Coronation Street spoilers follow from Wednesday’s episode (April 9), which is available to watch now on streaming service ITVX but hasn’t yet aired on ITV1.
Coronation Street airs some emotional flashbacks tonight as Debbie Webster’s huge new storyline begins.
The truth is revealed over many of Debbie’s recent struggles as she speaks openly with a private doctor.
Debbie attends the life-changing appointment after growing concerned over a series of recent strange incidents involving her memory and potential blackouts.
These are explored in flashback form, with some new footage giving fans greater insight into what’s really been happening to Debbie in recent episodes of the soap.
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Debbie explains each one in detail – including how she lost her purse and mistakenly blamed loutish new neighbour Mick Michaelis for it.
Secondly, there’s another incident where Debbie mysteriously collapsed in the ginnel last week. At the time, this sparked suspicion that Mick had gone on the attack.
We also see how Debbie lost her temper with her nephew Jack in an uncharacteristic outburst after he landed himself in trouble at school.
“Debbie starts losing things, like her purse, which she later finds in the fridge,” Sue Devaney – who plays the Corrie favourite – tells us.
“She’s behaving erratically and shouting a lot, even at her loved ones, in a way that feels out of control.
“But I think the biggest thing, when I first read the script, was the TIAs [transient ischaemic attacks]. She has these mini-strokes, falls over, and tries to ignore it.”
Debbie is shocked when the doctor suggests referring her for tests to see whether she could have vascular dementia.
He encourages Debbie to be honest with her partner Ronnie Bailey in the meantime, pointing out that she’ll need plenty of support.
Sue adds: “It’s when Debbie sees a specialist that she realises something isn’t right because her thinking starts to change.
“She probably thinks it’s just the menopause, being of a certain age. That is until she talks to the specialist.
“But I think Debbie is in denial and wants to pretend everything is alright until it’s not. She’s a protector of her family, even though she doesn’t have children. She doesn’t want to worry them. It’s like her world is being exploded.
“Also, people will treat you differently. She wants people to see her as the Debbie they know, the one who is in control and running a business. She doesn’t want them to see her as someone else.”
Coronation Street fans can see these scenes tonight at 8pm on ITV1, or right now on ITVX.
