Bernie ‘absolutely devastated’ in Coronation Street as she fears more of her children will die

Actress Jane Hazlegrove revealed that Bernie is ‘terrified for her children’. (Picture: ITV) Bernie Winter (Jane Hazlegrove) might look harder than three day old barm cakes in Coronation Street, but inside, she’s breaking apart. Family is everything to the no-nonsense mistress of Roy’s Rolls. She may have a motley crew of kids including not-exactly-law-abiding copper Kit Green (Jacob Roberts) , the delightfully ditzy Gemma Winter (Dolly-Rose Campbell), and her teenage tearaway grandson Brody Michaelis (Ryan Mulvey). However, Bernie is a fiercely protective mama bear who is not afraid to get her claws out to defend her kids. This is perhaps because she has already experienced the devastating ordeal of losing a child, when her son Paul Foreman’s (Peter Ash) tragically lost his long battle with Motor Neurone Disease. Losing Paul left Bernie distraught. (Picture: ITV) Now it seems that Bernie could be about to experience the death of another child, after receiving the troubling news that the BRCA gene, commonly linked with breast cancer, runs in the Winter family. Carrying a familial BRCA (Breast Cancer) gene mutation means inheriting a harmful change in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes from a parent, which significantly raises your lifetime risk of developing certain cancers. While Bernie and Gemma were worried enough to get tested, little did they know that Kit had already got tested in private… and was rocked to be diagnosed with stage three breast cancer. Kit’s cancer diagnosis will have huge consequences for the Winters. (Picture: ITV) Now Bernie is forced to confront her children’s mortality yet again, as well as her own, actor Jane Hazlegrove gives us a sneak peek into her character’s reaction to this family health crisis. ‘I don’t think she can believe it, honestly. She’s determined to do absolutely everything she can to stop it. Even when Kit points out that there’s nothing she can do about a gene pool, she is adamant that they won’t go through this again. She’s trying to keep the whole family together, which is very much her role.’ Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. She’ll have her work cut out there. Bernie and Kit have a less than smooth relationship at the best of times, partially because Kit was given up for adoption at birth, partially because his real name is ‘Zodiac’. When the Winter family must go to hospital, there’s a blazing row where she accuses Kit of being negative – only to get an upsetting reminder of her son Paul’s death. Jane Hazelgrove spills the tea. ‘She’s gone in for the test and is determined to remain positive. While she’s in the room, the technician reminds her of Paul—he’s even wearing a name badge that says ‘Paul.’ ‘She becomes convinced that her angel is by her side, and she voices this in her slightly deluded, high-octane way. Kit completely slams her for it; he doesn’t pull his punches and calls her a ‘deluded fool’. Bernie is struggling to keep Clan Winter together. (Picture: ITV) Everything comes to a head when Kit finally confesses his breast cancer diagnosis. Jane reveals how Bernie reacts to the news. ‘She is absolutely devastated. She can’t believe he didn’t tell her what he was going through all that time. But then, she draws a parallel to her own secretive gene. She realises they have things in common because they are both very good at hiding and avoiding, and perhaps turning the occasional white lie into the truth. She just cannot accept that this is happening to him.’ But the reality soon sinks in when Bernie realises that her children are at risk. ‘The minute he says he has it, she knows she must be a carrier, because it can’t skip a generation. Her next fear is for Gemma, the quads, and Brody.’ ‘She’s terrified for her children. It’s a lot of turmoil; she’s having nightmares. She’s feeling that ‘mother lion’ instinct, she’s said, ‘if I could take it, I would,’ which echoes things she said to Paul. It’s a path that’s well-traveled for her.’ Breast cancer in males Common symptoms can include A painless lump or swelling under the nipple or areola. An inverted or retracted nipple that turns inward. Nipple discharge or bleeding. Skin dimpling, puckering, or scaling on the chest. Sores (ulcers) on the chest or nipple area. Risk factors include Older age, most frequently diagnosed in men in their 60s. Inherited BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations. High oestrogen levels linked to obesity or liver disease. Genetic conditions such as Klinefelter syndrome. Statistics Around 400 to 420 men are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK every year. For comparison, roughly 59,000 women are diagnosed annually. Approximately 1 in 870 men in the UK will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. There are around 85 deaths from male breast cancer each year in the UK. Since the early 1970s, male breast cancer mortality rates have decreased by about 47%. While breast cancer diagnoses in UK women have risen by roughly a quarter since the early 1990s, incidence rates in men have remained stable. What does the future hold for Bernie? Will she and the family endure? We’re talking about a woman who has survived the death of her own son and a crazed stalker who was obsessed with her. Surely Bern can weather any storm with her kids by her side and her fella, Dev Alahan (Jimmi Harkishin). Does Jane have any idea of what’s next for this classic Corrie character. Panic not. Jane insists that it might be a hard road ahead, but in a battle of Bernie versus cancer, cancer’s coming home with a black eye. She has some massive decisions to make. For a woman pushing 60, deciding to lose her breasts is huge, especially because she and Dev are such a physical couple. But she has about a 70% chance of developing breast cancer, and she wants to be around for her grandkids and the quads.’ ‘She’s determined to stick around. She’s not sure what the psychological effects of the surgery will be, but she has to make a decision and she says “I’m still going to be me.” It’s going to be a long road, but she’s not going anywhere.’ Deals of the Day An Instagram mattress left me with back pain – this one completely changed my mind Book Val d'Isère, Val Thorens and Tignes for less in Club Med's ski sale Save 25% on red light therapy masks, sauna blankets and sleep gadgets in Bon Charge sale The viral LED face mask with over 350 lights that's currently discounted by £100 A friend said I looked 'snatched' – I credit this new Charlotte Tilbury powder The Soaps Newsletter – Weekly Sign up for exclusive spoilers and interviews, handpicked by our Soaps Editor.