ITV Coronation Street's Claire Sweeney teases Cassie's downfall as 'the stakes are higher'
Coronation Street's Cassie Plummer, played by Claire Sweeney, is on the brink of losing it all as she drugs Kevin Barlow in a desperate bid to rob him - and the character could even face legal repercussions.
Tyrone Dobbs' wayward mum has gradually made her mark on Coronation Street after a rocky start, forming a close bond with the Barlow clan and particularly with Weatherfield veteran Ken Barlow, portrayed by William Roache.
Fans of the ITV soap will recall that Cassie, brought to life by Brookside's Claire Sweeney, was employed by Ken as his carer but recent scenes have seen her job hanging by a thread, leading her to dose Ken with an antihistamine and pilfer money from him in a frantic attempt to maintain her cushy lifestyle.
READ MORE: Coronation Street's Cassie Plummer to 'steal' from Tracy Barlow after 'nicking her husband'
"She’s just gone into survival mode", reveals actress Claire Sweeney, insisting that Cassie’s actions aren't personal. "She hates herself for it. She absolutely adores him and nobody’s ever shown her kindness like he has." However, her justification might not hold up in court, where Cassie could end up if someone close to Ken uncovers her scheme.
"Tracy has been onto her from the beginning", Claire remembers. "Tracy will go to any lengths to destroy Cassie. In a way, Cassie’s nicked her husband, although she’s with Tommy, she’s nicked her father’s affections, and taken her place in that house. We know Tracy is capable of some terrible things and she’s also met her match with Cassie. Cassie’s not a wallflower."
Claire opened up about her character's fate on the show, revealing: "There are going to be consequences for her actions but I think the stakes are higher, because she was so happy with the Barlows, she’s part of a community, of a neighbourhood, she's got friends, a lover."
"She adores Ken so you're really going to see what she's got to lose. When she first came in, you didn’t know. She’s losing a whole lifestyle." Discussing possible legal troubles for Cassie, Claire said: "Potentially! It’s legal, emotional, everything."
While Cassie's drama unfolds on Coronation Street, off-screen, Claire juggles her time to be with her son Jaxon, aged 10. "The thing with Corrie, when you’re busy, you’re busy", she says, noting the ebb and flow of screen time.
"But then it’s someone else’s turn on the roundabout and you get a bit of time out." To make the most of her hectic schedule, she ensures they have superb weekends together. "What I do at the moment, when I’m busy, I just make sure we have fantastic weekends together. We’ve just been on holiday for the new year and it’s like mum on steroids."
Claire is grateful that Jaxon "understands" the demands of her career: "Jaxon is understanding. As soon as he was born, I became a working mum. A single working mum. And he understands that Mum has got to work."
