Coronation Street star Sue Devaney has shared exclusive details about the upcoming dramatic wedding of her character, Debbie Webster, and her unexpected involvement in the soap's highly-anticipated crossover episode with Emmerdale.
Dream Wedding Amidst Dementia Diagnosis
Debbie Webster, played by Sue Devaney since 1984, is determined to marry Ronnie Bailey in an extravagant ceremony despite her ongoing struggle with a young onset vascular dementia diagnosis. The actress, 58, explained that Debbie sees Ronnie's unwavering commitment as true love. "She's never found true love until now," Sue admitted, highlighting how Ronnie's promise to stand by her despite her illness cemented their bond.
Sue, who returned to the cobbles as a key character in 2019, had significant input into Debbie's wedding look, describing her vision as a "Joan Collins from Rochdale" style. The emotional ceremony will also feature a performance from a dementia choir, a moment Sue described as "so beautiful" it moved her to tears.
Sibling Feud Threatens the Big Day
The wedding festivities, however, are set against a backdrop of intense family conflict. Debbie's brothers, Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) and Carl Webster (Jonathan Howard), are locked in a bitter feud. Carl has been secretly targeting Debbie, even attempting to use her dementia diagnosis to manipulate her and steal her money.
"In Debbie's eyes, Carl can't do anything wrong, because she loves her brother," Sue confessed, adding that Debbie's trusting nature allows Carl to get away with his schemes. She warned that Kevin's ex, Abi Franklin (Sally Carman-Duttine), will be watching Carl closely, creating significant tension during the celebrations.
Unexpected Role in Corriedale Crossover Crash
The wedding drama spirals into catastrophe, leading directly into the special "Corriedale" crossover episode where the worlds of Coronation Street and Emmerdale collide. Sue Devaney appeared to confirm fan speculation, revealing that Debbie and a drunken Carl end up in his car after the wedding, not the suspected wedding party bus.
In a desperate attempt to stop Carl from driving away, Debbie jumps into the passenger seat. "She jumps in the car thinking, 'Well, you can't go anywhere if I'm in the car.' And he thinks, 'Well, I'm going somewhere,' and carries on driving far too fast," Sue explained, hinting at a major crash stunt.
In a surprising revelation, Sue shared that she performed some of the stunt driving herself. After seeing a dummy double prepared with her character's distinctive feather headdress, she persuaded the director to let her film the high-speed sequence with the stunt driver, an experience she likened to "doing a little movie."
Sue warned that the fallout from the crash will have major consequences into 2026, with massive secrets about Debbie set to be revealed. Looking beyond the drama, the actress expressed a desire to see more storylines focusing on Debbie's friendships with women like Glenda Shuttleworth, emphasising the importance of female solidarity on screen.
Coronation Street airs on ITV1 and ITV X on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 8pm.
