ITV Coronation Street incest horror as fans 'work out' family link

Coronation Street fans have predicted a shocking twist suggesting that Joel Deering and Lauren Bolton might be cousins. The notorious character Joel, portrayed by Calum Lill, has been tormenting Lauren (Cait Fitton) for months.

Lauren was even presumed dead before making an unexpected return to Weatherfield, revealing her pregnancy with Joel's child.

In intense flashback scenes, Joel was unveiled as Lauren's secret 'boyfriend', with viewers witnessing him viciously attacking her with a chair leg and leaving her for dead.

Joel, who is presently engaged to Dee-Dee Bailey (Channique Sterling-Brown), has been covertly sheltering Lauren in his previous flat after moving in with Dee-Dee, who remains oblivious to her future husband's dark secrets.

He had intended to dispatch pregnant Lauren to Ireland, thereby removing her from his life, but in a shocking scheme - he laced her food with tablets designed to induce early pregnancy.

He had confined her in the flat, leaving Lauren isolated and trapped until her friend Max Turner (Paddy Bever) eventually came to her aid. Lauren was subsequently taken to the hospital where she delivered a baby boy at six months gestation, reports the Liverpool Echo.

During Monday's episode (August 5), new mother Lauren was heartbroken as her newborn son lay in an incubator while Joel made an appearance at the hospital.

Before even laying eyes on his new son, Joel already had his sights set on manipulating Lauren - determined she wouldn't forward an incriminating email to the police exposing his vile abuse. Lauren surrendered to his plot, deleting the contentious email amidst their hospital visit.

"Have I told you what I'm calling him?", Lauren casually dropped in her conversation with an indifferent Joel, who responded: "What?".

"Francis, well Frankie for short, after my grandad," she revealed. Joel's interest piqued at the mention, before he added: "That was my grandad's name too."

This uncanny revelation has sent Coronation Street fans into a frenzy of speculation, with many suspecting that Lauren and Joel share more than just an intimate connection; they might be sharing the same family tree.

On platform X, viewers are lighting up social media with theories, with one writing: "Are Joel and Lauren actually related #Corrie", one fan theorized, while another pondered, "Are Joel and Lauren related then? Same Grandad? #Corrie."

Comments continue to flood in, with one tweeting: "Apparently, Lauren and Joel's grandfathers were both named Francis. #Corrie". "Joel and Lauren are cousins?", speculated another, piecing together the potential family puzzle.

Over on Facebook, Corrie fans also swapped their theories. One wrote: "I think Joel and Lauren are related OMG", echoed by another, now convinced, "I'm thinking the same."

Coronation Street airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm on ITV and ITVX.