Coronation Street recasts huge character for Dee-Dee storyline

Dee Dee in her pyjamas making tea and looking shocked

(Image credit: ITV)

Coronation Street has recast the character of James Bailey.

Actor Nathan Graham played James from 2019 to 2022, when the character - a former professional footballer - left the cobbles to become a youth football coach in London.

Next week, James returns to his former home for a visit, but this time round he is played by Jason Callender, who has previously had guest roles in the likes of Holby City and Silent Witness.

James’ return comes as sister Dee-Dee, who is pregnant by her predatory ex-fiancé Joel Deering, is given shock news by Lauren Bolton.

Dee Dee looking wistful as Lauren hugs her — Dee Dee gets some shocking news next week. (Image credit: ITV)

Dee-Dee had initially planned an abortion but changed her mind so that her baby could be a stem cell donor for Lauren’s son Frankie - her own child’s half-sibling - who is suffering from aplastic anemia.

However, Lauren reveals that a donor has already been found for Frankie. Though it’s good news for Lauren, whose son can now be treated earlier than expected, it’s bittersweet for Dee-Dee, whose entire reason for continuing with the pregnancy is now null and void.

James in an orange shirt looking serious as he speaks to Dee Dee — James is now played by Jason Callender. (Image credit: ITV)

Back on the cobbles, meanwhile, Dee-Dee is in for a further shock when James, aware of her plan to put her baby up for adoption, suggests that he and his partner Danny could raise the child.

Though Dee-Dee is in no doubt that the pair would make great parents, she is acutely aware that this would result in her having a permanent connection with the child, which wasn’t her plan.

Will she show broody James the red card?

Also on Coronation Street next week, there’s shock for Tracy Barlow when ex-fiancé Rob Donovan, who’s on the run from prison, turns up at number one and not only asks her to collect a fake passport for him but suggests they start a new life together.

Meanwhile, Sean is put in a difficult position when Brody, a fellow inmate of son Dylan at the secure training centre, asks him to smuggle in a burner phone and threatens to make Dylan’s life a misery if he doesn’t comply.

Coronation Street airs on ITV1 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm and ITVX at 7am.

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Alison Slade has over 20 years of experience as a TV journalist and has spent the vast majority of that time as Soap Editor of TV Times magazine. She is passionate about the ability of soaps to change the world by presenting important, issue-based stories about real people in a relatable way. There are few soap actors that she hasn’t interviewed over the years, and her expertise in the genre means she has been called upon as a judge numerous times for The British Soap Awards and the BAFTA TV Awards.

When she is not writing about soaps, watching soaps, or interviewing people who are in soaps, she loves going to the theatre, taking a long walk or pottering about at home, obsessing over Farrow and Ball paint.