Actress Sue Devaney, who plays Debbie Webster on Coronation Street, has revealed she would have been happy to stay on the soap for the rest of her career. Speaking about her return to Weatherfield in 2019, 34 years after her first appearance, she said: 'When I came I was 16. Coming back to Corrie, I thought: “This is nice. I could end my career on Corrie, and I’d be very happy.”'
However, that plan will not play out, as Debbie has been diagnosed with young-onset vascular dementia, a condition that is rapidly progressing and will eventually claim her life.
Debbie's recent storyline
Over the past year, Debbie's story has included falling in love and agreeing to marry Ronnie Bailey, played by Vinta Morgan, before a fatal car pile-up on her wedding day, caused by Carl Webster, played by Jonathan Howard. Carl swapped places with Debbie in the car and, while attempting to exploit her dementia, let her take the blame, unaware that she was fully aware he was the guilty party and was prepared to cover for him.
Until then, Carl believed Debbie was his sister, but in reality she was his mother. The guilt of giving him up as a baby drove her to cover for him, even when it meant she received a prison sentence. Since her release, the pair have taken steps to repair their relationship, with Carl shedding much of his manipulative behaviour to care for his mum.
What comes next
Speaking to The Sun, Sue said of what could come after Debbie dies: 'I have no idea, because I think, for me, I just like to keep it in the day. And as an actor I’m probably gonna be here until next year. So you’ve got a year’s work. Well, for any actor, that’s amazing.' She added: 'So it’s like, if somebody said when I were doing theatre, or you’ve got a theatre job for a year, you don’t think, “oh, I’m gonna think about after that”. I know it’s coming to an end, but you just think it’s a year. What happens after a year? I don’t know what I’m doing after I’ve done where I am. Nobody knows, we just have to make the best of every day, don’t we?'
She admitted her impending exit is not easier for her positive outlook, saying: 'Sometimes, I do sit on the set now, like, this morning, I sat on the set this morning with all my girlfriends, Sally Dynevor, Jodie Prenger, and Amy Robbins, and I just thought, “Oh, I’ll really miss this.”'
A possible trip to the Dales
Speaking exclusively to Metro at the Cure Usher ball, Sue joked about what Debbie could do next: 'I think she’s going to get in a car and drive over to the Dales and have a lovely weekend in the Dales. I think she’d enjoy that, wouldn’t she? She really would. Especially now that she’s retired. She’s got time to just take day trips! So, who knows?'
