Dee-Dee Bailey is one of the most positive and bubbly characters in Coronation Street,
but cross her at your peril actress Channique Sterling-Brown has warned Metro.co.uk!
Her threat is issued directly at violent predator Joel Deering (Calum Lill),
who an oblivious Dee-Dee is now engaged to, little knowing he groomed and brutally attacked Lauren Bolton (Cait Fitton).
But, as is soap law, a villain must always get their comeuppance, and fans are already hungry for justice.
As Dee-Dee will be when she discovers the true nature of the man who she plans to marry – and he should definitely not underestimate her!
‘I’m definitely excited!’ she grinned in our recent video interview. ‘There’s something so exciting about having this character who, on the surface, is this fun and bubbly woman but she’s also very strong and powerful.
‘She has a very strong moral compass so I think, what’s in the dark will come to light, I think when the truth comes out for Dee-Dee, it’s going to completely change the course of her life but also the story, I think that’s really exciting.
‘I don’t think Joel would hurt her. I think there’s an element of, “if I can’t have you, no-one can have you”, I think that’s why he’s working so hard to keep all his lies in check.
‘I think there’s definitely a power Dee-Dee knows she has over Joel – at the minute I think it’s the innocent power of love, but I think in the future that’ll definitely come into play.’
For now, though, Dee-Dee is very much head over heels when it comes to Joel, and it seems to be reciprocated in his own warped way.
‘It’s quite interesting because I think Dee-Dee is thinking about their future, and Joel loves her, in his own weird and scary way,’ Channique mused.
‘I think there’s going to be something about reconciling the truth of who he is, and the version she’s presented with that’s going to be a real journey for her.’
Dee-Dee spent months defending Roy Cropper (David Neilson) when he was accused of killing Lauren and, now that she is confirmed to be alive, the lawyer wants answers!
With Lauren disappearing once more, the hunt is on yet again.
‘Dee-Dee and Bethany are going on a mission to find Lauren, it’s important for them to find her, for reasons they don’t realise at the time,’ the award-winning actress told us.
‘I do think, when Lauren is found, it’s a really weird chapter of it because she’s been gone all this time, she’s caused so many problems, I think there’s going to be an element of friction for Dee-Dee.
‘This girl, who she has so much empathy for, has caused the street so much trouble. I think that chapter will be interesting because obviously, in the background, the audience know the truth and actually it’s a lot more closer to home than Dee-Dee knows.
‘I think that’ll be interesting – uncomfortable to watch – but an interesting chapter for the audience.’
And Channique is enjoying it all just as much herself, telling us of her excitement to get into the nitty gritty of a plot like this.
‘Calum’s screen test was testing if he could be this romantic guy who loses it at Dee-Dee. From the very start of his auditions we’ve known this is where the story’s going. It’s been really fun to sit on this secret for a year, it’s all coming out!
‘Yeah definitely. ‘What’s been great about this storyline is that it’s involved so much of the cast, it’s felt like such an ensemble piece in terms of having everything with Roy at the start, and then moving into the wedding, the engagement, and then Lauren being alive, that’s another chapter, and there’s more to come!
For me, it’s been brilliant. I’ve got to work with so many of our wonderful cast members, it’s been really fun trying to pace it, work out how to pitch things, how to tell a truthful story within the bigger story. It’s been great.’
Not so great for Dee-Dee when the scales fall from her eyes – and even less so for Joel when he faces his downfall, possibly at his wife-to-be’s very own hands!
