Horror-nation Street strikes again! Whether you’re still vomiting over Craig Tinker’s horrific bludgeoning, or healing the scars from Billy Mayhew’s minibus barbeque, it’s time to compose yourself – yet ANOTHER murder is coming.

A far cry from the comedy and community led Corrie of old, where a killing was a huge and shocking event, the cobbles will be rocked to the core by a brutal dispatch, focusing on four incredibly disposable characters plus Mrs Doyle.

Wondering why so many villains have been dominating every storyline? It’s all been building to this.

With these five potential deaths all focusing on villains, and Mal clearly proving to be a wrong ‘un, not long after the end of the Becky Swain dominance, the cobbles residents must be exhausted with all the badness on their doorstep.

I know I am! What happened to Pauline McLynn taking on the new matriarch role, with edges of Blanche Hunt and similar ilk?

Instead, aside from some fantastic and camp cutting quips, we have been treated to her being a killer and now a potential murder victim. If the show wastes such an actress on such a short term storyline, then I will riot.

Who else, though?

The two obvious candidates for dispatch are very, very clearly the short-term-baddies-for-singular-storylines Theo and Megan.

Both abusers, both here to lead issue led storylines focusing on domestic violence and grooming – it might be too much for soap audiences to deal with two drawn out trials.

The likely outcome? Theo on the stand, Megan six feet under. There are a thousand Driscolls plus Sam and Daniel in the line-up to off her. It writes itself.

With stories like these, where we are teased for months that a murder is coming, then we watch a flashforward teasing as much, then we wait a further two months for the result, you want the pay-off to be mind-blowing and impactful.

Problem is, none of these characters have been in the show long enough for the audience to be moved by their death.

It will likely be one of those plots that is done and dusted by summer, all resolved and moved on in time for the winter murder.

Let’s face it, Jodie and Carl were welcomed into the cast with a huge hurrah – big casting announcements and a web of plots in the biggest families.

Jodie was introduced in THE Corriedale and has started to drive wedges in the Platt clan. Many little strands have been laid out with mysteries to solve – it would be very premature for Jodie to cark it by April.

In fact, I am getting the impression she is to be the latest minx with a heart redemption arc a la Becky, Kylie and Gemma.

If she goes anywhere, I will eat my detective hat.

With Carl, he is central to the Debbie story and beyond. It’s already borderline not cool to do a Debbie in prison story during her dementia arc, which should be grounded in emotional reality.

To add a family murder into that? Surely Corrie wouldn’t do that? I’d hope not.

Then you have THE Pauline McLynn. The other characters have done some clearly horrific things and are getting worse.

Maggie is, at worst, manipulative and scheming. Is it worthy of a massive murder mystery? And would you waste such an actress on it?

So, calling it now, it’s got to be Megan or Theo.

It’s Betsy who discovers the body, a scream rings out and then we have to wait to see what happens next over the next two months – til April 23 to be exact.

Says a Corrie spokesperson: ‘Dressed in wedding clothes, Betsy explains to police explains that she had been at the marriage of her mum Lisa Swain to Carla Connor, but was heading into town when she made the shocking discovery.

‘As the episode returns to the present day we begin to see how the behaviour of the five characters could lead to their possible death two months later.

‘Megan Walsh is caught up in a web of lies as she continues to groom impressionable teen Will Driscoll. Is the truth about to come out and does someone believe she deserves to die for what she has done?

‘One person who will do anything to protect her family is Maggie Driscoll. Having given a fake alibi for Will to stop him being charged with the Christmas Day attack on Daniel Osbourne, if she were to discover the truth about Megan and Will could she end up in danger herself?

‘Carl Webster has burnt all his bridges when he let Debbie take the blame for the Corriedale accident which killed Billy Mayhew.

‘Since finding out Debbie is actually his mum and not his sister he has pressed the self-destruct button and as he continues to goad both family and neighbours there is more than one person who would be glad to see the back of Carl.

‘Theo Silverton’s coercive control over Todd has reached new lows, with their wedding looming, will Todd finally confide in his friends about what has been going on before it is too late? Maybe Todd wants to put an end to the torture or could someone take the law into their own hands?

‘Despite initial reservations, the Platts have welcomed Shona’s estranged sister Jodie Ramsey into their home. But Jodie has been keeping secrets from them, and it seems she has got mixed up with some pretty shady characters in her past. Will trouble follow Jodie to Weatherfield, or could she upset people closer to home with her behaviour?