Coronation Street's beloved character Aggie Bailey has once again sparked curiosity among viewers as they ponder her absence during key storylines.
Portrayed by actress Lorna Laidlaw, nurse Aggie, a member of the first Black family in Coronation Street, hasn't graced the iconic cobbles since 2023.
Initially, Aggie's absence seemed justified, with an explanation provided to viewers following her departure.
However, considering the Bailey family, which includes father Ed, sons Michael and James, and daughter Dee-Dee, have been embroiled in several significant storylines, puzzled fans are left wondering about matriarch Aggie's whereabouts and whether she'll return, since she hasn't actually been written out of the show.
Why did Aggie leave Coronation Street?
Aggie first set foot on the famous street in 2019, and in June 2023, it was revealed that she had travelled to Birmingham to look after her seriously ill aunt.
As time went on, fans noticed Aggie's continued absence, despite her family facing upheaval on the renowned street.
Later, it was revealed that Aggie had ended her marriage to Ed after learning that his gambling addiction had returned.
Aggie made this major decision while away from Weatherfield, a move that viewers found odd, expecting her to return and inform Ed and her family, reports Leicestershire Live.
What is actress Lorna's real reason for not returning?
Towards the end of 2024, Lorna finally shed light on her decision not to return to the set of Corrie.
Voicing her discontentment with the portrayal of the Bailey family, she was particularly critical of the push for Jamaican accents and the scarce depiction of closeness between Aggie and Ed.
On the Chicken Soap for the Sou" podcast, Lorna openly criticised the producers' initial ideas: "I think [the producers] wanted [the Baileys] to have Jamaican accents and I questioned that."
She challenged the authenticity of such a request, standing firm in her beliefs: "I knew it wasn't truthful. I said to them, 'I would guarantee that all the actors you've auditioned don't speak in a Jamaican accent because they were born here.' I don't understand why you give them a Jamaican accent because it makes you feel like they've just come here and it makes them that further apart from being rooted in Manchester or wherever you want them."
Her stance led to prolonged discussions with the production team, which ultimately resulted in a compromise after several conversations.
She also expressed: "Let them feel like they've been born and bred. Let them own this city just like everybody else. But I still got the job. So when we started, I had to do a Manchester accent."
But the accent issue wasn't her only concern; Lorna pointed out a lack of intimacy portrayed between her character and Ed on-screen. She said: "Black love is a really big thing at the moment, and it is making sure that you see Black characters kissing, actually kissing. Those Black characters did not kiss.
"The one thing about this family is that they loved each other, but it is that conscious thing, because you don't see it very often."
What's Aggie missed during her time away from the cobbles?
Aggie's time away from Coronation Street saw the Bailey clan go through a bout of trying ordeals in her absence.
Ed, Aggie's other half, succumbed once again to his gambling demons, causing a financial nightmare for the family. In a desperate move to wipe out debts, he even orchestrated a faux burglary at home, offloading all their Christmas gifts.
Michael, their son, found himself ensnared by the law falsely and ended up jobless—a series of misfortunes that Aggie could not weather with them. To top it off, Michael got mixed up in a baffling murder mystery while Stephen Reid wreaked havoc on the street.
Meanwhile, Ed stumbled upon Leo Thompkins' body at his construction site—an alarming experience taking place during Aggie's absence.
Elsewhere, Dee-Dee Bailey discovered she was expecting Joel Deering's baby and grappled with the decision of an abortion given Joel's questionable past. But the tables turned when she found out that Lauren Bolton's son Frankie, who shares his father with Dee-Dee's unborn child, was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia and in dire need of a bone marrow transplant.
Dee-Dee contemplated keeping the baby as a possible aid for Frankie, but in the end, she chose to put the child up for adoption, convinced it was the most beneficial decision for everyone concerned.
Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1.
