Coronation Street enthusiasts are convinced they've cracked the case on who murdered Joel Deering and it appears to be none other than one of the youngest residents of Weatherfield. Speculation is rife that Hope Stape could be the culprit behind the sinister act after she was embroiled in a vaping scandal, which involved her distributing disposable e-cigarettes at school. Viewers are now suggesting that the "only way" Joel's demise could be plausible is if Hope played a part in it.

Hope discovered Lauren's necklace in Joel's vehicle, but the theory among fans is that he attempted to silence his victim by luring her with vapes. Despite being caught pilfering from the corner shop, Hope had a secret supply of the contraband. A Reddit user posited: "The only way this storyline will work is if it's Hope.

Joel tried to manipulate and control Hope by sneaking her vapes, but then he ends up out of his depth with her and eventually, of course, dead." In a lighter vein, another fan joked about an upcoming scene: "Next episode, Fiz falls out with Tyrone. 'It was Joel who started it Ty, don't go too hard on her!'", reports the Liverpool Echo .

The consensus seems to be building, with one fan commenting: "I'd believe you if he burned to death...

" while another exclaimed: "Oh my god, this is actually brilliant and not surprised if it was a storyline at all." Meanwhile, a different commenter expressed their anticipation: "I need this to happen!" Switching over to X, the successor to Twitter.