She's got the biggest smile and the broadest Lancashire twang in soapland. Now she's back on our screens with a brand new wardrobe. Debbie Webster is headed to Weatherfield...again.
It’s almost a year since Kevin Webster’s firecracker sister
Debbie arrived back on the Corrie cobbles but her return in 2019 was
short-lived. Now Debbie’s back again to involve herself in Kev’s love life but Corrie
bosses are staying tight-lipped on how long she’ll stay for this time. One thing's for sure, she'll be putting a few noses out of joint.
The Blog spoke to actor Sue Devaney via Zoom about her return to the Street.
 |
| Taking control? |
It feels absolutely amazing.
I was chuffed to come back last year. I was doing Calendar
Girls and travelling a lot on the tour and they just fitted me in for six
episodes.
Then Mike Le Vell, who’s a mate of mine asked if I’d come
back. I said “I’d love to” just to spend some time in my own bed!
Mike then spoke to producers about Debbie coming back. I
never thought it would be so soon but I got the phone call and I was just over
the moon.
It was just so easy to come back and I just loved it. Loads of my old mates from Oldham theatre workshop are there so it was just lovely.
What tempted you
back?
There’s something about soap that I love.
When I got into Corrie years ago, we had a week’s rehearsal.
The way it works now I love the pace, the fastness of it all.
Really I feel very lucky to have a job full stop.
How does your
experience coming back compare with back in the 80s?
It’s a wonderful atmosphere when you walk in.
When I first started at Granada, they were big, big stars on
Corrie. I remember Julie Goodyear arriving to work in a white Rolls Royce and
the driver opening the door for her. I’ll never forget that time because it was
so special.
I still have mates there though now, like Mike LeVell and Sally
Ann Matthews. Even though it’s a new building I feel very safe there.
What’s Debbie like
now?
She moved to Turkey years ago and met a quite a few
characters on the way. She’s self made. Really she has spent her time working
on her career rather than children and marriage.
I’m actually using lots of my own clothes for her because
it’s difficult for wardrobe to get stuff at the moment (because of the
pandemic). So she’s wearing lots of bright clothes.
What brought her back
to the Street?
Business. But I think because of the situation in Turkey
she’s really missing her family. She’s missing her brother. You do get to that
age in life where you think “I’m missing family”. She’ll always come back home,
she never forgets where she’s come from.
While she’s back she’ll do a few business deals, make sure
her brother’s alright. She wonders if Abi is good enough for him.
So about Debbie and
Abi…
They are two very strong women that speak their mind. If Kevin’s
happy Debbie’s happy. She’s very wary of Abi just because of what she’s seen.
But she wants her to be honest and sincere with Kevin.
She gets her nose right in the middle of things. If
everything’s fine then she’s fine. She’s just trying to find out if Abi is
genuine.
There’s something in Abi she really likes.
And working with
Sally Carman?
Sally Carman is fabulous. She’s brilliant, gorgeous.
I knew her before as we have a mutual friend. And it’s
lovely to work with Mike again.
There’s something about being in that building filming…
Not having kids and a husband, is this perhaps a sign that she’ll become a kind of self appointed matriarch to Kevin and Jack?
Yes. Coming back now, it’s a great age to come back.
In your 50s you think “I know who I am” and I'll tell you what I think! I think Debbie will do the same.
Who would be a match for Debbie on the cobbles?
Well she is single so I’m hoping she can have a few snogs on Coronation Street!
I always remember Kathy Staff. She was a very strong, Christian lady. She always had her husband in tow when she was out and about. I wonder if Debbie’s like that.
I don't think there's anybody on the Street at the moment though.
It must be odd going
back now, in the middle of a global pandemic?
I haven’t really told anyone about going back. A lot of my
mates are really struggling so I don’t want to rub people’s face in it. It’s a
weird time at the moment.
It’s a worry because a lot of local theatres survive on
panto and it’s not looking good for them right now.
Someone like Cameron Mackintosh saying “we’re not opening
til 2021”…It’s ok for him and the big theatres with a lot of money, but it’s
not like that for the smaller theatres.
I have a friend who’s a musician and he’s now working at
B&Q.
In this industry there’s only 1% that work constantly. I’m
not one of that 1%.
But Corrie hasn’t stopped filming. I feel safer there
working than I do out on the street. Everyone’s got their shields and masks on.
There’s a lady with the stick making sure we’re 2 metres apart. But it’s going
to be difficult for theatres. You just can’t do it with these rules.
Your career has taken
you to lots of places but people always ask you about Victoria Wood…
It was one of the best times of my life working in
Dinnerladies. I learnt a lot from Victoria and all the actors on it.
With Vic, I’d never met her before. You think it’s all fun
and games and having a laugh, but she was very serious, very quiet and a
perfectionist. If you got a line wrong she would make sure you got it right.
She was very loyal, and a private person. She was at the peak of what she was
doing.
And Thora Hird remembered me! One of my first jobs was with
her and then we met again on Dinnerladies. She was so lovely.
 |
| "Twelve rounds of white, low fat spread!" |
How has lockdown
impacted your return to work on the Cobbles?
I was meant to come back to Corrie in April.
It was a case of just sitting tight and making the most of
being at home. It was great to spend that time with family.
I have always been interested in finding about why there are
so many homeless people in this country. When I was on tour last year I decided
to do a project taking pictures of all the different beds I was sleeping in
while travelling. Then I started interviewing people that don’t have beds of
their own. The project just grew and grew. I was helping charities anyway, like
Feeding Rochdale’s Homeless.
We have a view of people living on the streets. But when you
talk to them, they are just like you and me.
I would just love to see everybody have a roof over their
head.
All the government cuts means there aren’t as many places
for addicts and people with mental health problems to go.
It’s a big year for
Corrie….
Yes It’s so exciting to be involved in the 60th
anniversary. I was hoping there’d be a live episode…
(Alison, Corrie’s press boss shakes her head looking
relieved that there isn't).
I did the live episode of Emmerdale. I was a delivery nurse!
But to be part of the 60th year is just amazing. And for them to be bring me back as Debbie, not someone that was younger looking!
Sue returns to the cobbles as Debbie next week. Her 'Tuck Me In On Tour' project can be found HERE on Instagram.
@StevieDawson
WASH THOSE HANDS
All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License
No comments:
Post a Comment