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Geoffrey David 'Spider' Nugent was Emily Bishop's eco-warrior nephew, a detective constable, and the ex-fiancé of Toyah Habeeb.

A former Politics student, Spider had dropped out of university and was living a vagabond lifestyle when he showed up at "Auntie Em"'s door looking for digs in 1997. In his first year in the street, he ruffled feathers by leading a successful campaign to stop the building of a concert bowl on the Red Rec and, later, by standing against Audrey Roberts in the council elections, though he ultimately lost. His activities turned the head of a teenaged Toyah, who he later dated.

In 1999, Spider got a job at the DSS but he resigned after being forced to deny benefits to a single mother, feeling he had sold out. Leaving Weatherfield to go on a spiritual journey in India, Spider returned in 2001 to ask Emily for money to open a juice bar before settling in London.

In 2003, he returned to Weatherfield after Emily was attacked by Richard Hillman. Reconciling with Toyah, Spider spent several years in London before leaving the country to do volunteer work. As of 2016, he was working at a school in Peru, inspiring Emily to join him there. He was later married to Layla, but they drifted apart when the death of a friend at the hands of counter-protesters at an anti-fascist protest inspired Spider to join the police, deciding that protesting alone wasn't enough to make a difference in the world.

Spider worked undercover and in 2022 he met up with Toyah again while infiltrating Griff Reynolds's gang of far-right extremists. They renewed their relationship, becoming engaged in 2023. However, after Toyah was kidnapped in a plot to exact revenge against Spider, Toyah asked him to choose between her and his career, and Spider chose to remain in the police, where he felt he was doing good. He then said an emotional goodbye to Toyah and left Weatherfield to go back down south.

Biography[]

Spider nugent 1999

Spider in 1999

1972-2000: Meeting Toyah Battersby and early eco-activities[]

Spider Nugent is the son of Edgar Nugent who arrived at his auntie Emily Bishop's door in 1997, looking for digs. In his first year in the street, he ruffled feathers by leading a successful campaign to stop the building of a concert bowl on the Red Rec and, later, by standing against Audrey Roberts in the council elections, though he ultimately lost. His activities turned the head of Toyah Battersby, who he later dated. In 1999, Spider got a job at the DSS but he resigned after being forced to deny benefits to a single mother, feeling he had sold out.

Duckworths 1983
"If you've owt to say, spit it out before it flamin' well chokes yer"
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Please edit this article to fill in the missing parts and remove this message when done.

2001-2003: Brief returns to the Street[]

Over a year later, Spider returned and whilst Emily was happy to see him, Toyah felt uneasy having just started a new relationship with Sam Kingston and also being violently raped by a man that she had met through Spider. Spider hoped to renew their relationship, but Toyah wasn't willing and the two agreed to remain friends.

Spider Nugent 2003

Spider in 2003

Spider was also visiting as he was now living in London and wanted to start a juice bar, but was short of cash and hoped to borrow from Emily. Emily was happy to help her nephew out, but didn't have the cash herself. However, Richard Hillman persuaded her to sell her house to him for a lump sum and he would allow her to continue living there rent-free until she died, at which point the property rights to the house would belong to him. Emily agreed to Richard's offer and gave Spider a cheque for £15,000, telling him that she was giving him his inheritance early, happy that she would be able to see him enjoy it.

Spider visited the street again in 2003 when he heard that Emily had been attacked and was nearly killed by Richard whilst she was babysitting Joshua Peacock. Unaware that Richard was responsible for Emily's attack, Spider was angry with her lodger Norris Cole who had been saying that Richard was responsible and told him off. During his visit, Toyah found out that her then-boyfriend John Arnley had cheated on her with flatmate Maria Sutherland and realised she had never gotten over her rape. Spider offered her a fresh start in London with him, and she agreed. The two then bid a final farewell to Emily and left Weatherfield together.

At some point around 2005, Spider and Toyah split up. In 2016, Emily visited Spider in Peru to help him with his charity work. At some point prior to 2022, Spider married Layla, but they drifted apart when the death of a friend at the hands of counter-protesters at an anti-fascist protest inspired Spider to join the police, deciding that protesting alone wasn't enough to make a difference in the world.

Duckworths 1983
"If you've owt to say, spit it out before it flamin' well chokes yer"
This article or section is unfinished.
Please edit this article to fill in the missing parts and remove this message when done.

2022-2023: Return to the street, police activities, and departure[]

Spider met up with Toyah again in 2022 while infiltrating Griff Reynolds's gang of far-right extremists. He was later attacked by Griff after Griff had realised Spider was an undercover cop. Following Griff's imprisonment, Spider and Toyah renewed their relationship, becoming engaged in 2023. However, after Toyah got kidnapped by Maggie, Spider and Toyah decided to split up again so Spider could continue his police work and to protect Toyah from further harm. When Spider decided to leave Weatherfield to move down south, Toyah was sorry to see him go but at peace with his departure. He gave her a spider brooch to remember him by and they said goodbye to each other.

Duckworths 1983
"If you've owt to say, spit it out before it flamin' well chokes yer"
This article or section is unfinished.
Please edit this article to fill in the missing parts and remove this message when done.

Personality[]

Duckworths 1983
"If you've owt to say, spit it out before it flamin' well chokes yer"
This article or section is unfinished.
Please edit this article to fill in the missing parts and remove this message when done.

Relationships[]

Spider and Emily

Spider and Emily

Emily Bishop[]

Upon being introduced to Spider in 1997, Emily took him in as a lodger. In 1998, Spider convinced the usually reserved Emily to join him in a protest against renovating the Red Rec. The incident saw Emily spend the night atop a tree. In 2003, Spider returned to Weatherfield to stay with Emily again after hearing that she was attacked, but was unaware Richard Hillman was responsible. In 2016, Emily left Weatherfield in order to volunteer at a school in Peru with Spider.

Duckworths 1983
"If you've owt to say, spit it out before it flamin' well chokes yer"
This article or section is unfinished.
Please edit this article to fill in the missing parts and remove this message when done.

Toyah Habeeb[]

Toyah and Spider

Toyah and Spider

Toyah developed a crush on Spider, who introduced her to environmentalism, as well as the occasional cannabis joint. It was Spider who helped Toyah save Theresa the turkey from the Battersbys' dinner table at Christmas in 1997. Toyah became very enthusiastic about the "eco-warrior" lifestyle; so much so that she poured anti-freeze all over the freezers in a grocery store while protesting the sale of prawns in the said shop.

Toyah and Spider eventually became a couple after spending the night together on the Red Rec while watching the solar eclipse (amongst other activities). They lived together at Emily Bishop's house for a short while, but she put them out after they disobeyed the rules regarding sex in the house. They pitched a tent on the Red Rec to live in but unsurprisingly, this did not last long. They wound up living in Linda Sykes's old bedsit at Flat 3, 6 Arnica Street, and for a while, Spider paid the rent with the money he was earning at the benefits office. When Spider left his job on principle, he decided to take a trip to India. Toyah couldn't face going that far away and Spider left without her.

Over a year later, Spider returned and whilst Emily was happy to see him, Toyah felt uneasy having just started a new relationship with Sam Kingston and also being violently raped by a man that she had met through Spider. Spider hoped to renew their relationship, but Toyah wasn't willing and the two agreed to remain friends.

In 2003, Toyah and Spider reconciled and Toyah moved to London with him, as he had started his own juice company there, though they later split up at some point around 2005.

Toyah and Spider reconciled again in 2022 and renewed their relationship, becoming engaged in 2023. However, after Toyah got kidnapped by Maggie, Spider and Toyah decided to split up again so Spider could continue his police work and to protect Toyah from further harm. When Spider decided to leave Weatherfield to move down south, Toyah was sorry to see him go but at peace with his departure. He gave her a spider brooch to remember him by and they said goodbye to each other.

Spider actor

Promotional photo of Martin Hancock as Spider

Background information[]

Spider Nugent was introduced to Coronation Street as the nephew of long-running character Emily Bishop (Eileen Derbyshire), and the role went to Martin Hancock. He appeared as a regular character from 1997 until 2000. Hancock returned in guest stints in 2001 and 2003, before returning as a regular character again from 2022 to 2023.

First and last lines[]

"Emily Bishop live here?" (First line, to Toyah Battersby)

---

"I'm really gonna miss you too." (Final line, also to Toyah)

Appendices[]

Duckworths 1983
"If you've owt to say, spit it out before it flamin' well chokes yer"
This article or section is unfinished.
Please edit this article to fill in the missing parts and remove this message when done.

List of addresses[]

Address Duration
3 Coronation Street December 1997 to August 1999
Flat 3, 6 Arnica Street October 1999 to 28th July 2000
India July 2000 to 2001
3 Coronation Street 11th to 18th November 2001
London 18th November 2001 to 2015
Peru 2015 to unknown
London Unknown to 2022

See also[]

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