Joel Deering has vanished from the cobbles and is presumed to be dead. Next week in Corrie, however, police issue confirmation the villain has passed – and was seemingly murdered

Authorities will issue a worrying update on Joel Deering next week in Coronation Street as his date of death will be confirmed.

After making a good impression on ITV viewers and Weatherfield residents as Dee-Dee Bailey’s partner but in recent months, the villain portrayed by Calum Lill was rumbled to have caused Lauren Bolton’s disappearance after relentlessly abusing her and taking advantage of her vulnerability.

More recently on the Manchester-based programme, Joel seemingly did a runner as he dumped his car and appeared to fake his death while DS Lisa Swain (played by Vicky Myers) and colleague Kit Green (Jacob Roberts) both confirmed the passing to Dee-Dee, despite not finding Joel’s body.

However, in forthcoming scenes, three people make a shocking discovery as Joel’s body is finally found and police soon conclude that foul play was involved. But who could have murdered Joel?

Craig brings shock news to Lisa and Kit next week and foul play could be involved in Joel Deering’s death

Next week, Craig Tinker (Colson Smith) and Kit study CCTV from a train station car park and spot Joel, joined by his father around a locker, seemingly confirming the villain has gone on the run. Kit probes Gus for answers – but what will Gus tell the police?

Meanwhile, on a riverbank, three lads spot a body eerily floating in the water, before Craig tells Lisa and Kit that Joel’s body has been found. Kit steals himself to break the news to Dee-Dee (Channique Sterling-Brown) and Lauren Bolton (Cait Fitton) at Weatherfield General Hospital. Lisa, on the other hand, shares the news with residents in the Rovers.

Later on, Kit goes back to the hospital and tells Lauren that Joel’s autopsy revealed he was already dead before entering the river he was found in, indicating that he was murdered. In other scenes, Kit questions Lauren about where she was on the night of Friday, September 27, when Joel is known to have died.

Joel’s cause of death is also quickly determined as Kit then reveals to Lisa that the duty solicitor died from two blows to the head, likely to have been inflicted by a heavy weapon and, more importantly, with a crowbar. Lisa is soon struck by the detail, when Yasmeen Nazir (Shelley King) admits she’s thrown Mason Radcliffe (Luca Toolan) out of her home because he had a crowbar.

Betsy Swain (Sydney Martin) is intrigued when her mother Lisa warns her to stay away from Mason and tells him that the police are on to him. Behind the Underworld factory, Mason disposes of the crowbar in the bin but he is caught by Kit – what will he tell him? Is Mason capable of murder?

Regular viewers of the long-running show will know that Mason does not have the best track record in Corrie as he was first introduced to soap fans as Liam Connor’s bully. For several months, Mason caused Liam severe harm and even went as far as to threaten him with a knife. While he has since tried to redeem himself with a job at Speed Daal and Stu Carpenter’s support, could his bad behaviour have escalated?