As far as stag-do’s go, Ronnie Bailey’s (Vinta Morgan) last night of freedom in Coronation Street was a bit of a flop.
First, his bride-to-be, Debbie Webster’s (Sue Devaney) brother, Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell), stormed out after realising that their other brother, Carl Webster (Jonathan Howard) was in attendance. The brothers’ relationship has been all but decimated by the reveal that Carl had been having an affair with Kevin’s wife, Abi (Sally Carman-Duttine), with the two now in a relationship.
Next, Carl learned that his mum, Elaine (formerly portrayed by the late Judy Gridley) had died of cancer. Utterly broken by the news, Carl lamented to Abi that he hadn’t even known she was ill and she’d made no effort to contact him prior to her death.
While Debbie confirmed to Carl that she’d known nothing about the illness either, claiming to have heard nothing from her since their dad, Bill Webster (the late Peter Armitage) had passed away, but she wasn’t telling the whole truth. She had, in fact, gotten in touch, but Debbie had forgotten to pass the message on due to her early-onset dementia.
Metro readers think Debbie is Carl’s mum
Is there more to Debbie forgetting that Elaine had gotten in touch? Metro readers reckon so, with Annie Fielding positing: ‘I reckon Debbie is Carl’s mom and that’s why she never let him know she was dying or the secret would come out if he saw her.
‘I always reckoned she was his mum as she always changed subject when anyone mentioned why she never had kids.’
Annie isn’t the only one, though. Ritch Terry-Jones was feeling similar vibes: ‘Why do I have a feeling Debbie is his mum?’
Could it be true?
Bill Webster married Elaine, Carl’s mum, when Kevin was fourteen, and Debbie was eleven, after their mum, Alison, had passed away following a battle with colon cancer.
Bill, Elaine, and Debbie moved to Southampton, with Kevin staying behind in Weatherfield. By 1986, the Websters were living in Germany, and Carl was born.
Debbie was eighteen at the time of the birth and, soon after, flew the nest, meaning Carl grew up with neither of his siblings frequently around, only reuniting with both of them properly for their dads funeral. Carl revealed that his relationship with his mum was strained; she decried him as a waste of space who’d never amount to anything. He believed she’d only taken him with her when she left Bill for another man to spite him.
In 1986, it’s not completely unbelievable that Debbie fell pregnant as a teen and, either by societal or parental pressure, decided to have the baby and give him up to her dad and step mum. It could also explain why she’s been so soft with him, especially when it comes to his (alarmingly frequent) misdeeds.
Was Elaine so cold with Carl because he wasn’t hers? If Carl is Debbie’s, there’d be no blood ties whatsoever.
What would it mean for the Websters?
After the year they’ve had, with Debbie’s diagnosis, Kevin’s battle with testicular cancer, Carl’s penchant for vehicular-based crime and affairs, could they weather another storm if Debbie were revealed to be Carl’s biological mother?
It would shift things drastically. Kevin would become Carl’s uncle, and Carl would have to deal with the fact that his time with his new mum would be limited – Debbie’s condition will eventually claim her life.
Speaking of Debbie’s condition, could this be the way the secret is blown? If she’s burying the secret deeply, could her dementia cause her to reveal all in a burst of confusion?
