Soap operas

Coronation Street viewers blasted one character’s sudden exit storyline as they struggled to believe it could happen and labelled the whole thing as a ‘disaster’

Coronation Street fans described Tuesday’s episode as a “disaster” after Dee Dee Bailey announced her plans to leave. The lawyer, who has been played by Channique Sterling-Brown, 28, since 2022, decided on the latest episode of the world’s longest-running TV soap that it was time to move on from the Weatherfield backstreet.

The programme normally airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays but there was a slight schedule change owing to ITV’s upcoming coverage of the the Carabao Cup. It has been known for some time know that Dee Dee was set to leave the show, and in newest episode, she revealed she had been offered a new job – but there was a catch.

At first, she was hesitant to tell her father Ed about it, but over a celebratory lunch with him and her brothers at the Bistro, she revealed that it was in Singapore.

Fans will know that Dee Dee is mother to baby Laila, who was born in March, but there had been a lot of back-and-forth over whether her brother James would take on the guardianship. Once James realised what this meant, he raged: “A creche in Singapore, 24/7? You really think that’s in her best interests? What do they even speak out there?”

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Pleading her case, Dee Dee said: “I have agonised over this. And yes, it’s the right thing for me, but I’m sorry, it is also the best thing for Laila. A job where I can make a difference!” James raged: “I was there for you. I was there for Laila. I provided a solution. This was your idea! This was always, always going to happen.”

He then told his sister that she had “timed” everything to make sure things turned out this way and when he and Michael were in the pub later on, things had still not calmed down. When Dee Dee walked in, she offered to buy James a drink but he refused. He then headed into the pub toilets where he burst into tears, and text on/off lover Carl Webster to see if he wanted to meet up.

As details of Dee Dee’s exit plans came to light, fans took to social media to share their reaction. One wrote: “Losing Dee Dee but keeping the rest of the Baileys is such a disaster,” whilst another said: “So Dee dee has been a solicitor in New York Wethersfield and now Singapore. Where next Seaham Harbour?”

A third added: “I like Dee Dee but I wish this new job was a bit more believable. She is going to Singapore alone, no support, with a baby. If she took a job near her ‘gone to look after her aunt and never seen again mother’, I could believe it,” and a fourth wrote: “Dee Dee never spends any time with her kid now when she’s surrounded by family, so she’ll probably never see her in Singapore. She’ll be fobbed off to a nursery or nanny.”

Actress Channique, 28, announced her departure to The Mirror and other press, explaining for the first time her reasons for stepping down from the role. Channique said it felt like the right time “to be brave” and try new roles, as she got tearful in her exit chat.

Becoming emotional, she revealed she would miss her character, as she explained her decision that she made months ago. She said: “I made the decision in spring, and it wasn’t a rash decision. You know, I really took a couple of months from being offered my next year contract to actually even respond.

“I felt really torn, but I really just had, you know, the sense that it just felt like the time. I feel like I’ve been so privileged, and I’ve got to tell some great stories, and it’s been so wonderful. And obviously I’m very led by my faith as well.

“So I just really took my time over it and prayed into it. And I think, yeah, I found a real sense that I had done what I’d come to do, if that makes sense, not that I ever knew exactly what it was, but it just felt like I had achieved what I was sent here to do, so it was time to be brave.”

She told us: “I think Dee-Dee has changed a lot. She’s been through a lot. She was so ditsy and all this stuff when she came. But I think she very quickly, like we saw her heart with her being with Paul a lot, and we saw her strength standing up to Adam.

“We saw her, you know, soft side with all the stuff with her dad and the gambling. So I think, you know, she, she still has all those things. I think she’s definitely, obviously a bit worse for wear.

“But I think she’s finding her way back to herself at the minute. I think that’s really lovely, where we see her on screen. She’s finding some happiness. She’s finding herself again. And I think that’s life, isn’t it? You obviously change and things shape you, but it’s how many times you get back up? That’s what counts.”

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Shirley Ballas has admitted that she has had her fair share of sleepless nights after this year’s season of Strictly took an unexpected turn when Lewis Cope was eliminated

Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas has admitted she was left wide awake all night after Lewis Cope’s emotional exit from the competition.

While on BBC spin-off show It Takes Two, Shirley opened up to host Fleur East about the toll this stage of the competition has taken on her, especially as the remaining couples edge closer to the final.

When Fleur asked how she was feeling with the semi-final less than 24 hours away, Shirley replied sombrely: “Well I didn’t sleep yesterday, I didn’t sleep when Lewis got eliminated and I probably won’t sleep tonight because you never know where the show is going to go at the moment.”

She went on to explain just how unpredictable this year’s contest has become, adding: “It is not set and it could be anyone who goes home and anyone who can win, so it will be very interesting tomorrow.”

Lewis, who is best known to viewers for his role on Emmerdale, was eliminated last week after going head-to-head with Love Island star Amber Davies in the dreaded dance-off.

Many fans were devastated to see him leave just before the semi-finals. But Lewis spoke fondly of his time on Strictly after his exit, saying: “It’s been more than I could have ever wished for. If someone would have said that I’d have done 11 weeks on the show at the beginning, I’d have been over the moon and snap their hand off.”

He went on to thank the show and his professional partner Katya Jones, telling her: “You’ve literally given me absolutely everything I could wish for as a friend, as a teacher, and yeah, I couldn’t imagine it with anybody else.”

An emotional Katya returned the praise, calling Lewis one of the most memorable contestants the show has seen. “You will be remembered as one of, if not, the best male celebrity we’ve ever had on the show,” she said, adding that he would also be remembered for being “an incredible person”.

Away from the ballroom, Lewis’s girlfriend Rachel Lopez also spoke out following his exit, hitting back at viewers’ claims that he had an unfair advantage due to his musical theatre background.

In a heartfelt Instagram post, she wrote: “What most people never saw was the pressure you carried, especially with people assuming you would walk in as a trained dancer (which you absolutely weren’t!).”

Rachel praised Lewis for handling the criticism he received with grace, adding: “The heartbreak isn’t a sign you have failed, it just shows how much courage you had.”

On It Takes Two Shirley went on to offer some quick advice to the remaining couples ahead of the semi-final, encouraging Amber and Nikita to “bend knees and have a lot of fun,” while calling for more “connection and partnering” from some of the other contestants.

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Emmerdale fans are convinced they know who will take down Celia Daniels and Ray Walters in a shocking turn of events – and it’s not Cain Dingle

Emmerdale fans have rumbled who will take down villainous Celia Daniels and Ray Walters in a surprise twist. Many had been hopeful that Cain Dingle might finally be the one to see to the end of the two village villains.

Celia and son Ray have been running a huge drugs and human trafficking ring from the farm near Moira’s including keeping Bear and others as modern slaves.. As well as this, the pair have been getting April to run drugs for them.

Marlon and Rhona, desperate to get Rhona out of the ‘game’, have insisted they can pay Ray money to make sure she’s relieved of the job, but things went from bad to worse when Ray made more demands.

In tonight’s episode, Marlon got some surprise news from Paddy about young Dylan’s future. Fans will remember Dylan was deliberately run over by Ray in shocking scenes last week.

“I’ve just seen a doctor and you’re not going to believe this. After being told to prepare for the worst, they’re now saying he’s turned a corner and he’s doing really well,” Paddy told Marlon.

“In fact, he’s doing that well, they reckon that if he keeps improving they might be able to wake him up in the next day or two. I can’t tell you how relieved I am.”

It’s clear Marlon thinks Dylan waking up is the end of their problems and they can finally get Ray caught for all that he’s done so far, ending the shocking drugs ring he and Celia are running.

“When Dylan wakes up, we can persuade him to tell the police what happened – what Ray did,” Marlon told Rhona, who replied: “He will realise that the only way out of this is to go to the police and tell the truth.”

However, is Dylan the one to bring down Ray finally, or will the family still be under his clutches? The storyline comes amid an exit for Celia Daniels star Jaye Griffiths, who confirmed she’d be leaving the ITV soap.

Speaking to The Mirror, she said: “I knew it was finite from the start, which I am very sad about. I would like to stay forever, but it’s such a strong arc … The reason Celia works is because she has no little voice in her head. You know that little voice that tells women, particularly, that you’re not enough, you’re too tall, you’re too short, you’re too fat, you’re too thin, you’re too old, you’re too young.

“That self-critical, nasty voice that stops us doing many things. Celia doesn’t have one of those. That is very freeing. If there are no consequences internally, if there’s no conscience, you can do anything you want.”

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Hollyoaks have announced that fans will be able to binge-watch four Christmas episodes at once as the Channel 4’s annual festive boxset returns once again this month

Hollyoaks‘ annual gift to fans is back this Christmas.

It’s been revealed that four special festive episodes will be available to stream on Channel 4 on Monday, December 22 from 6am.

This Christmas, Hollyoaks invites viewers to get festive with four of its most iconic families.

The festive episodes will follow Christmas Day from start to finish, focussing on one family at a time; the Hutchinsons, the Lomaxes, the Clarks/Maaliks and the McQueens.

Jack and Pearl, alongside the Osbornes, are the uniting thread throughout all four episodes.

Pearl takes it upon herself to revive the Christmas magic in the village, but she remains blissfully unaware that Jack is carrying a surprise of his own.

The Christmas boxset follows a triumphant few months for the Channel 4 continuing drama, as the 30th anniversary week in October delivered the show’s strongest performance in years.

Spoilers have confirmed there’s festive cheer at the Hutchinsons this Christmas but an unexpected present sends the day into turmoil. Meanwhile, Jack Osborne (Jimmy McKenna) is suited and booted with a special mission under his sleeve to make the day extra special.

Dee Dee Hutchinson (Chloe Atkinson) hides a gift and Diane Hutchinson (Alex Fletcher) tries to put on the perfect Christmas, grateful Tony Hutchinson’s (Nick Pickard) there to celebrate with them, but a troubled Ant Hutchinson (Brook Debio( continues to cause tension in the household.

Forced to pull his weight and set the table, Ant stumbles across a burner phone which he pockets in secret. An excited Eva Hutchinson (Aubrey Burgess) sneaks a peak in a present under the tree and Dee Dee is left horrified. Ant also reveals a secret that leads to many questions.

There’s Christmas magic at the McQueens, but for Mercedes McQueen (Jennifer Metcalfe) the sparkle has faded.

Warren Fox (Jamie Lomas) turns up in full Santa costume to help spread cheer but things don’t go to plan and a knock on the door grants Theresa McQueen’s (Jorgie Porter) festive wish.

It’s frosty between Misbah Maalik (Harvey Virdi) and Donny Clark (Louis Emerick) this Christmas but will the festive cheer bring the family closer together or will Donny’s recent escapades be exposed?

It’s the first Christmas without Peri (Ruby O’Donnell) at the Lomaxes but Leela (Kirsty-Leigh Porter) is determined to give her children and Lucas Hay (Oscar Curtis) the best day she can which includes extending an olive branch to Ste Hay (Kieron Richardson).

Meanwhile, watching the carollers perform in the village, Pearl Anderson (Dawn Hope) has something she wants to get off her chest.

Hollyoaks airs Monday to Wednesday on E4 at 7pm and first look episodes can be streamed Channel 4 from 7am