Corrie's DS Swain's bruises explained as fans predict twist after Joel death

Fans of Coronation Street were intrigued as DS Lisa Swain finally came clean about the origins of her mysterious bruises.

After last month's grim discovery of Joel Deering's body in the river and subsequent confirmation that foul play, not natural causes, ended his life, suspicion veered towards DS Swain - especially when conspicuous marks surfaced on her. The puzzle of Joel's death intensified with a plethora of questions: Who was the perpetrator?

Grilled over the bruises decorating her back and side, and her use of painkillers prescribed right after Joel's death emerged, DS Swain became a prime suspect. Betsy, Lisa's daughter, had her doubts fanned into flames upon learning her mother wasn't working, as she initially claimedbut was instead out and about on that fatal evening.

Lisa disclosed the events leading to her injuries, telling Carla: "I got itchy feet waiting for uniform to find Joel so I went looking for him. I didn't find him but what I did see is some bloke trying to snatch this woman's bag.

"Then he got in his car. I was trying to clock the registration plate and he clipped me on the side as he drove off. Hence the cracked ribs. I didn't report it because I just - I didn't want to be made to have time off."

The detective later shared with Carla, during an intimate conversation, why she concealed the truth from Betsy about what transpired that night.

"Because her mother died on duty. Becky was chasing an assailant and he jumped into a getaway car. She tried to give chase and they called for back up, but they spun round and drove straight at her and purposely knocked her down," she revealed.

"She died at the scene. Telling Betsy was the hardest moment of my life; she begged me to not go into work, terrified the same thing was going to happen to me. I couldn't possibly tell her what happened that night, it would just trigger all the fear and grief."

However, viewers are sceptical about Swain's account of events. On social media, one expressed: "I wonder if Carla killed Joel and Lisa took the hit to defend her hence the bruises? #Corrie," while another speculated: "Maybe DS Swain got those bruises killing Joel #Corrie."

Carla and Lisa's bond has deepened significantly, evolving from acquaintances to good friends.

Amid queries on whether Swain can truly rely on Carla, actress Vicky Myers, who portrays Swain, remarked: "I don't think Lisa trusts anybody and in some instances she doesn't trust herself. She needs to learn to trust herself again. She's so unsure about her feelings and all the emotional turmoil that she's going through, and how she's trying to deal with it and juggle so many things, it starts with her. Even though she's got this facade of being in control and covering it, the cracks are starting to show. So no, she doesn't trust anybody."

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