Next week on Coronation Street, Lauren and her baby are in danger,

the Websters are suspected of arson, Beth’s side hustle comes under threat,

and is a face from the past returning to Weatherfield?

Joel receives a mysterious package

Their nuptials now only two short months away, Dee-Dee (Channique Sterling-Brown) and Joel (Calum Lill) are moving forward with the wedding planning, with Dee-Dee blissfully unaware of Joel’s true nature.

As well as his divorce to think of, Joel is currently providing for Lauren, who is pregnant with his child and demanding to be relocated to Ireland in return for keeping quiet about his brutal attack on her.

Joel has also found himself being blackmailed by Betsy (Sydney Martin), who had him down as a wrong’un from the moment they briefly met.

Because of this, Joel advises Dee-Dee that they need to watch their wedding budget, stating that his divorce is proving costly.

When Joel brings young daughter Maeve around to the flat, Dee-Dee is impressed by his parenting skills, commenting that he’s a born father. If only she knew…

When Joel later gets a panicked text from Lauren about a leak at the flat, Dee-Dee has to head to court and is unable to take care of Maeve. Joel is forced to take his daughter with him to see Lauren—but how will Lauren react to meeting her own baby’s half-sister, and does she even know of her existence?

Later in the week, Dee-Dee is outside the flat when she receives a delivery. She isn’t expecting anything so presumes it’s a gift from Joel, but is confused to see that it’s addressed to an “E. Smith”.

Over at the police station, Joel receives a voice note from Dee-Dee where he learns that she’s intercepted his parcel and he’s deeply troubled… is he about to be caught out?

Is Lauren losing the baby?

Meanwhile, Lauren is pushing Joel for her escape from Weatherfield, and he assures her that she will be moving to Ireland very soon.

“Lauren is desperate, her focus is on the baby,” Cait Fitton explains. “Lauren has played her trump card with Joel which is the baby, the only evidence that can be used to bring Joel down.”

“However, Joel has blackmailed Lauren, reassuring her that if she stays quiet about what happened he will financially help and support her moving to Ireland to start a new life, just her and the baby.”

“Lauren is stuck between a rock and a hard place,” Cait continues. “She hasn’t got the financial stability to move to Ireland herself, so the only way she will get her wish is if she keeps herself quiet about what Joel did.”

There’s an unexpected development however when Lauren is mugged at the precinct. Max (Paddy Bever) is nearby and swiftly comes to her aid, providing comfort to the terrified mum-to-be.

“If you asked me months back how Lauren would respond to being mugged I’d say she would completely kick off and fight back,” Cait points out.

“There’s probably an urge to still do that but Lauren as we see her at the moment is in fact vulnerable, with no support unit. So now she is no longer in survival mode for her own safety but also her child’s.”

Back at the flat, Joel feigns concern after Lauren tells him about the mugging, but little does she realise what he’s really plotting…

Later, Lauren is alone when she suddenly experiences severe stomach cramps. Doubling over in pain, she collapses on the floor as she cries out for help.

“Lauren is terrified, she has no idea what’s happening,” Cait adds. “She’s never been through this before like any soon to be parent. It is terrifying for, especially because she’s on her own when this happens and it’s so early. This is not the way it’s meant to be.”

Luckily, Max has managed to track down Lauren at the flat, and as he knocks on the door, Lauren calls out for her to help him, scared that she’s losing the baby.

Will Lauren and her unborn child be okay?

The Websters are suspected of arson!

Over at N0.13, the deepfake videos of Abi (Sally Carman-Duttine) are still hanging over the heads of the Webster family, particularly now that 13-year-old Jack (Kyran Bowes) has found out and is being ridiculed at school.

Kevin (Michael Le Vell) is stunned when he receives a call from the presumed perpetrator, Stefan (Paul Opacic), who asks to meet, wanting to put an end to the feud once and for all.

However, whilst both Kevin and Abi are out, Jack answers the door to Stefan. Completely unaware of his identity, Jack allows Stefan to wait inside for his parents to return. What is he up to…?

Later that evening, Kevin watches a local news report about a fire at Stefan’s office. Abi comments that Stefan had it coming, whilst Kevin can’t help but be suspicious of the timing…

He isn’t the only one, with Lisa (Vicky Myers) calling by the garage the next morning in order to take both Kevin and Abi down to the station to question them about the arson attack.

It isn’t looking good for Abi when Lisa when produces evidence that she had called over at Stefan’s house the previous evening, in the form of images taken from his doorbell camera. As Abi tries to provide an explanation, she’s upset that even Kevin is continuing to doubt her innocence.

However, it doesn’t take long before the truth eventually comes out, and Lisa charges the culprit responsible…but who is it?

Beth and Betsy’s side project goes awry

Elsewhere, Beth (Lisa George) and Betsy’s (Sydney Martin) scheme to earn a few more pennies is put under threat by Kirk (Andy Whyment).

Beth has been using the factory after hours in order to sew fake labels onto counterfeit t-shirts, and after a nosey Betsy discovered her scheme, she wanted in on the action.

Next week, it would seem the job is already paying dividends as Beth hands son Craig (Colson Smith) an envelope full of cash and asks him to conceal it for her, she wants to hide it from Kirk as she’s planning a surprise for him.

Craig is no doubt dubious of his mother’s antics, but it soon transpires that she’s planning a surprise wedding for herself and Kirky.

Maria (Samia Longchambon) is excited when she learns the news, but as Beth later flicks through a bridal magazine, she laments the price of the lavish locations that are well out of her budget. Betsy suggests they need to up their game with more work on the side.

When Beth later discovers that the box of counterfeit t-shirts is missing, she’s quick to get on the phone to Kirk who reveals he’d taken an unlabelled box and loaded it onto the delivery van. Beth is horrified, as she races to try and track it down before Carla catches wind of what they’ve been up to!

Rowan has eyes on Amy… and Nick’s cash

Over at the bistro, Amy (Elle Mulvaney) is preparing to head off on a retreat organised by Rowan’s (Emrhys Cooper) institute.

Ever since he learned of her grandmother’s inheritance sitting in her bank account, Rowan has been pulling out all of the stops to try and convince Amy to join them, with new recruit Leanne (Jane Danson) also keen to get her on board.

Rowan flatters Amy as he assures her that she’s destined for great things, which leaves Leanne feeling a pang of jealousy.

Rowan’s soon back to his devious self though as he meets with Nick (Ben Price), explaining that he would now like the £20,000 investment he’s trying to extort out of him.

Not only does Rowan have picture evidence of Nick’s dalliance with Lee’s sister Toyah (Georgie Taylor), but the fact that Nick assaulted him has now given Rowan even more leverage.

Rowan explains that he will not report the assault to the police, but only if Nick pays up. Will Nick be that desperate to keep his secrets?

Will Alina return?

Also next week, Debbie (Sue Devaney) and Rita (Barbara Knox) read in the paper that a leader of a human trafficking group will soon be going on trial in the local area. With the groups activities focused on Romania, it means that Tyrone’s (Alan Halsall) ex Alina (Ruxandra Porojnicu) could well be called to give evidence.

Alina was last seen leaving Weatherfield in September 2021, after Tyrone admitted that he wanted to get back with Fiz. Tyrone and Alina had recently lost a baby they were expecting, and although Alina had told Tyrone she was pregnant again, she then went on to claim that she had been mistaken.

However, as she awaited her departure, viewers saw her cradling her stomach, implying that she was pregnant after all.

Debbie and Rita quickly inform Fiz on the latest news, but how will she feel about her husband’s ex potentially coming back on the scene?

The fact that later in the week Fiz is suggesting to Tyrone that they take a family holiday in the coming weeks, having found a good deal, suggests that she could be worried!