Coronation Street actress Sue Devaney has revealed she had hoped to spend the rest of her career on the ITV soap, but her character Debbie Webster's dementia storyline means she is likely to leave the cobbles next year.
Devaney, 59, first appeared as Debbie in 1984 before returning in 2019. In 2025, it was announced that Debbie would be diagnosed with early onset vascular dementia, with the soap working closely with Dementia UK on the long-term storyline.
Fans were devastated by the news, with some even starting a petition to keep Debbie on the street. Now, Devaney has admitted that she too was shocked by the storyline, having planned to stay on the show for the rest of her career.
Devaney's Plans for the Future
Talking to The Sun, Devaney 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'"
She continued: "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. 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?'
Privilege of the Dementia Storyline
Devaney previously spoke about the storyline in 2025, saying: "It is an honour and privilege to be given this sort of storyline. A lot of people are saying, why give it to Debbie? She's so vibrant and she's so full of life.
"But I think that is where a good story lies because it's somebody that has everything and also words are important to Debbie. She has a quick wit and everything is so important, money and success."
"She's been dealt this hand of this illness and it is going to be interesting to follow her journey."
Producer's Perspective
Coronation Street producer Kate Brooks said at the time: "With one in two people being affected by dementia, we felt this was such an important story to tell for the simple reason that it resonates with so many people."
"Having a character as vibrant as Debbie Webster, and an actor of Sue Devaney's incredible talent and calibre, at the heart of this storyline, was key to unlocking the many emotions that come with navigating this diagnosis."
"We're working closely with Dementia UK to ensure this story is told as truthfully and sensitively as possible - whilst never losing sight of the person behind the diagnosis. This is a story about family, about community, but ultimately this is a story about love, and how love can provide light, even through the darkest of times."
Coronation Street continues on weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV and ITVX.
