Coronation Street star Dolly-Rose Campbell explains Gemma's big protest story

 Gemma will stage a sit-in at school after a teacher dismisses BSL.

Coronation Street star Dolly-Rose Campbell has given fans an insight into her character's big protest storyline.

In upcoming scenes, Campbell's Gemma Winter will stage an impromptu sit-in after Joseph gets sent home from school for having used BSL at playtime.

"The teacher's reason is that he could have been signing something rude or swear words and she wouldn't have known and that the children in general are not allowed to use other languages," Campbell explained.

Gemma has made an effort for everyone in their family to learn how to sign to include Aled, who had been diagnosed with hearing loss in 2020.

"She has encouraged and been the driving force of the family to learn sign language, to keep practising to keep using it with all the children to support Aled and that includes Joseph," the actress said.

"Gemma feels that the teacher is being unfair sending Joseph home and she feels that he wouldn't have been sent home if he was speaking maybe Spanish or something.

"She feels like it is an audist action and very ignorant of the teacher to discriminate against Joseph in this way. She is worried about how it will be when Aled goes to school and will there be support there for him."

Gemma then enlists the help of her mum Bernie (Jane Hazlegrove) and they go to Joseph's school to talk to the teacher who had been dismissive of the boy's BSL skills.

"Their plan is to tackle the teacher about it and get her to apologise and make it so Joseph can use his sign language skills in future," she said.

"They even offer to help set up an after school class that Gemma would volunteer at but the teacher just dismisses the idea saying she hasn't got the time, she hasn't got the money to be teaching sign language and she has got other priorities."

Following the conversation, Gemma has no intention to back off and takes her protest onto the next level.

"At that point things get out of hand and Gemma and Bernie sort of accidentally end up staging a sit-in and barricade themselves in the classroom," Campbell said.

"Then they realise that Michael is in there as he was waiting to see the teacher about enrolling Glory – but he did have cake with him so it wasn't all bad and he was a very welcome addition to the team. He ended up joining the protest and spending the whole night with them playing ScaleXtric."

Will Gemma get her way and change the teacher's mind?

Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and streams on ITVX.