Calum Lill has recently confirmed his Corrie fate was sealed as he gears up for a new project away from the cobbles. But with villains too often facing a grim death, here’s how the soap could do better for Joel’s exit.
Another dramatic exit looms on the horizon for Coronation Street viewers as actor Calum Lill was announced to be on his way out of the show in upcoming months.
After wreaking havoc in Hollyoaks, the soap star joined the ITV drama as duty solicitor Joel Deering, a new love interest for Dee-Dee Bailey, portrayed by Channique Sterling-Brown.
While many viewers had already found him too good to be true, well aware that nothing is ever as it seems in soapland, it wasn’t until he was revealed to have potentially murdered Lauren Bolton that fans received confirmation he was a new antagonist they shouldn’t under-estimate.
The wayward teen played by Cait Fitton has been the main point of focus in the a hard-hitting storyline about sexual assault and the lack of support they receive from authorities in their time of need.
But as Joel’s secret unfolds and could soon be rumbled by Weatherfield residents, viewers of the Manchester-based programme have one request – that he leaves.
Yet with the show’s history of abruptly ending its most dramatic storylines with the sudden death of its villains (looking at you, Stephen Reid), villains need a real punishment.
Joel recently found out that Betsy Swain was none other than Lisa Swain’s daughter
Lisa Swain showdown
Joel got the shock of his life in recent scenes upon finding out that Betsy (portrayed by Sydney Martin) was the daughter of DS Lisa Swain (Vicky Myers), sent to the cobbles to find out what really happened to Lauren.
Armed with evidence against him, Betsy has been relentlessly blackmailing Joel for money but with the confirmation that Joel knows about her connection to the detective, viewers of the Manchester-based programme have been convinced the teen’s days are numbered.
While Betsy’s fate hangs in the balance, a new theory suggests that Joel may kill her off or kidnap her to keep the lid on his secrets, leaving DS Swain to risk everything, even her career, to find the culprit.
Leaving no stone unturned, Lisa could then be brought straight to Joel, confronting him one last time. And with Calum Lill due to exit the long-running drama, the detective could overstep, murdering Joel herself in a fit of rage or in a slip-up.
In another potential and more optimistic outcome, Joel could finally be brought to justice, with a mystery ally intervening in Swain’s showdown with Joel to steer her on the right path.
Regular viewers will know that the copper is a single mother, allowing us to theorise that the storyline could pave the way to her finding love in Weatherfield.
Lauren fights back
But whatever happens to Joel, one important issue still needs to be addressed – how will Lauren cope as the mother of a new-born and what will her journey entail after enduring Joel’s abuse in silence?
The 18-year-old was first introduced to ITV viewers in 2022 and while she was entailed in Max Turner’s far-right storyline, she has since tried to start afresh on the Street and leave the past behind her.
Unfortunately, the lonely teen was made vulnerable to Joel’s manipulation tactics, particularly as her dire financial situation pushed her to sell content on O-Vidz. It’s time for her to get her power back.
While her journey so far is already a testament to Lauren’s strength as a character, one could speculate she could cement her status on the cobbles by standing up to Joel once and for all and telling DS Swain the truth about her disappearance.
As DS Swain struggles to keep her troublemaking daughter Betsy away from trouble, the storyline could allow Lauren to finally find an ally to take her under her wing, after Roy Cropper’s (David Neilson) attempt to protect her shockingly backfired and resulted in his own arrest. Both Swain and Lauren could then work together to finally expose Joel, bringing him to justice with Betsy’s help.
