Corrie's Claire Sweeney opens up on budding romance amid Ricky Hatton dating rumours - 'There's a spark'
Weatherfield troublemaker Cassie Plummer is turning her attention from ex-boss Kevin Webster to soap icon Ken Barlow as she lands a new job – as his carer!
She makes the surprising career change in Coronation Street when she volunteers to look after Ken (William Roache) – who has struggled with his health recently. Once he sees how expensive a professional is, Steve takes Cassie up on her discount offer, despite her lack of qualifications.
While trimming Ken’s toenails is Cassie’s idea of hell, actress Claire Sweeney, who plays her, admits that getting a storyline with William was a real “pinch-me moment”.
“I was very ensconced in the Dobbs’ house with Maureen Lipman and Alan Halsall and then suddenly I heard whispers that I had a storyline with Bill,” she says. “My first day of filming, I just said to him, ‘Look, I’m nervous,’ and he was so kind and warm. I feel so honoured – I’ve only been here a year and I’m so lucky to have this storyline.”
Cassie figures she has what it takes after spending a lot of time looking after her ex. “She never claims to be a qualified carer but they don’t tell Ken that, they let him believe that she is,” Claire says. “He thinks she has had all the checks.”
The pair get off to a rocky start, but Cassie soon starts to win Ken over. “There’s a lovely scene with him where she says, ‘Look, sometimes you’ve got to allow yourself to be helped.’ Over lunch they laugh together and you can see that they are good company for each other,” she says. “She has put a little spring in his step and suddenly she feels useful and appreciated. So it’s worked for both of them.”
The job is a welcome break for Cassie, who was fired from the garage for mocking Kev’s wife Abi Franklin after deep-fake porn videos appeared of her online. “She feels disappointed with her personal life,” Claire says. “That is the reason for her being mean to Abi, it’s just jealousy. She’s not necessarily into Kevin, but she just wants that security of being loved.”
She adds, “She lost her job and for someone with an addiction, a former addict having nothing to do is the worst place to be in – she can’t risk having time on her hands.”
While Cassie’s hopes of romance with Kevin are dashed, Claire teases a potential connection with Steve, played by Simon Gregson. “For a start, he’s available. When Cassie was trying to pinch married Kevin, it was so horrible!” she says. “There’s a spark between her and Steve. He’s an absolute minx when he gets Cassie to cut Ken’s toenails but it’s like she’s the girl he fancies in the playground – you go up and poke her then run away. He’s winding her up all the time but they do become fond of each other.”
She adds, “I don’t know if it will go anywhere at the moment but I’m enjoying working with Simon. He makes me belly laugh on a daily basis.”
And while Steve is splitting from his wife Tracy Barlow, Claire is hoping to see Cassie square up to her.
“I would love to have a scrap on the cobbles!” she laughs. “One of my favourite Corrie scenes is when Eileen and Gail had a fight and so I’d love to have a little scrap. Those scenes are iconic.”
Like the rest of the cast, Claire was rocked by the news that Helen Worth – who has played Gail Platt for 50 years – is leaving the soap. “What a legend! She is Corrie and it’s going to be such a loss,” Claire sighs. “It was obviously what she wanted and good luck to her. It was out of the blue – well for me anyway. I’m sure she’ll have a fabulous storyline before she goes.”
Claire has marked her own one-year anniversary on the show, but she admits that she struggles to watch herself on TV. “I was with a friend the other night and I came on the telly and my friend said, ‘Look you’re on!’ and I had to leave the room,” says Claire, who is rumoured to be dating her Dancing On Ice co-star Ricky Hatton. “I get embarrassed! I can’t sit and watch it with someone, I have to go and put the kettle on.”
As for Cassie’s next steps, the future’s looking bright with her new job and a potential romance. However, Claire is more excited about the chance to get glammed up.
“I want to take her hair down and put curling tongs on it!” she laughs. “I’m doing that one day this week – I get a little glammed up for one scene. I wear lippy, a pair of wedges and put tongs on my hair. How fabulous!”
Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
