Max dropped a bombshell on the police this Wednesday in Coronation Street as the lad confessed to the murder of Joel Deering but viewers believe he’s covering for someone else.

Though he has told the authorities how he killed Joel Deering, Coronation Street viewers believe Max Turner may be taking the fall for a crime he didn’t commit.

Carla Connor stunned both Max Turner (portrayed by Paddy Bever) and Lauren Bolton this Wednesday (November 13, 2024), after she revealed she’d spotted the pair lurking around the cobbles at night with Joel Deering’s suitcase, on the night of his murder.

ITV viewers were already aware that the Underworld boss likely witnessed something that could lead the authorities to the real person responsible for the duty solicitor’s demise and it was confirmed that Max and girlfriend Lauren (Cait Fitton) had something to hide.

In recent months, the pair have been standing at arm’s length from the drama unfolding on the cobbles, with Lauren keen for a fresh start with Max, her son Frankie and the Platt family. But when Carla (Alison King) told her she was on to them and had no other choice but to report what she’d seen to the police, the couple were left on edge, ready to do a runner.

To cover their tracks, Lauren and Max agreed to bring Joel’s suitcase back to his home and, while there, they spoke of their future plans of having a large home and a happy family life as a trio. This then prompted Max to suggest they should run away and he urged Lauren to get baby supplies while he made his own arrangements for their departure.

But when Lauren returned to Joel’s flat, all she found was a note from Max announcing he would turn himself in to the police for the murder of Joel Deering. Devastated, Lauren shared the news with Dee-Dee Bailey and, more particularly, DS Lisa Swain (Vicky Myers) who has seemingly been framed for the crime.

Meanwhile, Max confessed he was Joel’s murderer and explained that on the night of September 27, he and Joel (Calum Lill) wound up on a suspension railway above the canal. In a final confrontation, Max hit Joel over the head before pushing him off the track and into the canal, where he was eventually found.

Though the case appears to be closed, viewers at home were not convinced that Max was the real killer. Instead, they believe the lad is willing to take the fall for someone he loves and cares about – Lauren.

“The twist could be that there’s no twist, and it simply is Max. Or Max is covering for Lauren”, one viewer wrote, while another added: “Max protecting Lauren. So obvious Lauren killed Joel.” A third continued: “I definitely think Lauren killed Joel & Max is protecting her!!”

“Okay so 100% it is not Max but is it too obvious that he’s covering for Lauren? I’m so confused”, added a fourth, just as a fifth jumped in: “Who thinks it was Lauren that landed the killer blow? I believe Max is covering for her. Though I still think Kit has something to do with it.”

Speaking about the storyline, Paddy Bever explained that his Weatherfield alter ego is willing to do almost anything to protect Lauren and Frankie. “Max really is willing to lose everything, quite simply to protect Lauren and Frankie. I realised during the filming of these episodes, and tonight’s one in particular, that Frankie in relation to Max is exactly the same as Max in relation to David, in that he’s in a relationship with his mum”, he shared.

“It’s an adoptive relationship and Max is willing to do anything for Frankie to be able to stay with his mum, especially since Max wasn’t able to stay with Kylie, so he will do everything he can in his power to keep them together and give Frankie the life that Max always would have wanted.” Has he gone as far as to kill Joel to protect them? Is he another red herring?