Coronation Street spoilers follow.
Coronation Street star Channique Sterling-Brown has spoken about the new twist ahead in her character Dee-Dee Bailey's baby dilemma.
Dee-Dee is in for a shock later this month as she realises that Lauren Bolton could need her help to save baby Frankie.
Upcoming episodes see Frankie get rushed to hospital after mysterious bruises are found on his body.
Lauren is later told that her young son is seriously ill and needs a donor, so Dee-Dee steps in to comfort her.
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Dee-Dee quickly finds the situation difficult as she's currently keeping quiet about how she's pregnant with Joel Deering's baby – Frankie's half-sibling.
As Dee-Dee isn't sure whether she wants to go through with the pregnancy, she fears being put under pressure if Lauren starts asking questions about whether her unborn baby could be a match for Frankie.
Speaking about the emotional storyline, Channique explained: "Dee-Dee's instinct is to absolutely avoid Lauren at all costs. She knows that if Lauren finds out, she's going to advocate for Dee-Dee to have the baby for a potential donor for Frankie.
"But also, part of Dee-Dee knows that if she does get into that conversation with Lauren, she may change her mind and not make a decision based on what she actually feels is best for her.
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"Because as much as Dee-Dee wants to be in control, she does have so much compassion for Lauren and Frankie. They are massively bonded and entwined.
"Dee-Dee knows that hearing the ramifications that her decision could have on Lauren and Frankie might really persuade her decision. So her instinct really is avoidance."
Channique continued: "In terms of having a termination, it's a really complicated choice and a massive decision. Obviously, Dee-Dee does have her faith playing a part of that.
"We have a few conversations where Dee-Dee makes it clear that she's very much pro-choice, but for herself, this isn't the kind of thing that she would have seen herself choosing, in terms of having an abortion.
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"Obviously Frankie is a factor, but can she put herself through this just for him? And more than anything, the way I described it at the time when I was discussing it with directors was that I don't think Dee-Dee actually wants to have an abortion, but it's one thing that she can control.
"I think everything has been out of her control for so long, and this is one decision and one choice that she is fully in control of. That is more the thing that is pushing her towards the choice of potentially terminating the pregnancy.
"Especially the fact that it's Lauren. She has poured so much into Lauren. It's no fault of Lauren's, but so much of the turmoil and trauma has been around her. The ask of having a baby on top of everything is such a massive thing for her.
"Me and Cait [Fitton, who plays Lauren] went down the route of Dee-Dee doesn't want to be emotionally blackmailed into this situation because she has emotionally been so tied with Lauren for so long. But that doesn't negate the fact that she cares about her and Frankie, and she cares about doing the right thing."
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Channique said that Dee-Dee will start to feel "burdened" by the responsibility that she could potentially save Frankie.
"Dee-Dee is definitely aware of the implications of what could happen if Frankie doesn't find a donor," she said.
"But then obviously, we don't know the baby is a donor. With having a baby, there's so many factors.
"At this point, I felt like she was fighting to keep her head above the water, and there was nothing of her old self left. So, would this be almost like the final nail in the coffin? If she is to go through with that pregnancy, will she ever escape Joel? I think that's the thing that's hanging over her."
Coronation Street airs these scenes on Monday, December 16, Wednesday, December 18, and Friday, December 20, on ITV1 and ITVX. You can also check out our collection of 22 spoiler pictures from these episodes.
Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and streams on ITVX.
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