ITV Coronation Street’s Claire Sweeney admits nerves around filming with ‘fascinating’ legend
Cassie Plummer (Claire Sweeney) bags herself a new job in Coronation Street next week.
The Barlows find themselves at a bit of a loss soon when topic of conversation turns to a carer for Ken Barlow (William Roache). Recently, the beloved face suffered a fall and ended up in hospital, and then reluctantly accepted he would need help from someone while he got back on his feet.
In the pub, as Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard), Amy Barlow (Elle Mulvaney) and Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) how they are going to afford a carer, Cassie pipes up and says she’ll help Ken for a fraction of the price.
Cassie then makes her way to Number 1 for her first shift, where Steve tells Ken that Cassie was hired through a professional agency.
Seeing Cassie alongside the Barlows is certainly a surprise and for Claire Sweeney, she has absolutely adored working alongside the icon that is William Roache:
‘I feel so honoured, I have only been here a year and I am so lucky to have this storyline’, she told us.
‘We did a scene together on his 92nd birthday. He has this shine in his eyes and he never drops a line. He is so great. I’m thinking if I can just hang out with him and get a little bit of that elixir or whatever his secret is. I’m fascinated by him and I love talking to him. I have been a longtime fan of the show and I love all the history of Corrie as well.
Fascinated about the history of Coronation Street, Claire added: ‘I have been asking him questions about the rehearsals in the old days. What would the women wear? Was there a hierarchy? What was the pecking order? And I get them to tell me all these amazing stories.
‘He’s fascinating. And then what’s amazing when they say action, I just see this complete calm, come over him. And everything’s easy and slow and laid back and he just really is brilliant.’
Within this narrative, a moment occurs that sees Ken discover Cassie isn’t actually a qualified carer at all, and that she’s just doing a favour for the family.
‘She tells him she understands if he would prefer her to go but he says “no stay and we will go for some lunch”. Over lunch they laugh together and you can see that they are good company for each other’, Claire explained.
‘You will see them playing cards together and having lots of banter, it is a while since Ken has really laughed like that. She has kind of put a little spring in his step. And suddenly she feels useful and appreciated. So it’s worked for both of them. There is no father figure in her life either.
Highlighting Cassie’s unexpected connection with Steve that also develops over the next few weeks, Claire added: ‘She’s just genuinely enjoying helping and then she’s also kind of enjoying the banter with Steve. That comes into play as well.
‘Simon and I were talking about it and they are like young kids in the playground, when the boy you fancy comes up and annoys you and runs away, that’s what it is, it’s as basic as that.
‘Classic rom com stuff and it will be interesting to see that develop. For a gag to wind her up he even tells her she has to cut Ken’s toenails!’
