When Coronation Street introduced Carl Webster to the cobbles less than six months ago, few could have anticipated just how quickly he would ignite chaos, controversy,

and curiosity in Weatherfield. Played by Jonathan Howard, Carl has already become one of the most talked-about figures in the show—an unpredictable blend of charm, danger,

and moral ambiguity that has viewers hooked.

From illicit flings to troubling secrets, Carl Webster is a character who thrives on turbulence. His affair with his sister-in-law, Abby, immediately set tongues wagging,

leaving broken trust and fractured relationships in its wake. As if that wasn’t enough, his brief but incendiary fling with James Bailey sent shockwaves through the community,

not only for its scandal but also for what it revealed about Carl’s fluid approach to love, loyalty, and desire.

But it’s not just his romantic entanglements that keep him at the center of drama. Suspicions now swirl around Carl’s potential involvement in the car crash that left Tyrone Dobbs seriously injured. While nothing has been proven, his name lingers at the top of the suspect list. For fans, this mix of forbidden romance, family betrayal, and possible criminal activity makes him one of Coronation Street’s most compelling—and divisive—characters.

Jonathan Howard on Playing the Soap’s New Bad Boy

Sitting down with the Loose Women panel, Jonathan Howard opened up about his whirlwind experience joining the legendary soap. For him, stepping onto the Weatherfield set wasn’t just another acting job—it was the realization of a lifelong dream.

“I watched Coronation Street as a kid with my mum, dad, and siblings,” Howard revealed with a smile. “It was a part of our family life. To suddenly find myself in that world feels surreal and incredibly special.”

Howard is quick to point out that Carl isn’t a typical villain. “I wouldn’t call him dark or evil,” he explained. “He’s morally dubious, yes, but he’s not without layers. He makes selfish decisions, often led by impulse rather than thought. Exploring that selfishness—those choices most of us would never admit to making—that’s what makes playing him so fascinating.”

A Role Years in the Making

What makes Howard’s casting even more dramatic is that Coronation Street once slipped through his fingers two decades ago. At just 20 years old, he screen-tested for the role of Gary Windass—a part that eventually went to Mikey North, who has now played the character for nearly 20 years.

“At the time, it was devastating,” Howard admitted. “Coronation Street was the dream. But not getting that role was the universe steering me in another direction. I went to drama school, met my wife, and had a very different life experience before coming full circle back to Corrie. Now, I see it wasn’t rejection—it was redirection.”

His career path took him far beyond Weatherfield. Among his credits, Howard appeared in Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World alongside Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman, a project that gave him global recognition and invaluable experience. Still, landing a part in Coronation Street feels like coming home.

Carl Webster: More Than Meets the Eye

Howard’s portrayal of Carl has been praised for its nuance. At first glance, Carl is a selfish womanizer, a restless spirit who plays by no one’s rules but his own. But beneath the bravado lies a man searching for something more—whether it’s love, power, or redemption remains to be seen.

Fans were surprised when the writers revealed Carl’s bisexuality, a detail Howard himself hadn’t been told before signing on. “About a month into filming, they sat me down and explained the direction,” he said. “I thought it was brilliant. It allows for new storytelling possibilities in a soap where audiences have seen almost everything. It adds layers to Carl and keeps viewers on their toes.”

Howard sees Carl’s fluidity as a strength. “It’s about keeping the audience guessing. Soap fans are savvy—they know the beats, the tropes. But Carl disrupts expectations. That’s exciting both for me as an actor and for viewers at home.”

Balancing Two Worlds

Away from the set, Howard’s life is far from the cobbles. He lives in New Mexico with his French wife and young daughter, a world away from the streets of Weatherfield. The distance, he admits, is the hardest part of the job.

“Being away from my daughter is heartbreaking,” Howard confessed. “But the long summer holidays in the U.S. mean she gets to come stay with my mum in Lancashire. Watching her experience England for the first time—hearing her swap ‘water’ for ‘wah-ter’ with a British accent—was beautiful. It’s moments like that which make the distance worthwhile.”

On weekends, he returns to his childhood home, a surreal experience for a 40-year-old actor now living out his boyhood dream. “I sleep in my old bedroom, though thankfully my mum redecorated!” he laughed.

Brotherhood on and off the Set

Howard also shared stories about bonding with fellow castmates Jason Canela (James Bailey) and James Craven (Theo). Together, they formed a WhatsApp group called “Wrong Direction”—a tongue-in-cheek nod to their accidental boy-band energy during early interviews.

That camaraderie has carried onto the screen, where Carl’s relationships with James and Theo have provided some of the soap’s most shocking and buzz-worthy moments. Howard credits the chemistry to the friendships forged behind the scenes.

Family Pride and a Mother’s Cameo

Perhaps the most heartwarming detail of Howard’s Coronation Street journey is how much it means to his family. His mother, a lifelong fan of the soap and Loose Women, beams with pride watching her son on screen. And in a truly surreal twist, she even made a cameo in the Rovers Return.

“One of the assistant directors asked if she wanted to be in the background,” Howard recalled. “So there she was, in the Rovers with me, just before we went on holiday. For her, it was magical—and for me, it was a full-circle moment. To share that with her, knowing how much she loves the show, was incredible.”

What’s Next for Carl Webster?

As for what’s ahead, Howard is coy but hints that the chaos is only beginning. “There’s more to come with Carl,” he teased. “He’s not finished stirring the pot. Whether he’s redeemable or not—I’ll let the viewers decide.”

One thing is certain: Carl Webster has cemented himself as one of Coronation Street’s most unpredictable characters, and Jonathan Howard’s magnetic performance ensures he will remain a central figure in the soap’s drama for months to come.

With his mix of dangerous charm, reckless passion, and questionable morality, Carl embodies everything that makes Coronation Street thrive: drama, surprise, and the ever-present question of what lies beneath the surface.