Coronation Street Blog: Sue Devaney interview: Debbie's dementia and leaving Corrie

Monday, 31 March 2025

Sue Devaney interview: Debbie's dementia and leaving Corrie

How did you feel when you were first told about the storyline?

A mixture of things. Kate called me into the office and she said we've got this brilliant story, and we want to give Debbie dementia. And obviously, down the line, you don't survive dementia. So I knew that the story would eventually come to an end and my character would come to an end. There was a mixture of a lot of things. This was my first job when I was 16 and I left after a year and now it will be coming to an end again. But I also realised this was a really important story to tell and is a really fantastic opportunity to act.

Some papers claimed that I was furious about the story which was completely untrue. The only reason I was concerned about the storyline was because I wanted to be sure I could do it justice. It is an honour and privilege to be given this sort of storyline.

Even before the storyline has gone on air, it seems to have caused a bit of a stir in the public. They are really fighting to save Debbie. What do you make of that public reaction?

It's really lovely that Debbie is loved. And I didn't realize what people thought of Debbie, they love Debbie and that's brilliant. But Debbie's not going anywhere yet. Debbie has been diagnosed and this is her journey. The whole of the story is to see her journey, isn't it? To see this journey and tell it. We're all frightened of getting older, aren't we? We're all frightened of the inevitable that's going to happen which is going to be death and nobody knows how we're going to die. Viewers read things like, oh yeah, they're killing Debbie off. Well, actually, it's amazing that they're giving Debbie this brilliant story.

Do you feel it is important to show that even a young vibrant woman like Debbie's got everything going for her, can succumb to this illness?

Yes a lot of people are saying, why give it to Debbie? She's so vibrant and she's so full of life. But I think that is where a good story lies because it's somebody that has everything, you know, and words are important to Debbie. She has a quick wit and everything is so important, money and success. And actually, she's been dealt this hand of this illness and it is going to be interesting to follow her journey.

Did you know much about young-onset dementia before this storyline?

Years and years ago, to get my equity card, I used to entertain people in old folk homes and I was around a lot of dementia. And when I was asked to do it, we were looking after my husband's dad who has dementia, but he's in his 90s. I wasn’t really aware of young onset dementia. I think I'm hearing about it more and more now and awareness is a lot more, but I think maybe less so for people under 65. I think a lot of us have this image of people in a home, older people in their 80s and 90s. But it's a very different story, isn't it, when it's someone who's younger.

So have you done any particular research about young-onset dementia?

I've spoken to my friend who works with dementia patients. She's got a clinic where she sees patients with young onset Dementia so I speak to her a lot. We have been working with Dementia UK, when we had our initial meeting they told me a lot about the tests you have to do and how you are diagnosed with it and where you go from there. I have decided that I don't want to know what is coming up for Debbie, I want to wait for the scripts because in real life you don’t know what is coming. I think it's more interesting to play it like that.

What initially makes Debbie decide to seek a private medical appointment? What specific events lead to that decision?

There are several things. She starts losing things, like her purse, which she later finds in the fridge. She's behaving erratically and shouting a lot, even at her loved ones, in a way that feels out of control. But I think the biggest thing, when I first read the script, was the TIAs. She has these mini-strokes, falls over, and tries to ignore it. But it's when she sees the specialist that she realizes something isn't right because her thinking starts to change.

So, what does Debbie initially think might be causing these forgetful moments?

She probably thinks it's just the menopause, being of a certain age. That is until she talks to the specialist.

How does she feel when the doctor suggests a referral to the memory clinic? Is that a scary moment for her?

Yes, I think it is. It makes her think it's something more serious. Menopause is a scary time for any woman, with hormones all over the place and doing bizarre things. It changes your brain. I spoke to a support worker from Dementia UK, and she said many women think it's just menopause and don't get tested, even though the symptoms can be similar, like brain fog, but on a much bigger scale with dementia.

What does Debbie fear is actually happening to her?

At one point, Debbie wonders if it's cancer, a brain tumour, or epilepsy causing her to fall over. The specialist does a clock test, which I found interesting because, being dyslexic, I thought, "I can't do a clock!" You start to think of all these things. But I think your personality changes. You're not yourself.

You mentioned speaking to people affected by dementia. What did you learn?

One man told me his wife has young-onset dementia and said, "She's not my wife anymore." All the things she loved are gone. It's like a personality transplant. That's what frightens me, and why I wanted to tell this story. With cancer, you know where your body is giving up, but with dementia, it's like your brain is giving up.

Why does Debbie keep all this to herself and from her family? Why is she guarding it? Is it fear?

I can totally understand it. My mum did the same when my dad had cancer. She downplayed it to protect us. I think Debbie is in denial and wants to pretend everything is alright until it's not. She's a protector of her family, even though she doesn't have children. She doesn't want to worry them. It's like her world is being exploded. Also, people will treat you differently. She wants people to see her as the Debbie they know, the one who is in control and running a business. She doesn't want them to see her as someone else.

Glenda Young

Bestselling novelist published by Headline