Coronation Street star Alison King has said that her character Carla Connor's burgeoning friendship with DS Lisa Swain is becoming "confusing" as there is a bond between them that she "can't quite define".
Viewers have watched Carla and Lisa (Vicky Myers) become closer since the detective sergeant arrived on the cobbles to work on the Lauren Bolton investigation.
They became more involved in each other's lives after Lisa's daughter Betsy began working at Carla's Underworld factory.
It's been a particularly tough time for Carla of late. She was devastated earlier this year when her marriage to Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) ended. This week she is up in court for ABH after knocking a boy off his bike, but she is emotionally knocked sideways when she receives a letter confirming her divorce from Peter has gone through.
She is helped hugely by the appearance of Lisa by her side, but an electric moment between the pair leaves her feeling confused.
Speaking about how Carla is coping, King said: "As the day starts we see her with a letter and that really rocks her, she’s dealing with a lot and that’s when she makes rash decisions.
"There’s no one really there for her who’s a real grown up and I think this is where this bond with Lisa has stemmed from."
When Carla is back on the street after being in court, the boy's father follows her and becomes quite threatening.
The soap star said of the troubling incident: "She goes back to the factory, tells everybody to go home, then suddenly this lunatic appears, coming at her and really raising his voice in quite threatening behaviour.
"So she just goes into fight or flight and tries to flee but then Lisa appears and steps in, we hope just at the right time, but Carla’s really shaken by it."
Lisa later calls to check on her, which "really means something to Carla".
King said: "There is a real friendship growing between them and the fact that she's come around to check on her really means something to Carla.
"We’ve seen Lisa have a bad day and Carla being a shoulder to lean on. It's been a long time since Carla has had a female friend, somebody who's actually leaning on her but is also a powerhouse in her own right.
"Now Lisa is there for her, she’s leaning on Lisa for the first time and it's becoming quite a confusing friendship.
"Lisa keeps appearing, she’s always there because of that link through Betsy, and there’s a bond growing between them that Carla can’t quite define."
King said that she is "enjoying seeing their friendship coming through" and seeing "a more vulnerable side in them both".
"It's nice to see Carla opening up to another woman, rather than it all being intermingled with men. She’s suddenly got somebody around that really gets her," the actress said.
"She has that closeness and banter with Ryan at home but with Lisa she can show that vulnerability that she so often hides.
"I think every step of this friendship is taking her by surprise. The closeness between them for Carla comes from concern yet at times she can’t really put her finger on what this is."
Coronation Street airs on Virgin Media One and ITV1 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
