FOLLOWING Joseph Brown’s safe return home, all eyes are turning over to his step-grandmother Bernie Winter.
In an upcoming episode of Coronation Street, due to air next week, Bernie threatens Hope Stape, desperate to keep her secret under wraps.
Joseph’s (William Flanagan) disappearance has caused an uproar in the cobbles.
But when Clint Stubbins (Fergus O’Donnell) takes the young boy home, authorities become suspicious that Joseph’s disappearance could have been faked.
Bernie (Jane Hazlegrove) soon becomes a target as Clint suggested to her they share the £30,000 reward for Joseph’s return.
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Clint also gave £100 to both Hope (Isabella Flanagan) and Joseph before taking the latter back to his distraught parents, Chesney (Sam Aston) and Gemma (Dolly-Rose Campbell).
Although she is chuffed when Dev announces that they are a couple, during a future episode of the ITV soap set to air next week, Bernie is also adamant on making sure no other residents find out about her agreement with Clint.
Bernie already raises doubts when she invites the family out for dinner at Speed Daal as Chesney wonders how she can afford it.
But when Fiz Stape (Jennie McAlpine) discovers her daughter Hope’s giant stash of sweets, Bernie is mortified and has a word with the young girl.
She subsequently warns her to stay away from her cousin Joseph before demanding she keeps quiet about her deal with Clint.
Bernie doesn’t shy away from threatening her step-grandson either.
Later on, she approaches Joseph and stresses that he has to remain silent and not spend his £100, unlike Hope, if he doesn’t want them to get into trouble.
But the jig is soon up for Bernie.
After slipping Joseph a video game he wanted, Bernie finds herself taking his defence when Evelyn (Maureen Lipman) accuses the young boy of stealing the game.
Bernie admits that she bought the game for Joseph with the help of her pay raise from Dev.
But while the latter believes her without the shadow of a doubt, although she says she made up the pay raise to stop Chesney feeling bad about her buying gifts, Evelyn stays suspicious of her and calls the police.
Will Bernie’s secret be uncovered?
Coronation Street airs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7:30pm and 8:30 on ITV.
