Cassie Plummer (Claire Sweeney) was an absolute mess when she first arrived in Coronation Street. Deep in the grip of a drug addiction, she tracked down her mother, Evelyn Plummer (Maureen Lipman), to Weatherfield, the home of the son taken from her as a teenager: Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall). After an overdose left her critical, Evelyn ensured Cassie went to rehab, and they later rented a flat together at the precinct. Though Evelyn wanted Cassie to keep her identity from Tyrone until she was certain she wouldn't relapse, it proved impossible, and Cassie revealed she was his mother.
As mother and son tried to make up for lost time, Cassie's dark side re-emerged when she began caring for Ken Barlow (William Roache). Desperate for him to remain dependent on her, she laced his tea with antihistamines and stole from him. When he confronted her, he suffered a heart attack, and Cassie became a pariah in the community for targeting the elderly legend, despite her genuine guilt. Kicked out by Tyrone, Evelyn returned from university to sort her out again. Sleeping rough and with vengeful Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford) trying to trigger a relapse, Cassie hit rock bottom until Evelyn orchestrated a reunion with Tyrone, and Cassie began to fall for Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson).
Claire Sweeney's Exit and Possible Return
Claire announced her departure from Coronation Street in January to return to musical theatre, taking on the role of Miss Hannigan in the UK tour of Annie. Last week, she confirmed she had filmed her final scenes. But could Cassie come back? Would Claire return?
"If the stars aligned, I'd definitely come back. Why wouldn't I? Miss Hannigan is my dream role, but I've absolutely loved being at Coronation Street too!"
The saddest part of her exit, according to Claire, is not getting to become Steve McDonald's eighth wife. "I feel cheated! I'd have loved to have married him. Si is a joy to work with. I remember saying to him really excitedly 'oh God! Imagine if we get married!' But he just rolled his eyes and said 'not again.' I felt really pushed out!" she joked.
Explosive Exit Storyline
Teasing her exit story, which has been promised to be 'explosive', Claire told The Mirror: "She'd finally got the stability and the family life she'd been craving. And Ross comes in and he totally turns her son's head." Ross is Tyrone's father, who impregnated her when she was a teenage prostitute funding her drug habit.
"It took her long enough to be accepted. She knows that Ross is a wrong 'un and she knows the impact he will have, not only on her and her security, but also on everyone around her. She knows what he's about. He's dangerous, but people don't see it, because he's very good at covering it up. She's in love with Steve McDonald and Ross is opening a can of worms that she doesn't want Steve, Tyrone or anyone on the cobbles knowing about. She's started to be liked and to be accepted, so it's really sad. But it's the most fantastic exit storyline, I couldn't have wished for more."
Leaving the Cobbles
How does Claire feel about leaving? "You're part of a family at Coronation Street, you feel safe and protected and leaving is like stepping out into the big, wide world again. It feels like I've broken up with a boyfriend I'm still in love with. I've loved Corrie and leaving bears no reflection on the job, the people and the work. It was just that my phone pinged and it was the producer of Annie saying 'right, do you want to do Miss Hannigan.' I'd been hounding him for years for this part and I just thought – 'if I don't do it now, it might never come again. But I think it's the hardest job I've ever had to leave and my exit is very sad; I had a little weep over my leaving scenes. I got quite emotional."
While fans will remember Cassie for years, Claire took a tangible memento: Cassie's trainers. "I always like to nick something from a job. When I was in the West End in Guys and Dolls, I nicked my pink frilly knickers! So, I've taken my very battered trainers from my first scene as Cassie."
