At tomorrow night's The Secret of Soaps event, we'll be joined by Coronation Street writers, producers, and Tina O'Brien, who began playing Sarah-Louise Platt on the show in 1999. In preparation, here's a reminder of some of the Platt family's - perhaps Corrie's most drama and disaster-afflicted dynasty - most exciting storylines over the years.

1. Richard Hillman

Who could forget the poisonous Richard Hillman, third husband of Gail Platt and decidedly creepy for reasons unknown - well, until residents of Weatherfield began to drop dead and it became clear that a serial killer was at large on the cobbles. Some of the most edge-of-your seat scenes in Corrie history came with his months-awaited admission of guilt - and the unforgettable night he drove the family into the canal remains the third most-watched episode in the programme's 55-year run.

 

2. Sarah-Louise's pregnancy

Gail and stepfather Martin were worried that 13-year-old Sarah-Lou had an eating disorder when she started acting strangely and stopped eating. Not so. They marched her to the doctor, who informed them she was, in fact, five months pregnant, and baby Bethany Britney arrived soon after (now a gobby, rebellious 15-year-old herself). The storyline caused huge controversy at the time due to Sarah's age, but in 2014 the even younger Faye Windass fell pregnant at the age of 12.

 

3. Nick Tilsley and Leanne Battersby

Nick and Leanne were the star-crossed lovers that eloped to Gretna Green in 1997. The marriage didn't last long - surprise, surprise - and Nick moved away to Canada for a few years to work with his uncle. Since he's been back, the pair's frequent, tempestuous, ill-fated reunions have had viewers hooked - with a second marriage, triangles with Peter Barlow, and Carla Connor, and Nick's affair with sister-in-law Kylie. There's no telling how things will pan out in future - the two are currently very much apart - but they're the closest thing Weatherfield has to a will-they-won't-they romance.

 

4. Devil child David

David Platt seems to have turned things around in recent years, but for most of his childhood and adolescence, the family's manipulative youngest child was Corrie's resident enfant terrible. A bitter rivalry with sister Sarah, leaving ecstasy within reach of baby Bethany, sending letters to his mother addressed from her dead ex-husband and, eventually, pushing her down the stairs all rank highly among his other offences. Known in the tabloids as "David Pratt" the now-reformed bad boy is also given some of the programme's sharpest one-liners, which just about manage to endear him to the audience.

 

5. Kylie and David's rocky relationship

Gail never approved of Kylie and David's relationship, believing Kylie Turner (and her chequered background) not worthy of her son. In fact, Kylie and son Max have proven a positive influence on David. Despite Kylie's problems with alcohol and drugs, she's forced him to grow up and the pair have a child of their own, baby Lily. Kylie's got a past, though, and Max's dad - her drug-dealing ex boyfriend - was intent on putting paid to any chances of happiness for the family, demanding custody of Max and "befriending" Sarah-Lou and Bethany. Never mind that now - they accidentally murdered him in the special live episode earlier this year, and he's buried in the foundations of Gail's new annexe.