Coronation Street's next villain 'revealed' as Carl's sinister past 'exposed'

We may have a new villain rising on Coronation Street, amid current baddie Mick Michaelis' looming exit from the ITV soap.

Carl Webster could be the show's next big villain according to the actor who plays him. Speaking to The Mirror and other press, soap newcomer Jonathan Howard hinted there were sinister things about his character that viewers were yet to uncover.

From his potentially shady past, to his true reasons for fleeing Germany and heading to Weatherfield and his dodgy dealings, there's a lot about Carl we don't know and that could allude to a dark secret or two. Now actor Jonathan has teased there is stuff to be revealed about Kevin and Debbie Webster's younger sibling.

He revealed on if he hoped he might be a bit of a villain: "I hope so! It’s always fun to play both sides of humanity. I don’t think he’s a sociopath, I don’t think he’s going to be murdering anyone. I think he’s going to be a little dodgy, a little wheeler-dealer.

"He’s out to make a name for himself, he wants power and money and success. He wants to follow through with his impulses and when he’s attracted to someone he’s going to go for that person, no questions asked. I do like leaning into the dodgy side or the unlawful side of society. That is really fun to play."

On the secrets Carl could be harbouring, the star hinted there might be a sinister reason for him fleeing to the cobbles. He also teased stuff may have gone on during the years he was apart from his siblings, and that he may have a past.

He shared: "Because he’s new, you don’t know his history. Yes, he’s been mentioned before but we’ve no idea of the man he grew up to be in Germany. We don’t really know why he’s left Germany so hastily.

"I’ve said ostensibly it’s to be with my brother through cancer but I think it’s really interesting to know what he was doing, why he got in trouble over there and why so quickly he’s taking advantage of his brother’s garage and to see where that goes. It’s really fun to play with, yeah. I hope we lean more into that as the character develops."

He also teased whether Carl would really betray his brother Kevin with anything dodgy at his garage, but also with the possible fling with Kevin's wife Abi Franklin. He said: "We have to remember there’s 20 years difference between these brothers.

"When I was a wee little baby, Kevin was in his 20s, he was on the cobbles starting his life and having his business and starting his family. I did feel a little resentment of being left behind in some ways.

"He’s not been as present in Carl’s life growing up like Debbie was, for example. So I think there’s a feeling of not really owing him too much. He’s my brother, on paper, and I love him as a brother, but he’s not been a brother who’s been a part of my daily life.

"He’s never been to Germany to visit me. I think that’s slight justification for why he doesn’t put Kevin at the forefront of every decision he’s making." Teasing what's ahead, Jonathan added: "He’s great fun. You don’t quite know what’s coming next for him.

"Hopefully we’ve got some really nice surprises from a storytelling point of view which really highlight the characteristics of Carl, of being unexpected, impulsive, surprising. He’s really fun - there’s no rule book for what I’m doing with Carl right now.

"Yes, he has love in this brotherhood with his sister, yes I care about my brother and I care he’s got cancer. I’m not a complete narcissist or sociopath that I have no feelings whatsoever. But we’ll find out why I’ve left Germany. Stuff hasn’t gone quite to plan, I’ve got myself in trouble over there and I’ve come over here as a way to escape that.

"Obviously it’s to see my brother and help him through his cancer, but I’m also running away from something. I think he’s the type of person who’s going to take anything he can get. He wants the maximum experience out of life, but when things go awry I don’t think he’s one to stick around necessarily."

Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .