Coronation Street ‘work out’ identity of Lauren’s baby daddy – and it’s not Joel

Coronation Street fans reckon they’ve cracked the identity of the father of Lauren Bolton’s (played by Cait Fitton) baby.

The troubled teen made a surprise comeback to the ITV soap this week, after being missing and presumed dead for months. Viewers will remember she disappeared from the cobbles following her dismissal from Roy’s Rolls.

Her ex-boss Roy Cropper (David Nielson) was even arrested and jailed for her murder. However, it was sex trafficker Nathan Curtis (Chris Harper), framed by corrupt copper Kit Green (Jacob Roberts), who ended up taking the fall for her murder.

But it wasn’t until last month that viewers learned that dodgy lawyer Joel Deering (Calum Lill) was the one behind the teenager’s vanishing act.

And in Monday’s episode (July 7), it was revealed that Lauren is actually alive and has been in hiding. Lauren appeared at Roy’s hospital bedside, following his heart attack earlier that day, reports the Express.

In Tuesday’s episode (July 8), Lauren tried to make a quick getaway from the hospital, but was caught by her assailant Joel and forced into a family room.

A sequence of flashbacks throughout the episode revealed the truth about Lauren’s disappearance and her relationship with Joel.

The sleazy lawyer managed to manipulate his way into Lauren’s life after helping her with bills, eventually pressuring her into a relationship.

On the day of her disappearance, Joel snapped at Lauren after she mentioned his now-fiancee Dee-Dee Bailey (played by Channique Sterling-Brown), and then brutally attacked Lauren.

But when Joel was about to lash out again at the hospital, Lauren, gripping her stomach revealing she was five months pregnant with his child – insisting he play no part in the baby’s life.

Yet fans are casting doubts over Lauren’s bombshell, with many speculating that Joel isn’t the father after all. Taking to Twitter, much speculation has been stirring, with one user stating: “No way is Joel the father I’m calling it now she’s lying.”

Another focused on a potential twist and suggested: “Bet she’s pregnant with the Bobsters kid.” A third sceptic exclaimed: “Omg she’s pregnant with Joel’s baby or is she or she just playing him,” while someone else speculated: “It’s either fake bump or it’s someone else’s.”