Coronation Street icon Sue Devaney has shared thrilling behind-the-scenes details of a major stunt sequence, revealing her character Debbie Webster is plunged into chaos during the soap's epic crossover with Emmerdale.
The Epic 'Corriedale' Crossover Crash
In a dramatic hour-long special titled 'Corriedale', the worlds of Britain's two most famous streets violently collide. The action unfolds on a lonely nighttime roadside, setting the stage for a multi-vehicle pile-up. Among the cars involved is a minibus carrying a host of Debbie Webster's wedding guests, throwing her dream nuptials into jeopardy before they've even begun.
Actress Sue Devaney confessed her delight at discovering Debbie would be at the heart of the action. 'I was thrilled. I was so thrilled,' she revealed. The excitement stemmed from a break from the usual Coronation Street routine, with filming taking place on location rather than in the studio. 'It was also being with Emmerdale. It was being with a new crew, a director who works between the two,' she added, describing the experience as feeling like 'doing a little movie.'
Behind the Scenes of the Stunt
Devaney recounted the infectious energy on set, which included night shoots and different filming techniques. The cast and crew stayed together in a hotel, creating a unique, holiday-like atmosphere. Her enthusiasm even led to a special stunt moment. 'There was one scene where Carl had to drive off really fast and they had a dummy for me,' she explained. 'I said to our director, "Can I not speed off with the stunt guy?" And he said, "Yeah, go on then." He let me do it! Just for the excitement of getting into the car and driving off really fast. Amazing.'
Wedding Plans Overshadowed by Family Secrets
The catastrophic crash caps off an already tumultuous time for Debbie. While planning her fairytale wedding with help from Emmerdale's Belle Dingle (Eden Taylor-Draper), she is also navigating a diagnosis of young-onset dementia. Her stress is compounded by the bitter feud between her brothers, Kevin (Michael Le Vell) and Carl Webster (Jonathan Howard).
While Debbie remains largely in the dark about Carl's true nature, Kevin harbours no illusions. The grudge stems from Carl running off with Kevin's wife, though under pressure from Debbie, the brothers are attempting a fragile truce for the wedding day. 'I think that she’s asked Kevin to not fall out and to just be friends, just to get through the day,' Sue Devaney explained.
However, Carl's list of secrets is long and dangerous, including:
- A clandestine affair with James Bailey (Jason Callender) behind Abi's back.
- Being responsible for the hit-and-run that left Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall) in a wheelchair.
- Gaslighting Debbie about her dementia to gain access to her business finances.
With Abi suspicious and Kevin seething, tension is guaranteed at the wedding. 'In Debbie’s eyes, Carl can’t do anything wrong, because she loves her brother,' Devaney noted. The question now is whether the shocking car crash stunt on that lonely road will finally force Debbie to see her half-brother for who he truly is.
