Coronation Street's top 5 villains of all time, ranked

For over 60 years, Coronation Street has been a mainstay of British television, bringing in some riveting drama to its audiences with its blend of fine storytelling and appalling twists and turns.

While the show has seen its fair share of cherished characters, it also been an abode to some of the most wicked villains in the history of daily soaps. From plotters to hard-hearted killers, these villains have left a lasting impression on Weatherfield—and on watchers alike.

Now, we rank the top five Coronation Street villains of all time, each of whom have crafted their spot in haunting ways.

Disclaimer: The rankings are entirely based on the writer. Readers' discretion is advised.

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Top 5 Coronation Street villains:

5. David Platt

David Platt has been a character on Coronation Street for the longest time ever, but in his teen years and as a young adult, the show saw him bend into an irresponsible force of ruin.

His past is plagued with deeds of nastiness —he once pushed his mom, Gail, down the stairs, undid scaffolding screws to harm Jason Grimshaw, and harassed Ken Barlow.

Conceivably, his most outrageous scene came when he intentionally initiated a car crash that left his brother Nick in a coma after uncovering his affair with David’s wife, Kylie. Even

Though David has calmed down over the course of time, his past stays as an alarming token of the mess he once let loose on Weatherfield in Coronation Street.

4. Tracy Barlow

Tracy Barlow has also been one of the most sly and ruthless characters on Coronation Street. In 2007, she heartlessly put her boyfriend, Charlie Stubbs, to death after finding out about the infidelity from his end. This is what sets off a chain reaction of events that would make her a reputed villain on the show.

Her cruelty, as mentioned before, does not simply stop there—she pushed Becky McDonald down the stairs, leading to a miscarriage, and even attempted to manipulate Roy Cropper into thinking he was the father of her daughter, Amy.

3. Richard Hillman

Few villains have intimidated Coronation Street like Richard Hillman. At first, he appeared as a charismatic businessman, but he quickly disclosed his menacing self by trying to influence Audrey Roberts for some cash while he also set her house on fire.

His wrongdoings worsened when he killed Maxine Peacock after an unsuccessful attempt to murder Emily Bishop. However, his most sickening act came when he attempted to take his wife, Gail Platt, and the kids with him in a murder-suicide, driving them into a canal. While his wife outlived this tragedy, Richard certainly did not, and his horror now lies underneath the water.

2. Pat Phelan

Pat Phelan was introduced on the cobbles in 2013, and he wasted no time into fortifying himself as one of the most alarming characters in Coronation Street.

He started by provoking the Windass family, directing them to financial downfall, but his violations soon sky-rocketed. He r*ped Anna Windass, tricked her into Grievous Bodily Harm (a severe offence in the UK), and he kidnapped and killed Andy Carver before also murdering Luke Britton.

His wife, Eileen, ultimately revealed his wrongdoings and threw him off of a pier—only for him to come back, in search of vengeance. He was killed off in 2018 when Anna staked him while protecting herself.

1. Geoff Metcalfe

Unlike the show’s other conventional villains on Coronation Street, Geoff Metcalfe didn’t depend on physical violence to impose pain on others—his weapon was manipulating another character psychologically.

He entered the show in 2018, and he slid his way into Yasmeen Nazir’s life and analytically secluded her, using intimidating control to break down her spirit. From falsifying a theft to fitting surveillance cameras all around their home, and he made sure Yasmeen was completely reliant on him.

His unkindness knew no boundaries —he even murdered and dished up her pet hen as a screwed-up way to authorize his control. After months of annoyance, Yasmeen wrestled back, attacking him in order to protect herself.

Though he tried to continue his grip over her, the troublemaker finally fell to his death after setting fire to Yasmeen’s home in 2020.

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From psychological oppressors to pitiless killers, Coronation Street has seen its fair share of villains over all these years. Each of these characters left a definite mark on the show, disgusting the viewers with their monstrous acts.

While some characters, like David and Tracy, have relaxed over the years, others—like Geoff and Phelan—met their justified fates. No matter how many more rogues walk the cobbles in future episodes, these five will always stay among Weatherfield’s most infamous characters.