Coronation Street fans have pieced together clues pointing to the departure of

Joel Deering following buzz that actor Calum Lill is set to bow out after a year in the iconic soap.

Joel has left viewers aghast with his nefarious actions, including grooming and

abusing young girls and nearly causing the death of Lauren Bolton (Cait Fitton) in his sinister bid to terminate her pregnancy.

While Lauren shockingly survived a drug-induced premature labour instigated by Joel, revelations are on the horizon as Dee-Dee Bailey (Channique Sterling-Brown), his betrothed, starts to see through his deceptive web and discovers he’s baby Frankie’s dad.

With rumblings of Calum’s imminent exit, aficionados anticipate that the character Joel might make an ultimate getaway during the much-anticipated “super soap week” traditionally slated for October.

On Reddit, one user speculated: “Boy have they dragged this out…. It feels like the Lauren/Joel storyline has gone on for more than half a year. It looks like things are unravelling a bit now but I still think it’ll be dragged out even further until super soap week (first week of Oct). What do you think? Will it go on for much longer? “.

Joining the conversation, another commented: “I sure hope so! ! I’m hoping they don’t cook up another diversion, and another and another so that it drags for another 3 months.”

Another fan speculated on X, the platform previously identified as Twitter: “I believe during the #SuperSoapWeek the Joel storyline comes to a climax in October, but it could shift as #Corrie has seen a shake-up in its creative team, meaning plots may be stretched out! Keep an eye on this space John! “, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Actor Calum shared his mixed emotions about departing from the soap, stating, “I think it’s bittersweet for me,” as he spoke with members of the press.

He continued to express his feelings about the role coming to an end: “As an actor, it’s getting more and more juicy, but as soon as this comes to a climax, I leave this incredible place filled with so many people I’ve come to know and love and been some of my best friends over the last 18 months.”

“I’m very excited to get to the end of the story, but it will be very bittersweet because it’s the most incredible place to work.” Calum has secured a new gig playing the dastardly Fleshcreep in the upcoming production of the classic pantomime Jack and Beanstalk, which is scheduled to entertain audiences from December 2024 to January 2025.