Two beloved residents have bid farewell to the cobbles in an early ITVX release of Coronation Street, with one family member making a dramatic last-minute dash to say goodbye. The episode, which aired on ITVX on December 19, 2025, ahead of its television broadcast, saw solicitor Dee-Dee Bailey (played by Channique Sterling-Brown) and her daughter Laila leave Weatherfield for a fresh start.
Dee-Dee's Heart-Wrenching Decision
The seeds for the departure were sown earlier this month when Dee-Dee was offered a career opportunity in Singapore. The chance for a new beginning away from the traumatic memories of her ex-fiancé, the predatory solicitor Joel Deering, proved compelling. Joel's crimes, which included grooming and abusing teenager Lauren Bolton (Cait Fitton), left Dee-Dee reeling, a situation compounded by the discovery she was pregnant with his child.
After much deliberation, Dee-Dee chose to raise daughter Laila, co-parenting with her brother, James Bailey (Jason Callender). This decision came after she had initially agreed to let James adopt the baby, causing significant tension. While their arrangement worked for a time, the Singapore job offer forced a painful choice: stay or break her brother's heart by taking Laila overseas.
A Family Divided and Reunited
Breaking the news to her family was not easy. While most were supportive of Dee-Dee's need for a clean slate, James was understandably devastated. He stormed out upon hearing the plans, unable to face the imminent loss of the little girl he saw as his own.
In a poignant twist, it was Lauren Bolton who helped James see sense. She pointed out that Dee-Dee deserved a life where she wasn't constantly reminded of Joel's atrocities. This perspective shifted James's view, and he later found Dee-Dee to give her his blessing, though the raw pain prevented him from attending her farewell dinner at the Bistro.
An Emotional Cobbles Farewell
The send-off was attended by the rest of the Bailey family, Lauren, and Dee-Dee's best friend Alya Nazir (Sair Khan), all expressing how much they would be missed. As Dee-Dee loaded a cab to begin her journey to London for her flight, it seemed James would not appear.
However, in a classic soap opera moment, James came running out of the pub at the last second, just in time to share an emotional goodbye with little Laila, ensuring the sisters left with the family fully behind them.
With Dee-Dee and Laila now gone, questions remain about their future on the famous street. Could the door be left open for a return, or is this the final chapter for the Bailey sister? This double exit marks a significant shift for one of the show's core families, leaving James and the others to navigate a new dynamic on the cobbles.
