Actor Calum Lill discussed his return as he confirmed he’ll be back for one episode

Joel Deering met a grisly end after his harrowing crimes were revealed(Image: ITV)
Coronation Street actor Calum Lill appeared on This Morning as he teased viewers over his return to Weatherfield after his dramatic exit.
Actor Calum Lill took on the role of villainous Joel Deering in 2023. The charming solicitor made Dee-Dee Bailey fall in love with him, keeping his true colours under wraps.
However, soon viewers saw the real Joel – a man who used his position of wealth and power to target younger, underprivileged girls who needed his help.
This led him to troubled Lauren Bolton who eventually went missing after he viciously attacked her in her own flat. Although Roy Cropper was originally blamed for her “murder”, it was Dee-Dee who uncovered the truth but didn’t have enough hard evidence to get him locked away.
After a manhunt for Joel took place after he tried to abort Lauren’s baby (who he was the biological father of), he wound up dead after a confrontation with Max Turner. Lauren hit him over the head as he held Max over the river.
With Joel Deering dead – or so we currently believe – Corrie producer Kate Brooks teased: “We obviously have Dee-Dee as well in 2025. Just when you thought the Joel story had come to an end, there is another chapter that happens that is going to completely upend Dee-Dee’s life.”

Calum and Vicky discussed their soap award nominations(Image: ITV)
While it’s been rumoured that Joel will return in some capacity, actor Calum Lill confirmed his appearance while chatting to soap expert Sharon Marshall on This Morning.
He cryptically teased: “I couldn’t possibly tell you, all I can tell you is it’s one episode and stay tuned” when asked if Joel is really dead or if he comes back as a ghost.
Calum is also nominated for Villain of the Year at the British Soap Awards, as he added: “It’s amazing, such a gift to be nominated for it. It means I get to come back and see my friends when we do the awards, that’s the main thing.”
Some viewers theorised that Joel Deering’s return could be down to Lisa Swain potentially dobbing Kit Green in, but there’s been no confirmation by the ITV soap at the time of writing.
At the time of his exit, Calum spoke to Manchester Evening News and shared: “I’m proud of what I did but also feel so honoured and proud of everyone else involved. There’s hundreds of people involved in the making of this storyline.
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“Just being able to be put as the spearhead of it, put at the front and get the compliments, there’s hundreds of people working on the set, the costume, the make-up, the lighting, everything. I’m the one who gets the credit in the street.
“I’m so grateful to be given the opportunity and I miss it here so much. I miss the people so much because they’re just the most incredible people. And although I only got 15 months here, it was the best time of my life.”