Gemma Winter betrays stepson Joseph Brown over grandmother Linda’s help in Coronation Street
LINDA Hancock recently returned to Weatherfield and caught up with her grandson Joseph Brown.
But just as she suggests a new school for the Coronation Street lad, his stepmother Gemma Winter takes a stand.
Gemma Winter (portrayed by Dolly-Rose Campbell) fought Joseph Brown’s (William Flanagan) corner when he told her and his father Chesney he was feeling poorly.
Despite being in the firing line as social services agreed to investigate her when they suspected her of poisoning the youngster, Gemma insisted Joseph needed help.
She was finally proven correct when Joseph was diagnosed with Lyme disease.
However, in scenes airing on ITV next week, Gemma takes a more selfish approach as she refuses to allow Linda Hancock (Jacqueline Leonard) to intervene in Joseph’s life.
During a conversation with Chesney (Sam Aston) about Joseph’s schoolwork, Linda suggests that the schoolboy would benefit from a private education at Oakhill.
Chesney is then shocked when Linda offers to cover the tuition fees but Gemma, as mentioned above, has other ideas.
Coming up, Gemma stuffs the Oakhill prospectus in a drawer and instructs Chesney to have a word with Linda and tell her to back off.
In the Rovers, Linda’s daughter Izzy Armstrong (Cherylee Houston) and Gemma lambast Linda for the way she favours Joseph over Izzy’s son Jake and the quads.
In other scenes, Dee-Dee Bailey (Channique Sterling-Brown) and Paul Foreman (Peter Ash) point out to Gemma that Oakhill is the opportunity of a lifetime.
They then insist that she shouldn’t deprive Joseph simply because she hates his grandmother Linda.
Will Gemma keep allowing her feud with Linda to get in the way?
Could she take Paul and Dee-Dee’s advice?
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While this remains to be seen, soap producer Iain MacLeod spoke about Linda’s future in the cobbles and teased that she may stay in Weatherfield for longer than anticipated.
“[The story is] going to be a long runner for us. I suppose the tease that I might give you is that we are taking the very original story played with Ken Barlow as our inspiration”, Iain explained.
“So, our inspiration from this dates right back to 1960, in terms of what happens next and it’s all catalysed by Linda’s arrival. I’d rather not say too much more.”
But I suppose the foundational dynamic in the Barlow family when we first met them was that Ken was one thing and his family was subtly something else. It’s basically taking its inspiration from that kind of foundational dynamic in the Barlow household.”
What else is in store?
Coronation Street airs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8pm on ITV.