Poor Debbie Webster (Sue Devaney). As if her battle with vascular dementia wasn’t bad enough, now her magical Christmas wedding is about to be ruined by her battling brothers in Coronation Street.
It’s hard not to root for Debbie. True, she’s a ruthless property developer who once schemed to literally wipe Weatherfield off the map. Yes, she can be a gobby cow with bouts of pretentiousness that would make Sally Metcalfe (Sally Dynevor) blush.
However, since her heartbreaking vascular dementia diagnosis, we’ve seen a softer side to the Cobbles’ answer to Deborah Meaden. Fans have sobbed, gasped and cheered to see Debbie fight her condition on a day-to-day basis as she struggles with memory loss, confusion and emotional outbursts. Now all we want for Christmas is to see our Deb happy as she ties the knot in a festive wedding with her beloved Ronnie Bailey (Vinta Morgan).
Unfortunately, there are two problems standing in the way of her happiness. Or as they prefer to be known – Kevin (Michael Le Vell) and Carl (Jonathan Howard)
The Webster Brothers haven’t exactly been on Christmas Card terms this year, ever since Kev’s wife Abi (Sally Carman-Duttine) left him for Carl after their affair was finally exposed. Whilst Debbie knew about it, she kept quiet for the sake of Kevin’s feelings.
Ever since, Deb’s been forced to play piggy in the middle between her two estranged siblings. However, when a horrified Debbie accidentally booked her wedding for the wrong year, Carl and Abi stepped in to find a last-minute venue.
Aww. See? Carl’s not all bad! I mean, he is already cheating on Abi with James Bailey (Jason Callender), he’s gaslighting Debbie into giving him access to her business bank accounts, and, oh yes, he’s secretly the one responsible for paralysing Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall) in that hit-and-run. But let’s be charitable. ‘Tis the season.
Moved by Carl and Abi’s kind gesture, Debbie offered them an olive branch by inviting them to her wedding. Frankly she may as well have ripped up Kevin’s invitation herself, because now the mopiest mechanic in Manchester is refusing to attend. But it looks like Debbie’s Christmas wish might just come true – courtesy of the fairy at the top of the Weatherfield tree, Sally Metcalfe.
On the night before the big day, Sally shows Debbie into No.4 to reveal Glenda Shuttleworth (Jodie Prenger), Bernie Winter (Jane Hazlegrove) and Christina Boyd (Amy Robbins) ready for a pre-wedding pamper party. Touched, Debbie has a whale of a time. But when she confides in her friends how she wishes Kevin would bury the hatchet with Carl just for one day, Sally is inspired to do what Sally does best – meddle, meddle meddle!
So Sal calls at the garage to talk some sense into Kevin. Far be it from me to ruin an epic Sally rant with spoilers. Suffice to say, their little heart to heart ends with Kevin collaring Carl for a word. Will the brothers finally bury the hatchet?
The big day arrives, and lo and behold, Kevin and Carl both turn up. It’s a Christmas miracle!
No such luck. Because the wedding cake isn’t the only thing you could with a knife. No sooner has she made her grand entrance, tensions between Kevin and Carl start to simmer.
Debbie orders her brothers to pack it in. The wedding gets under way and Debbie sings with the dementia choir, but it soon becomes clear that the War of the Websters is far from over.
Will Carl and Kevin keep the peace? Or will their brotherly grudge destroy Debbie’s dream day?
