Coronation Street actress Claire Sweeney has insisted that her character Cassie is not trying to seriously cause harm to Ken Barlow (Bill Roache) despite drugging him.
In Monday's episode, Ken let Cassie go from her job as his carer as he could no longer afford to keep her on, but in a shock twist she was then seen stirring crushed tablets into his cup of tea.
As a result Ken will end up in hospital in today's episode - and Sweeney, who joined the soap 18 months ago, says that Cassie was motivated by a desire to keep Ken in her life.
"She doesn't want to hurt him – she just wants him to need her. She adores Ken," Sweeney explained. "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."
Initially Ken just feels drowsy and asks Cassie to take her job back, which she accepts, before his condition takes a turn.
"She feels terrible. There's absolute remorse – she never wanted to hurt him and she thinks she's gone too far," Sweeney continued. "She's not trying to harm him; she just wants him to need her. I think she regrets giving him blood thinners. There is an element of guilt – she does question herself."
Nevertheless, Cassie goes on drugging Ken, albeit having done more research about the correct drugs to use to avoid harming him.
"She googles 'drugs that make you drowsy' and comes across antihistamines," Sweeney revealed. "She's realised the consequences of the painkillers and the blood thinners and that they were a bit dangerous, so she switches to antihistamines, because she believes they are not as harmful and they're harder to detect.
"I think Cassie 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."
Coronation Street continues Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7am on ITVX and at 8pm on ITV1.
Neil Wilkes
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