Coronation Street’s Tracy Barlow actress breaks silence after exit as co-star hints at permanent move
It comes after viewers of the ITV soap saw Tracy saying her goodbyes
Coronation Street star Kate Ford has broken her silence following her exit from the show. Viewers of the ITV soap saw Tracy Barlow saying her goodbyes – 47 years after she first appeared in Weatherfield when she born on-screen in an episode in January 1977.
While it wasn’t until 2002 that Kate picked up the role of the divisive character, in those 22 years has faced a whole host of storylines from killing her ex Charlie Stubbs in cold blood to drugging Roy Cropper and faking they had slept together before finding out she was pregnant.
But it was during the unusual Tuesday night (April 2) trip to the cobbles that Tracy said her goodbyes to her family and left the street. As viewers of the long-running show know, Tracy recently ended her marriage with Steve after her affair with Tommy Orpington was revealed.
However, after it was revealed former footballer Tommy had accepted a coaching job in Spain, Tracy was gutted and left feeling alone. She decided she wanted to try again with Steve but unbeknownst to her, Tommy had written to Tracy to ask her to move with him – only for Steve to intercept the mail and burn the letter.
With the truth having outed, Tracy dumped Steve again and pressed on with her plans to leave with Tommy. Ken Barlow arranged some leaving drinks in the Rovers. After that, she then hugged it out with her nearest and dearest outside her family home and left the cobbles with Tommy in his van, seemingly for good, before being watched by a heartbroken Steve as he left Dev’s shop with a pack of beers.
As Tracy’s exit aired, Kate, who has yet to confirm her soap future, took to social media and shared a cryptic snap on her Instagram Story. The soap star shared a snap of public transport, which had the destination of “Orpington” on the front, in an apparent nod to her character Tracy’s new love interest.
However, it is more likely a play on the name as it’s also an area in south east London and fans may not be aware that Kate actually lives in the capital with her son and commutes between there and Salford where the Corrie set is based.
Meanwhile, Kate also shared a selfie in which she could be seen keeping cover in a black puffa coat. “Rain, rain, rain,” she typed in the caption to which the star’s 118K followers were quick to comment, hoping she hadn’t really left Corrie.
@jaynemoore13 said: “Hope you return soon Corrie will not be Corrie without you in it, great natural actress.” @mrrickydavidson commented: “Please don’t leave Corrie.” @kellyflorentia wrote: “Aww. Corrie won’t be the same without Tracy. She’s one of my favourite characters. Thanks, Kate, and best of luck.”
@iancameron7338 replied: “Hope you’re back soon on Corrie. It will not be the same without Tracy.” @suejacks70 posted: “You can’t be leaving Corrie! It just won’t be the same without you.” @rekh01 added: “Here’s hoping you make a return to the street. Won’t be the same without you!”
Kate’s co-star Sally Carman-Duttine, who plays Abi Webster in the ITV soap, also commented, seemingly hinting at a long exit, writing: “I miss your face!” with a string of yellow heart emojis before Kate replied with: “Me yours love you,” with a heart emoji.
