Coronation Street star Claire Sweeney has revealed her disappointment that her onscreen mother Maureen Lipman was not present for her final scenes as Cassie Plummer. The actress, 55, admitted that the absence of Evelyn Plummer (Maureen Lipman) made her goodbye to Weatherfield feel incomplete.
Cassie's dramatic exit storyline
Cassie Plummer's final episodes air next week, following a failed attempt to oust her predatory ex-boyfriend Ross Wilkes (Ian Burfield). Her plan to spike Ross's smoothie with crushed tablets to make him fail a drug test backfired when her fiancé Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) discovered the scheme. Steve immediately ended their relationship, and her son Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall) threw her out of the family home.
Devastated and with no reason to stay, Cassie takes a job as a cleaner on a cruise ship. However, just as she is about to leave, Ross arrives and offers her a lift. Reluctantly, she accepts, only for Ross to lock the doors and speed off into the distance, leaving her fate ambiguous.
Claire Sweeney reflects on her final scenes
Speaking exclusively to Metro, Sweeney explained that her actual last day on set did not feel like a true ending. 'It's funny because my very last scene—the one where I'm driving away—was actually filmed two or three weeks before I finished. Because of that, it didn't feel like a true ending. For me, the final scene in the Dobbs house felt like the real goodbye because that's where I started with Alan, Jennie (Fiz Dobbs), and the kids.'
However, she noted the absence of Maureen Lipman, who plays the acid-tongued Evelyn. 'I missed Maureen Lipman so much; I would have loved for her to have been there for that,' Sweeney said.
Maureen Lipman's reduced screen time
Maureen Lipman, 80, has reduced her Coronation Street appearances to star in a new production called Allegra, a music and comedy show by Peter Quilter. The production launched during her 80th birthday celebrations and will tour the UK before a West End run. Lipman previously told the Mirror that she would only return to Corrie for a 'proper storyline'. 'I love Corrie but I don't know when I am going back,' she said. 'I said, 'I will come back, but you will have to give me a proper storyline.' I am not just coming back to stand in the Rovers Return and say, 'I'm back'. Who cares?'
Cassie's history and redemption
Evelyn played an integral role in Cassie's storyline. It has been barely a year since Tyrone first met his mother, who had abandoned him at a police station as a child. Cassie struggled with addiction for many years before finally getting clean and becoming the mother Tyrone needed. Throughout her journey, Evelyn was the stern hand that guided her.
Favourite final scenes
Sweeney also shared her favourite moment from her final episodes: the proposal scene with Simon Gregson. 'Another moment that really stands out was the proposal scene with Simon Gregson. It was so brilliantly written—it managed to be funny, poignant, and everything in between. It really captured that full-circle moment, moving from when Cassie arrived as a 'baddie' to the redemption she eventually found.'
Sadly, that love story was cut short by the arrival of Tyrone's long-lost father Ross, who is hiding the truth that he paid to sleep with Cassie when she was 15 years old. Ross has already threatened to kill Cassie, and her ambiguous exit leaves fans wondering if he has made good on his threat.
The new villain: Ross Wilkes
Sweeney described Ross as a 'smiling assassin'. 'Oh, he's a 'smiling assassin',' she said. 'He is so good at that charm, but there's a chilling quality to him when the cameras are off. I remember a scene we filmed in the Ginnell where he had me up against the wall; he was truly terrifying. Cassie is a survivor, though. When she tries to get rid of him—even with the crushed tablets—it isn't because she's inherently malicious; it's a survival mechanism.'
She added: 'She knows he's bad news and that he's fooling everyone, especially Tyrone. She doesn't necessarily want to hurt him; she just desperately wants to get rid of him before he causes more damage.'
Potential return to Weatherfield
Assuming Cassie is still alive, she is primed for a comeback. Sweeney left the soap after landing the role of Miss Hannigan in Annie The Musical, but she is eager to return. 'I would love to come back,' she said. 'There was no other reason for me to leave other than getting the part of Miss Hannigan. I was genuinely so happy on Corrie. I loved the work, the people, and the routine—it really is like a family. I only left because a project I've been working toward for 15 years finally came to fruition, and I simply couldn't turn it down.'
Sweeney ensured a smooth exit by speaking to producer Kate Brooks six or seven months in advance. 'I made sure to speak to our lovely producer, Kate, six or seven months in advance, so the team had plenty of time to craft a proper exit. I think that planning really shows in the story.'
