Coronation Street villain Joel's exit date 'exposed' – but it's not for months

Coronation Street fans reckon they’ve worked out just when ITV soap villain Joel Deering is set to make his last appearance – but some viewers will be disappointed.

Lawyer Joel first appeared on the scene as DeeDee Bailey’s boyfriend, before it was revealed he’d been the one to attack Lauren Bolton after abusing her for months and paying other teenage girls for sex.

Now Joel’s desperate to cover his tracks, but with pregnant Lauren back on the scene, it’s proving difficult.

Fans now think Joel won’t be caught out for months, and they’ve speculated on one particular date which will see his actions exposed – and it’s not for a while yet.

With the Lauren storyline dragging out since February 2024, fans think a wedding showdown could be on the cards as DeeDee and Joel prepare to exchange vows. Taking to Reddit, one user suggested: “The Lauren storyline has been going on since February and it's been an amazing storyline for some fans and not so amazing for others.

“A lot of people are saying [it will end in] September because that’s when Joel and DeeDee’s wedding will take place, alongside Lauren giving birth to Joel’s baby. Some fans think it's January because that's when Lauren's abuse started and some others think Christmas time for some insane reason?”

Another fan quickly chimed in to theorise: “Lauren will give birth during the wedding. That's the direction this is going. DeeDee in a wedding gown finds Lauren in labour and has to help deliver the man she just married's baby. Does Lauren survive? Does DeeDee keep Lauren's baby?”

Another said: “This seems likely. I don’t know how many months pregnant she is, but if she fell pregnant in January, from that first time with Joel with all the New Year’s Eve fireworks going off as shown in the flashback, she’d be about due by the end of September. So that would fit, at least roughly, with Joel and Dee-Dee’s wedding being set for the 27th.”

Someone else posted: “I wouldn’t be surprised if this time next year it’ll be droning on! It’s just as bad as Emmerdale.” But another said: “Super Soap Week anyone? That's when something dramatic happens!! My prediction is Lauren gives birth on the eve of DeeDee and Joel's wedding.”

Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8pm on ITV1.