Coronation Street‘s Debbie Webster makes an emotional speech at her birthday party next week, as she realises it might be her last one.
Gathering all her friends and family, Debbie steps up to the mic and declares her love for her husband Ronnie in a heartfelt moment.
“Debbie wants to cherish every milestone,” points out our Weatherfield spy. “She doesn’t know how long she has left, or how much she’ll be able to remember. Treasuring every moment with her loved ones is her priority.”
Despite Ronnie’s concerns that a big party might be too much for Debbie after her recent deterioration, everyone gets together in the Rovers to show the hotelier how much she means to them.
In the colourfully decorated pub, and with the room full of love and laughter, Debbie takes to the microphone to thank everyone for coming and makes it clear how much their ongoing support means to her.
But Debbie saves special thanks for her husband Ronnie, as her eyes fill with tears.
Debbie tells Ronnie how much he means to her, declaring him the love of her life. She becomes overwhelmed with emotion as she thanks him for everything he’s done for her lately, knowing that harder days are to come.
“This could be Debbie’s last birthday,” adds our source. “No one wants to think about Debbie not being around. But it’s impossible to celebrate her birthday without thinking about the future, especially when her recent public struggles show her dementia is getting worse.”
Will Debbie’s birthday go without a hitch? Or will the night only prove that she’s deteriorating more rapidly than her family thought?
Vinta Morgan, who plays Ronnie, recently told us: “Dementia in itself is something that can take many forms. It can escalate, it can stay dormant for long periods, and then it can rapidly decline into an area that you would not have expected.
“In terms of the pacing and where Debbie is at, it’s a beginning of a new reality for her. Not only for her, but everyone around her who’s grappling with this new Debbie – this new version.
“As we get into this new pocket of Debbie’s behaviour and explore how she goes about her day-to-day life, we’re going to see more moments where the dementia is starting to take control.
“Debbie’s having to consciously deal with that – and other people are realising that this isn’t as easy as they may have thought it would be.”