. There can't be too many jails in the Chester area – we wonder if their eyes have ever met across a crowded canteen during Ste's current stretch in the slammer?
4. Jim and Liz (Coronation Street)
There was never any question of how much Jim and Liz loved one another, so there wasn't. But that didn't mean they were actually any good for each other. Angry Irishman Jim was a crap husband - unable to control his temper and also neglectful, leading Liz to look elsewhere for a bit of affection. Their furious rows and Jim's stints in jail led them to go their separate ways for a number of years, but they reconciled in 2011 and made plans to buy The Rovers together.
Only problem was that Jim was relying on robbing a bank to get the funds, and their dreams of happy ever after went up in smoke when he got caught by the cops and banged up behind bars again. We're not holding our breath for a third time lucky scenario here.
5. Chas and Carl (Emmerdale)
Chas has bedded some real rotters in her time, but no man has ever quite got under her skin like Carl King. She really, really loved him (despite knowing he'd killed his own dad), but unfortunately Carl just couldn't keep it in his pants. After discovering he'd been screwing temptress Eve Jenson, Chas got her payback by faking a pregnancy, then jilting Carl at the altar and admitting their baby never existed.
A couple of years later, Carl decided he still held a torch for Chas, but she didn't want to know, so he tried to rape her. In the struggle, Chas whacked Carl over the head with a brick, and when his body was later found, she assumed she'd killed him. We all know who the real culprit was, but maybe Cameron did Chas a favour of getting Carl out of her life once and for all.
6. Tyrone and Kirsty (Coronation Street)
When Ty met copper Kirsty, the romantic in us hoped he'd finally found the woman of his dreams to share his life with. What he got, however, was the girlfriend from hell. Unable to control her raging jealousy, over even the most irrational of things, possessive Kirst began using Tyrone as a punchbag, assaulting him with whatever she could lay her hands on.
Her barbaric behaviour pushed Ty back into first love Fiz's arms, but Kirsty soon found out about the affair and took her revenge by accusing Tyrone of being violent towards her. The case went to trial, but in a rare act of remorse, Kirsty saved Tyrone's skin at the eleventh hour by admitting she'd made the whole thing up.
7. Maxine and Patrick (Hollyoaks)
In the early days of their union, minxy Maxine and handsome headteacher Patrick were the hot couple of Hollyoaks, however things quickly began to unravel. Patrick's controlling little ways escalated into a full-blown domestic abuse storyline, with Maxine left afraid to leave the house in case he kicked off.
The bad Blake's hold over Max was so strong that he forced her to marry him, snatched her newborn baby off her, and even had her sent to prison. As a final insult, terminally ill Patrick decided to take his own life and frame Maxine for his murder so he could torture her from beyond the grave. He nearly got his dying wish, but thankfully good prevailed over evil in the end.
8. Charity and Cain (Emmerdale)
Emmerdale's answer to Bonnie and Clyde have a long and messy history, dating back to a forbidden fling as teenagers, where Charity got preggers with Debbie. Over two decades on, and the flames of passion have never totally been extinguished between Cain and Charity, despite all the break and make ups – and as any loyal viewer will tell you, there's been a lot.
Whichever partner either is with, there's always a sense that the other is waiting in the wings to sweep in and stamp all over it. Things are definitely off between Charity and Cain right now, but as we all know, these kissing cousins can't be doing without one another for too long. We give it a couple of years before they're getting jiggy in all kinds of inappropriate places again.
9. Shirley and Phil (EastEnders)
Back in the days before Sharon returned to Walford and won back Phil's heart, it was all about him and Shirley. Their volatile relationship was fraught with difficulties, and to give Shirl her dues, she put up with a hell of a lot. She stood by Phil after he became addicted to crack cocaine, took him back after he'd shagged other women behind her back (including his sort-of auntie Glenda, ew!), and was a brilliant surrogate mum to his unruly kids.
But Shirley's loyalty was put to the biggest test of all when she discovered Phil had covered up Ben murdering her best mate Heather. Unable to forgive such a horrendous betrayal, Shirley called it quits with the mean Mitchell and moved on to her other love in life – a bottle of vodka.
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