David Platt (Coronation Street)
Encyclopedia
David Daniel Platt is a fictional character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...

 in the UK television ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...

 soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...

, Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...

. The character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 26 December 1990 and is portrayed by actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

 Jack P. Shepherd
Jack P. Shepherd
Jack Peter Shepherd is an English actor. He plays David Platt in the ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street. He joined the show in April 2000, taking over the role from Thomas Ormson.Shepherd was born in Pudsey, Leeds, West Yorkshire....

, who took over the role in 2000 from Thomas Ormson
Thomas Ormson
Thomas Ormson is a young English actor who played David Platt on Coronation Street from 1990 to 2000. He acted along with Sean Wilson, Helen Worth, Lynsay King, Emma Collinge and Adam Rickitt.In 2000 Jack P. Shepherd took over the role....

 who had portrayed the character since his inception.

Creation

Background

A character that viewers saw born in the soap, David's birth was part of the Coronation Street Christmas storyline in 1990. He was the only child of couple Martin
Martin Platt
Martin Platt is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, Coronation Street, portrayed by Sean Wilson.-Departure:Actor Sean Wilson was axed from Coronation Street when a major storyline conference decided the character of Martin had been "played out". At the time, it was said that...

 and Gail Platt
Gail Platt
Gail McIntyre is a long-standing fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Helen Worth, the character first appeared on screen on 12 July 1974...

 (Sean Wilson and Helen Worth
Helen Worth
Helen Worth is an English actress, best known for her portrayal of the Coronation Street character Gail McIntyre- Early life :...

), although Gail had two older children from her first marriage. David was the second of two Christmas births featured that year, as Sally Webster
Sally Webster
Sally Webster is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Sally Dynevor, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 27 January 1986.-Casting:...

 gave birth to her daughter Rosie Webster
Rosie Webster
Rosie Webster is a fictional character in the British television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. The character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 24 December 1990. Originally portrayed by actress Emma Collinge from her birth until December 1999, the character has since been...

 the day before.

Casting

Since David was days old and for most of his childhood years, the character was played by child actor Thomas Ormson
Thomas Ormson
Thomas Ormson is a young English actor who played David Platt on Coronation Street from 1990 to 2000. He acted along with Sean Wilson, Helen Worth, Lynsay King, Emma Collinge and Adam Rickitt.In 2000 Jack P. Shepherd took over the role....

. He played David in various minor storylines. In 2000, it was announced that young actor Jack P. Shepherd
Jack P. Shepherd
Jack Peter Shepherd is an English actor. He plays David Platt in the ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street. He joined the show in April 2000, taking over the role from Thomas Ormson.Shepherd was born in Pudsey, Leeds, West Yorkshire....

 would be taking over the role he joined the soap on 26 April 2000 and has played the character to this day.

Personality and identity

In 2005, the character changed from a normal schoolboy to a psychopath after his father Martin leaves for Liverpool with his new girlfriend. He begins sending cards to his mother Gail which she believed were from Richard Hillman
Richard Hillman
Richard Charles Hillman was a fictional character in the British television soap opera Coronation Street, played by Brian Capron. Hillman is now rated as one of the best soap villains of all time.-Development:...

, and pushing her down the stairs and even putting drugs in his niece Bethany's toys resulting in her go to hospital (even though Bethany wasn't meant to be home). In 2010 he ran over his best friend Graeme Proctor
Graeme Proctor
Graeme Proctor is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Craig Gazey, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 18 April 2008....

 after stealing his grandmother Audrey Roberts
Audrey Roberts
Audrey Roberts is a long-standing fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Sue Nicholls, the character first appeared during the episode aired on 16 April 1979....

's car. However, it was revealed that he was suffering from Epilepsy
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...

 and had collapsed over the steering wheel.

However, David has also shown signs of compassion, love and kindness. When his mother Gail was wrongfully imprisoned for murder, David supported his mother and tried to prove her innocence. After he became engaged to Kylie Turner
Kylie Turner
Kylie was initially described as having a "full on" personality, similar to Becky. She was also labelled a "firecracker". Lane described her as a "messed up girl, dragged up by an alcoholic mother". In her life she had to "fight for survival". Lane has also expressed her admiration of Kylie's...

, his grandmother Audrey Roberts, for whom he works as a hairdresser leaves him her salon in her will. David also showed affection for his new stepson, Max Turner
Max Turner
Max Turner is a British New Testament scholar.He is evangelical, and a Baptist minister, although as a young Christian he was associated with the Elim Pentecostal Church. His charismatic roots have generated an interest in the theology of the Holy Spirit, especially in Luke-Acts...

 and offered to help raise Max.

Storylines

David is the son of Martin Platt
Martin Platt
Martin Platt is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, Coronation Street, portrayed by Sean Wilson.-Departure:Actor Sean Wilson was axed from Coronation Street when a major storyline conference decided the character of Martin had been "played out". At the time, it was said that...

 and Gail Tilsley. He is born on Christmas Day 1990. David had few major storylines until the breakdown of his parents' marriage in 2000 when he was 10 years old. David was unhappy and began misbehaving in the hope that they would get back together. David was also unhappy when his mother married Richard Hillman
Richard Hillman
Richard Charles Hillman was a fictional character in the British television soap opera Coronation Street, played by Brian Capron. Hillman is now rated as one of the best soap villains of all time.-Development:...

 in July 2002 but grew to accept him.

In March 2003, when Hillman is discovered to be a murderer, he tries to the whole family and himself. David, his mother, sister Sarah
Sarah-Louise Grimshaw
Sarah-Louise Platt is a fictional character in the British soap opera Coronation Street.-Creation and development:...

, and niece Bethany are kidnapped, bound and gagged by Hillman, who then drives his car, with all of them in it, into the canal. All of the family survive except Richard. In the years following this storyline, David gradually turned from an innocent schoolboy into a sociopath with a penchant for lies, manipulation and scheming.

The sudden change in David's attitude begins when his father, Martin, leaves Weatherfield and moves to Liverpool with his new girlfriend; David is upset and hurt by this and when his mother begins dating Phil Nail (Clive Russell
Clive Russell
Clive Russell is a British actor.Clive was born in Reeth, England and brought up in Fife, Scotland.He is a familiar face on British television and has appeared in numerous television series including Boys From the Black Stuff ,Hope And Glory, Neverwhere, Great Expectations, The Mists of Avalon,...

) he begins a hate campaign against their relationship. David does not trust Phil as a result of Gail's relationship with Richard. When Phil has to move in with the family after his flat is flooded, David goes round to the flat to double-check if Phil is telling the truth.

In January 2006, Phil reaches breaking point with David's attitude and one day when his mother is out he throws David up against a wall and threatens to beat him up. Phil then realizes what he is doing and lets David go. However, when his mother comes home David tells her what has happened but Phil manages to lie his way out of it and Gail believes him, later that day Gail slaps David for telling a 'lie'. She does not know he is telling the truth.

A few days later the Platts receive their first Hillman card from Gail's deceased husband Richard Hillman.

In March 2006, Gail suspects Phil of sending the cards, as Gail and David and Phil are sat eating Phil argues his innocence but David protests and following this, Phil snaps and throws David across the table in front of Gail. Gail is stunned and throws Phil out for hitting David.

The Platts are still receiving Hillman cards and Gail tricks David into stating that it was Richards birthday coming up in June 2006. Nevertheless, a card comes. Gail then knows that it was David sending them, as Richard's birthday was actually in December. Gail blames herself for David's behaviour.

After setting fire to an exam paper, David is expelled from school, but manages to gain an A* in the one GCSE that he took. David is given a job at the builder's yard, but is sacked twice for misconduct, before being given a job in his grandmother's hairdressing salon. On one occasion, Gail catches David shaving the head of one of Bethany's (Emily and Amy Walton) dolls with a pair of electric clippers. He informs her that he was merely practising for his grandmother’s salon.

In late 2006, David begins to form a crush on his hair salon colleague Maria Sutherland
Maria Sutherland
Maria Jane Connor , is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street, portrayed by actress Samia Smith. The character first appeared on-screen on 19 May 2000...

 (Samia Smith
Samia Smith
Samia Maxine Ghadie , is an English actress best known for playing Maria Connor in the ITV Soap Coronation Street.-Early life:...

), but is shocked to learn that she having a secret relationship with builder Charlie Stubbs (Bill Ward
Bill Ward (actor)
Bill Ward is an English actor who played Charlie Stubbs in Coronation Street.-Biography:He completed a degree in History at Bristol University. He is a former advertising executive. After Coronation Street, he had a role in the ITV series Cold Blood with Pauline Quirke...

) behind his girlfriend Tracy Barlow
Tracy Barlow
Tracy Lynette Barlow is a fictional character in the British television soap opera Coronation Street. She is currently portrayed, since 2002, by Kate Ford, the latest in a series of actresses who have played Tracy at various ages...

's (Kate Ford
Kate Ford
Kate Connerty is a British actress best known for playing the role of Tracy Barlow in the long-running ITV soap opera Coronation Street from 2002 to 2007. Kate returned to Coronation Street on Christmas Eve 2010....

) back. He is threatened on a number of occasions by Charlie when he claims that he will reveal the truth to Tracy. He is forced into the back of a van by Charlie and threatened to stay quiet, only to be saved by Liam Connor
Liam Connor
Liam Barrington Connor is a fictional character from the British ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street, played by Rob James-Collier from 2006 to 2008.-Creation:...

 (Rob James-Collier
Rob James-Collier
Robert James-Collier is a British actor and model. He is known for his roles as Liam Connor in Coronation Street and as Thomas on Downton Abbey.- Background :James-Collier was born in Stockport, Greater Manchester...

) who is passing by and hears the commotion. Charlie then tries to drown David in a bath of water when a horrified Maria walks in and stops him.

In January 2007, Tracy murders Charlie, staging it to look like self-defence. David's opportunistic nature comes to the fore as he offers to give a false testimony that he witnessed her acting in self-defence when she struck Charlie, on the condition that she provides him with sexual favours. A desperate Tracy agrees to the scheme, however, the prosecution see through the lack of credibility in David's version of events. Following his disastrous testimony, Tracy angrily tells him that she had never intended on sleeping with him, much to his annoyance. Tracy is eventually convicted of murder in April 2007.

In September 2007, David hides some Ecstasy
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine
MDMA is an entactogenic drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of drugs. In popular culture, MDMA has become widely known as "ecstasy" , usually referring to its street pill form, although this term may also include the presence of possible adulterants...

 tablets, which belong to a friend of Darryl Morton
Darryl Morton
Darryl Morton is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by former Grange Hill actor Jonathan Dixon, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 18 March 2007.-Background:...

's (Jonathan Dixon
Jonathan Dixon (actor)
Jonathan Dixon is a British television actor, best known for playing playground bully Matthew "Mooey" Humphries in long-running CBBC show Grange Hill....

), in one of Bethany's dolls. David is left to babysit but fails to notice she has taken one of the pills. Bethany is taken to intensive care
Intensive care medicine
Intensive-care medicine or critical-care medicine is a branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and management of life threatening conditions requiring sophisticated organ support and invasive monitoring.- Overview :...

, and David is almost arrested for possession of a Class-A Drug
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 is an Act of Parliament which represents UK action in line with treaty commitments under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic...

. Bethany makes a full recovery, and David is let off with a warning.

Gail kicks David out of the house, and he is taken on by his grandmother Audrey Roberts
Audrey Roberts
Audrey Roberts is a long-standing fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Sue Nicholls, the character first appeared during the episode aired on 16 April 1979....

 (Sue Nicholls
Sue Nicholls
Susan Frances Harmar Nicholls is an English actress, best known today for her long-running role as Audrey Roberts in British soap opera Coronation Street.-Early life:...

). When Sarah refuses to invite him to her wedding, David vows that there will be no wedding. He loosens the bolts on the scaffolding at the builder's yard, causing Sarah's fiancé Jason to fall and end up in hospital in October 2007 nearly dying but makes a full recovery. Upon Jason's release, he and Sarah begin to piece together evidence that David was behind the "accident". Jason tells Gail about the conversation he had with David, regarding his murderous fantasies, but she refuses to believe him.

The day before the wedding, David leaves Gail a note threatening to commit suicide, but Sarah finds it first and destroys it. On the morning of the wedding, David drives his car to the canal, and leaves a phone message for his mother. Then, at the exact point where Richard Hillman tried to kill the Platt family, he drives the car at full speed into the canal, witnessed by a passer-by. Later, David turns up at the house, having escaped from the car. He makes it clear to Sarah that he had not intended to kill himself, he orchestrated the event merely to ruin the wedding. However, Gail still believes it to be a suicide attempt.

In January 2008, David begins sleeping with Tina McIntyre
Tina McIntyre
Tina McIntyre is a fictional character in the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Michelle Keegan, the character first appeared on screen during the episode airing on 7 January 2008...

 (Michelle Keegan
Michelle Keegan
Michelle Elizabeth Keegan is an English actress who currently plays Tina McIntyre in the soap opera Coronation Street.-Biography:...

). Tina discovers she is pregnant a few months later, and Gail helps her get an abortion without telling David. During an argument with Gail following this, David pushes her down the stairs. He persuades Tina not to tell the police and to give him an alibi, but she dumps him. A furious David proceeds to smash up various vehicles and windows on the Street with a metal pole, attacking Ken Barlow (William Roache
William Roache
William Patrick Harry Roache MBE is a British actor, best known for his role as Ken Barlow in the soap opera Coronation Street...

) and elbowing a policewoman. On 18 April 2008, he is sentenced to four months in a Young Offenders Institution.

He is released in June 2008, after serving less than two months. David's cellmate from the institute, Graeme Proctor
Graeme Proctor
Graeme Proctor is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Craig Gazey, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 18 April 2008....

 (Craig Gazey
Craig Gazey
Craig Gazey is an award-winning English actor.He attended Eggbuckland Community College up until 1998, where he attended City College Plymouth, studying a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts. He then went on to attend Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and graduated in 2005...

) comes to the Street in November to stay with David. Audrey refuses to have him back at Audrey's Salon, but he manages to find employment in Peter and Paul's salon with the aid of a fake reference. David and Tina break up again when he hacks into her email account and discovers she has been emailing her ex-boyfriend. As revenge, Tina has David fired from his new job. He begins seeing Amber Kalirai
Amber Kalirai
Amber Kalirai is a fictional character from the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by Nikki Patel, the character first appeared on-screen during the episode airing on 9 November 2005. In May 2011 it was announced that Patel had returned to filming and Amber appeared again from 11 July...

 (Nikki Patel
Nikki Patel
Nikki Patel is a British actress. She is best known as the character Amber Kalirai in Coronation Street. Some may also recognise her from the BBC hit drama Waterloo Road, where she played Shazia...

) in an attempt to make her jealous, but he and Tina are soon reconciled in August 2008.

David begins working with Tina's builder dad Joe
Joe McIntyre (Coronation Street)
Joseph "Joe" McIntyre was a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. The character was portrayed by actor Reece Dinsdale. Joe was introduced as the father of Tina McIntyre, and made his first appearing onscreen during the episode that aired in the UK on May 26, 2008...

 (Reece Dinsdale
Reece Dinsdale
Reece Dinsdale is an English actor of stage, screen and television.-Acting career:He trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama from 1977 until 1980...

) in October 2008. The following month, David becomes involved in a feud with dodgy family, the Windasses. After they refuse to pay for the new kitchen David and Joe had fitted, David threatens husband and wife Eddie
Eddie Windass
Edward "Eddie" Windass is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Steve Huison, the character first appeared on screen during the episode airing on 14 November 2008. On 5 December 2010, it was announced that Eddie is to leave Coronation Street...

 (Steve Huison
Steve Huison
Steve Huison , is a British actor, mostly on TV and occasional films. He trained at the Rose Bruford College in Sidcup. He is best known for his role as "Lomper" in the massively successful UK box-office and critical hit The Full Monty . He also appeared in a Ken Loach film The Navigators, made in...

) and Anna
Anna Windass
Anna Windass is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Debbie Rush, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 14 November 2008.-Creation and casting:...

 (Debbie Rush
Debbie Rush
Debbie Rush is an English actress. She is currently playing the role of Anna Windass in Coronation Street.After training at the Manchester School Of Acting when she was in her thirties, she has also starred in Shameless and Hollyoaks in the City. Rush also filmed the role of "Pam" in the horror...

) with a crowbar until they hand over the cash they owe. A horrified Graeme later tells David that they are not a family to be messed with. After Len (Conor Ryan) and Gary Windass
Gary Windass
Gary Windass is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Mikey North, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 14 November 2008.-Background:...

 (Mikey North
Mikey North
Michael "Mikey" North is an English actor best known for his role as Gary Windass in Coronation Street.-Early life and career:...

) steal Joe's work tools, David, Tina and Graeme break into their house and destroy the kitchen by ripping out the new fittings and setting fire to them, only causing the Windasses to remove the kitchen in No.8 Coronation Street. When Gail and Anna have a heart-to-heart to sort out their families' differences, they decide to call a truce at the Rovers Return. David refuses to shake hands with Gary and storms off with Tina.

In April 2009, David comes back after visiting Martin and partner Robyn (Claire Calbraith). He later tells Joe and Gail that he knows he was a pain but wants a new chance after seeing his dad with his new family and that he wants an easy life by ending the feud with the Windasses. He then tells Graeme that he told them what they wanted to hear. He subsequently sees Tina and Gary in the pub talking and he assumes they are together. On Easter Sunday, he hides Joe's painkillers and then 'finds' them in Gail's dressing gown. He then buys everyone a Easter egg including Tina, which contains the details of a flat that they could move into together. However, she tells him that she isn't interested in his offer. This leaves David upset and worried that Gary could make a move on Tina.

A few months after the verdict David begins plotting against Gary. He steals tools from Bill Webster
Bill Webster
William Geoffrey "Bill" Webster is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Peter Armitage, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 6 February 1984. He remained in the show until 1985 when Armitage decided to leave,...

 (Peter Armitage
Peter Armitage
Peter Armitage is a statistician specialising in medical statistics.Peter Armitage attended Huddersfield College and went on to read mathematics at Trinity College, Cambridge. Armitage belonged to the generation of mathematicians who came to maturity in the Second World War...

) and lets Gary take the rap for it, only to defend him, this is a way for him to make Gary believe the air is clear between them as they shake hands and make up. David tricks Gary into buying stolen goods off him - but they actually belong to Graeme. In June 2009, David takes full revenge on Gary when Gail and Audrey go abroad to visit Sarah and Bethany. He convinces Gary to rob a house - which is Audrey's - David steals the keys and hides all photos of his family so Gary won't know whose house it is. David pretends to call off the robbery, knowing that Gary will carry on with the plan alone, and asks Graeme to spy on Gary as he goes to the house. The plan goes wrong when David's grandfather Ted Paige (Michael Byrne
Michael Byrne (actor)
Michael Byrne is an English actor noted for his roles on film and television. He has often been cast in Nazi military roles such as Colonel Vogel in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Obergruppenführer Odilo Globocnik in the BBC radio dramatisation of the novel Fatherland by Robert Harris...

), who is housesitting, arrives at Audrey's. Gary pushes Ted as he tries to apprehend him. Ted recognises him and calls the police. Gary returns to the Street only to see a police car outside his house, and runs away. Ted then has a heart attack, which he survives. Gary tells his parents and the police that he wasn't robbing Audrey's house, however, he later tells Eddie and Anna the truth and decides to confess to the police. Following Gary's confession the police set out to find David. Meanwhile, David has been unable to put back the photographs he had hidden in time to stop Audrey from finding them. The police arrive to interview David, and his family guess the truth. Ted, deeply hurt, becomes despondent, whilst David is disowned by his family leaving him with nowhere to turn. However, they decide to let him continue to live with them, but only if he pays rent.

When David finds out about Tina's new relationship with Jason Grimshaw, he spirals out of control and throws items from the builder's yard at Jason. Meanwhile, following his back injury it becomes increasingly clear to everyone, David included, that Joe, who is now in a relationship with Gail, is becoming addicted to prescription drugs. By June 2009, Joe is becoming increasingly dependent and trashes the kitchen when he can't find the medication. In July 2009, Graeme spots Joe's painkillers and Joe is interested to hear how there was a black market for such drugs when Graeme was in the Young Offenders' Institute. Later, a desperate Joe finds Graeme and asks if he can obtain some painkillers until his back is better. Graeme agrees to speak to his contact and, as promised, gets Joe the painkillers, but tells him it is a one-off favour. David later finds out about Joe's addiction and persuades Graeme to stop Joe's supply. David then tells Joe he will supply him drugs in exchange for a 'favour'. Much later on, David reveals this to be a deviously underhand attempt to force Joe to split up Jason and Tina. Joe doesn't want to, but David tells him he will tell Gail about the drugs if he fails to do so.

After Joe is killed in a boat accident in the Lake District with new wife Gail in February 2010, David and Gail decide to cover up the death by telling Tina that Joe got a job near the lakes. David even sends Tina flowers on her birthday 'from her dad' just to calm her down. When David confesses to Tina about Joe's accident, Tina is left shocked. Tina later blames Gail for Joe's death by banning her from Joe's funeral and by then telling the police that Gail did it. After the police had already suspected Gail they arrest her during Joe's wake in the Rovers. David, Nick (Ben Price
Ben Price
Ben Price is a British actor, best known for playing the third incarnation of Nick Tilsley in the ITV soap opera, Coronation Street...

) and Audrey are shocked while Tina shows no guilt.

David and Nick pay a cleaner £4,000 to pretend to be a witness to Joe's accident. She is paid £2,000 to tell the police that Gail was pushed off the boat by Joe before Joe sailed off and is told that she will be paid £2,000 to say that in court. However, she does not turn up and David takes to the witness box instead. It emerges in the court that David sent the flowers and messages to Tina, not Gail as the court had thought. David returns to court soon after to hear the jury's verdict, and is relieved when the jury find Gail 'not guilty'.

In June 2010, David is furious when best friend Graeme tells him that he is now dating Tina, for whom David still has feelings. He conspires to come between the couple by telling Graeme that Tina is on the rebound from Jason Grimshaw, but the tactic fails as Graeme and Tina continue seeing one another. David later assaults Tina in the flat she shares with Graeme. She tells Graeme, who confronts David. Later, while Graeme is walking home from work, he crosses the street to speak to Tina, only to be hit by Audrey's car, driven by David. After the accident David says he has no recollection of what happened: not a single person believes him, with Ashley attacking him verbally, Tina repeatedly calling him an attempted murderer and even Gail having a "flicker of doubt". However, one person does believe him: grandmother Audrey. On 21 October 2010, the evidence against David stacks up enough for him to be charged with attempted murder and chances of him being found innocent remote. However, just before his court appearance, David's insistance he doesn't recall the incident when just as he gets up, he blacks out and collapses. The case is postponed until next month, much to Tina's anger who believes David is trying to get out of it all. However, doctors think otherwise: they believe he might have a form of epilepsy, which cause him to black out while driving; Audrey instantly believes this to be a reason why he ran over Graeme, with the police slowly realising this could be true, but Tina doesn't believe a word of his explanation.

Later in the day, David "disowns" Gail for not believing him, despite her pleas that it was one flicker of doubt, but he doesn't budge and says Audrey never had a flicker of doubt and even if she did, she would have kept it to herself. David is granted bail, but has to stay with Audrey. which he does until the hearing and in that time, he "re-owns" Gail and forgives her. The case is dropped when it is confirmed he has epilepsy and Graeme both apologises (for accusing him of attempted murder) and forgives him. The doubtful residents also apologise for disbelieving him, but Tina continues to insist he's lying, telling everyone that David hasn't got epilepsy, insisting he's decided he has epilepsy rather than being diagnosed and making Graeme go home from the Rovers, refusing to let him drink in a pub that "serves psychos". However, on 29 November, David goes to the Rovers and is invited by Graeme, recently-back-from-the-army Gary (he returned after a bomb explosion) and Gary's girlfriend Izzy Armstrong
Izzy Armstrong
Isabelle 'Izzy' Armstrong is a fictional character on the UK soap Coronation Street portrayed by Cherylee Houston. The character first appears on-screen on April 16, 2010; she is introduced as a new love interest for Kirk Sutherland. Soon after her arrival she gets a job at the Underworld factory....

 to join them at their table, much to Tina's annoyance. She refuses to accept that David is automatically forgiven, but when Gary tells her "life's too short for grudges", she finally accepts the truth, ends her feud with David (ending nearly 20 months of hostility) and calls a truce with the Platt family.

On 6th December, disaster and chaos reign when brother Nick's new wine bar explodes, destroying it. To make matters worse, one of the tram-lines crossing the viaduct collapses and brings a tram off it, battering the southern part of the street. David helps in saving residents and is worried about Nick when he can't be found. He is relieved to find Nick safe and sound when he's rescued from the ruins. On Christmas Eve 2010, David is livid after Tracy Barlow is released from prison pending a retrial. Tracy had previously attempted to frame Gail for Joe's death, in a scheme to secure an early release. After Tracy continues to taunt his mother, as well as stealing a job at Underworld that Gail was going to apply for, David confronts her at her house about her malicious behaviour and threatens her. However, a twist of events occur when Tracy starts seducing him and he ends up having sex with her, much to his regret later when a spiteful Tracy reveals their one-night-stand to an enraged Gail.

In February 2011, Audrey reveals she would like David to succeed her and Maria quits, angered by this prospect. A few days later, he leaves to go to Tenerife for a holiday. He arrives back in early March and, to Gail's horror, is engaged to a cage dancer. His fiancee, "Candy", is actually Kylie Turner
Kylie Turner
Kylie was initially described as having a "full on" personality, similar to Becky. She was also labelled a "firecracker". Lane described her as a "messed up girl, dragged up by an alcoholic mother". In her life she had to "fight for survival". Lane has also expressed her admiration of Kylie's...

 (Paula Lane), half-sister to Becky McDonald
Becky McDonald
Rebecca "Becky" McDonald is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, a long-running serial drama about working class life in the fictional town of Weatherfield. She is played by actress Katherine Kelly. Becky was created by producer Steve Frost as a recurring...

 (Katherine Kelly
Katherine Kelly (actress)
Katherine Kelly, is a British actress and recording artist who is most well known for playing Becky McDonald in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street. She has also starred in the film Mischief Night.-Early life and career:...

). Gail and Becky are horrified, whilst Becky's husband (Steve) and Audrey are quite cool about it. Eventually, after a client dies at the salon, Audrey decides to retire and give the salon to David, who is pleased and offers Kylie a job there.

In the ensuing weeks, David and Kylie start making plans for the salon and the wedding. David makes it clear he doesn't even want to consider inviting Sarah to the wedding and also informs his family that Graeme, who is marrying Tina's friend Xin Chiang (Elizabeth Tan
Elizabeth Tan
Elizabeth Tan is a British actress of Chinese descent. Known for a number of BBC television series, she was cast to appear in the long-running ITV Soap Opera, Coronation Street, as the show's first regular Chinese character, making her first appearance in February 2011. She departed the show in...

), will also be getting married at the same place. The big day of the wedding arrives but there is no sign of Kylie, much to Gail's delight has she secretly bribed her with 1,000 pounds to leave David. Much to Gail's horror, Kylie turns up at the registry office, proving her genuine love for David and the couple then get married.

David then fights to take custody of Max Turner (Harry McDermott), but ends up in a war with Steve and Becky, with Kylie trying to avoid it. David insists that Steve and Becky aren't fit to look after Max, proving this when he saves Max from being run over. Eventually, Kylie is interviewed by Social Services and lies to them. Steve then reveals the truth that Kylie sold Max to the McDonalds. Luckily, David isn't angered, he's just surprised that Kylie never told him and makes it clear that they won't divorce. When Tina throws Graeme and Xin out, David offers them a place at Gail's. When the two leave for London, David bids Graeme farewell.

In July 2011, David finds himself being fought for affection by Kylie and Gail, with Kylie winning. The next day, when Marc comes round, Kylie drops the bombshell about Gail bribing her, disgusting David who vows they'll get their own home. The following day, Kylie decides to ask Audrey to evict Maria from the salon flat (much to David's annoyance) and asks, though her pleas fall on deaf ears. The next day, Kylie winds Gail up to the point that she insists that any food, clearing up and ironing must be done by the young couple alone.

In the salon later that day, David finds himself ganged up on by the women. In August, he is horrified to learn from Gail that Kylie is putting Max up for adoption and she doesn't want to attend the hearing. David confronts her and she still insists she doesn't want Max. However, following a confession with Gail (who sacrifices her interview at the bistro) that she does want Max, but has only ever let him down, Gail encourages her to attend the hearing. She agrees and both her and David plan to go together. In Mid-August, Audrey decides that David and Kylie should get a chance to prove they can run the salon and takes Mondays off, to give the couple trial runs.

However, on the first trial run, David does well with clients, but Kylie screws up by accidentally insulting Audrey's friends Rita Sullivan
Rita Sullivan
Rita Sullivan is a long-standing character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street...

 (Barbara Knox
Barbara Knox
Barbara Knox, MBE , is an English actress, best known for playing Rita Sullivan in the television soap opera Coronation Street.-Early life:Knox was born in Oldham, Lancashire...

) and Betty Williams
Betty Williams (Coronation Street)
Elizabeth "Betty" Williams is a long-standing fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, portrayed by former music hall star Betty Driver. Driver was cast as Betty in 1969, after first auditioning for the role of Hilda Ogden...

 (Betty Driver
Betty Driver
Elizabeth Mary "Betty" Driver, MBE was an English singer, actress and author, best known for her role as Betty Williams on the British soap opera, Coronation Street, appearing in more than 2,800 episodes...

) about their age, injuring Julie Carp
Julie Carp
Julie Carp is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera, Coronation Street, played by actress Katy Cavanagh...

 and whilst giving Gail a good nail service, also falls flat when one falls off at the Bistro. Audrey sends David on a 2-week residental business course, in order to give him a clearer image on running a salon and insists Kylie, until she is qualified, sticks to nails.

But, in the two weeks he is absent, chaos reigns in the Platt household. On Kylie's birthday, he seemingly forgets it and as a result, flirts with other men. To teach her a lesson, Gail locks her out of the house and Kylie stays with her new friend Eva Price at the Rovers. The next day, Kylie has a go at Gail for what she did and Audrey sacks her for it. In revenge, Kylie and Eva inadvertently discover Audrey and her boyfriend Marc Selby, who is dressed as his alter-ego "Marcia". They film them and Kylie uses it as blackmail to get her job back. The plan, though, misfires when Marc walks into the Rovers dressed as Marcia. Audrey is forced to break up with him and upon learning this, Gail kicks Kylie out of the house and she is forced to stay with Eva.

In revenge, Kylie steals' Nick's keys and locks Gail and Nick out of the house. David returns at the same time and is splashed by water from a pan, held by Kylie. David learns of the situation and calms Kylie down. He then reveals to his family that he has been offered a job by the course as salon manager and has been offered a flat for it as well. However, when they meet with Max's social worker, they learn that the job and flat offer would dent their adoption process. Realising the situation she has put them in, Gail tells David and Kylie they can stay at the house for as long as it takes.

Reception

Fearing real-life imitation of the scene in which David was tortured by Charlie Stubbs, many formal complaints were filed by viewers with the Government’s Office of Communications. In the end, "Coronation Street was cleared by TV watchdogs after 31 complaints about scenes of ‘bullying and torture’." Investigators eventually ruled that the torture scenes "were editorially justified by plot development, characters involved and the manner of editing." Tony Stewart of The Mirror refers to the character as 'David Pratt' when writing reviews of any storyline he features in, due to the character's way of seemingly always getting away with outlandish things. In magazine articles he is often referred to as "Demon David", "Teen Tormenter" or "Psycho Platt".

See also

  • List of soap opera villains
  • List of Coronation Street characters (1990)
  • Jack P. Shepherd
    Jack P. Shepherd
    Jack Peter Shepherd is an English actor. He plays David Platt in the ITV1 soap opera Coronation Street. He joined the show in April 2000, taking over the role from Thomas Ormson.Shepherd was born in Pudsey, Leeds, West Yorkshire....

  • Thomas Ormson
    Thomas Ormson
    Thomas Ormson is a young English actor who played David Platt on Coronation Street from 1990 to 2000. He acted along with Sean Wilson, Helen Worth, Lynsay King, Emma Collinge and Adam Rickitt.In 2000 Jack P. Shepherd took over the role....


External links

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