TV icon’s explosive Coronation Street exit as star confirms she’s gone
Coronation Street’s Claire Sweeney has confirmed she has filmed her final scenes at the ITV soap.
The star became a household name playing Lindsey Corkhill in Channel 4’s Brookside. She portrayed this character on and off from 1991 until 2003. She’s also featured in reality shows Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother.
Claire joined the cast of Corrie in 2023, as Evelyn Plummer’s (Maureen Lipman) daughter Cassie Plummer.
Mum to Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall), Cassie arrived in Weatherfield when she was battling an addiction to drugs. She managed to get clean though, due to wanting relationships with Tyrone and his children.
As she got settled into Weatherfield life, Cassie began working as Ken Barlow’s (William Roache) carer. They ended up developing quite the unexpected friendship, but things took a dark turn when Cassie learnt that Ken no longer needed someone to look after him.
Not wanting her source of income to stop, Cassie began lacing Ken’s drinks with drugs, and jumped at the chance to care for him whenever he felt unwell. Fortunately, the iconic cobbles resident managed to work out what Cassie was up to and caught her out.
Despite this, the duo remain great friends.
Away from this dynamic, Cassie is regularly seen clashing with Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford). They usually argue over some Barlow-based drama, though Tracy had quite a lot to say when she discovered Cassie was in a relationship with ex-partner Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson).
It was confirmed earlier this year that Claire is leaving her role as Cassie due to joining the cast of Annie. In the stage tour, Claire will portray Miss Hannigan.
It appears it won’t be long until we see Cassie depart the cobbles, as Claire has shared the news that she’s filmed her final scenes.
‘I didn’t realise until my last day of filming how I actually felt’, the actress, 55, said as she reflected on her goodbye from the show.
Adding to her chat with Ireland AM, Claire said: ‘My job has always been so transient. With theatre, you do a job, nine months is a long run, which I’m doing this time. Or it could be a four-month run, and you love each other for that time, and you move on. Some people stick. It’s like a train, isn’t it? People get on in your life, and the train moves on.
‘Corrie, because I’ve been there three years, you know Alan Halsall has become part of the family. Simon Gregson, Kate Ford, Ellie [Mulvaney], the crew, they’ve all become like family, and it was hard saying goodbye. It was very, very emotional.’
Claire said that she felt ‘very blessed’ and has been given the ‘most wonderful exit storyline.’
Adding that she ‘couldn’t have asked for better’, the actress teased that the departure will be ‘explosive’!
When news of Claire’s exit was revealed, a Coronation Street spokesperson told Metro: ‘We wish Claire every success playing Miss Hannigan and congratulate her on being offered a role she has long wanted to play.
‘Cassie will be on the cobbles until the summer during which time she will continue to make her presence felt in Weatherfield leading up to a great exit storyline.’
