Coronation Street’s Kate Ford tells Soaplife why Tracy doesn’t want to mix business and pleasure with Tony - and how he has other ideas
Why is Tracy so against going into business with Tony?
“She fancies him, but I don’t think she actually likes him. It’s just sex. She knows he’s dodgy and Rob’s legacy was that they should run Barlow’s Buys legitimately. She feels it’s going against Rob if she doesn’t run it as a proper business. She wants to do right by Rob.”
But the business is going under…
“And that’s the only reason she does end up going into business with Tony [Terence Maynard]. She can’t afford not to. What Tracy doesn’t know is that Tony’s helped create her precarious position. He had her shop trashed, so all the stock is ruined. He also tries to make her feel vulnerable. When she goes to claim on her insurance she realises that her direct debits have failed so she isn’t insured. So that’s it, it’s over for her, unless she agress to take Tony on board… And that was what he wanted.”
And he sets her up with dodgy stock, doesn’t he?
“Yes, but Tracy doesn’t know he’s behind the deal. He tells her that her new stock is stolen gear and she panics. She can’t afford to have the police on her doorstep so she rings the guy she bought the gear from and tells him to come and take it back. But he turns nasty… That’s when Tony conveniently comes in the shop and beats him up. It’s all part of his act to make her feel safe with Tony around. But she has already kicked the guy in his dangly bits. She’s quite good at protecting herself - but she is shaken.”
Next day Todd (Bruno Langley) discovers the shop has been broken into…
“It’s wrecked, everything is broken, all the stock is trashed, all the decent stock is gone and she’s only left with the rubbish. There’s paint all over the walls, it’s a real mess.”
It’s Tony’s work again, but does Tracy suspect him?
“No, not at all. She doesn’t have any suspicions that Tony’s behind it.”
And he pushes her to go into business with him…
“He doesn’t have to do much to convince her, she’s just so desperate for money. At first she says she’d rather burn the place down than go into business with him. But when she thinks about it she realises she doesn’t have a choice. Tony wants them to be 50-50 partners, but she says 'No, 70/30', and he agrees. This is her business and she wants the upper hand.”
Is there no on else who can help her?
“No, she’s asked her dad, Ken [William Roache], she’s asked Steve [Simon Gregson], no one can help her, no one’s got any money.”
Can Tracy hold on to her business if Tony wants her out?
“Tracy can be pretty ruthless herself, so maybe she’ll have to play Tony at his own game… I think she’s going to have her work cut out, though, this time.”
She could use their secret affair to keep him in line…
“She’s always got that up her sleeve: she can threaten to tell Liz [Beverley Callard] that she’s sleeping with Tony. At the moment she’s not bothered about revenge, but if someone gets on the wrong side of her, well, then maybe. She doesn’t see the point in doing it now, but she definitely would have no problem revealing it in the future if she needed to.”
Coronation Street, ITV. Click here for dates and times.
