Tracy Shaw played Maxine Peacock in Coronation Street and her character was killed off the show in 2003 – but now the actress is leading a very different life with her two sons

A former Coronation Street star, who was tragically killed off on the show, is now living a peaceful life with her two sons and adorable dogs, while also making a return to acting. As the bubbly hairdresser Maxine Peacock from 1995 to 2003, she became one of the soap’s most memorable characters. For actress Tracy Shaw, now 51, it’s likely been her most significant role so far, featuring in some major storylines.

The beautiful, curly blonde-haired Maxine had romantic entanglements with characters like Curly Watts, Des Barnes, Andy McDonald and Tony Horrocks. She tied the knot with the charming butcher Ashley Peacock, played by Steven Arnold, but met a tragic end when she was murdered by serial killer Richard Hillman.

The TV baddie had intended to kill Emily Bishop, so he broke into Ashley and Maxine’s house on a night when Emily was babysitting Joshua. Richard had planned to make it look like the elderly woman was killed during a break-in, but Maxine came home early and saw Richard striking Emily with a crowbar. She attempted to flee upstairs, but Richard ended her life by hitting her multiple times with the crowbar, reports the Mirror.

During her stint on Corrie, she was also a favourite in lad’s mags and bagged the Rear of the Year award in 1996. She even launched a short-lived pop career in 1998, releasing two singles, Ridin’ High and a cover of Lonnie Gordon’s Happenin’ All Over Again.

After leaving Corrie, Tracy took on the role of Sally in the stage play The Blue Room, alongside Jason Connery, son of cinema legend Sean.

In her personal life, Tracy had high-profile relationships, including one with actor and singer Darren Day. She married TV producer Robert Ashworth, but they divorced in 2001. She later settled down with her childhood friend Ashley Poundall, with whom she has two teenage sons, Louis and Luca.

Tracy revealed on Loose Women in 2019 that since leaving her high-profile role on the ITV soap, she’s taken several breaks from the limelight to spend time with her children. She shared: “It was a huge pressure just because of the viewing figures [of Coronation Street]. When I had Louie, I used to take him out for a walk with Angela [Griffin] with the pushchairs and it just didn’t feel right to have photographers take pictures of the boys and they haven’t got a choice in this.”

Nowadays, Tracy’s social media is a window into her world. She classifies herself as “single” and a “survivor”, often capturing moments with her two German Shepherd dogs on their daily strolls. In 2021, she offered fans a glimpse behind the curtains, sharing a selfie taken during the staging of her theatrical piece, The Cat and the Canary, where she dazzled in the starring role of Annabelle.

More recently, snaps emerged of Tracy in the buzzing environment of Molinare’s recording studio. Though she’s kept quiet about her latest venture, by tagging “#film” and “#directorArabella”, she’s definitely sparked intrigue amongst her followers.