Cassie Plummer (Claire Sweeney) issues a stark warning to Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford) in Coronation Street this week, as Tracy begins a dangerous new romance with Ross Wilkes (Ian Burfield). Ross is the father of Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall) and a figure from Cassie's past whom she knows to be extremely bad news.
Cassie's hatred for Tracy runs deep
Cassie's animosity toward Tracy has been a defining feature of her time on the cobbles. It began when Cassie cared for Tracy's father, Ken Barlow (William Roache), and began lacing his tea with antihistamine to increase his reliance on her, before ultimately stealing from him. When Ken discovered the truth, he suffered a heart attack and was rushed to hospital. Tracy thirsted for vengeance, but Ken decided against pressing charges after hearing that Fiz and Tyrone had kicked Cassie out, reasoning that she had already lost everything. Tracy, however, attempted to bring on a relapse by trying to seduce Cassie with a bag of drugs while delighting in her homelessness.
The spark with Steve McDonald fuels the feud
Cassie's relationship with Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) has further inflamed tensions. Tracy, who has married Steve twice and shares a daughter with him, has made it her mission to destroy their bond. When Cassie first tried to propose to Steve, the proposal was ruined by the death of Steve's father, Jim McDonald. Tracy delighted in the failure and made her feelings known. A second proposal was also affected by Tracy, who listened in when Steve failed to disconnect a call with Tim Metcalfe (Joe Duttine), allowing her to overhear everything.
Ross Wilkes returns as a threat
This week, Ross Wilkes resurfaces after being tracked down by Hope and Ruby (Isabella Flanagan and Billie Naylor) as a birthday gift, using a sample of Tyrone's DNA. Ross quickly befriends Tracy, and they end up spending the night together. Cassie, knowing Ross's dangerous history, decides that her concern over Ross trumps her hatred of Tracy. She approaches her enemy with a stern warning: Ross is incredibly bad news. According to the actress Claire Sweeney, Cassie is genuinely worried for Tracy despite their feud. "Cassie knows what Ross is capable of, and she can't stand by and let Tracy walk into danger," Sweeney said in an interview.
Will Tracy listen?
The question remains whether Tracy will heed Cassie's warning. Given their history of bitter exchanges and Tracy's relentless attempts to undermine Cassie, it seems unlikely that Tracy will take the advice seriously. However, the stakes are high, and Ross's presence could bring explosive consequences for everyone involved.
