Kate Ford and Katherine Kelly on Corrie's year ahead

Kate Ford (Tracy Barlow) and Katherine Kelly (Becky McDonald) are on the cover of this week's TV Times talking about upcoming Coronation Street storylines - and who gets Steve! 


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Katherine Kelly has announced that she’s leaving Corrie. Sad news for colleagues and friends like Kate Ford, 33 but on screen, Tracy Barlow will be celebrating when she sees the back of her arch rival. We spoke to Katherine, 31 and Kate about their relationship on and off  The Street.

How do you feel about Becky leaving?

Katherine: I watch Corrie too and I am sad because it means that Becky and Steve will break up. They have to, there’s no other option. I know I have only myself to blame because I’m leaving. People keep asking me why and it’s a bit boring really. I’m in my fifth year at Corrie and I feel ready for a change, that’s all.

Kate: It will leave a massive hole when Katherine leaves, but Tracy will be delighted. She’ll think ‘Brilliant, I’ve got Steve to myself!’ It’s what she’s wanted for ages, but I don’t know how long she’d enjoy it for. I can’t really imagine her being settled with anyone.

Things are starting to unravel for Becky in the lead up to her exit aren’t they?

Katherine: They are, but Becky doesn’t sense the danger ahead. It’s next week when things start to go wrong. This week, David comes over and says he wants Max. Kylie is with him, but she’s not bothered about Max. David is like an annoying bluebottle that Becky wants to flick away. In the end, Steve chucks him out. At the moment, Becky’s more bothered about the fact that they haven’t got Amy.

Kate: Tracy feels as if things are going her way. She thinks she can see a shift in Steve, and she knows that his and Becky’s relationship is not on firm ground. She’s excited because she thinks an opportunity might be presenting itself.

Tell us more about the battle for Amy

Katherine: Becky loves Steve all the more for putting Amy first, but she knows that with Amy comes Tracy. She is letting them see her less and less and is saying to Steve, ‘You’ve got to choose – me and Amy or Becky and Max.’ She’s driving a wedge between them.

Kate: All Tracy wants is for her, Amy and Steve to be a family. She sees that as the key to her fulfillment and happiness. She doesn’t care what happens to Max at all. She does love Amy and she’s really worried about her mystery illness. When it comes down to it, she will put Amy above anything.”

Becky and Tracy looks set to carry on scrapping, do you enjoy their screen fights?

Katherine: I love the physical fights and the fact that Becky could flatten Tracy in one punch. But then Tracy is much stronger than Becky mentally and fights with her mind, not her fists. Kate says that I am terrifying on a take, but in real life, she is well hard. She’s much harder than me – I bruise like a peach.

Kate: My heart races for real when we do those fight scenes. I like the arguments with clever words more.  Those two have some great lines when they’re rowing.

Do all the fights and emotional scenes take it out of you?

Katherine: Yes. You are totally adrenalined up and you can’t just go home and sleep as you’ve got lines to learn. I could sleep on a clothes line at the moment, but I’m not complaining. I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Kate: It is, but it’s not so full on for me at the moment and I do get time off. I tend to shoot back down to London when I’m not filming to be with my son Otis who’s nearly three. I always go to bed really early. We had people round on Saturday night and I went to bed at 11.30pm. I said ‘I know this isn’t the done thing, but I’m going to bed, goodnight.’

What’s your relationship like off screen?

Katherine: Kate was leaving the show just as I’d arrived. She took me out for something to eat, we had a few glasses of red and we stayed friends ever since. I go to London a lot and see her and I really enjoying working with her. It’s good to have a Public Enemy Number One on screen.

Kate: Katherine’s got a heart of gold and she’s a really talented actress. We do have a laugh on set together. I’m going to miss her a lot. I’m not leaving by the way. There were stories circulating saying that I was, but people are always saying that I am leaving or staying. I’m not going anywhere for the time being.

What’s it like working with Simon Gregson who plays Steve?

Katherine: Simon is like the big brother I never had. We get on like a house on fire and laugh all day long. I’ve got two younger brothers who have exactly the same sense of humour as him. We talk about Will Farrell films, quote from Anchor Man, just nonsense and I love that.

He’s throwing me a big leaving party, bless. He’s sad about me going and said ‘All my wives leave me.’ I told him first and he completely understands, although we are both cut up about it.

Kate: Simon is hilarious. He has a very dry sense of humour, but he’s also very caring.

What’s in store for Becky and Tracy?

Katherine: Things start to unravel for Becky and you start to see glimmers of madness. I don’t know how she will leave and the thing with Becky is she can do anything at any time.

Kate:  Tracy’s going to be up to all sorts!

And Katherine, what will you do after Corrie?

Katherine: I’m not going until December, so I am not really thinking about it. I have had some nice offers, but I am just concentrating on Corrie as I don’t want to wish the time away.