Coronation Street viewers were shocked on Monday night when Cᴀssie Plumber was seen lacing Ken Barlow’s tea with crushed tablets. 

In Wednesday night’s episode, things take a dramatic turn when Ken is rushed to hospital, after being under Cᴀssie’s care. 

Claire Sweeney, 53, who portrays the troubled addict, admitted she fears backlash due to her character trying to poison a ‘national treasure’, who has been on the cobbles since the show’s first episode in 1960. 

‘I’m going to be public enemy number one. I think 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 said. 

‘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. Already in the summer when I went on holiday to Majorca all the old dears were saying to me: “You leave Ken alone”, “Don’t you be upsetting Ken now.” And that was before I’d done anything.’

Coronation Street’s Claire Sweeney has revealed her ‘shock’ after her character Cᴀssie Plumber poisons ‘national treasure’ Ken Barlow, leaving him in hospital

In Wednesday night’s episode, things take a dramatic turn when Ken is rushed to hospital, after being under Cᴀssie’s care

Cᴀssie laced Ken’s (William Roache) tea with poison after he revealed he was letting her go following a review of his finances. 

Ken had won £50,000 on premium bonds, with Cᴀssie taking advantage of the windfall by heading on a holiday to Portugal, which left his family concerned. 

Talking about how she found out about the dark twist to Ken’s health, Claire said: ‘I was talking to the producer and it was casually mentioned to me and then the conversation carried on. 

I went: “What? Did I hear that right? I was shocked and then I thought: “what fun”. She’s certainly not boring. I’m not just asking for a H๏τpot in the Rovers. It’s exciting and working with Bill Roache.  

‘She doesn’t want to hurt him – she just wants him to need her. She adores Ken. The two of them find these moments of absolute affection with each other. They love being with each other.

‘So, when Ken 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 an anger and a hurt and a feeling of abandonment. 

‘It’s not even necessarily money-orientated, she likes the life she’s got looking after him. There’s an element of Munchausen’s to it.’ 

Claire said Cᴀssie feels ‘absolute remorse’ for drugging him and realises the dangers of pain killers and blood thinners so she switches to antihistamines. 

Cᴀssie laced Ken’s (William Roache) tea with poison after he revealed he was letting her go following a review of his finances

Ken had won £50,000 on premium bonds, with Cᴀssie taking advantage of the windfall by heading on a holiday to Portugal, which left his family concerned 

 She said: ‘I think Cᴀssie will go to any lengths to keep this going. She’s not poisoning him with the intention to harm him, it’s just to keep him a little bit dopey, so he keeps her on, so he needs her.

‘Everything has been done with survival in mind. She was on the game; she was abused when she was younger – so everything is about survival and I think this is about survival as well. 

‘But she’s conflicted, because I’m not sure she’s had genuine feelings for anyone before and she has with Ken. He’s kind to her and he’s forgiving and he has her back as well. She is a little bit ruthless, but then there are moments where her conscience is pricked, because she likes Ken.’

The actress admitted she fears the storyline could well lead to the end of her time on the cobbles. 

‘It does cross your mind. When I got this job, if you’d have told me that a year and a half later, I’d be here having a big storyline with Bill Roache, I’d have been so grateful for that,’ she said. 

‘In my time in Corrie, I’ve had big scenes with Maureen Lipman, a big storyline with Bill Roache, I’ve got to snog Steve McDonald and have a cat fight with Tracy.

‘What more could I want? So, if this does signal the end, I’d go – well hasn’t that been great, I’ve been blessed.’