Channique Sterling-Brown: “Dee-Dee’s World Will Come Crashing Down!”

Our latest Coronation Street Blog Cast Chat is with my favourite Bailey* Dee-Dee, as actress Channique Sterling-Brown tells the blog all about the proposal, working with Roy Cropper, and what comes next for the feisty lawyer?

READ ON!

Hi Channique! 

How has Dee-Dee been feeling about the proposal? 

“She’s head-over-heels for the guy, and for her, she sees him as someone who supports her protects her, and sees her as an equal. He supported her through her Dad’s gambling and with death threats. It's nice for her to have someone as safe and he represents that"

What has the general public's reaction been like? 

“It's been brilliant, people are so invested in it, and it's exciting! Some people have been quite disappointed as he’s turned out to be a baddie!” 

How has it been working with Calum? 

“We get on really well and have such a good laugh! I think it's good as it means we are open to playing and trying new things. When we filmed the proposal in the flat (studio set) we were filming for 12 hours straight, just us two. You have to bash it out, so it's great to be in that environment with someone who you can trust”

Away from that story - You’ve worked with a lot of other actors as Roy’s solicitor? 

“Playing across from David (Neilson, Roy Cropper) has been brilliant, he’s incredible! I’m (Dee-Dee) also everyone's lawyer so I get to work with loads of cast. I love it - it's a real privilege seeing what everyone does! I've been in the funeral parlour, the garage - it's just amazing”

Dee-Dee’s also been helping Bethany solve who’s been using her credit card. Have they considered that it might be Lauren? 

“I don't think that crosses anyone's mind at this point. We think she's dead and she’s seen no sign of anything from Joel -she’s not reconciled the two situations. In the coming weeks, we will see that change. She’s got her rose-tinted glasses on (when it comes to Joel) but she’s also a smart woman and we will see Joel come under pressure.” 

Are you looking forward to filming scenes where Dee-Dee finds out about Joel’s secrets? 

“Yes, it's exciting. But I do feel sad. Her world is going to come crashing down, but it has to. What’s in the dark must come to the light. I’m also looking forward to the aftermath of it. I think, for Dee-Dee, we are going to see different sides of her. We know she's feisty and strong, but I think there will be an element of vulnerability. I am excited to film that and flesh the character out more”

Thanks, Channique! 

*With Ronnie being second - I love that guy! 

What do you think will happen to Dee-Dee? Is she in danger as well? Let us know in the comments section. 

I am @rybazoxo on X

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Calum Lill Talks To Corrie Blog: "Joel’s worst is still to come…”

Our latest Coronation Street Blog Cast Chat is with the show's newest villain Joel Deering, actor Calum Lill. Joining the show a year ago as Lauren’s Duty Solicitor & Dee-Dee Bailey's new love interest, some crafty Corrie foreshadowing has now resolved Lauren’s disappearance/murder plot, revealing Joel as a villainous groomer and attacker of women!

On June 24th I sat in a media suite at ITV Corrie studios, to listen to Calum, who told us about this surprising turn in Corrie's storytelling. 

Hi Calum! 

Have you had much reaction from the public since Joel's secret was revealed?

“I never got noticed before that! It came out on a Thursday, and I went to a service station on a Friday and felt like I’d got three heads!”

Was it a relief to have some secrets out in the open?

"Yes, it's been over a year. I was asked what I was doing when going into Corrie and I just said ‘’nothing, just being a solicitor”. It was nice to have a bit of it come out (on screen) and for it not to get leaked in the press”

Was Joel worried Lauren would re-appear in Weatherfield, or did he think she was dead? 

“No, I think his immediate worry was that the police were going to find her (in the flat) and he was going to be arrested. So when the police don't find her in the flat, he thinks she must be alive, but he’s just waiting for her to go to the police. From keeping his head down, back to that arrogance of thinking he’d got away with it. His chickens have come home to roost. He's got a lot to lose! ”

What was it like filming those flashback episodes? 

"It was nice to know what had gone on behind the scenes! You usually go off the script, and he’s this nice guy, but off-camera I knew all of this with Lauren, but I didn't know what. The scripts don't come out until two weeks before filming - then I found out it would be really dark. We’d stayed late at the studio until 9 or 10 pm every night going through those scenes, line by line, to work out exactly what had gone on between them. We did the attack scene in December, and it was the first time I'd worked with Cait (Fitton, Lauren Bolton) aside from a brief scene at the start of the show - then our next scene, I’m kicking her head in!”

Is it different playing Joel now that the secrets are out?

“I don't think I play him differently. It’s just that we now see a different side. It was always happening, just that we didn't see it on screen. Now I can play a scene, where we know he’s lying, so I developed ticks, postures, and gestures, so I knew it was happening, but maybe the viewers did not. We now know he’s a bit more manipulative!” 

How does he feel when he realises that Lauren is pregnant? 

“He knows that he can't deny that he's slept with her - the proof he doesn't need. Again, he’s seeing this life falling apart (in front of him). Even if the only thing that comes out is that he had consensual sex with her, his life is still over. It's all up in the air. It makes it way more serious. He is very selfish - we haven't seen the worst, yet - this will push him to the extremes”

Thanks, Calum! 

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What do you think about last week's big reveal? Let us know in the comments section. 

I am @rybazoxo on X

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