Coronation Street boss responds to baffled fans’ complaint about Gemma and Chesney

FOLLOWING Monday’s (January 10, 2022) Corrie, fans have one complaint about Gemma and Chesney.

Some were baffled by the absence of the couple’s quadruplets and producer Iain MacLeod had to set things straight.

The long-running soap introduced viewers to a new plotline involving Joseph (William Flanagan) this week.

But Joseph is seemingly not the only one of Gemma and Chesney’s children to go missing.

During Monday’s episode of the show, some viewers – who are quick to point out the show’s blunders – took to Twitter, wondering why they haven’t seen much of Chesney and Gemma’s quads.

The pair welcomed quadruplets at the end of 2019 named Bryn, Cleo, Carys and Aled meaning that the babies are two years old.

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“Bernie’s at work in the café, Gemma and Ches are stood chatting to Fiz outside the factory… So where are the quads???!!!”, wrote one puzzled viewer.

“Talking of the invisible quads, they’re toddlers now so should be running around causing havoc!! Not crying like 1 newborn!”, another added.

A third social media user chimed in: “Those quads are so quiet anyone would think they didn’t exist.”

Luckily, the many comments prompted an answer from Coronation Street producer and former researcher Iain MacLeod.

Speaking to Manchester Evening News, Iain explained that there had been no “pandemic-related containment” of filming, meaning that it was preferable for very young children to not be present on the set amid the battle against coronavirus.

“I love that family a lot”, Iain said, adding: “I wish, for many reasons, that there hadn’t been a pandemic-related containment of our filming but what that has meant, among other things, is that we haven’t been able to see much of the quads and the children as much as we would have liked.”

“And the fact is, we probably still can’t see as much of the children as we’d like. But, it felt like we were now able to examine that house a bit more.”

He then went on to give out more details about the new plotline surrounding young Joseph.

“Joseph is a sensitive young lad who already has a certain amount of tragedy in his background – he is essentially in the box room while his parent’s attention is lavished on these four screaming children.

Recent episodes have shown Joseph struggle.

The schoolboy has been feeling neglected by his parents (portrayed by Sam Aston and Dolly-Rose Campbell) and has been bullied by his peers.

The intrigue began on Monday when Joseph asked his father for money for a school trip and a new jumper.

After being encouraged by his cousin Hope Stape – played by Isabella Flanagan – to steal from his aunt Fiz’s purse (before being caught), Joseph felt betrayed by his dad.

Upon finding out that his son was having a difficult time with his classmates, Chesney confronted Joseph’s teach despite the boy’s wishes.

This led Joseph to run away from home, hidden in his aunt Fiz’s loft by Hope.