Claire Sweeney joined the cast of ITV soap Coronation Street as Cassie Plummer in 2023, and viewers have since seen her character attempt to poison a fan favourite

Coronation Street star Claire Sweeney has responded to criticism from viewers after her character Cassie Plummer tried to “poison” Ken Barlow. In the storyline, Cassie, who was caring for Ken, attempted to mix his medication to keep him reliant on her, but her plan went wrong, landing Ken in hospital.

Claire, 53, revealed that she has faced an angry backlash from fans over the storyline, with many defending the beloved character, played by 92-year-old Bill Roache. In an interview with Best magazine, Claire said: “When I tell people I’m poisoning Ken Barlow, they’re like: ‘You can’t do that.’ I’ve had lots of people saying to me: ‘Oh you leave Ken alone!'”

She continued: “He’s almost like royalty. There’s a real love and affection for him because he’s been around for so many years.”

Claire Sweeney’s Cassie left Corrie favourite Ken Barlow in hospital s(Image: ITV)

Despite Cassie’s sinister actions, Claire insists she has a deep affection for Bill in real life, describing him as “sharp” and praising his professionalism on set, where he “never drops his lines” and has “eyes that twinkle”.

Claire, known for playing Lindsey Corkhill in Brookside, has been a familiar face on TV since 1991, hitting over 1,600 episodes during her tenure on the show. Her career includes stints on Celebrity Big Brother, Strictly Come Dancing and most recently, Dancing on Ice.

However, landing a role on Corrie was always Claire’s “dream job”. She used to say it was the one show she yearned to join when walking the red carpets, but felt it was “so out of reach” for a long time, reports Lancs Live.

In an unexpected turn, her dream became a reality in 2023, coinciding with the announcement that she would compete on Dancing on Ice. Reflecting on her journey, Claire said: “Two years ago I thought I’d have the best days of my career. Then Corrie and Dancing on Ice both happened – and then suddenly I’m in a different place.”

The Walton-born actress, who has also appeared in the Channel 5 smash-hit murder mystery series The Good Ship Murder, had a recent romance with boxer Ricky Hatton, who co-starred with her on the ITV reality show. After calling it off at the end of last year the pair are “still friends”, she said.