2025 has not been the year Debbie Webster (Sue Devaney) expected in Coronation Street. When she went to the doctor earlier this year after experiencing some troubling symptoms – forgetfulness, mood swings, blackouts – she expected to be told it was menopause-related.
What she was told instead was devastating. Debbie has young-onset dementia, and her symptoms will gradually get worse.
At first she tried to carry on as normal without telling anyone. Only her brother Carl Webster (Jonathan Howard) knew about her diagnosis, and he found out by chance and agreed to keep her secret.
But as Debbie found herself experiencing more worrying episodes she eventually came clean to her family. Generally she’s been met with a lot of support and understanding, and she’s reconciled with former partner Ronnie Bailey (Vinta Morgan) who she pushed away because she couldn’t cope with the idea of him seeing her deteriorate.
Aside from Ronnie, Debbie’s main supporters have been her family and she’s been especially happy to have Carl back in her life. Carl was largely brought up in Germany and didn’t have much contact with Kevin (Michael Le Vell) over the years, although he and Debbie were a lot closer. She’s been glad to have Carl around, as he’s also been there to support Kevin who was undergoing cancer treatment.
So when Debbie faces losing Carl from her life in upcoming episodes, she’s not happy at all.
Carl gets himself into hot water with Kevin when his brother (and boss) discovers that he’s been running a stolen car scam from the garage. In return, Carl discovers that Kevin has been lying about his cancer treatment not working, when in fact he’s been declared to be free of cancer following chemotherapy.
It’s a messy situation, and messier still when Abi (Sally Carman) hears about Kevin’s lies from Tyrone (Alan Halsall). Kev pleads that he only made out he needed more cancer treatment because he was so scared that Abi was about to leave him for Carl and he wanted a way to make her stay.
This has the effect of infuriating Abi so much that she feels disgusted with Kevin, knowing how he tried to manipulate her emotions and was prepared to let his kids think he still had cancer.
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So she goes and finds Carl and they kiss passionately, finally giving in to their long-held feelings for each other.
Kevin can’t cope with having Carl around and sacks him from the garage, saying he can’t trust him. With no job and with the complications of his feelings for Abi, Carl decides it might be best if he moves on.
Debbie, however, isn’t prepared to let her brother leave Weatherfield without trying to persuade him to stay. She doesn’t know what her future is going to look like, but she wants her family around her as much as possible.
