Stuart "Stu" Carpenter is a former homeless man now Speed Daal chef and partner of Yasmeen Metcalfe.
In the 1980s, Stu was implicated in the death of Charlie Walter, and spent 27 years in prison for murder. When Stu confessed to the crime, his wife Lucy left him and cut him off from his daughter Bridget. It wasn't until 2022 when, having served his sentence, Stu attempted to regain contact with Bridget. When newly examined DNA evidence showed that Bridget was in fact Charlie's killer, she and Lucy were given custodial sentences and, with Bridget's blessing, Stu took in his granddaughter, Eliza. He looked after her for two years before she left to live in Germany with her biological father, Dom Everett.
A chef since his Navy days, Stu returned to the profession after prison, but by 2021 he was jobless and living on the streets. It was there that he befriended Kelly Neelan, also homeless after being cleared of the murder of Seb Franklin. When Kelly found a home in Victoria Street, she helped Stu get off the streets as well. He quickly found employment as a chef at Speed Daal and lodgings at 6 Coronation Street, with romance eventually blossoming between Stu and Yasmeen Metcalfe, his boss and landlady.
Biography[]
1955-2022: Prison and homelessness[]
Stu was born on 10th June 1955. He spent his formative years in the North East before signing up to serve in the Navy as a chef. Once ashore, he settled in the Manchester area and married Lucy Woodrow, with whom he had a daughter, Bridget. By 1988, he was working as a restaurant chef, where he had an affair with a teenage waitress, Charlie Walter. When Charlie was murdered, Stu confessed to the act, but later claimed he was forced into doing so by corrupt police officer Gordon Lennox. Nonetheless, he served 27 years in prison, cut off from his family who wanted nothing to do with him.
Bad luck continued to follow Stu after his release; he lost a job within the culinary profession at a pub during the COVID-19 pandemic, and by 2021 was begging on the streets. In October that year, when a spat with rival restaurant Viaduct Bistro left the owners of Speed Daal with a load of excess food, Zeedan Nazir donated the leftovers to Billy Mayhew's soup kitchen. Stu collected the food for the beggars, meeting owner Yasmeen Metcalfe.
Without knowing it, Stu was in possession of a vital piece of evidence which showed that Corey Brent was guilty of the murder of Seb Franklin. Five months prior, Corey had kicked Seb to death, bundled his blood spattered clothes in a rucksack and dumped the bag in the River Irwell. Stu, loitering in the same area, rescued the bag, keen to see if its contents could sustain his meagre lifestyle in any way. When Stu attempted to shoplift from the corner shop, Asha Alahan, Corey's ex-girlfriend, recognised the bag before he gave her the slip. Asha and Nina Lucas's attempts to track him down led to Stu realising the significance of the holdall and trying to sell it to Corey but, repulsed by the footballer's contemptuous attitude towards him, he handed the vital evidence over to Nina and Asha instead. With the bag turned over to the police, Corey was arrested and charged with Seb's murder.
2021: An unlikely friendship is formed as Stu helps Kelly through her homelessness ordeal
Following an earlier trial, Kelly Neelan had been convicted of the murder but with Corey's arrest, she was freed on appeal. Kelly found it impossible to reintegrate herself back to her old life and ended up on the streets, where Stu looked after her. Once she found a home with Gary Windass and Maria Connor, a grateful Kelly, concerned about Stu's health in the winter months, let him sleep at Trim Up North barbers where she had just started working. Yasmeen offered Stu a job at Speed Daal, and asked him to cook a meal for her grandson Zeedan to persuade him that he was up to it. On that occasion, Zeedan allowed his brothers-in-law in to start a fire in the restaurant as part of an insurance scam imposed by his blackmailing and threatening father-in-law Hashim Elamin. Stu attempted to put the fire out, but was overcome by the smoke and left unconscious.
For a time, Stu was the prime suspect for starting the fire, albeit accidently. When Hashim died suddenly of a heart attack, Zeedan was able to point the finger of blame at him and Stu was exonerated. Yasmeen, who had strongly believed Stu was guilty, felt beholden to him for her mistrust and offered him a room at 6 Coronation Street, but changed her mind suddenly when jovial comments Stu made reminded her of her former coercive controlling husband Geoff. She made it up to Stu by giving him trial shifts at Speed Daal when it reopened and as her trust in him grew, repeated her offer to be her lodger. He moved into the house in January 2022 and was taken on full time at the restaurant, proving to be a vital support, both workwise and emotionally to Yasmeen over her estrangement from her grandchildren, helping the family towards a reconcilation. When Yasmeen increased his wages, he insisted on paying her the full rent for his room at No.6.
Yasmeen was still wary of having another man in her house after Geoff. When Tracy McDonald insulted Stu, he got his revenge by substituting a present of expensive wines from Ken Barlow for bottles of cheap plonk. When she found out, Yasmeen’s disappointment at his actions made Stu feel guilty and he confessed to Steve. As they were given a replacement batch, Steve forgave Stu and invited him to join a tasting where they all got outrageously drunk. Tim Metcalfe, Yasmeen's son-in-law, assured her that the prank was nothing like Geoff's underhand actions. In May, Stu forgot to order the food for Speed Daal's Eid stall and, with a reluctant Ken in tow, tried to break into the wholesalers to obtain some. He was caught doing so by the police and arrested, but released when Yasmeen corroborated his story. Due to his blatant dishonesty over the break-in, Yasmeen threw Stu out of No.6, but Alya Nazir persuaded her to relent.
2022 to present: Exoneration and Eliza[]
Stu privately hoped to re-connect with Bridget, now in her forties. In July, he tested the waters by sending a parcel to her last known address, but when it was returned by the new owner, leaving him to no clue as to her whereabouts, a despondent Stu got drunk at work, causing Zeedan to reprimand him. Despite being unaware of the reason for their estrangement, Yasmeen decided to help Stu, and succeeded in tracing Bridget with the help of a contact from Weatherfield Library. Stu went to see his daughter for the first time in 34 years, but after having the door slammed in his face, he decided to leave it be and lied to Yasmeen that the address wasn't the correct one.
At the restaurant, Stu devised a scheme to sell surplus food to the needy cheaply. When Roy's Rolls and Dev Alahan's businesses joined in with the initiative, it was covered by the Weatherfield Gazette, with a picture of Stu front and centre. The article was seen by Stu's ex-wife Lucy who, now knowing where he worked, called in to tell him to keep away from Bridget. Lucy also told Yasmeen that he had served time for murder, causing Yasmeen to order him to leave her house, despite his protestations of innocence. When Stu entered No.6 to retrieve his watch, the Nazirs called the police, and he was sent back to jail as he was on licence. Zeedan and Alya, unconvinced by his guilt, investigated and discovered that a key interview tape was missing. Stu's old solicitor, Norman Hepworth, convinced the Nazirs that Stu was coerced into making the confession. When Stu was released, Yasmeen invited him to move back in, and with her support he decided to fight to clear his name.
Stu was more determined than ever to repair his relationship with Bridget. However, when he called at her house again, he was met by an eleven-year-old girl. Stu discovered that he had a granddaughter, Eliza, but Bridget wouldn't let him see her unless he dropped his legal fight. Stu was torn; Speed Daal's trade had suffered greatly as gossip spread about his past, and during one shift customers were driven out when a friend of Charlie's emptied a box of cockroaches over the floor. On the other hand, the fight had reached a dead end; Dee-Dee Bailey had taken on the case and managed to trace Gordon Lennox, but the former police officer had dementia and had lost his memory. Stu decided that clearing his name wasn't worth missing more years with Bridget, and ordered Alya to drop the case.
2022: Stu finally learns who framed him for murder 34 years ago as he hears Bridget's confession
Bridget started bringing Eliza round to No.6 to get to know Stu. When she heard Stu tell Eliza about how difficult it was being away from his family while in prison, Bridget broke down and confessed to her father that she was Charlie's killer; she had followed Stu to work and, discovering his affair with Charlie, had bludgeoned her to death with a clay model. Lucy then helped her bury the body, and they'd kept the secret ever since. Although deeply hurt that Bridget had let him take the blame, Stu decided not to inform the police. However, unbeknown to him, Alya deliberately hadn't released Dee-Dee from the investigation, and had given to the solicitor a mug that Lucy had drunk from to get her DNA compared to that found on Charlie's bag. The DNA was a match, and Bridget and Lucy were arrested and pleaded guilty to murder and perverting the course of justice.
Stu's conviction was quashed shortly thereafter, and with Bridget's blessing he was appointed Eliza's legal guardian. As Eliza would need her own room, Stu announced he was moving out of No.6. Yasmeen realised she didn't want to lose him and asked him to move into her bed, leaving the spare room for Eliza. Eliza was made welcome, but still didn't know Stu well and missed her mother. Stu, determined that her life would be disrupted as little as possible, ran himself ragged looking after his granddaughter. He made the odd mistake, such as when he bought Eliza sanitary products after she started her periods, embarrassing her.
Stu and Yasmeen's relationship hit a bump in the road in July 2023, when at a Rovers pub quiz Yasmeen and Roy Cropper answered all of the questions between them, leaving Stu feeling like a dunce. Stu began to wonder if he and Yasmeen weren't compatible after all. His jealousy of her and Roy's friendship led Alya to suggest that he took an interest in her gran's hobbies, but Yasmeen misinterpreted his gift of art classes and thought they were for her and Roy. Alya again had to step in when Yasmeen said that Stu’s jealousy reminded her of Geoff’s manipulation, and she managed to reconcile the couple.
Eliza continued to pine for her mother. When Bridget was moved to a prison in the North East, Stu gave his granddaughter a new tablet to keep in touch with her. However, Eliza used her tablet to make contact with her estranged father, Dom Everett. Bridget made it clear that she wanted Dom to have no contact with her daughter, but when Stu threatened him with the police, Dom saw solicitor about access. A mediation meeting went badly, but Stu got Bridget to agree that Eliza could see her father.
It seemed apparent to Stu that Dom had little interest in being a father, and would eventually break Eliza's heart. His suspicions were confirmed when Dom, aware that Stu had been awarded £200,000 comepnsation for his false imprisonment, asked him for £10,000 to walk away from the situation, an offer Stu refused. In September, after a row with her granddad, Eliza ran into the path of a speeding car, ending up in hospital with a fractured arm. Eliza ran away to live with Dom, and after investigating, social services thought it best that she remained with her father for the moment. Behind Yasmeen's back, Stu employed a private investigator to find out what she could about Dom's fitness to be a parent. The PI discovered that Dom had a son in Germany and was building bridges with a family he had there. Stu offered Dom £10,000 to go there and stay out of Eliza's life, and Dom accepted.
Using work as a cover for the move, Dom texted Eliza after Christmas to say that he was staying in Germany, leaving her believing that she'd driven him away. Feeling wretched, Stu tried to persuade Dom to return but he refused. Stu came clean to Yasmeen who was horrified at what he’d done but told him not to say anything to Eliza as they were now the only family she had. The truth came out in March 2024 when Dom returned briefly to Weatherfield and gave Stu back the £10,000, saying he was wrong to take it. Eliza found the cash with a regretful note from Dom and, realising that Stu had been contact with him, told him that she hated him. A regretful Stu made it up to his granddaughter by giving his blessing for her to spend Easter in Germany, with Eliza moving there permanently the following month.
Also that month, Stu felt sorry for Roy Cropper when he was falsely accused of murdering a missing Lauren Bolton's murder, reminded of his own false imprisonment. He tried to find evidence to clear his name, leading to him being assaulted and mugged by a homeless man. In May, he rendered further assistance by asking a genial friend of his, Roscoe, to befriend him at Highfield Prison. His efforts backfired when Roscoe was used by Griff Reynolds to lure into a cell with Griff Reynolds, nearly costing the cafe owner his life. In June, he took pity on homeless teen Mason Radcliffe and gave him food, earning a harsh rebuke from a livid Sean Tully as Mason had previously bullied his son Dylan.
Eliza's departure caused Yasmeen to worry about the future of her relationship with Stu as the girl had been the glue that held them together. The two nevertheless remained together and gradually rekindled their relationship.
In August, Stu came across Mason spending a night injured on the streets, and offered a helping hand and the use of his shower. Stu also offered him a trial shift at Speed Daal, before later discovering his past as the bully who drove Liam Connor almost to suicide. Despite initially parting ways, Stu felt determined that Mason deserved a second chance, and with Yasmeen's permission, allowed him to work at Speed Daal more regularly, up until Mason's re-arrest after being framed by Betsy Swain for stealing a customer's purse.
Personality[]
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Background information[]
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First and last lines[]
"D'ya have any, erm, tandoori chicken? I'm not too keen on seafood." (First line, to Yasmeen Metcalfe)
Appendices[]
List of addresses[]
| Address | Duration |
|---|---|
| No fixed abode | Until 10th January 2022 |
| 6 Coronation Street | 10th January 2022 onwards |
Employment history[]
| Role | Institution | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Navy chef | Navy | Unknown |
| Chef | Unknown restaurant | 1988 |
| Chef | Unknown restaurant | Until 2020 or 2021 |
| Chef | Speed Daal | 17th December 2021 onwards |