The moment Coronation Street viewers have been waiting for finally arrived this week, when paedophile teacher, Megan Walsh (Beth Nixon), was finally arrested following her grooming and sexual abuse of student, Will Driscoll (Lucas Hodgson-Wale).

When precocious Sam Blakeman (Jude Riordan) learned of her behaviour, Megan launched a vicious campaign of abuse against him, though with the support of his step mum, Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson), he confessed all, leading Will’s family to report her to the police.

Due to a lack of evidence and Will’s reluctance to drop Megan in it, though, she was released due to lack of evidence. With confirmation that the story still has some way to go, it’ll be a while before Megan is brought to justice for her sickening crimes.

While the depiction of Will on-screen as being 15, later 16, has made fans incredibly uncomfortable – how old are the actors who play the characters in real life?

How old are Corrie’s Megan and Will actors?

A soaps spokesperson has since confirmed to Metro that Lucas, who plays Will, is actually 17.

As for Megan? Actress Beth Nixon is actually 25, and will turn 26 this year.

Of the difficulties of portraying intimate scenes between Will and Megan, Beth said: ‘It’s a dark place to go, especially because Lucas is so young.

‘Thankfully, we have a great rapport and trust each other, and the level of intimacy on set is very restricted, which makes it easier.

‘But ultimately, you have to convince yourself that Megan’s actions are justified. Even though it’s “icky,” she believes she is right.’

Megan and Will’s story so far

The arrival of the Driscoll family: matriarch Maggie (Pauline McLynn), dad Ben (Aaron McCusker) and Ollie (Raphael Akuwudike), alongside Eva (Catherine Tyldesley) and Susie Price (Aurora Bradshaw) heralded a new era in Coronation Street, with the blended clan assuming control of the iconic Rover’s Return pub.

Almost immediately following Will’s arrival, viewers learned that he was being groomed and abused by his Megan. Will was the last to rock up, initially determined to remain in Hull, with his family believing he didn’t want to leave his friends behind. The truth, however, was much darker.

Under the thrall of abuser Megan, the thought of being separated from her was too much for the youngster to bear. When she broke things off with him, he threatened to move back to Hull alone to continue his training with Megan, prompting grandma Maggie to arrange for Megan to come to Weatherfield.

Unknowingly, Maggie’s solution has done nothing but ensure that Megan still has access to Will and can carry on her abuse of him unfettered. Megan continued their illegal and hideous sexual relationship, while also forming a relationship with Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard), eventually falling pregnant, complicating things even further.

Although initially determined to have an abortion, Megan decided to keep the baby. Telling Will that he’s the father, she insisted that they must keep their distance until they have raised enough cash to flee the street. Will’s jealousy, though, lead him to viciously and violently attack Daniel, leaving him for dead on Christmas Day.

It soon became clear that her abuse of Will wasn’t an isolated incident, when another victim of Megan’s appeared in Weatherfield. Though she managed to shut him down quickly and expelled him from the cobbles, it became increasingly clear to Megan that Sam would be a tougher opponent.

When Sam placed a secret camera in Megan’s flat, she quickly realised and turned his plan back on him, threatening to expose him as a pervert and a voyeur.

Megan is the type of predator who can sniff out someone’s weakness from a distance and, knowing Sam’s dedication to his education, began to sabotage his school work, leading him to purchase ADHD medication.

When he collapsed after abusing the medication, and despite Will’s guilt at how far he’d been driven, Megan threatened him once more in the hospital, before Sam finally told Leanne what’d been happening. With Will’s family united to bring Megan to justice, how can they outwit the seasoned abuser?