Coronation Street fans 'work out' Ken Barlow baby twist as legend 'set to become dad again'

Coronation Street fans are speculating that Ken Barlow, the soap opera legend played by William Roache, could be on his way to fatherhood once more.

Earlier this year, Ken had a severe fall which necessitated the hiring of a carer for his injuries. The Barlow family, unable to afford a professional carer, brought in Cassie Plummer (Claire Sweeney) despite her lack of formal qualifications.

Over time, Ken and Cassie have developed a close friendship, with Ken growing fond of her. He even shared with Cassie about his £50,000 premium bond win - information she had secretly discovered earlier. Cassie then convinced Ken to splurge on a holiday, inviting her along to her delight.

However, this week, Ken informed his family that he could no longer afford Cassie's services. When he broke the news to Cassie, she put on a brave face, but it was evident she was livid, reports the Liverpool Echo. The situation quickly took a distressing turn.

In the episode's closing scene, viewers saw Cassie spike Ken's tea with crushed tablets before handing him the cup and watching him drink it. She also gave him his medication, which he took, oblivious to what Cassie had done.

Moreover, in Wednesday's episode (November 20), Ken was rushed to hospital and later offered Cassie her job back, even proposing an additional pound per hour. Now, in a potential shocking twist, soap fans are theorising that Cassie and Ken may have been intimate during their holiday, leading to Cassie's possible pregnancy.

Speculation is rife among fans, with one person wondering on X: "Is Cassie pregnant? " Another user chimed in, "She could be, she's up to no good." A third fan joked: "Did Ken show Cassie that he's still got it when they were in Porto?"

Claire recently discussed her character Cassie's explosive behaviour, expressing concerns about the public's reaction to her character's attempt to poison a "national treasure". Recalling her initial reaction to the storyline, the actress confessed: "I was shocked, it's Ken Barlow, he's a national treasure."

"I'll be Public Enemy No 1! I think viewers will despise her. The irony is that they'd just started to warm up to her they were finally beginning to like her and then this happens. As the actress playing her, I'm trying to find redeeming qualities, but I'm not sure if there will be any."

"As a Corrie fan myself, I'd be furious watching this. Even over the summer, when I was on holiday in Majorca, all the elderly ladies were warning me: 'You leave Ken alone', 'Don't you be upsetting Ken now.' And that was before I'd even done anything!"

Coronation Street airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX

If you love your soaps pick up Love TV's Best of British Soaps, packed with all your favourite characters and storylines. As well as interviews and quizzes. Click here to buy or it's on sale at participating retailers.