Claire Peacock
Encyclopedia
Claire Peacock is a fictional character
in the UK television ITV
soap opera
, Coronation Street
. Portrayed by actress Julia Haworth
, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 9 April 2003, as the new nanny of established character Ashley Peacock's
(Steven Arnold
) son Joshua (Benjamin Beresford
). Her storylines have since seen her fall in love with and marry Ashley, developing post natal depression after giving birth to their son Freddie. Claire was originally intended to be central to a long-running child abduction storyline, however, this was dropped by the show's producers as a result of its close resemblance to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann
.
The character has been criticised by Coronation Street' s former executive producer David Liddiment
, for being used as a vehicle to support a politicised corporate campaign, encouraging social action and volunteer work. The storyline which saw Claire sectioned for mental health issues after developing post natal depression was similarly criticised by health workers, who opined that the plot line was poorly handled, and could potentially prevent women suffering from the condition from seeking help.
Haworth has commented that she sees the role of Claire as "one job in a career of many jobs". The actress took a temporary break from the show in mid-2008 to give birth to her first child, though her character never left officially onscreen. The character appears back on the Street on Monday 16 February 2009. On 23 April 2010 it was announced that the Peacock family had been axed from the ITV soap and Claire made her last appearance on 14 January 2011.
, Claire is described by the show's producers as "Weatherfield's answer to Mary Poppins
". Of her personality, they stated that "On the surface she seems quiet, but is more than capable of fighting her corner." Although Claire and on-screen husband Ashley temporarily separate after Ashley's affair with Casey Carswell
(Zoe Henry
), the show's producers have described their renewed relationship as being "domestic bliss". Actress Julia Haworth has called Claire a "a one man girl", commenting: "I truly believe with Claire and Ashley that what doesn't kill them only makes them stronger. I really do think that they're a solid couple and they can get through whatever life throws at them. They're probably the only couple in the Street I can say that about."
Asked how long she saw herself remaining in the role of Claire in September 2006, Haworth responded; "I class myself as an actress that goes from job to job. [...] I've always just seen this as one job in a career of many jobs, hopefully. But I'm really enjoying myself here and there's a great team of people. We've got brilliant writers. So for the time being, I'm very happy here." The actress took a break from Coronation Street in mid-2008, after falling pregnant with her first child. Claire was temporarily written out of the show, but returned in 2009.
failed to reach fruition in 2005. Although Claire applied for a job as a tram driver on screen, the plotline developed no further. Chris Mulligan, Director General of the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive
revealed that; "Following an approach from Granada Television
, we made it clear that we would find any storyline involving a tram accident questionable. Given Metrolink
's excellent safety record, we felt that such a sensationalist storyline would be both misleading and detrimental to the image of the network." Cheryl Hubbard from Serco Metrolink added; "We were concerned because there were safety implications which they were planning to portray in a bad light. They contacted us and asked what it was like for our drivers during training, but because they were planning to then have her driving a tram off the viaduct we said if that's going to be the case we weren't happy with it at all. I think people in Manchester would also be unhappy about them portraying the specific Manchester tram system in this sort of light." However, Coronation Street
officials denied that the storyline was pulled due to Manchester transport officials' concerns. A spokeswoman for the show stated: "It was one of the storylines being mooted for the year and it was decided not to pursue it. We felt we'd had quite a lot of high-octane drama in the planning block it would have fallen into. It was simply a decision by the programme makers to have something more light-hearted instead. They decided on Les (Bruce Jones) and Cilla's
(Wendi Peters
) wedding, which will be no less a high production number." A smaller scale storyline aired the same year saw Claire instead train as a bus driver, accidentally running down Chesney Battersby-Brown (Sam Aston
)'s dog Schmeichel on her first day.. In December 2010, Coronation Street did have a Tram Crash storyline to celebrate the show's 50th anniversary. Claire's husband Ashley was killed in the storyline.
Discussing the plot line which saw Claire develop post natal depression and attempt to kill her newborn son Freddie, Haworth said: "There have been a lot of tears in the past few weeks so it’s been quite tough for me living and breathing the storyline. It’s been quite a shock doing the storyline as Claire has been so good with kids in the past. But it’s brilliant to have such a meaty storyline." She summarised the plot line as having been "very draining", explaining; "You can't help take some of it home with you, but that's how you really learn about your character." Regardless, she stated that the post-natal depression had been her favourite storyline as Claire; "because it stretched me as an actress and gave me the chance to follow something from beginning to end and make it my own." When announcing her own pregnancy, she assessed that the storyline had helped her prepare for the same possibility: "I know that if I do feel like that then it’s not unusual and I’ll know the steps to take. So out of a very harrowing storyline something good has come." Of her initial reaction to the plot line, she explained: "I was delighted with it because I've been in the show for three-and-a-half years and this seemed like the storyline I could finally get my teeth into and show the different sides to Claire. I do believe she is a multi-faceted person whereas a lot of people just say 'I think she's a bit dull, a bit boring and a bit nice', so this was a chance to say 'well no, she's a lot more complex than you take her for'."
caused the event to be quickly rewritten, despite the fact the cast were already two weeks into filming. A Coronation Street spokeswoman said: "We are aware that there are some similarities in a future Coronation Street storyline to the events surrounding the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. We would not wish to add to the family's anguish at this terrible time and we are currently reviewing our storyline including episodes which have already been filmed. There were some quite disturbing similarities to the situation in Portugal and we didn't want to add to the torment of Madeleine's parents. There were differences, too, but we took the view that it was just too close to the situation in Portugal."
as nanny
to Joshua Peacock, after his mother Maxine (Tracy Shaw
) is murdered by Richard Hillman
(Brian Capron
). A romance develops between Claire and Joshua's father, Ashley; however, Ashley is apprehensive about entering a relationship so soon after his wife's death and they separate. But they reconcile in June 2004, and Ashley proposes to Claire and the couple marry on Christmas Day 2004. On their first wedding anniversary on Christmas Day 2005, Claire tells Ashley that she is two months pregnant.
On 17 July 2006, Claire gives birth to their son, Thomas. However, she suffers severe post natal depression and avoids spending time with Thomas and lacks interest in him. After attempting to return her child to the hospital, claiming he has been switched at birth and pushing him in his pram into a busy road, Claire is sectioned under the Mental Health Act
. She is allowed to return home a month later, and chooses to rename Thomas as Freddie, following the death of Ashley's father, Fred Elliott
(John Savident
).
In late 2006, Tracy Barlow
(Kate Ford
) befriends Claire when she and her boyfriend Charlie Stubbs (Bill Ward
) become the Peacocks' new neighbours. However, her friendship with Claire is a ploy to get her on her side as she plots her revenge on Charlie for cheating on her with Maria Sutherland
(Samia Smith
). Claire becomes suspicious and worries when she hears arguments and slamming doors and is convinced that Tracy is a victim of domestic abuse. She begins keeping a record of these occurrences, much to Tracy's delight, as she is pretending that Charlie is beating her. When Tracy kills Charlie in January 2007, Claire loyally stands by her and testifies on her behalf in court at the murder trial. However, Claire's evidence is disputed as her history of mental illness is brought up by the prosecution.
In 2007, Claire begins working for Weatherfield
's 'Women In Crisis' helpline
, where she meets and befriends a woman who has lost her child - Casey Carswell. The pair fall out when Casey takes Freddie without informing Claire. In May 2007, the Peacock's house catches fire. Claire is rescued from the burning building but Freddie is not and is missing until he is later found in a local park. The police reveal that an accelerant had been discovered at the source of the fire, indicating that it was started deliberately. Due to her previous mental illness, Claire is suspected of starting the fire and is arrested but later released without charge. Claire privately suspects Casey of starting the fire, and it is later revealed she is being stalked by her. Casey goes on to begin an affair with Ashley. Claire and Ashley separate when his infidelity is revealed but they are reunited when it emerges that Casey started the fire, and Claire narrowly prevents her from killing herself and Freddie after abducting him.
In 2008, Claire and Ashley begin experiencing financial difficulties. In a bid to reduce costs, Claire agrees to a house swap with Sally Webster
(Sally Dynevor). Contention arises, however, when Claire believes Sally has manipulated the estate agent into overvaluing the Websters' house, while undervaluing their house. The two families live together temporarily, when a wiring fault means that the Peacocks have to move out while it is repaired. Claire and Sally fall out when Claire discovers vintage Beatles programmes in the attic of the Websters' former home, and sells them for £7,000. Sally throws the Peacocks out, and the family go to live with Claire's mother Yvonne Casey (Yvonne O'Grady). However, Kevin
(Michael Le Vell
) and Ashley remain on good terms and Ashley and Claire move into the Websters' old home again. Sally and Claire are seen talking in March 2009 and the feud seemed to have been forgotten.
(Craig Charles
) and rushed to hospital where it is revealed that she has had a miscarriage, and discovers that she had been three months pregnant. Ashley is heartbroken as doctors discover that she also had a potentially fatal blood clot on her lung. However, she soon recovers. During her recovery, Claire, fearful of her post natal depression reoccurring, decides not to have any more children and insists Ashley have a vasectomy. He eventually agrees and has the operation on his second trip to the clinic as last-minute nerves overwhelmed him the first time.
After this, Claire becomes extremely active in the local community. She organizes a street fair in the summer of 2009 which goes well until Joshua is rushed to hospital, following an allergic reaction to a wasp sting. Claire feels guilty as she had ignored Joshua's earlier complaints of pain, but he soon recovers. That winter she develops a close yet unlikely friendship with Becky McDonald
(Katherine Kelly
), despite their initial dislike due to Becky's stepdaughter, Amy (Amber Chadwick)'s use of bad language in front of Joshua and Freddie. Together with Becky and John Stape
(Graeme Hawley
), they organise a pantomime
of Cinderella
shortly before Christmas
2009, which features Claire in the title role, Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson
) as Prince Charming and Becky as Dandini. This too is very successful, apart from when Claire's concerns for Amy are illustrated when, on stage, she becomes star struck and, instead of singing, says a swear word.
On 6 December 2010, a huge explosion tears through 'The Joinery' bar and seriously damages the viaduct above, which leads to a tram derailing and crashing into the neighbouring corner shop and causes the Peacock's house to catch fire. Claire escapes unharmed along with her children and other children she had been babysitting and takes refuge in Roy's Rolls cafe along with other residents. She then proceeds to call Ashley to tell him what has happened but she gets no signal and leaves a message. Ashley listens to the message and sends one back just before the roof of the bar collapses and falls on him killing him just as he saves Peter Barlow
(Chris Gascoyne)'s life. Claire is left devastated in the wake of the tragedy and moves in at The Rovers with Steve and Becky.
Tracy Barlow returns to the Street on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day, Claire confronts her in The Rovers about using her during her trial and making insulting remarks about Ashley. Tracy mocks Claire's mental illness and continues insulting her and Ashley repeatedly over the following week.
On New Year's Eve, Tracy is attacked in her back yard and left in a coma with serious head injuries. After Becky is arrested and questioned for the assault, Claire confesses that she attacked Tracy as she was frustrated with the way she had insulted Ashley and wanted to stand up to her bullying and show Tracy that she could not push her around. Claire tells her sons she loves them before going to the police station and confessing to attacking Tracy. Claire is released on bail and Steve, Becky and Ashley's employee at the shop, Graeme Proctor
(Craig Gazey
) advise her to leave the country to avoid going to prison. Graeme obtains false passports for her and the boys and when the police come looking for her, Steve, Becky, Graeme, Tina McIntyre
(Michelle Keegan
), Rosie Webster
(Helen Flanagan
) and Jason Grimshaw
(Ryan Thomas
) help her evade them by setting a decoy. After the police give up and leave, Jason drives Claire, Joshua and Freddie to the airport so they can get a flight to France.
The next day, Eileen receives a phonecall from Claire who tells her that she and the boys had arrived safely in France. After she is discharged from hospital, Tracy, who wanted revenge on Claire for attacking her, overhears Becky speaking to Claire on her mobile phone two weeks later. Tracy demands to know where Claire is and Becky refuses to tell her of her whereabouts and gleefully explains that Claire is not coming back.
writer and former Coronation Street
executive producer David Liddiment
heavily criticized a storyline which saw Claire campaign to save the show's fictional 'Red Rec' recreation ground, deeming it "a political sop". He wrote: "At the end of each episode viewers were invited to find out more about volunteering by contacting ITV's Britain on the Move campaign. This, apparently, is the Year of the Volunteer. So Claire's storyline was really a bit of social action working undercover in Britain's most popular show." Liddiment claimed that the storyline damaged the show's editorial integrity, asserting "Not only was the Red Rec storyline created specifically to support a corporate campaign, it was introduced at the behest of ITV CEO Charles Allen who, we are told with some trumpeting on the ITV website, helped devise it. [...] Television, and ITV in particular, has a sterling record of social action campaigns on- and off-air. But soap, corporate agendas and politicians make a heady mix best avoided."
The 2006 storyline which saw Claire develop post natal depression was deemed irresponsible by health workers from the Pendlebury
Health Centre. They claimed; "Detaining women in mental health units with postnatal depression would be an extremely rare occurrence. We were very concerned that the plot had child protection being considered when Claire presented at hospital rather than urgently alerting the health visitor service for additional support. Many women with this illness are concerned that they may have their baby taken from them and as postnatal depression is treatable this is highly unlikely to happen. We do hope that this storyline will not prevent women from seeking help if they are feeling low following the birth of a baby." Coronation Street' s producer Steve Frost
defended the storyline, stating; "While many women in a similar situation receive help from the medical community such as doctors, health visitors and midwives, Claire went to great lengths to conceal the extent of her problems from everyone - even her husband Ashley - and was perceived by most people to be someone coping excellently with her role as a new mum. The psychiatrists who advised us felt there could be a case for Claire's detention. In addition, great pains were taken not to confuse post-natal depression with puerperal psychosis."
In August 2007, TV critic Jim Shelley
wrote that "Coronation Street has become unwatchable", partly attributing the show's downfall to Claire, who; "is going mad - again - this time because she is suspected of kidnapping her baby and attempting suicide by burning the house down, two good ideas, as it goes." Conversely, Guardian reviewer Nancy Banks-Smith deemed Claire the "voice of reason" at the climax of the storyline which saw her son Freddie abducted by former friend Casey Carswell
. However, commenting on the re-write of the plot strand because of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann
, Banks-Smith asserted that it had "never made much sense, even by soap standards", using the depiction of Claire as an example of the show's over-embellished writing: "Even in a tragic episode, the writing in Coronation Street is like a stone skipping across deep water. The script, like a Victorian pub, is so embellished with grapes and roses that you know the stonemason is just indulging himself. Claire, originally a mouse, has taken to flashing her eyes, floating her hair and calling herself the Madwoman of Shalott, a very literary joke. Like Knickbocker's Gloria, this is just the writer, Jonathan Harvey, playing with words."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the UK television ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
, Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
. Portrayed by actress Julia Haworth
Julia Haworth
Julia Louise Haworth is an English actress best known as Claire Peacock on ITV's Coronation Street, a role she has played since 2003...
, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 9 April 2003, as the new nanny of established character Ashley Peacock's
Ashley Peacock
Ashley Sibelius Peacock is a fictional character from the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Steven Arnold, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 1 February 1995.On 23 April 2010, it was announced that the character had been axed along...
(Steven Arnold
Steven Arnold
Steven Arnold is an English actor best known for his role as Ashley Peacock in the long running hit show Coronation Street.- Early life :...
) son Joshua (Benjamin Beresford
Benjamin Beresford
Benjamin Beresford is a British actor known for his role as Joshua Peacock on ITV's Coronation Street. Ben has played the role since 2004, taking over from Brandon Jackson and Stephen Collins.-References:...
). Her storylines have since seen her fall in love with and marry Ashley, developing post natal depression after giving birth to their son Freddie. Claire was originally intended to be central to a long-running child abduction storyline, however, this was dropped by the show's producers as a result of its close resemblance to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann
Disappearance of Madeleine McCann
Madeleine McCann disappeared on the evening of Thursday, 3 May 2007. She was on holiday with her parents and twin siblings in the Algarve region of Portugal. The British girl went missing from an apartment, in the central area of the resort of Praia da Luz, a few days before her fourth...
.
The character has been criticised by Coronation Street
David Liddiment
David Liddiment is a non-executive director of the independent production company All3Media, the largest independent production house in the UK...
, for being used as a vehicle to support a politicised corporate campaign, encouraging social action and volunteer work. The storyline which saw Claire sectioned for mental health issues after developing post natal depression was similarly criticised by health workers, who opined that the plot line was poorly handled, and could potentially prevent women suffering from the condition from seeking help.
Haworth has commented that she sees the role of Claire as "one job in a career of many jobs". The actress took a temporary break from the show in mid-2008 to give birth to her first child, though her character never left officially onscreen. The character appears back on the Street on Monday 16 February 2009. On 23 April 2010 it was announced that the Peacock family had been axed from the ITV soap and Claire made her last appearance on 14 January 2011.
Development
Upon her 2003 arrival in Coronation StreetCoronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
, Claire is described by the show's producers as "Weatherfield's answer to Mary Poppins
Mary Poppins
Mary Poppins is a series of children's books written by P. L. Travers and originally illustrated by Mary Shepard. The books centre on a magical English nanny, Mary Poppins. She is blown by the East wind to Number Seventeen Cherry Tree Lane, London and into the Banks' household to care for their...
". Of her personality, they stated that "On the surface she seems quiet, but is more than capable of fighting her corner." Although Claire and on-screen husband Ashley temporarily separate after Ashley's affair with Casey Carswell
Casey Carswell
Kim "K.C./Casey" Carswell was a fictional character in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street. She was played by actress Zoe Henry, making her first appearance on 16 March 2007. Casey was one of the women Claire Peacock met through her voluntary phone counselling; she had lost her baby. Her character...
(Zoe Henry
Zoe Henry
Zoe Henry is a British actress, who has had roles in the three main soap operas on British TV, Coronation Street, EastEnders and Emmerdale....
), the show's producers have described their renewed relationship as being "domestic bliss". Actress Julia Haworth has called Claire a "a one man girl", commenting: "I truly believe with Claire and Ashley that what doesn't kill them only makes them stronger. I really do think that they're a solid couple and they can get through whatever life throws at them. They're probably the only couple in the Street I can say that about."
Asked how long she saw herself remaining in the role of Claire in September 2006, Haworth responded; "I class myself as an actress that goes from job to job. [...] I've always just seen this as one job in a career of many jobs, hopefully. But I'm really enjoying myself here and there's a great team of people. We've got brilliant writers. So for the time being, I'm very happy here." The actress took a break from Coronation Street in mid-2008, after falling pregnant with her first child. Claire was temporarily written out of the show, but returned in 2009.
Tram crash
A storyline which would have seen Claire crash a tram into the Rovers Return InnRovers Return Inn
The Rovers Return Inn is a fictional public house on the long-running British soap opera Coronation Street. The Rovers Return occupies the corner of Coronation Street and Rosamund Street. Since the first episode it has been the principal setting in the show and many of its most memorable moments...
failed to reach fruition in 2005. Although Claire applied for a job as a tram driver on screen, the plotline developed no further. Chris Mulligan, Director General of the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive
Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive
Transport for Greater Manchester is the public body responsible for co-ordinating public transport services throughout Greater Manchester, in North West England. The organisation traces its origins to the Transport Act 1968, when the SELNEC Passenger Transport Executive was established to...
revealed that; "Following an approach from Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
, we made it clear that we would find any storyline involving a tram accident questionable. Given Metrolink
Manchester Metrolink
Metrolink is a light rail system in Greater Manchester, England. It consists of four lines which converge in Manchester city centre and terminate in Bury, Altrincham, Eccles and Chorlton-cum-Hardy. The system is owned by Transport for Greater Manchester and operated under contract by RATP Group...
's excellent safety record, we felt that such a sensationalist storyline would be both misleading and detrimental to the image of the network." Cheryl Hubbard from Serco Metrolink added; "We were concerned because there were safety implications which they were planning to portray in a bad light. They contacted us and asked what it was like for our drivers during training, but because they were planning to then have her driving a tram off the viaduct we said if that's going to be the case we weren't happy with it at all. I think people in Manchester would also be unhappy about them portraying the specific Manchester tram system in this sort of light." However, Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
officials denied that the storyline was pulled due to Manchester transport officials' concerns. A spokeswoman for the show stated: "It was one of the storylines being mooted for the year and it was decided not to pursue it. We felt we'd had quite a lot of high-octane drama in the planning block it would have fallen into. It was simply a decision by the programme makers to have something more light-hearted instead. They decided on Les (Bruce Jones) and Cilla's
Cilla Battersby-Brown
Cilla Petunia Aurelia Battersby-Brown is a fictional character in the ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. She is portrayed by Wendi Peters. Her character is the tarty common redhead wife of Les Battersby-Brown and mother of Chesney, Fiz and non-regular character Billy, who is in the army...
(Wendi Peters
Wendi Peters
Wendi Louise Peters is an English television and theatre character actress. Peters is married to Kenny Linden and they have one daughter together called Gracie who was born in 2000.-Film:...
) wedding, which will be no less a high production number." A smaller scale storyline aired the same year saw Claire instead train as a bus driver, accidentally running down Chesney Battersby-Brown (Sam Aston
Sam Aston
Samuel David "Sam" Aston is an English child actor, best known for having played, since 2003, the role of Chesney Battersby-Brown on Britain's longest running soap opera, Coronation Street...
)'s dog Schmeichel on her first day.. In December 2010, Coronation Street did have a Tram Crash storyline to celebrate the show's 50th anniversary. Claire's husband Ashley was killed in the storyline.
Post-natal depression
Child abduction
The storyline which saw character Casey Carswell set fire to the Peacocks' home while Claire was inside with son Freddie, was initially intended to be the beginning of a four month long child abduction plot. However, the coinciding disappearance of Madeleine McCannDisappearance of Madeleine McCann
Madeleine McCann disappeared on the evening of Thursday, 3 May 2007. She was on holiday with her parents and twin siblings in the Algarve region of Portugal. The British girl went missing from an apartment, in the central area of the resort of Praia da Luz, a few days before her fourth...
caused the event to be quickly rewritten, despite the fact the cast were already two weeks into filming. A Coronation Street spokeswoman said: "We are aware that there are some similarities in a future Coronation Street storyline to the events surrounding the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. We would not wish to add to the family's anguish at this terrible time and we are currently reviewing our storyline including episodes which have already been filmed. There were some quite disturbing similarities to the situation in Portugal and we didn't want to add to the torment of Madeleine's parents. There were differences, too, but we took the view that it was just too close to the situation in Portugal."
Departure
In April 2010, it was announced that the Peacock Family would be written out by the end of the year, after a mutual decision with producer Phil Collinson that the family had run their course. Producers were said to be working on a "suitable" exit for both of the characters.2003–08
Claire first arrives on Coronation StreetCoronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
as nanny
Nanny
A nanny, childminder or child care provider, is an individual who provides care for one or more children in a family as a service...
to Joshua Peacock, after his mother Maxine (Tracy Shaw
Tracy Shaw
Tracy Shaw is a British actress and singer.She is best known for her role as hairdresser Maxine Peacock in British soap opera Coronation Street during the 1990s and early 2000s.-Career:...
) is murdered by Richard Hillman
Richard Hillman
Richard Charles Hillman was a fictional character in the British television soap opera Coronation Street, played by Brian Capron. Hillman is now rated as one of the best soap villains of all time.-Development:...
(Brian Capron
Brian Capron
Brian Capron, born 11 February 1947 at Eye in Suffolk, is a British actor, who trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art . His father was an Algerian pilot, of French descent, who died in a plane crash before Brian was born....
). A romance develops between Claire and Joshua's father, Ashley; however, Ashley is apprehensive about entering a relationship so soon after his wife's death and they separate. But they reconcile in June 2004, and Ashley proposes to Claire and the couple marry on Christmas Day 2004. On their first wedding anniversary on Christmas Day 2005, Claire tells Ashley that she is two months pregnant.
On 17 July 2006, Claire gives birth to their son, Thomas. However, she suffers severe post natal depression and avoids spending time with Thomas and lacks interest in him. After attempting to return her child to the hospital, claiming he has been switched at birth and pushing him in his pram into a busy road, Claire is sectioned under the Mental Health Act
Mental Health Act
Mental Health Act is a stock short title used for legislation in the United Kingdom relating to Mental health law.The Bill for an Act with this short title may have been known as a Mental Health Bill during its passage through Parliament....
. She is allowed to return home a month later, and chooses to rename Thomas as Freddie, following the death of Ashley's father, Fred Elliott
Fred Elliott
Frederick Handel "Fred" Elliott is a fictional character from the British soap opera Coronation Street, played by John Savident from 1994 until 2006.-Development:...
(John Savident
John Savident
John Savident is a British actor, best known for playing the part of Fred Elliott in the soap opera Coronation Street from 1994 to 2006. And also was a frequent guest on Soccer AM alongside fellow actor Jack 'The Rigger' Spooner....
).
Tracy Barlow
Tracy Lynette Barlow is a fictional character in the British television soap opera Coronation Street. She is currently portrayed, since 2002, by Kate Ford, the latest in a series of actresses who have played Tracy at various ages...
(Kate Ford
Kate Ford
Kate Connerty is a British actress best known for playing the role of Tracy Barlow in the long-running ITV soap opera Coronation Street from 2002 to 2007. Kate returned to Coronation Street on Christmas Eve 2010....
) befriends Claire when she and her boyfriend Charlie Stubbs (Bill Ward
Bill Ward (actor)
Bill Ward is an English actor who played Charlie Stubbs in Coronation Street.-Biography:He completed a degree in History at Bristol University. He is a former advertising executive. After Coronation Street, he had a role in the ITV series Cold Blood with Pauline Quirke...
) become the Peacocks' new neighbours. However, her friendship with Claire is a ploy to get her on her side as she plots her revenge on Charlie for cheating on her with Maria Sutherland
Maria Sutherland
Maria Jane Connor , is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street, portrayed by actress Samia Smith. The character first appeared on-screen on 19 May 2000...
(Samia Smith
Samia Smith
Samia Maxine Ghadie , is an English actress best known for playing Maria Connor in the ITV Soap Coronation Street.-Early life:...
). Claire becomes suspicious and worries when she hears arguments and slamming doors and is convinced that Tracy is a victim of domestic abuse. She begins keeping a record of these occurrences, much to Tracy's delight, as she is pretending that Charlie is beating her. When Tracy kills Charlie in January 2007, Claire loyally stands by her and testifies on her behalf in court at the murder trial. However, Claire's evidence is disputed as her history of mental illness is brought up by the prosecution.
In 2007, Claire begins working for Weatherfield
Weatherfield
Weatherfield is a fictional town, based on Salford in North West England, which serves as the setting for the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street...
's 'Women In Crisis' helpline
Helpline
A helpline was originally a telephone service which offers help to those who call. Many helpline services now offer more than telephone support - offering access to information, advice or customer service via telephone, email, web or SMS....
, where she meets and befriends a woman who has lost her child - Casey Carswell. The pair fall out when Casey takes Freddie without informing Claire. In May 2007, the Peacock's house catches fire. Claire is rescued from the burning building but Freddie is not and is missing until he is later found in a local park. The police reveal that an accelerant had been discovered at the source of the fire, indicating that it was started deliberately. Due to her previous mental illness, Claire is suspected of starting the fire and is arrested but later released without charge. Claire privately suspects Casey of starting the fire, and it is later revealed she is being stalked by her. Casey goes on to begin an affair with Ashley. Claire and Ashley separate when his infidelity is revealed but they are reunited when it emerges that Casey started the fire, and Claire narrowly prevents her from killing herself and Freddie after abducting him.
In 2008, Claire and Ashley begin experiencing financial difficulties. In a bid to reduce costs, Claire agrees to a house swap with Sally Webster
Sally Webster
Sally Webster is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Sally Dynevor, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 27 January 1986.-Casting:...
(Sally Dynevor). Contention arises, however, when Claire believes Sally has manipulated the estate agent into overvaluing the Websters' house, while undervaluing their house. The two families live together temporarily, when a wiring fault means that the Peacocks have to move out while it is repaired. Claire and Sally fall out when Claire discovers vintage Beatles programmes in the attic of the Websters' former home, and sells them for £7,000. Sally throws the Peacocks out, and the family go to live with Claire's mother Yvonne Casey (Yvonne O'Grady). However, Kevin
Kevin Webster
Kevin John Webster is a long-standing fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Michael Le Vell, the character first appeared onscreen on 19 October 1983...
(Michael Le Vell
Michael Le Vell
Michael Le Vell is an English character actor, who since 1983 has played the role of garage mechanic, Kevin Webster, in the soap opera Coronation Street....
) and Ashley remain on good terms and Ashley and Claire move into the Websters' old home again. Sally and Claire are seen talking in March 2009 and the feud seemed to have been forgotten.
2009-11
In July 2009, Claire and Ashley go through marital difficulties and Claire collapses. She is found by Lloyd MullaneyLloyd Mullaney
Lloyd Mullaney is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Craig Charles, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 20 June 2005 and remained on screen until 23 July 2006 when Craig Charles was suspended but he...
(Craig Charles
Craig Charles
Craig Joseph Charles is an English actor, stand-up comedian, author, poet, radio and television presenter, best known for playing Dave Lister in the British cult-favourite science fiction sitcom Red Dwarf...
) and rushed to hospital where it is revealed that she has had a miscarriage, and discovers that she had been three months pregnant. Ashley is heartbroken as doctors discover that she also had a potentially fatal blood clot on her lung. However, she soon recovers. During her recovery, Claire, fearful of her post natal depression reoccurring, decides not to have any more children and insists Ashley have a vasectomy. He eventually agrees and has the operation on his second trip to the clinic as last-minute nerves overwhelmed him the first time.
After this, Claire becomes extremely active in the local community. She organizes a street fair in the summer of 2009 which goes well until Joshua is rushed to hospital, following an allergic reaction to a wasp sting. Claire feels guilty as she had ignored Joshua's earlier complaints of pain, but he soon recovers. That winter she develops a close yet unlikely friendship with Becky McDonald
Becky McDonald
Rebecca "Becky" McDonald is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, a long-running serial drama about working class life in the fictional town of Weatherfield. She is played by actress Katherine Kelly. Becky was created by producer Steve Frost as a recurring...
(Katherine Kelly
Katherine Kelly (actress)
Katherine Kelly, is a British actress and recording artist who is most well known for playing Becky McDonald in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street. She has also starred in the film Mischief Night.-Early life and career:...
), despite their initial dislike due to Becky's stepdaughter, Amy (Amber Chadwick)'s use of bad language in front of Joshua and Freddie. Together with Becky and John Stape
John Stape
John Stape is a fictional character from the British soap opera, Coronation Street, played by actor Graeme Hawley. He made his first on-screen appearance during the episode airing on 6 May 2007. The character departed on 3 June 2011 after four years on the show...
(Graeme Hawley
Graeme Hawley
Graeme Hawley is an English actor known for his role as John Stape in the British soap Coronation Street.-Career:He graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University in 1996 with a degree in Drama before beginning his acting career in the theatre.He started his career off by performing on stage at...
), they organise a pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
of Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
shortly before Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
2009, which features Claire in the title role, Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson
Simon Gregson
Simon Gregson is an English actor. He is known for being a cast member of the British soap opera Coronation Street in which he has played Steve McDonald since 1989....
) as Prince Charming and Becky as Dandini. This too is very successful, apart from when Claire's concerns for Amy are illustrated when, on stage, she becomes star struck and, instead of singing, says a swear word.
On 6 December 2010, a huge explosion tears through 'The Joinery' bar and seriously damages the viaduct above, which leads to a tram derailing and crashing into the neighbouring corner shop and causes the Peacock's house to catch fire. Claire escapes unharmed along with her children and other children she had been babysitting and takes refuge in Roy's Rolls cafe along with other residents. She then proceeds to call Ashley to tell him what has happened but she gets no signal and leaves a message. Ashley listens to the message and sends one back just before the roof of the bar collapses and falls on him killing him just as he saves Peter Barlow
Peter Barlow (Coronation Street)
Peter Francis Barlow is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera Coronation Street. The character first appeared onscreen during the episode aired on 15 April 1965...
(Chris Gascoyne)'s life. Claire is left devastated in the wake of the tragedy and moves in at The Rovers with Steve and Becky.
Tracy Barlow returns to the Street on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day, Claire confronts her in The Rovers about using her during her trial and making insulting remarks about Ashley. Tracy mocks Claire's mental illness and continues insulting her and Ashley repeatedly over the following week.
On New Year's Eve, Tracy is attacked in her back yard and left in a coma with serious head injuries. After Becky is arrested and questioned for the assault, Claire confesses that she attacked Tracy as she was frustrated with the way she had insulted Ashley and wanted to stand up to her bullying and show Tracy that she could not push her around. Claire tells her sons she loves them before going to the police station and confessing to attacking Tracy. Claire is released on bail and Steve, Becky and Ashley's employee at the shop, Graeme Proctor
Graeme Proctor
Graeme Proctor is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Craig Gazey, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 18 April 2008....
(Craig Gazey
Craig Gazey
Craig Gazey is an award-winning English actor.He attended Eggbuckland Community College up until 1998, where he attended City College Plymouth, studying a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts. He then went on to attend Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and graduated in 2005...
) advise her to leave the country to avoid going to prison. Graeme obtains false passports for her and the boys and when the police come looking for her, Steve, Becky, Graeme, Tina McIntyre
Tina McIntyre
Tina McIntyre is a fictional character in the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street. Portrayed by actress Michelle Keegan, the character first appeared on screen during the episode airing on 7 January 2008...
(Michelle Keegan
Michelle Keegan
Michelle Elizabeth Keegan is an English actress who currently plays Tina McIntyre in the soap opera Coronation Street.-Biography:...
), Rosie Webster
Rosie Webster
Rosie Webster is a fictional character in the British television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. The character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 24 December 1990. Originally portrayed by actress Emma Collinge from her birth until December 1999, the character has since been...
(Helen Flanagan
Helen Flanagan
Helen Joyce Flanagan is a British actress best known for playing Rosie Webster in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street.Flanagan has played Rosie Webster in Coronation Street since 2000, when she was ten years old....
) and Jason Grimshaw
Jason Grimshaw
Jason Grimshaw, is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by actor Ryan Thomas, the character first appeared during the episode airing on 25 December 2000, when he comes looking for mother Eileen at the Battersbys' home.Jason is very much the...
(Ryan Thomas
Ryan Thomas
Ryan James Thomas and is an English actor who is currently starring as the character, Jason Grimshaw on ITV's Coronation Street.-Career:...
) help her evade them by setting a decoy. After the police give up and leave, Jason drives Claire, Joshua and Freddie to the airport so they can get a flight to France.
The next day, Eileen receives a phonecall from Claire who tells her that she and the boys had arrived safely in France. After she is discharged from hospital, Tracy, who wanted revenge on Claire for attacking her, overhears Becky speaking to Claire on her mobile phone two weeks later. Tracy demands to know where Claire is and Becky refuses to tell her of her whereabouts and gleefully explains that Claire is not coming back.
Reception
In 2005, The GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
writer and former Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
executive producer David Liddiment
David Liddiment
David Liddiment is a non-executive director of the independent production company All3Media, the largest independent production house in the UK...
heavily criticized a storyline which saw Claire campaign to save the show's fictional 'Red Rec' recreation ground, deeming it "a political sop". He wrote: "At the end of each episode viewers were invited to find out more about volunteering by contacting ITV's Britain on the Move campaign. This, apparently, is the Year of the Volunteer. So Claire's storyline was really a bit of social action working undercover in Britain's most popular show." Liddiment claimed that the storyline damaged the show's editorial integrity, asserting "Not only was the Red Rec storyline created specifically to support a corporate campaign, it was introduced at the behest of ITV CEO Charles Allen who, we are told with some trumpeting on the ITV website, helped devise it. [...] Television, and ITV in particular, has a sterling record of social action campaigns on- and off-air. But soap, corporate agendas and politicians make a heady mix best avoided."
The 2006 storyline which saw Claire develop post natal depression was deemed irresponsible by health workers from the Pendlebury
Pendlebury
Pendlebury is a suburban town in the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies to the northwest of Manchester city centre, northwest of Salford, and southeast of Bolton....
Health Centre. They claimed; "Detaining women in mental health units with postnatal depression would be an extremely rare occurrence. We were very concerned that the plot had child protection being considered when Claire presented at hospital rather than urgently alerting the health visitor service for additional support. Many women with this illness are concerned that they may have their baby taken from them and as postnatal depression is treatable this is highly unlikely to happen. We do hope that this storyline will not prevent women from seeking help if they are feeling low following the birth of a baby." Coronation Street
Steve Frost
Steven "Steve" November is a British television producer, he is currently employed by ITV as the continuing drama producer.-Career:...
defended the storyline, stating; "While many women in a similar situation receive help from the medical community such as doctors, health visitors and midwives, Claire went to great lengths to conceal the extent of her problems from everyone - even her husband Ashley - and was perceived by most people to be someone coping excellently with her role as a new mum. The psychiatrists who advised us felt there could be a case for Claire's detention. In addition, great pains were taken not to confuse post-natal depression with puerperal psychosis."
In August 2007, TV critic Jim Shelley
Jim Shelley (TV critic)
Jim Shelley is a British television critic who writes a column for the Daily Mirror each Monday titled Shelleyvision. Prior to writing for the Daily Mirror he wrote for The Guardian and his collection of reviews "Interference: Tapehead vs. Television" was published by Atlantic Books...
wrote that "Coronation Street has become unwatchable", partly attributing the show's downfall to Claire, who; "is going mad - again - this time because she is suspected of kidnapping her baby and attempting suicide by burning the house down, two good ideas, as it goes." Conversely, Guardian reviewer Nancy Banks-Smith deemed Claire the "voice of reason" at the climax of the storyline which saw her son Freddie abducted by former friend Casey Carswell
Casey Carswell
Kim "K.C./Casey" Carswell was a fictional character in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street. She was played by actress Zoe Henry, making her first appearance on 16 March 2007. Casey was one of the women Claire Peacock met through her voluntary phone counselling; she had lost her baby. Her character...
. However, commenting on the re-write of the plot strand because of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann
Disappearance of Madeleine McCann
Madeleine McCann disappeared on the evening of Thursday, 3 May 2007. She was on holiday with her parents and twin siblings in the Algarve region of Portugal. The British girl went missing from an apartment, in the central area of the resort of Praia da Luz, a few days before her fourth...
, Banks-Smith asserted that it had "never made much sense, even by soap standards", using the depiction of Claire as an example of the show's over-embellished writing: "Even in a tragic episode, the writing in Coronation Street is like a stone skipping across deep water. The script, like a Victorian pub, is so embellished with grapes and roses that you know the stonemason is just indulging himself. Claire, originally a mouse, has taken to flashing her eyes, floating her hair and calling herself the Madwoman of Shalott, a very literary joke. Like Knickbocker's Gloria, this is just the writer, Jonathan Harvey, playing with words."