Coronation Street has confirmed a huge twist in Joel Deering’s (Calum Lill)

exit storyline after recent scenes showed him having suffered an injury to his head.

Tensions were high on the cobbles in tonight’s episode as Dee-Dee Bailey

(Channique Sterling-Brown) headed to the court to watch Joel give his plea, after being charged for the attempted murder of baby Frankie.

Viewers will know that Joel was responsible for grooming and attacking Lauren Bolton (Cait Fitton) earlier this year, and was horrified when she returned to Weatherfield pregnant with his child.

Knowing that the baby could link him to his crimes, Joel came up with a plan to drug Lauren and induce an early labour, hoping to get rid of the baby.

Fortunately, Frankie survived, and DS Lisa Swain (Vicky Myers) finally found enough evidence to charge him with the crime.

However, as Dee-Dee and Lisa watched from the public gallery at his hearing, they were left horrified when the judge revealed that Joel hadn’t shown up, and there was now a warrant out for his arrest.

While Lisa headed to the hospital to update Lauren on the situation, Joel made an unexpected appearance at the cafe, where he attempted to apologise to Roy Cropper (David Neilson) for his prison ordeal.

Joel went to visit Roy

Roy was clearly uncomfortable as Joel drunkenly ranted, and tried to urge him to hand himself into the police – but to no avail.

As Carla Connor (Alison King) arrived and instantly took to comforting Roy, Joel wandered off, and his manner changed as soon as he was out of sight, making it clear that he had been faking his drunken, irrational state.

Later, Joel left an emotional voicemail on ex-fiancé Dee-Dee’s phone, apologising and professing his undying love for her.

As he confessed that he planned to do something that would make her and everybody else happy, it became clear that his head was bleeding…

Has someone sought out revenge on Joel and attacked him – and, if so, who?