Coronation Street star Sue Devaney has spoken about coming "full circle" in her role as Debbie Webster, as the character faces a heartbreaking death. The actress, who hails from Ashton-under-Lyne, has played Debbie since the character first arrived on the cobbles in 1984, and fans have made it clear they do not want to see her leave.
Debbie's devastating diagnosis
Debbie originally moved to Coronation Street as a fifteen-year-old in 1984, with Sue, who was 16 at the time of her debut, the only actress to have ever portrayed the character. She reappeared on the cobbles in 2019 before making a full-time return in 2020.
In scenes aired last year, Debbie was seen growing concerned about her memory loss and booked an appointment at a private clinic, believing her symptoms may be related to the menopause. After discussing a series of incidents, including a blackout and fall, the doctor advised that she have further tests as he was concerned she was showing symptoms of early-onset vascular dementia.
Since then, the show has documented the progress of Debbie's diagnosis, including the impact of being wrongly imprisoned for the death of Weatherfield vicar Billy Mayhew in a multi-vehicle crash involving guests from her and Ronnie Bailey's wedding in Yorkshire. More recently, Debbie's behaviour has continued to concern her husband, Ronnie Bailey, and her loved ones, with Ronnie admitting to attending a dementia support group after Debbie thought he was cheating on her.
A special episode and a reflective actress
On Monday (November 9), a special episode aired centred on "Debbie's Angels", as Debbie arranged a get-together with Abi Webster, Bernie Winter-Alahan, Christina Boyd, Sally Metcalfe and Glenda Shuttleworth to help her with a surprise for Carl. What started as a fun bonding experience descended into chaos as tensions surfaced, though by the end of the evening the women united to move forward.
Speaking about her time on the famous cobbles, Sue told the Manchester Evening News: "I feel really lucky. It's not often you play a character at 16, and you play her again at nearly 60, and you get to tell her life story. It's really interesting. And especially because I'm playing a part where she's got a terminal illness, so she's reflecting on all her past."
She added: "Seeing it in pictures, and it's that crossover between first starting out, when I first started out in the profession, to still being in the profession, but yet it's real life, and it's pretend life. Odd."
What lies ahead for Debbie
When asked about what's ahead for Debbie, Sue added: "I think it's going to be a very special Christmas because it's the first time she's going to be having Christmas with her son, that she can call her son, and I think it's going to be very special. Then she's going to make the most of every day before she can't anymore."
