Coronation Street fans are convinced they’ve worked out who Roy Cropper has been writing to in prison ahead of the Emmerdale crossover
Angie Quinn Screen Time Reporter
21:10, 02 Dec 2025Updated 21:11, 02 Dec 2025
Fans think they’ve worked out the identity of Roy’s mystery pen pal(Image: ITV)
Coronation Street viewers reckon they’ve sussed out the identity of Roy Cropper’s mystery prison pen pal – and it’s someone they’ll recognise.
Back in May, it was revealed that Emmerdale and Coronation Street would be crossing over for a special one-off episode, bringing together characters from both Weatherfield and the Dales in an unprecedented event dubbed Corriedale.
In recent Coronation Street scenes, café proprietor Roy (David Neilson) has raised eyebrows after being caught concealing correspondence and eagerly awaiting the postman. Roy’s suspicious conduct left his niece Nina Lucas (Mollie Gallagher) concerned when she discovered him nervously anticipating a delivery.
Roy Cropper has been writing to prisoners(Image: ITV)READ MORE: ITV Coronation Street Becky Swain actress’ real accent leaves fans gobsmackedREAD MORE: ITV shares first look at Coronation Street and Emmerdale crossover as ‘life will never be the same’
He admitted to Nina that he was expecting something from his new pen pal. This piqued Nina’s curiosity about the correspondent’s identity, before Roy disclosed he’d enrolled with an organisation that matches lonely prisoners with pen pals.
Outlining his motivation for seeking a prisoner pen pal, Roy explained: “Having been in prison myself, I know how isolating that is, and a scheme like this could be a lifeline to people with few friends and family”, reports the Daily Star.
Yet, the identity of his correspondent remained unknown as he kept his correspondence private.
During Monday’s instalment of Coronation Street (December 1), Nina continued to fret about Roy, with Shona Platt (Julia Goulding) proposing they examine his post.
Coronation Street’s Roy had his own stint behind bars(Image: ITV)
Nina was firmly opposed to the suggestion, but Shona managed to locate the letters nonetheless.
While sorting through the post, Shona and Nina stumbled upon a pink, handwritten envelope from a woman named Alice. However, they were caught in the act by Roy as they were perusing his letters.
The pair quickly apologised and voiced their concerns for Roy. In response, Roy disclosed that he had received a letter from Alice, a prisoner’s mother, expressing her gratitude for his correspondence with her son.
Sam Dingle and his son Samson in Emmerdale (Image: ITV)
This revelation has led Emmerdale viewers to speculate that Roy has been penning letters to Samson Dingle, whose mother was also named Alice.
Back in August 2024, Samson (played by Sam Hall) was sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of assaulting his ex-friend, Josh Cope.
The arrest, which took place at the Woolpack, left Samson’s father, Sam Dingle (James Hooton), and stepmother, Lydia (Karen Blick), heartbroken.
One viewer shared their theory on Reddit: “Roy is also writing to the mother of someone with a child in prison! I’ve just caught up on last night’s Corrie. It seems as though the Mum’s name is Alice. As in Samson’s dead Mum?? What is going on!”
Samson Dingle wa sent to prison for four years in Emmerdale (Image: ITV)
Another fan speculated: “Wondering if the prison pen pal Roy Cropper apparently has is Samson as he’s the only recent Emmerdale character I can think of in prison?”
A third added: “On Coronation Street it’s been revealed that Roy is writing to ‘some lad’ in prison, and that the boy’s mother got in touch to say thank you, leading to them becoming pen pals, too. So I think (pure speculation) – he’s writing to Lydia (and Samson).”
One viewer speculated on X: “So Roy is supposedly getting letters from a prisoner’s mum called Alice. Now they’re getting more “amorous” I’m thinking with the crossover coming up is it Samson that’s one of his pen pals and he’s using his dead mum’s name to rip Roy off? #corriedale #CoronationStreet #Emmerdale.”
Emmerdale airs weekdays on ITV and ITVX