Coronation Street fans fear for Leanne Battersby as sister's hurt by cult leader

This evening, Coronation Street fans took to Twitter in fury to brand "creepy" Rowan Cunliffe (played by Emrhys Cooper) an "egotistical narcissist". They couldn't contain their rage as dramatic scenes unfolded seeing Toyah Battersby (Georgia Taylor) facing £15,000 fees to defend her right to freedom of speech against the sinister cult her sister is involved in, the Institute.

They warned: "Too little, too late!" as reality slowly dawned on Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) and she began to feel guilty. The drama started to heat up as Toyah received a fake phone call notifying her that Leanne had been in a motorbike accident.

It conveniently took place on the day she was due in court to defend herself against claims she'd defamed the Institute - and when she arrived at the hospital, she was informed they hadn't received a single road accident victim all day. When she realised she'd been lured into a trap, she raced to court to find the judge - but it was too late.

Rowan smugly informed her that the court had granted an interim injunction in her absence, warning: "If you ever post anything negative about the Institute, it could result in jail time." Inevitably, the news caused an explosive row between the two sisters, with Toyah furious that Leanne would take her new pal's word over hers and refuse to believe she'd been duped.

Just when it seemed as if things couldn't get any worse for Toyah, she opened a letter revealing that she owed a whopping £15,000 in court fees. Toyah stammered: "I don't even have the money to bury my own child!"

Right on cue, a police officer arrived on the scene to discuss the dead baby she'd given birth to and buried in woods in a traumatic incident years earlier.

She informed her: "We're here because we've been told by the coroner we can now release your baby for burial."

Meanwhile, Leanne's partner Nick Tilsley (Ben Price), whose relationship with her is already hanging by a thread due to the impact of her cult indoctrination, told her sternly to make sure the Institute "backs down".

In a tense meeting, she revealed to Rowan that Toyah is convinced the cult is responsible for the fake phone call she received, fretting: "The Institute did stand to gain from her not being there."

"Not really because our case was strong," he shot back, adding: "Toyah's not the first sceptic we've encountered."

He continued that she had "every right" to exercise freedom of speech about the Institute - but, as reality dawned, a shocked Leanne asked: "And she's got to fork out 15,000 to exercise that right?"

"I feel desperately sorry for her... but it's not as simple as that. You mustn't allow yourself to be emotionally manipulated by other people," Rowan insisted.

In the end, Rowan and his pals agreed to drop the lawsuit - but at what cost?

Toyah was informed the charges would only be dropped if she followed an agreement never to say or publish anything criticising the organisation again, while she'd also have to sign a non-disclosure agreement, effectively gagging her.

Viewers at home were unimpressed, with one seething: "The way Leanne's face lights up when she's around Rowan makes my skin crawl. The sooner she opens her eyes the better!"

"#Corrie OH MY GOD!!!!!!!! LEANNE IS A JOKE! And Nick is a fool for putting up with her shenanigans with the insufferable Rowan!" A second agreed.

A third chimed in: "No wonder Nick’s seething - Leanne’s like a lovesick teenager every time this slimeball shows his face. #Corrie."

Another attacked Nick directly, quizzing: "What type of husband just sits back and watches an egotistical narcissist man make moves on his wife whilst she is also lapping it all up right under his nose. C’mon Nick grow a backbone FGS!"

Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on ITV at 8pm.