Coronation Street spoilers follow.
Bernie Winter's criminal dealings might just result in her most devastating Christmas yet in Coronation Street.
Next week's scenes begin with Izzy Armstrong advising Bernie's son Paul Foreman to be brutally honest about his motor neurone disease while he's completing the Independence Payment assessment. Otherwise, he'll risk losing out.
Paul later reveals to his horrified mum that it'll take 11 weeks for his consolidation to come through. How will he cope until then?
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Taking matters into her own hands, Bernie arranges a meet with Big Garth and requests that he flog their remaining dodgy gear at a cut-price out of desperation.
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In the precinct, the trader hands her a nice stack of cash, but unbeknownst to them, a nearby police officer is taking photographs. On her way back home, Bernie is arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods.
Corrie fans already know that this will be Paul's last-ever Christmas as actor Peter Ash will be leaving the ITV soap — so there's a chance his mum could've really screwed up here and ruined their last Christmas together.
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Chatting to Digital Spy and other media in a recent press call, the soap's producer Iain MacLeod teased: "The challenge with a story like the one we're doing with Paul is there's this inevitable medical progression.
"The medical story is always going on, but like we all have to do when we're ill, they're contending with catastrophes that are nothing to do with the illness at all.
"This Christmas, the catastrophe arises from Bernie and her historical involvement with Shelly's slightly dubious online scamming. It puts her in a massive amount of legal hot water, to the extent that there's every likelihood that she's not going to be present for what will be Paul's last Christmas – and the family might not get to be together for one last festive moment."
Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and streams on ITVX.
Read more Coronation Street spoilers on our dedicated homepage
Coronation Street has been working on Paul's storyline with support from the MND Association, which focuses on improving access to care, research and campaigning for people affected by motor neurone disease.
The charity's helpline MND Connect (0808 802 6262) is available Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, and 7pm to 10.30pm. Calls are free.
