Coronation Street's Debbie Webster (Sue Devaney) is set to cause shockwaves next week when she flirts with another man, leaving husband Ronnie Bailey (Vinta Morgan) stunned.
Ronnie has been a constant support for Debbie throughout her battle with vascular dementia, standing by her through her imprisonment and her difficult relationship with her son Carl Webster (Jonathan Howard). However, her condition has declined sharply, and their relationship now resembles that of a carer and patient more than a married couple.
Ronnie's struggle with intimacy
Ronnie's heartbreak grows as Debbie temporarily forgets his name, and he feels he can no longer be intimate with her because her dementia prevents her from giving informed consent. Seeking help, Ronnie attends a dementia support group. But Debbie misinterprets his actions and suspects him of cheating, a suspicion shared by Abi Webster (Sally Carman-Duttine) when she sees Ronnie embracing another woman.
Paula's return and wedding mix-up
Adding to the drama, Debbie's old prison enemy Paula (Kelli Hollis) returns to the street with a grudge. Their feud began when Debbie threw Paula out of the Chariot Square Hotel Bar for disorderly conduct, and escalated in prison after Debbie accidentally insulted Paula's ex-boyfriend while trying to comfort her.
Meanwhile, Debbie's insistence on keeping her job at the hotel leads to a major error: she books bride-to-be Denise's wedding for the wrong date. Furious, Denise tells Ryan (Ryan Prescott) she does not want Debbie near her wedding, calling her a liability. Paula then confronts Debbie with a chilling threat.
Flirting with Stan
As Ryan shows Denise around the hotel, they witness Debbie and Paula arguing. Denise demands her deposit back and storms out. When Denise's fiancé Stan arrives, Debbie explains he has missed her and offers him wine, then cries on his shoulder, lamenting that her husband no longer finds her attractive.
Ronnie walks in to find Debbie flirting with Stan, leaving him to react to the scene.
