Coronation Street fans said goodbye to Cassie Plummer (Claire Sweeney) this week in what has been called the most mysterious exit of the year. After being disowned by son Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall) and dumped by boyfriend Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson), Cassie decided to leave Weatherfield. A cleaning job on a cruise ship seemed like the perfect fresh start, but things took a dark turn.
Ross's Suspicious Actions
While Cassie was on her way to meet Steve for a final conversation, Ross Wilkes (Ian Burfield) forced her into his car. When she tried to get out, he locked the doors and sped off. Ross later had in his possession a photo that Fiz Dobbs (Jennie McAlpine) had given Cassie. He has also told inconsistent stories about picking her up and where he dropped her off. Cassie hasn't answered her phone or been in contact since her exit, suggesting something may have happened to her, though phone service can be spotty on cruise ships.
Hope for Cassie's Survival
Despite the ominous signs, there is hope that Cassie is still alive. Actress Claire Sweeney left the ITV soap to take on her dream role of Miss Hannigan in the UK tour of the musical Annie. She made it clear that she loved her time on the cobbles and that the door had been left open for her return.
'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,' she said. 'I made sure to speak to our lovely producer, Kate Brooks, 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.'
On Cassie's decision to leave, Claire added: '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.'
If Claire wants to return in the future, Cassie cannot be dead. The mystery of Cassie's exit remains unresolved, leaving fans to speculate.
