Coronation Street star Sue Devaney has been reflecting on her arrival on the cobbles as she prepares for a heartbreaking exit from the ITV soap. The actress, from Ashton-under-Lyne, was 16 when she first appeared as Debbie Webster in 1984, a character who was 15 at the time.
Devaney is the only actress to have played Debbie, the sister of long-standing character Kevin Webster. She appeared from 1984 to 1985 before a long absence, during which she starred in shows including Jonny Briggs, Casualty, and Victoria Wood's Dinnerladies, as well as on stage, including in the West End.
Debbie returned to the cobbles in 2019, with Devaney making a full-time return in 2020.
Debbie's Dementia Storyline
Debbie's time in Weatherfield is set to end tragically. After returning, the Chariot Square Hotel owner became concerned about memory loss and booked an appointment at a private clinic, believing her symptoms might be linked to the menopause. However, after discussing incidents shown in flashbacks, including a blackout and a fall, the doctor advised further tests, concerned she was showing symptoms of early-onset vascular dementia.
The soap has since documented the progress of her 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 wedding to Ronnie Bailey in Yorkshire. More recently, Debbie's behaviour has concerned her husband and loved ones, with Ronnie admitting he attends a dementia support group after Debbie thought he was cheating.
A Special Christmas Episode
Corrie producer Kate Brooks told the Manchester Evening News: "I've got some really special stuff coming up with Debbie. Sue [Devaney]'s incredible, and every single episode I see, I am just completely blown away."
Brooks added: "We've got a really special episode coming up over the Christmas period, which is a POV episode that I viewed yesterday, and it's insanely good and powerful. This is a performance like you've never seen before. Let's just put it that way. Never been done before. We see what she sees, but we don't see it."
She also said: "As Debbie's dementia starts the slight decline, we will start to get to the really tough parts of it as her family starts to rally around her and her friends. This gang of women and her family will become really key ingredients in rallying around her and making sure that she's okay and she's supported. There'll be laughs, there'll be fun along the way, but we are getting to the stage now where it is it's getting a bit more serious."
Reflecting on Her Career
The storyline has left Devaney reflecting on her time at Corrie. Speaking about a woman-led episode centred on Debbie's Angels, she said: "It's like coming full circle. When I first started in Corrie when I was 16, I looked up to those strong northern actors. I remember thinking, 'Oh, I might be like Julie Goodyear one day.' It's lovely because I'm actually doing it now."
She added: "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."
Co-star Sally Dynevor, who has played Sally Metcalfe for 40 years, praised Devaney: "I just want to say, Sue, honestly, you are amazing. Because, you know, some of those scenes, Sue put in. What is so beautiful about what you do is that you don't play it, you lift it in a way that would be so natural, because you're trying to protect your friends. I thought you just played it absolutely beautifully."
With Debbie's exit expected to air sometime in 2027, Devaney said: "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."
