Coronation Street's Sue Devaney on fan reaction to Debbie as dementia story is confirmed

Debbie books an appointment at a private clinic, where she describes a series of incidents. One such incident aired tonight (31st March 2025), and saw Debbie suffer a head injury.

Flashbacks of what really happened to Debbie will be shown to the audience, before she is told that she needs to undergo some tests for young onset vascular dementia.

Shocked, Debbie initially keeps this news from her friends and family.

Coronation Street is working with Dementia UK to explore the effects that young onset dementia will have on Debbie and those closest to her, with the show confirmed to be following Debbie's journey over a period of months and years.

Young onset dementia is any form of dementia that develops before the age of 65. Dementia is often considered a condition of old age, so the early symptoms of young onset dementia are not always recognised and may be attributed to other causes, such as menopause, which is what Debbie links her symptoms to.

Dr Hilda Hayo, CEO and chief admiral nurse at Dementia UK, said: "We are pleased to be working alongside Coronation Street on this storyline, which we hope will help debunk the myth that dementia is a condition just associated with old age.

"Our dementia specialist admiral nurses support many people like Debbie who are living with young onset dementia and understand the challenges that living with the condition can bring.

"The production team has worked closely with our consultant admiral nurse for young onset dementia to deliver a sensitive depiction of what it’s like to live with the condition.

"We hope this will encourage people to start having more conversations about dementia and to reach out for support from our admiral nurses when they need it."

Speaking about the storyline, Devaney said: "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."

The story was first rumoured late last year, with faithful Corrie viewers sharing their upset at the thought of one-liner queen Debbie no longer being on their screens.

Asked how she feels about the strong reaction to the eventual loss of Debbie, the actress shared: "It's really lovely that Debbie is loved. And I didn't realise what people thought of Debbie, they love Debbie and that's brilliant."

But Devaney added that the audience will still have plenty of time with her alter ego.

"Debbie's not going anywhere yet. Debbie has been diagnosed and this is her journey. The whole of the story is to see her journey, isn't it? To see this journey and tell it," she explained.

"We're all frightened of getting older, aren't we? We're all frightened of the inevitable that's going to happen, which is going to be death, and nobody knows how we're going to die.

"Viewers read things like, oh yeah, they're killing Debbie off. Well, actually, it's amazing that they're giving Debbie this brilliant story.

"Some papers claimed that I was furious about the story, which was completely untrue. The only reason I was concerned about the storyline was because I wanted to be sure I could do it justice. It is an honour and privilege to be given this sort of storyline."

Although she knows the nature of what's coming for Debbie, the actress has made one big decision going forward.

"I have decided that I don't want to know what is coming up for Debbie, I want to wait for the scripts because in real life you don’t know what is coming. I think it's more interesting to play it like that."

Commenting on Debbie's storyline, Coronation Street producer Kate Brooks said: "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."

Anyone affected by Debbie's storyline can visit Dementia UK or call its helpline on 0800 888 6678.

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• Coronation Street 'to kill off' beloved character after 14 years on soap
• Coronation Street legend confirms return to show after 9 years away from cobbles

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