Coronation Street producer Iain MacLeod has hinted that the character of Nicky could be a trojan horse for another one of the soap's storylines.

Sex worker Nicky (Kimberly Hart-Simpson) was introduced to the soap several months ago as a love interest for Daniel (Rob Mallard), who has been struggling to come to terms with the death of his wife Sinead last year.

Meanwhile, a multi-year domestic abuse storyline has seen Yasmeen (Shelley King) imprisoned for the attempted murder of her husband Geoff (Ian Bartholomew), who has previous form for hiring escorts - and MacLeod has now suggested that the two plots may overlap.

"We've got more coming up for Daniel Osborne," he told reporters earlier this week. "Obviously we've seen the beginnings of his slightly messed-up burgeoning friendship with Nicky, the sex worker.

"That will rumble on for quite some time but not in the manner that you were expecting.

"One of my favourite elements of that story is that it draws in Geoff in a certain point, in a way that will become significant in the run-up to Yasmeen's court hearing at the end of the year. So that's going to be big for us."

Coronation Street continues Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on ITV.