It’s one of Coronation Street’s most controversial decisions in a long time and now the show’s boss Kate Brooks has broken her silence on why Debbie Webster, played by the fabulous Sue Devaney, is being killed off in a young onset dementia storyline.
Metro exclusively revealed the plotline last year, triggering an uproar among fans and a petition that has accumulated thousands of signatures.
Since then, we have started to see signs of Debbie’s symptoms, including confusion and forgetfulness.
Now, Corrie has officially confirmed the storyline, making it clear that we still have the character for a long time to come, with the arc – as previously confirmed by Metro – seeing us into 2026.
Working with Dementia UK, over the coming months and years the soap will follow Debbie’s journey as she comes to terms with the diagnosis and what it will mean for her and the family.
It’s a choice that has incurred quite the backlash, but Kate – previously the chief of Emmerdale – has explained why Debbie will be central to the story.
‘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.’
Why give it to Debbie, you still may ask? Sue herself also weighed in.
‘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.’
Kate added: ‘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.’
Certainly, this provides some much needed context and insight, but whether it is enough to appease fans is another matter.
The petition continues to rack up numbers, and carries the plea to producers to end the story while they ‘still can’.
It reads: ‘The departure of a character like Debbie Webster, especially under these circumstances, is not just a creative choice—it’s a statement about the direction of the show.
‘We want Coronation Street to be the cornerstone of TV schedules, a place where we can come home to each episode for many years to come. We are urging those behind-the-scenes to have a rethink, for the good of the soap opera that we all love, and all wish to see thrive once again.’
‘It’s really lovely that Debbie is loved,’ Sue continued. ‘And I didn’t realise what people thought of Debbie, they love Debbie and that’s brilliant. But 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. 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.’
