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As James Bailey returns to Coronation Street, will mum Aggie follow? Here’s why a Lorna Laidlaw return looks unlikely

Published

2 months ago

March 18, 2025

MaiilOnline

Lorna’s time on the soap wasn’t without its challenges.

James Bailey recently made his return to Coronation Street, sparking speculation among fans about whether Aggie will also make a comeback.

James, Dee-Dee’s brother, returned to the cobbles last night (Monday, March 17) after being recast.

But will Aggie also return to the Bailey family? Here’s why Lorna Laidlaw’s return seems unlikely.

In Coronation Street, James Bailey made his return to Weatherfield last night, visiting his sister Dee-Dee.

James surprised Dee-Dee by asking how she was managing with her pregnancy. Dee-Dee was thrilled to see him and learned that he had quit football and was considering a career in coaching.

However, their reunion was cut short when Dee-Dee had to rush to the hospital, where she was told that a new donor match for Frankie had been found, so they wouldn’t need to wait until her baby was born.

Later, back at Dee-Dee’s flat, James made a private phone call, gathering the courage to bring up a sensitive subject with his sister.

The character of James has been recast and is now played by Jason Callender, taking over from Nathan Graham.

With James Bailey returning to Coronation Street, fans are now eagerly wondering if his mother, Aggie, will follow suit.

Aggie, played by Lorna Laidlaw, left the soap in the summer of 2023 under mysterious circumstances. She went to Birmingham to care for a sick aunt, and shortly after, she broke up with her husband Ed over his gambling issues.

Now that James is back, viewers are hopeful that Aggie’s return might be on the horizon.

One fan commented: “Why hasn’t Aggie Bailey been recast too? Would she really leave her daughter alone after everything with the Joel murder and the baby? Dee-Dee needs her mum. Why recast James but not Aggie? It doesn’t make sense.”

Another viewer added: “If they can recast James, why not Aggie? Is Lorna Laidlaw ever coming back? It’s all a bit strange…”

A third fan shared: “So, James has a new actor. Does that mean Aggie will get a new one too?”

A fourth fan agreed: “No one seems to ask where Aggie is. She’s been gone almost two years now. Maybe she’ll come back with a different face too.”

A final viewer said: “I didn’t even recognize James, I was really hoping Aggie was coming back.”

Will Lorna Laidlaw return to Coronation Street as Aggie?

Given Dee-Dee’s current situation, needing her mum after the Joel drama and her pregnancy, it would be an ideal time for Aggie to return. However, if that happens, it’s likely that it would be another recast, similar to James’ return.

Since leaving Coronation Street, actress Lorna Laidlaw has appeared in projects like The Good Ship Murder and directed a stage adaptation of The Wizard of Oz in Birmingham last year.

During an appearance on the Chicken Soap for the Soul podcast, Lorna shared that she had clashed with producers over how the Bailey family was being portrayed. This makes it seem unlikely that she would be interested in returning to the show.

Lorna explained: “I think they wanted the Baileys to have Jamaican accents, and I questioned that.”

She continued: “I knew it wasn’t truthful. I told them, ‘I would bet 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’re giving them Jamaican accents—it makes them seem like they’ve just come here and sets them further apart from being rooted in Manchester or wherever the show is based.’”

She also discussed Ed and Aggie’s relationship, saying: “Black love is a big thing at the moment, and it’s important to show Black characters being affectionate—actually kissing. Those Black characters never kissed.”

Lorna emphasized, “This family loved each other, and it was important to show that. It’s something that’s often overlooked, and I wanted to ensure that in the soaps, Black families are shown loving each other just like any other family.”

Given these conflicts with the show’s portrayal, it seems less likely that Lorna Laidlaw would return as Aggie.