This article contains spoilers for tonight’s Coronation Street, which has not yet aired on TV but is available to watch now on ITVX.
Dee-Dee Bailey (Channique Sterling-Brown) was rushed into emergency surgery after suffering a haemorrhage following the birth of her daughter.
In tonight’s episode, she was given the devastating news that the surgeons had to perform a hysterectomy in order to save her life.
This understandably knocked her for six, and came as a huge shock to Ed and James Bailey (Trevor Michael Georges and Jason Callender).
Her family worried that she may be rushing into her decision for James to adopt baby Laila, and that her operation may have changed how she felt about giving her up.
However, Dee-Dee was adamant that she wanted James and Danny to be Laila’s parents, and that her hysterectomy didn’t change that.
‘In her mind, she’s still very logical about the fact that she can’t carry any more children, doesn’t mean her feelings change about the paternity of this baby and what this baby potentially represents,’ actress Channique Sterling-Brown explained.
‘I think she knows that and she feels it would be really unfair and unkind to the baby… it’s like it would be a “safety baby”, so to speak. I think that’s how she’s looking at it.’
She continued: ‘Also, I don’t think she wants to break her brother’s heart at this point either. I think he is 100% sold on becoming a parent and she was behind it. She’d come to that decision so I really feel like she is trying to put her logical brain before her emotional brain.
‘Also, you could never know how you feel in the future so I don’t think she’s trying to anticipate that. I think she’s trying to do what feels like the right thing in the moment.’
It as clear that Dee-Dee was struggling to come to terms with the huge change to her body, and her emotions came rushing out when Lauren Bolton (Cait Fitton) paid her a visit.
When Lauren updated her on Frankie’s condition following his stem cell transplant, it was the final straw for heartbroken Dee-Dee.
She emotionally pointed out that she had only gone through with the pregnancy because Laila could have been a donor for Frankie, and that if Lauren hadn’t pressured her into not having a termination then her life ‘wouldn’t be ruined’.
Though Lauren protested the accusations, Dee-Dee couldn’t help but blame her, reflecting on how she and Laila had been dropped as soon as another donor came along.
Lauren pointed out that she’d already apologised for that, but devastated Dee-Dee ordered her out of the room.
Is this the end of Dee-Dee and Lauren’s friendship, or will they find a way past this?
