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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Entertainment
Katie Fitzpatrick

ITV Corrie villain sends fans into frenzy as she returns to cobbles

Her character caused mayhem after she arrived in Weatherfield as the partner of Kate Connor, and Coronation Street fans are calling for Rhea Bailey to reprise her role as the villainous Caz Hammond. The star, who made a big impact playing terrifying stalker Caz, was back on the famous cobbles as she teased "look who's back?!?" with a screaming emoji on her Instagram.

Caroline 'Caz' Hammond was Kate's soldier ex-fiancée who became obsessed with Maria Connor, framing her for her murder as an act of revenge after Maria spurned her advances. Creepy Caz was arrested after pretending to have been murdered by Maria and was caught hiding in her flat with cameras set up to spy on her friend.

As fans went wild at the sight of her in front of famous Corrie landmarks including the iconic boozer the Rovers Return and Roy's Rolls. But she added: “I'm just playing. Nobody panic! Lovely evening on the cobbles!"

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Rhea, the sister of singer Corinne Bailey Rae, was a guest at the Smooth Radio Carols on the Cobbles event with her fiance The Overtones singer Darren Everest and their baby daughter. The Overtones performed live on the cobbles and it was broadcast on Smooth Radio.

The couple met at a birthday party for former Corrie co-star Kym Marsh and they got engaged in April last year. In July 2021 they announced that they were expecting their first child.

Rhea and her family in Weatherfield (Rhea Bailey/Instagram)

Rhea, whose character exited the soap in November 2016, added: "@coronationstreet Miss you guys! Felt special to be back where it all started! Without this job, we may never have met!!… think Caz is still serving time somewhere!”

Her fiance led calls for Caz to return messaging: "Bring Caz back." And fellow The Overtones singer Jay James messaged: "BRING BACK GAZ!!!! and please tell me Curly is still alive..." Rhea reacted to both messages with laughing emojis.

rickywhittallgibson27 suggested: "She should come back with Sophie Webster! No longer enemies." And janetturner167 said: "Think you ought to be back in it x"

The year after leaving the soap Rhea told us how she used to be shouted at the street by viewers appalled by Caz's behaviour. She even changed her hairstyle to distance herself from the mean and moody character after she left the show.

But after Caz’s victim Maria became embroiled in an affair with Eva Price's fiance Aidan Connor, she noticed Corrie fans seemed to change their stance. She told us: “People were upset by Caz’s story and I would constantly have people shouting things at me in the street. I changed my hair to distance myself from the character.

I’ve changed it back again now and as soon as I did people recognised me again. They’re now saying ‘we miss her’ and ‘I like her.’ People are feeling more sympathy for her right now.”

Caz stalked Maria (Mark Bruce/CoronationStreet)

At the time she said she missed the soap and would be up for bringing Caz back to the cobbles. She said: “I miss being there and I’m still in touch with my friends. I’ve got a family for life on the show.

“Viewers last saw Caz being carted off by police and she’s not dead. I made a joke with the producers that we should make her a ‘Where’s Wally’ character stalking in the background. It would be nice to see her come back for a while.”

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