Robbie Winch

Robbie Winch was the jealous and violent boyfriend of hospital porter Karl Foster. Karl fancied Todd Grimshaw who little by little was starting to come to terms with his sexuality. Todd had got a job working as a porter at Weatherfield General where Karl was a nurse and the two were starting to come closer together, despite Todd also being in a relationship with Sarah Platt at the time and her expecting their child.

Todd and Karl were having a drink after work when the former met Robbie for the first time. He belligerently accused Todd of being after Karl, who hastily formed his partner that Todd had an expectant girlfriend. After he also sweet-talked him about his looks, Robbie apologised for his behaviour and left the two men alone. Karl also apologised to Todd and explained about Robbie’s possessiveness.

A couple of days afterwards, Todd was shocked to see that Karl sported a black eye that had been inflicted by Robbie. He told Todd that Robbie had struck him because he thought he was seeing someone else behind his back, which wasn’t true, although he did confess to him that he fancied someone at work and confirmed to his fellow health-worked that that someone was him. Sarah, only knowing that Karl’s injury was caused by his “flat-mate” invited him to stay with her and Todd at their flat, an offer which he eagerly accepted.

After a few days, Robbie turned up on the Street, looking for trouble and, seeing Karl and Martin Platt together, assumed he’d hooked up with an older man. Only Sarah’s threats of the police made him saunter off angrily.

Robbie had calmed down over a week later when Todd and Karl encountered him on a night out in Manchester’s Canal Street. The time though all of the jealousy was on Todd’s side, especially when they encountered again acquaintance Sean Tully who told Todd that Karl and Robbie were always fighting and then making up. That drove Todd into accepting his attraction for Karl and the two kissed passionately. Thereafter, while Todd was in an emotional state over his sexuality, Robbie disappeared from Karl’s life.

List of appearances

 * Episode 5721 (26th March 2004)
 * Episode 5726 (2nd April 2004)
 * Episode 5733 (12th April 2004)
 * Episode 5734 (12th April 2004)