Yahoo News Coronation Street fans 'calling it' as they work out Joel's next victim and it's not Bethany
Joel Deering is currently being tipped to be Coronation Street's next serial killer and there are plenty of theories over who could be his next victim. Viewers haven't trusted the solicitor ever since he arrived in Weatherfield last year as Dee-Dee Bailey's new love interest.
And their instincts about the character, played by Calum Lill, have since been proven correct. Last week, he was revealed to be the culprit behind Lauren Bolton's disappearance - and suspected murder. The teen was last seen on the cobbles on February 23 after being sacked from her job at Roy's Rolls by Roy Cropper.
The café owner was seemingly the last person to see her alive after he visited her with her wages and some extra cash to tide her over. But what only viewers know is that she was visited at home by a mystery person, who viewers never got to see, and hasn't been seen since.
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Bethany Platt's groomer Nathan Curtis has since found himself charged with Lauren's murder following his release from prison and his return to the area. As fans saw during a week of dramatic episodes that showed the same day being relived through a different character's perspective, newcomer Kit Green planted evidence in his van, after catching Sarah Barlow thinking about doing the same.
As Nathan was arrested, the duty solicitor ended up being Joel and he had good reason for looking shifty as when he returned to the street, he made a swift exit from Roy's homecoming and was met by Hope Stape who handed him a necklace that she found in his car when cleaning it, which viewers recognised belonged to Lauren.
Then, a flashback clip revealed him to be Lauren's secret 'boyfriend' and him brutally attacking her with a chair leg and he's since been linked to another young sex worker, Ellie.
But during Wednesday night's (June 5) visit to the cobbles, Joel was seen being dropped by Nathan as his solicitor meaning his hold of the case is slipping away. Amidst the chaos of what he's hiding, Joel proposed to Dee-Dee after her first meeting with his parents went pear-shaped thanks to his judgmental mother.
Dee-Dee did gently turn down his proposal as it was too soon. However, later in the episode, Dee-Dee changed her mind after talking to her family and decided to accept Joel's proposal and the pair headed to the Rovers to celebrate.
After Joel decided to offer Sarah legal advice off record after she found herself caught up in the Nathan drama after plotting to frame him, she thanked him again before joining Bethany for a drink and telling him of his engagement news with Dee-Dee. While Sarah was left delighted for the duo, Bethany wasn't impressed as she admitted she had 'spider senses' about Joel before the episode ended with her looking at him suspiciously.
And while her suspicions of Joel could leave her in danger, some Corrie fans think that Joel could eye up another target after a shock exit was announced. It has been announced that Helen Worth will be quitting the show as Gail Platt later this year.
Helen joined Corrie at 23 years old in 1979, which was 14 years after viewers were first introduced to the people of Weatherfield. She will soon mark five decades of playing the Platt matriarch who over the years has endured a number of failed romances, drama with her children - Nick, David and Sarah-Lou - and finding out her brother was a serial killer.
However, as Helen marks her major soap milestone, she will also be looking forward to a very different future, as she has made the difficult decision to step down from her much-loved role at the end of the year.
It's been confirmed that the soap icon, 73, will start filming her exit story next month and the emotional scenes will be on screen at the end of the year.
As Corrie aired following the news, fans pondered whether Joel could be the reason behind Gail's exit. @robjh44 said: "#Corrie calling it. Gail will die at the hands of Joel. Bethany is already suspicious of Joel. He will go to attack Bethany but will end up killing Gail instead, whether on purpose or incidentally. Gail my get in his way & she'll protect her family."
@callyoubetty commented: "I reckon Bethany tells Gail and Gail gets taken out in a fight to the death with Joel after following him and discovering his lock up of trafficked girls ... or something like that #Corrie." @Arlene_HWycombe wrote: "I suppose this Joel storyline is going to run until Christmas where he'll kill off Gail #Corrie."
@BSupport73 shared: "It’s only occurred to me when watching #Corrie tonight that Joel will probs have something to do with Gail’s exit #Corrie." @fansvfavourites added: "The fact we’re 6 months away from joel killing gail platt… #Corrie."
However, This Morning's 'Queen of Soaps' has confirmed it won't be an 'explosive' exit but an 'emotional' one involing the entire Plattt family. ITV Evening News' entertainment reporter Rishi Davda also commented during a reporter on Wednesday: "Helen Worth is just behind [Ken Barlow actor] Bill Roache in terms of time spent on Corrie’ he began. She’ll begin filming her exit story next month – thankfully, producers have promised a happy ending."
