In a dramatic twist, Matty Barton desperately pleads with his wife Amy not to reveal a secret that could get him killed. In the episode aired on Thursday, July 11th, fans of the ITV soap witnessed Matty’s intense struggle to stay safe in prison. Matty had been wrongfully imprisoned after Samson Dingle falsely accused him of a stabbing, which was actually an accident caused by Samson’s malicious friend, Josh.

As a trans man, Matty has been living in constant fear for his safety behind bars. Earlier in the week, Amy inadvertently put Matty in grave danger during a prison visit. Mistaking the violent, transphobic prisoner Robo for Matty’s kind cellmate Les, she mentioned Matty being trans. This led to a brutal beating in Matty’s cell, leaving his family anxiously gathered at his hospital bedside. Amy, devastated by the consequences of her mistake, learned a shocking truth: Matty had actually begged his friend Les to attack him.

Matty revealed to Amy that he orchestrated the beating to escape the dangerous environment of the prison, knowing Les was soon to be released and wouldn’t be there to protect him anymore. “Robo was threatening me with loads of transphobic stuff. I knew once I was on my own, I’d get a proper beating,” Matty explained. “It wasn’t meant to be this bad, but it got me in here, and that’s all I was bothered about.” He then made Amy promise to keep this secret, stressing that Les had done him a huge favor. If the truth came out, Les could face years in prison, and Matty would be labeled a snitch.

Amy, hailing Matty as the bravest man she’s ever met, agreed to keep his secret. Meanwhile, Matty’s mom, Moira Dingle, and uncle, McKenzie Boyd, took drastic measures to secure his release. However, their efforts backfired spectacularly when Samson double-crossed them, leading to their arrest for kidnapping him.

This explosive storyline highlights the lengths Matty and his loved ones are willing to go to for his safety, raising the stakes for all involved.