Coronation Street star Channique Sterling-Brown has spoken out about her 'important' storyline as fans were quick to heap her with praise for her work.

As fans of the ITV soap know, the actress' character Dee-Dee Bailey recently almost died during the birth of her first child. The lawyer fell pregnant with her evil ex-fiance Joel Deering's baby before his shock murder last year.

After discovering that behind the smart suit he was hiding a penchant for younger, underprivileged girls - which linked him to a troubled Lauren Bolton who he went on to groom - Dee-Dee called off their engagement and set about bringing him down with the help of DS Lisa Swain.

However, it was no surprise when Joel disappeared. But when his body was found following an apparent suicide, the police soon discovered that someone had in fact murdered Joel.

It was confirmed he'd been killed with a heavy weapon before entering the water and several Weatherfield residents were put in the frame - Dee-Dee, her father Ed, her uncle Ronnie, Mason Radcliffe, Lisa, Carla Connor, DC Kit Green and finally Max Turner and Lauren Bolton.

It was then revealed that in an eventful night for Joel, after Ronnie and Ed went after him with a crowbar, he was attacked by scorned ex Dee-Dee, threatened by Kit and pushed into the river by Max. But not before Lauren had delivered the killer blow amidst their train track confrontation.