Corrie airs at 8.30pm on ITV1
Claire Sweeney talks Corrie exit after 3 years
How were you feeling in the months leading up to your departure from Coronation Street? Was it difficult to start saying goodbye to the character of Cassie?
Honestly, I was in total denial. I just carried on as if I wasn’t leaving at all because I was having such a wonderful time with the storylines. I was absolutely loving every minute of it. It only really hit me about a week before the end, particularly when I started clearing out my flat in Liverpool and had to pack up my dressing room.
I remember standing there thinking, “I can’t take these things out of my dressing room.” Even now, I still feel a bit in denial. Because I’m still in touch with everyone—chatting to Alan and Simon every few days—it doesn’t feel like I’ve moved on yet. For a while I hadn’t even started rehearsing for Annie, so it feels like I’m still part of the family.
You have a very interesting exit storyline involving the introduction of Tyrone’s dad. Were you pleased with how that was handled?
I couldn’t believe the quality of the writing they gave me for the end; it was beautiful. And Ross is played by Ian, who is just a brilliant actor. The scenes we shot were so poignant. There was one specific scene at the end, saying goodbye to Hope and Ruby in the Dobbs house, where I literally sobbed. The tears were completely real. At one point, the director even asked me to hold back a little bit because it looked like I was having a breakdown on camera, but that was just how it felt. It was so genuine that the children started crying during the take, too. It was incredibly emotional.
Since scenes aren’t always filmed in chronological order, what was it actually like filming your final day?
It’s funny because my very last scene—the one where I’m driving away—was actually filmed two or three weeks before I finished. Because of that, it didn’t feel like a true ending. For me, the final scene in the Dobbs house felt like the real goodbye because that’s where I started with Alan, Jenny, and the kids. I missed Maureen Lipman so much; I would have loved for her to have been there for that. Another moment that really stands out was the proposal scene with Simon Gregson.
It was so brilliantly written—it managed to be funny, poignant, and everything in between. It really captured that full-circle moment, moving from when Cassie arrived as a “baddie” to the redemption she eventually found.
The door feels very much left open for a return. Would you be open to coming back to the show?
I would love to come back. There was no other reason for me to leave other than getting the part of Miss Hannigan. I was genuinely so happy Corrie. I loved the work, the people, and the routine—it really is like a family. I only left because a project I’ve been working toward for 15 years finally came to fruition, and I simply couldn’t turn it down. I made sure to speak to our lovely producer, Kate, six or seven months in advance, so the team had plenty of time to craft a proper exit. I think that planning really shows in the story.
Let’s talk about the Ross storyline. Cassie seems to see right through him from the very beginning.
Oh, he’s a “smiling assassin.” He is so good at that charm, but there’s a chilling quality to him when the cameras are off. I remember a scene we filmed in the Ginnell where he had me up against the wall; he was truly terrifying. Cassie is a survivor, though. When she tries to get rid of him—even with the crushed tablets—it isn’t because she’s inherently malicious; it’s a survival mechanism. She knows he’s bad news and that he’s fooling everyone, especially Tyrone. She doesn’t necessarily want to hurt him; she just desperately wants to get rid of him before he causes more damage.
It seems like she also develops a protective streak regarding Tracy.
Exactly. It’s an interesting dynamic because, while they’ve been rivals, Cassie knows the serious danger Ross poses, and she doesn’t want to see Tracy in that position. She would have done anything to see Tracy suffer before, but now she knows the stakes are too high. It shifts the “cat and mouse” game they’ve been playing into something much more serious.
Does Cassie feel like she has no choice but to leave?
She feels she has absolutely no choice. She has been rejected by the love of her life, Steve, and everyone else has turned their backs on her. She feels her life there has been destroyed. The only option left is to take that job on the cruise ship. Whether she actually makes it to that ship or what happens when Ross takes her—that’s the beauty of it. No one knows, and it’s left wonderfully open.
Looking back at your time on Coronation Street, what have you loved most about playing Cassie?
It’s been an absolute joy. I’ve been blessed with brilliant, multifaceted storylines from start to finish. I went from being a “baddie” to someone who softened, particularly with Steve, who really brought out her vulnerability and honesty. I loved the comedy, the motherly instincts she developed with Tyrone, and the wonderful, forgiving friendship she had with Ken. Even the comedic elements of living with Tracy and Steve—the scripts were just brilliant. I’ve been so lucky.
Have you kept any mementos to remind you of your time as Cassie?
I intended to take my battered old trainers, but I actually ended up leaving my dressing room table exactly as it was. I think it was a subconscious thing—I just wasn’t ready to let go. However, I did keep one special thing, the Heart badge with Cassie written on it, I was given during my very first scene with Simon Gregson at the speed dating event in the Rovers. It’s on my fridge now as a little reminder of where it all began.
Cast
- Aaron Mccusker as Ben Driscoll
- Akib Ahmed as Jay
- Alan Halsall as Tyrone Dobbs
- Alison King as Carla Connor-swain
- Amy Robbins as Christina Boyd
- Andrew Whyment as Kirk Sutherland
- Antony Cotton as Sean Tully
- Billie Naylor as Ruby Dobbs
- Bobby Bradshaw as Jake Windass
- Cait Fitton as Lauren Bolton
- Charlotte Tyree as Sienna Milburn
- Claire Sweeney as Cassie Plummer
- Elizabeth Rider as Sadie Milburn
- Ian Burfield as Ross Wilkes
- Isabella Flanagan as Hope Dobbs
- Jacob Roberts as Kit Green
- Jane Hazlegrove as Bernie Winter-alahan
- Jason Callender as James Bailey
- Jennie Mcalpine as Fiz Dobbs
- Jimmi Harkishin as Dev Alahan
- Joe Duttine as Tim Metcalfe
- Joshua Leavy as Harry Platt
- Junade Khan as Idris Nazir
- Kate Ford as Tracy Barlow
- Liam Mccheyne as Dylan Wilson
- Lucy Fallon as Bethany Platt
- Mikey North as Gary Windass
- Mollie Gallagher as Nina Lucas
- Nathan Sussex as Richie Parkinson
- Patti Clare as Mary Taylor
- Ryan Mulvey as Brody Michaelis
- Ryan Prescott as Ryan Connor
- Ryan Russell as Michael Bailey
- Sally Dynevor as Sally Metcalfe
- Sam Aston as Chesney Winter-brown
- Samia Longchambon as Maria Connor
- Savanna Pennington as Joanie Michaelis
- Simon Gregson as Steve Mcdonald
- Sue Devaney as Debbie Webster
- Sydney Martin as Betsy Swain
- Tanisha Gorey as Asha Alahan
- Vicky Myers as Lisa Connor-swain
- Vinta Morgan as Ronnie Bailey
- Yvonne Jeffrey as Speech Therapist
Catch up on ITVX, and for classic visits to Corrie, these episodes air weekdays on ITV3 as well as on YouTube.