Coronation Street’s Claire Sweeney revealed she is ‘bracing herself for hate from fans’ after the ‘gruesome’ Ken Barlow plot twist in the soap.

The actress, 53, who is well-known for playing Cᴀssie Plummer in the ITV soap – fears she will receive hate from viewers over the storyline. 

And the Dancing On Ice star can’t help but empathise with furious viewers as she admits she was ‘outraged herself’ when bosses first told her about the explosive plot.

Ken, played by Bill Roache, was urgently hospitalised after Claire’s character Cᴀssie laced his tea with an almost fatal mix of painkillers and blood thinners on Monday night’s episode.

As Claire steels herself for fans’ reaction, she told The Mirror: ‘It’s Ken Barlow! I’m going to be Public Enemy No 1! Even my boyfriend [Ricky Hatton] can’t defend me on this one!

‘Viewers are going to hate her. The funny thing is that they’ve just started to like her – they were finally warming to her – and then this happens. 

Coronation Street’s Claire Sweeney revealed she is ‘bracing herself for hate from fans’ after the ‘gruesome plot twist’ which involves Ken Barlow in the soap (pictured last week)

The actress, 53, who is well-known for playing Cᴀssie Plummer in the ITV series – fears she will get on viewers’ black list after making a risky choice

‘In my head, playing her, I’m trying to find saving graces, but I don’t know if there will be any. I’m a Corrie fan and I’d be fuming watching this!’

Cᴀssie and the former teacher have been getting on well after Ken hired her as his carer after suffering a nasty fall in the summer. 

Read More Legendary Coronation Street star makes dramatic return to soap after fleeing Weatherfield

But despite the duo creating what seemed like a trustful bond, after returning from a holiday together – Ken tells Cᴀssie he needs to fire her as his finances were not looking great. 

Explaining Cᴀssie’s choice of poisoning him, the actress said: ‘She doesn’t want to hurt him – she just wants him to need her. 

‘She adores Ken. So, when he says he can’t afford to keep her on she’s devastated – where’s she going to go?, what’s she going to do? Who is she going to be with? There’s anger, hurt and a feeling of abandonment.’

The Brookside alum added that her character’s move wasn’t ‘necessarily money-orientated’ and that she actually ‘likes looking after him’.

Once Ken gets hospitalised, his daughter Tracy and son-in-law Steve blame Cᴀssie for mixing up his tablets, but Toyah Battersby intercedes explaining the drugs overdose might not have been Cᴀssie’s fault.

At that point, Cᴀssie plans seems to work out as Ken asks her to return to work – with an additional raise – with Claire spilling she ‘will go to any lengths to keep it going’.

Soap veteran Ken, played by Bill Roache (pictured), was urgently hospitalised after Cᴀssie laced his tea with an almost fatal mix of painkillers and blood thinners on Monday night’s instalment

As Claire steels herself for fans’ reaction, she said: ‘I’m going to be Public Enemy No 1! Even my boyfriend can’t defend me on this one! (pictured with her partner Ricky Hatton)

‘Viewers are going to hate her. The funny thing is that they’ve just started to like her – they were finally warming to her – and then this happens,’ she told The Mirror

But despite the duo creating what seemed like a trustful bond, after returning from a holiday together – Ken tells Cᴀssie he needs to fire her due as his finances were not looking great

Meanwhile legendary Coronation Street icon Tracy Barlow, played by Kate Ford, has made a dramatic return to the cobbles after they fled Weatherfield in April

Meanwhile a legendary Coronation Street star has made a dramatic return to the cobbles after they fled Weatherfield in April. 

Killer florist Tracy Barlow, played by Kate Ford, 47, made a swift departure from the cobbles on Tuesday’s episode as she headed to Spain with her lover Tommy Orpington leaving her husband Steve McDonald and their daughter Amy behind.

But she is now reportedly back on the iconic Salford as has already started shooting scenes, according to the Sun. 

A source told the publication: ‘Kate Ford has been spotted at the studios by fans – which means Tracy Barlow is back.

‘She’ll make her shock return next week – which will surprise fans as she’s been away since leaving for Spain in summer.’

The latest spoilers for next Wednesday’s episode suggest she is indeed back, but no spoiler images have been released to confirm as much.