Next Week’s Coronation Street – Celebrations as Bernie Winter returns

Next week on Coronation Street, Bernie is finally a free woman, Max becomes suspicious of Lauren’s boyfriend, and Joseph’s mystery illness is found to be serious.

In next week’s episodes, the mystery of Joseph’s (William Flanagan) mystery illness is finally solved, after the 12-year-old is rushed into hospital.

Joseph’s ailment has seen him suffering from headaches and fatigue over the past few months, but after doctors gave Joseph the all clear after a hospital visit last year, dad Chesney (Sam Aston) believed that his son was putting it on.

Stepmum Gemma (Dolly-Rose Campbell) remained convinced that something was wrong however, and came under fire from Chesney when she continued to keep Joseph off school.

When a well-meaning Gemma tried to make Joseph some Lavender-infused tea to ease his symptoms, but inadvertently poisoned him after mixing it up with Lavender essential oil, she quickly came under the spotlight.

With the hospital believing that it could be a case of Munchausen syndrome by proxy—i.e. Gemma purposely making Joseph ill for attention—social services soon became involved. Gemma was forced to move out of No.5 and barred from spending time alone with the children whilst they conducted an investigation.

Gemma has already been given a warning after being found alone with the kids by social worker Caitlin (Gillian Jephcott), just as she was about to give Joseph painkillers for another headache. So when Joseph becomes unwell again next week, she’s warned to err on the side of caution.

As Joseph again complains of a temperature, Chesney insists that he’s fine despite Gemma’s concern. As she speaks to brother Paul (Peter Ash), he points out that kicking up a fuss would only risk putting her further offside with social services, and lose her access to the kids altogether.

Gemma can’t help but ask Dr Gaddas (Christine Mackie) for advice when she sees her in Roy’s Rolls however, infuriating Chesney when he walks in and overhears.

Gemma’s week doesn’t get any better when Joseph’s grandma Linda (Jacqueline Leonard) descends on the house.

Disapproving of what’s gone on, she takes the liberty of handing Chesney a business card for a family solicitor, but Chesney refuses to entertain the idea.

The next morning, Joseph gags on his breakfast, only for Chesney to realise that the milk is off after the fridge broke down. Joseph is still feeling queasy as he, Chesney and Gemma leave the house, but Chesney puts it down to the curdled milk. Dr Gaddas happens to be nearby though, and takes a keen interest in what she’s overheard.

Gemma is horrified when she later finds the solicitor’s card, and Chesney is forced to deny plotting to take the children off her.

It doesn’t take long for Linda to admit it was her idea, believing Gemma to be a danger, and Gemma ends up storming out.

Chesney soon receives a call from the school saying that they’re sending Joseph home due to his illness, but it soon turns out to be much more serious than they’d imagined, when a barely conscious Joseph collapses after his legs give way.

After Joseph is rushed to hospital, Dr Gaddas comes to the rescue when she has a chat to the A&E doctor.

Some further tests confirm her suspicions that Joseph is in fact suffering from Lyme disease, contracted from a tick bite whilst on a camping trip a few months ago. Luckily, the youngster is expected to make a full recovery with the right treatment.

With Gemma finally in the clear, social services give her the go ahead to move back home, but it seems it’s going to be far from happy families.

Chesney is shocked when Joseph subsequently announces that he doesn’t want to live with him any more, given that Gemma was the only one who believed he was ill for all that time!

The show has been working closely with the charity Lyme Disease UK in bringing Joseph’s story to screen, with the disease being one that has a lack of awareness amongst many clinicians.

“It has been my great pleasure to work with the Coronation Street script writers to give them advice and pointers so that they could produce a storyline that is both realistic and engaging,” said Julia Knight, who is a retired Specialist Practitioner Paediatric Nurse in Community Nursing and volunteers for the charity having experienced Lyme disease herself.

“Lyme disease can easily be overlooked if a person only shows viral-type symptoms initially, as in the storyline. Raising awareness of the disease and giving people the information about how to prevent it is essential.

“With knowledge, bites can be prevented, and awareness of possible symptoms means that people who do contract the disease can seek medical advice promptly.“

Further information on Lyme disease can be viewed on the charity’s website, www.lymediseaseuk.com

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In better news for the family, after six long weeks in prison for handing stolen goods, Gemma and Paul’s mum Bernie (Jane Hazlegrove) is finally a free woman.

The family were devastated when Bernie was forced to miss Paul’s last Christmas after being sentenced, her crime having come about from a desire to help Paul with financial costs following his terminal MND diagnosis.

On her return to the street, Bernie calls in at the Rovers and is shocked to find Dev (Jimmi Harkishin), Paul and Billy (Daniel Brocklebank) have thrown a surprise coming home party.

The twins Aadi (Adam Hussain) and Asha (Tanisha Gorey) are also present, as is Todd (Gareth Pierce) and even Paul’s new PA Moses (Michael Fatogun).

But what will she have to say once she finds out about the goings on at No.5?

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Elsewhere on the cobbles, the ongoing mystery surrounding Lauren’s (Cait Fitton) boyfriend causes Max (Paddy Bever) and Sabrina (Luana Santos) to become suspicious.

Although viewers have also not clapped eyes on the man Lauren has supposedly been dating, she has been in receipt of expensive gifts and seen on the phone to the person in question—albeit in a nervous manner.

At the beginning of the week, Max practices his hairdressing skills on Lauren in the salon, managing to impress David (Jack P Shepherd).

When Max invites Lauren over for tea, Sabrina suggests that she could also bring her boyfriend along, and Lauren’s smile quickly fades.

Sabrina later quizzes Lauren about her boyfriend in the cafe, and Lauren is particularly evasive when it’s suggested that they all meet up. Sabrina tells Max that it’s obvious Lauren is lying.

When Max carefully asks Lauren why she always seems to clam up when her boyfriend is mentioned, Lauren struggles to hold back her tears and asks Max to leave.

Max and Sabrina invite Lauren to join them for lunch in the bistro with Sabrina’s brother Gav (Noah Olaoye), and she soon reveals that she’s dumped her boyfriend.

Later, Daniel (Rob Mallard) can sense something is wrong with Lauren and puts a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Across the street, a curious Max watches them. Is he about to get the wrong idea?