Coronation Street star signs new contract as villainous character to extend time on ITV soap
Cassie will reportedly be sticking around on the cobbles for some time to come.
It has been reported that Claire Sweeney has signed a new Coronation Street contract, keeping her character on screen until next year at least.
The news was first reported by The Sun, with the publication noting that this means Sweeney could appear as Cassie in the newly announced Coronation Street/Emmerdale crossover in 2026.
A source reportedly told The Sun: “Claire loves being on Corrie – it’s a dream job, so she was delighted to sign a new deal.
"With the big Emmerdale crossover coming in 2026, there’s also a hope that she’ll be in that too. It’s a great opportunity to be part of soap history so who wouldn’t want to be involved?"
RadioTimes.com has approached ITV and Sweeney's representatives for comment.
Sweeney first appeared as Cassie Plummer in summer 2023, with the character introduced as the estranged mother of Tyrone Dobbs.
When she was first cast as Cassie, Sweeney said: "Even though I’ve been lucky enough to have enjoyed an amazingly varied career for nearly 40 years – being cast in Coronation Street is, to me, better than being cast in a Hollywood movie! I’ve watched it all my life and can’t quite believe that I’ll now be stepping onto those famous cobbles myself."
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She continued: "I was really nervous when I got the scripts to audition as this show means so much to me and my family and this is Corrie gold, I was beyond thrilled and very grateful when I got the call that Iain MacLeod is trusting me to play Tyrone's Mum and work alongside one of my heroes, Dame Maureen Lipman.
"Cassie is a character who is definitely going to make an impact – I just hope the audience will enjoy watching her as much as I'm going to be enjoying playing her!"
Sweeney is also known for her roles in Brookside and The Good Ship Murder, while she was a contestant on last year's season of Dancing on Ice.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
