The much-loved character is currently in prison after being accused of stabbing Samson Dingle, but viewers know that Matty was just holding the knife and a board when Samson’s new friend and bully Josh pushed the teenager into the path of the knife.

Next week on the ITV soap, Cain desperately tries to help Matty, who has been adamant he doesn’t want his wife Amy to visit him. He does give her a call next week though, and whilst their chat is fraught, he is grateful for their chance to have a conversation. When he hangs up the phone and returns to his cell, he realises that hardman Les has been moved in with him.

Matty is soon left feeling scared and worried when Les starts making a string of quips and comments. He is clearly worried for his own safety, and a visit from Cain makes no difference – as he tries to help Matty through the tough time.

Terrified, Matty tells Cain all about his new cellmate, Les, and Cain urges him to use whatever he needs to protect himself – including violence. It leaves Matty terrified on what he might need to do to keep safe – but will he turn to violent means if necessary?

Moira Dingle actress Natalie J Robb has teased her character becomes “quite desperate” to free her son in the coming weeks.

Speaking about the big storyline, she said of what’s to come for the Bartons: “Moira is extremely terrified and quite desperate because she knows this is not something Matty would ever do, it’s not in his nature. She feels that everybody’s kind of taking Samson’s side in the thing and that’s making her more and more frustrated and obviously that leads her to losing the plot more and trying to think of ways she can help Matty and get him out of the situation as quickly as possible.”

She added: “Of course it is out of character for Matty and she thinks there must have been some sort of misunderstanding. Then when she hears more about the content of what happened she says it had to be an act of self defence. There was nothing about the fact that they were robbing the Hide or anything like that, just the fact that Matty went to stab them. As a mother you know your child and I just know he’s not violent and he has a very kind and gentle nature.”