Debborah "Debbie" Colwell (neé Collins) was the late wife of Reiss Colwell. She made her first appearance on 9 May 2023 and her last appearance on 29 July 2024. She was portrayed by Jenny Meier.
Backstory[]
At some point, Debbie met and married Reiss Colwell, Reiss and Debbie lived together, and planned on having kids, however Reiss found out he was infertile. One day In 2019, shortly after this, Reiss was watching TV while Debbie was having a bath. Debbie was taking longer than usual, so went up to check on her. The two always leave the bathroom door unlocked in case of an emergency, so Reiss was able to get in. When Reiss got in, he discovered Debbie had had a stroke in the bath. Debbie was taken to hospital, and is still unable to move. On 23 July 2024, it’s stated Debbie had pneumonia.
Storylines[]
Debbie first appears in May 2023, when Reiss takes his current girlfriend, Sonia Fowler, to see her to explain himself. He explains what had happened, and Sonia tells Reiss she understands, but she ends it with him as he still lied to her. Reiss later convinces Sonia to take him back, and they visit Debbie again and watch Pointless, which Reiss falls asleep during. Later in July, Reiss is busy so asks Sonia to visit Debbie alone. Sonia found his request weird and confides in Whitney Dean. Sonia also reveals to Whitney she thinks she is pregnant, and Whitney makes her take a test. It comes back negative, and Reiss reveals he’s infertile so she could never have been pregnant. He also says he doesn’t want kids with Sonia as he was trying with Debbie before her stroke, but the two later agree to try and be their own family, with or without kids.
When Sonia's IVF fails, Reiss is then seen visiting Debbie, thanking her for the help she has already gave, but in a vicious twist - Reiss says he has to take the rest of the cash. Bianca Jackson, Sonia's sister, is stood in the doorway, horrified by his actions.
Reiss continues to struggle with his money problems even to the point Sonia puts the house on the market. However, Reiss didn’t know of this and thought that if Debbie was dead - everything would be easier. On 24 July 2024, Reiss is seen suffocating Debbie with her pillow - thus ending her life.
On 29 July 2024, Sonia reveals that she won’t be putting the house on the market. After, some officers come to the house to say the post mortem has been carried out and results are pending. Reiss is paranoid and refuses to see Debbie. After some reluctancy and convincing, Reiss ultimately decides to visit Debbie. He walks into the room, holding her frail hand and slipping one of her rings off, into his pocket. Reiss leaves the room shortly and is shocked to see Debbie’s parents, Brenda and Hugh Collins, asking for answers as to why their daughter died so abruptly.
Brenda expresses her dislike for Reiss, implying that Debbie had been planning to leave him before her stroke and often complained about his strange behaviour. Despite this, Sonia remains supportive of Reiss—until she is arrested on suspicion of Debbie’s murder. Since Sonia had visited Debbie before her death, her DNA is found on the pillow, leading to her being charged and sent to prison to await trial.
During the will reading it is revealed that Debbie had made amendments to her will before her stroke, coma, and death. Reiss was shocked to be told that Debbie had named her parents as her sole beneficiaries, allowing them complete control over her financial assets.
This means that Reiss wouldn't get a penny of her life insurance policy money, he wasn't left empty-handed as Debbie left him with a doll's house, adding: "the dusty old thing it gives me the creeps", hinting she could have been talking about Reiss all along and Brenda was right.
List of appearances[]
2023[]
2024[]
Background information[]
- Debbie is the only character credited in the show with a full name to have never spoken a single line of dialogue.
- It was confirmed on 21 August 2024 that Debbie went into her coma five years prior in 2019.