Coronation Street cast member Channique Sterling-Brown, who plays Dee-Dee Bailey on the ITV soap, has given insights into her life off-screen on social media and in interviews
Channique Sterling-Brown is known for her as solicitor Dee-Dee Bailey on ITV’s Coronation Street, with the character having made her debut back in 2022.
Dee-Dee has been caught up in a tumultuous storyline involving Joel Deering, played by Calum Lill, who’s been leading a double life. The plot thickened when previously missing teenager Lauren Bolton (Cait Fitton), whom he has fathered a child with, reappeared on the street, prompting him to scheme to send her away to safeguard his relationship with Dee-Dee. However, his tangled web of deceit started to come apart, with her realising he’s baby Frankie’s dad, as reported by the Liverpool Echo.
Off-screen, though, Calum and Channique are “best friends” at work. Calum wrote earlier this month: “Appreciation post for [Channique]. Thank you for being my best mate at work and taking me under your wing since day one of me joining the show.” She replied: “Someone’s getting soft in their old age. Thanks for being my work bestie always.”
Channique seems to have formed strong connections with some of her co-stars too, often sharing glimpses of her life beyond the set on social media. Her Instagram is peppered with images from holidays, nights out, and moments with fellow Corrie cast members.
The 27-year-old appears particularly close to Tanisha Gorey, who plays Asha Alahan. The duo recently basked in the sun during a holiday in Mallorca over the summer, enjoying beach days and dining out together.
Channique is thought to also be a keen runner and has participated in the Great Manchester Run 10k alongside colleagues. She posted celebratory photos from the event, which raises funds for charity, in May this year. Calum, Peter Ash, Colson Smith, Elle Mulvaney, Harriet Bibby and others joined her.
Born in London, Channique relocated to Halifax, West Yorks, during her teenage years, as OK! magazine reports. After earning a BA Honours in Acting from the University of Central Lancashire, she moved to Manchester in 2018. During the pandemic, she worked 12-hour shifts testing for Covid, which allowed her time off for auditions. Currently, she’s said to volunteer at her local Samaritans branch in Manchester and sings in a band at her local church.
For her portrayal of Dee-Dee, Channique received the British Soap Award for Best Newcomer at the 2023 awards ceremony. However, this wasn’t always the role she had in mind. She once auditioned for the role of Naomi Walters in Emmerdale, which eventually went to Karene Peter. Since landing the role of Dee-Dee, Channique revealed that the children at the Sunday School, where she teaches, have been “surprised” by her fame.
Speaking to the Mirror, she relayed an interaction from her local church: “I was in church the other day and a woman came up to me and said, ‘Oh my goodness, we were in Tesco and my son started screaming because you were on the front cover of one of the magazines’. She said ‘I didn’t know you were a celebrity.’ I said, ‘I’m not a celebrity, I’m just Chan’. She literally just knew me because I work with the kids at church.”
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