Carl Webster’s cheating looks set to finally be exposed on Coronation Street later this month, when Abi spots a text on his phone from his secret lover James Bailey. The pair’s shock fling might now be over, but after a series of catastrophic slip ups, will Carl’s string of lies be exposed in spectacular fashion?

And if so, how will Abi feel about the life-changing decision she made to cut ties with Kevin in favour of Carl?

“Abi has no idea that Carl was sleeping with James alongside their own affair,” our Corrie source reminds us. “It would kill her to know that she ended her marriage for a man who’s messing her around, but the devastating truth could be just around the corner…”

There’s a difficult time ahead for James, who is blindsided when his sister Dee-Dee drops a couple of life-changing bombshells relating to her new job and upcoming departure from the cobbles.

Friday’s episode (5 December) sees Dee-Dee confide in her friend Alya Nazir about how she’s moving to Singapore for a new career opportunity. And although she’s being secretive for now, it’s only a matter of time before she has to tell her family…

Later this month, James realises that after a few too many drinks following Dee-Dee’s revelations, he sent a cheeky text to Carl.

Regretting his error under the influence, James tells Carl to ignore the text, as he was drunk and it was a terrible mistake. But to his horror, he finds out why Carl never actually received it…

“Carl’s lost his phone,” our spy explains. “It’s panic stations for Carl and James, who desperately try to locate the missing device before Abi gets her hands on it.

“Thankfully, Carl later finds his mobile, but there’s another twist in the tale…”

Carl grasps his phone and sneaks a look at James’ text – but Abi looks over his shoulder at that very moment.

We know Carl can talk his way out of almost anything, but just how will he explain this one?

Speaking to us previously about Corrie‘s Christmas storylines, show producer Kate Brooks teased: “We’ve got the Websters. You’ve got Tyrone and Fiz, and the Abi/Carl/James story is all still going on. Abi hasn’t got a scooby that that’s happening!

“Also, Tyrone still doesn’t know the truth about Carl and the car. So there are things which are bubbling – and ready to kick off…”