Coronation Street airs worrying diagnosis for baby Frankie as Joel twist ‘sealed’

There were upsetting scenes on Coronation Street on Monday night, as baby Frankie’s possible diagnosis was revealed.

Lauren Bolton was in turmoil, following the tot being rushed back into hospital last week – amid fans guessing a twist is on the way. Bruising was found on his body, with Lauren fearing someone might have hurt her son.

But after doctors warned there could be something wrong with him, believing the bruising to be caused by something other than him being harmed, Monday’s episode aired a worrying update. Frankie has been in hospital for most of his life since his birth this summer.

He was born prematurely after his biological father Joel Deering drugged pregnant Lauren in a sickening bid to kill her unborn child. This led to a number of health complications for Frankie, while in recent weeks Lauren has been in prison after killing Joel in self-defence.

Amid her trying to keep custody of her son with Joel’s parents trying to take him, things took a devastating turn when Frankie was hospitalised. Frankie’s doctors have now revealed that a diagnosis could be severe aplastic anaemia, which is is a rare but serious blood disorder which is a result of the bone marrow not producing enough blood cells.

Lauren was also warned that her baby boy might have leukaemia. On Monday, Lauren was informed testing would need to be done to find a match for poorly Frankie, as he needed a blood transfusion.

Lauren was devastated to be told she was not able to donate her blood, due to being diagnosed with Hepatitis C when she was a teenager. She remains unaware that Dee-Dee Bailey is pregnant with Joel’s child, a sibling for Frankie.

News of Frankie’s illness left Dee-Dee torn as she remained unsure whether to go through with the pregnancy or not. Frankie’s official diagnosis and a match for him have yet to be revealed.

It comes amid fans predicting there could be a paternity twist, wondering if Joel really is Frankie’s biological father after all. Joel’s parents Anthea and Gus told Max, and Lauren, they planned to get custody of their grandson.

Viewers believe that the tests being done for Frankie’s match could be the moment that it emerges Joel is not really the biological father of Frankie, and that another character is his real dad. Taking to social media, one fan posted: “We all know after a DNA that Joel is not even going to be the father of Frankie.” Another said: “Agreed very predictable,” as a third fan posted: “If it’s true it will probably be Max.”

Another comment read: “Frankie’s ill and will need bone marrow and once they start looking for a donor, they’ll realise the real kicker – that the kid ain’t Joel’s – his dad is Carla’s nephew [Bobby].” A fifth fan said: “They’re not the grandparents of Frankie, DNA test will prove it,” and a sixth said: “It’s Max.”