Corrie's Abi star says it's 'unlikely' she'll win custody battle after shock birth

Coronation Street fans were left in shock on Sunday (March 6) as Abi Webster went into labour – without even knowing she was pregnant.

The mum-of-three feared she could be pregnant last year after an affair with Imran Habeeb – but later dismissed her concerns as she knew what being pregnant felt like.

However, she didn’t actually take a pregnancy test.

And now it looks like Abi could be plunged into a custody battle after losing both her twins to social services, before they moved abroad to Australia.

With her other son Seb’s death wreaking havoc on Abi’s life and her marriage to Kevin near destruction, it’s no surprise she’d be tempted to turn back to drugs – and lawyer Imran, tasked to help her out with the case, knows that.

And now actress Sally Carman has confirmed to Daily Star and other press that it’s “highly unlikely” Abi will get to keep custody of her new baby – named Alfie after Seb’s favourite teddy bear.

Opening up about the coming storyline, Sally confirmed that Abi does a runner from the hospital and heads back to Weatherfield to “pretend like nothing ever happened”.

She revealed: “I think [Abi runs] for the same reasons she gave up the twins, because she doesn’t believe she can look after [baby Alfie] properly.

“From her point of view she’s already failed this baby and he’s only just been born, and she’s completely wrecked the start of his life – and in her head she’s got nothing to offer him.

“She’s messed up him being born too soon – probably because of the drugs – she has no home anymore, no relationship, no prospects and no job. What can she possibly do for this child, other than give him a chance by giving him up?”

Sally added that though Abi would love to keep custody of Alfie “in an ideal world”, it’s “highly unlikely” to happen.

She said: “I think in an ideal world she’d love it to just be her and Alfie. They can start afresh, and she can prove to him and to herself that she can be a good mum and provide a loving, safe environment, and she could right a lot of wrongs doing that.

“I don’t think she wants Imran involved in any way, but she’s utterly grateful for him helping her keep Alfie – because she knows on paper it doesn’t look good and it’s highly unlikely.

“I think equally, though, the more Imran helps, the more she realises he has got Alfie’s best interests at heart as well as hers, so she’s also open to the idea of him being involved.”

And Abi’s status as a scrappy woman ready to fight for what she believes in means she’ll do whatever it takes to get the best for Alfie.

She explained: “For all the life knocks she’s taken, Abi is such a fighter. If there’s a grain of hope or a crack of light then she will dive for it.

“So in this instance, when she’s on the side of a road after being in what was basically a little car kidnapping she’s got two choices, and it just doesn’t occur to her to lie down and go, ‘This is it’.

“She goes into fight mode. It does actually take a while for her to realise she’s having a baby, because she thinks she’s just got backache or slept funny.

“It’s the contractions that clue her in, because she’s had three children she knows – but there’s also an element of denial right up until the last point, and she’s thinking, ‘This just can’t be happening’. It’s a complete surprise.”

And what about her new husband Kevin – who fled with son Jack when he realised Abi had cheated on him?

Sally said: “The idea of [reconciling with Kevin] is definitely there, but Abi has to put it on a back burner because it’s too painful.

“There’s also an element of if she can prove she’s a good mum and get herself right and bring up this baby – and if Kevin can witness that – then it might open the possibility of them being a family unit.

“She absolutely adores Kevin and Jack, and she knows that love just doesn’t die like that. So she’s ever hopeful that there are still feelings there – but it’s way too early for her to even consider that, because she’s focused entirely on Alfie.”

Coronation Street airs from 8pm Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on ITV.

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk