Storylines
Claudia attended a Weatherfield Traders' Association lunch, escorted by Lewis Archer (Nigel Havers), who she often hired for functions. Audrey also went and was shocked that Claudia employed a male escort, but Claudia explained that there was no sex involved and that it was just for appearances. Later Claudia met up with Audrey again and they went to a dinner dance together. Lewis was also attending, escorting Rita Sullivan. Claudia was surprised to find out that Audrey had hired Lewis several times and had fallen for him. She reminded Audrey that Lewis's charms were contractual and when she met Audrey and Lewis again a couple of months later in a restaurant she made it quite clear that she still regarded Lewis as contactable.
Claudia's doubts about Lewis' reliability as a permanent suitor for Audrey were to be proved right. On 13 August 2010, Claudia attended a party Audrey's daughter Gail (Helen Worth) threw for Audrey and Lewis who were moving abroad to run a hotel. However, Lewis chose that day to vanish from Audrey's life and Audrey was confronted by footage of him defrauding Barlow's Bookies and diverting Deirdre Barlow 's attention by kissing her. Claudia got drunk with Rita, and delighted in the floor show as Gail pushed a Manchester tart into Deirdre Barlow's (Anne Kirkbride) face. Claudia was not seen again until she arrived in The Rovers Return on New Year's Eve 2010, where she donated the prize of luxury treatments in Perm Suspect to the evening's charity raffle and befriended locals. The prize was won by a disgruntled Audrey, who had already had her nose put out of joint after her donation of a pedicure and manicure at Audreys was somewhat dwarfed by Claudia's generosity.
Claudia was keen to grow her business and initially showed interest in purchasing the butchers premises on Victoria Street from Claire Peacock (Julia Haworth) to convert into a rival salon to Audreys. When Audrey claimed her free hair treatment at Perm Suspect, Claudia revealed that she was no longer interested in buying the premises as it smelt of meat. She asked if Audrey was interested in selling to her, an offer that was flatly refused. Claudia told Audrey that she had sat her sights on Marc, a client sat near them who had recently been widowed and not long after the pair start dating. In March 2011, while having her hair done one of Audrey's elderly clients dies, Claudia and Audrey are left horrified. Soon after, Claudia begins to suspect Marc is having an affair and Audrey joins Claudia in spying on him at his home. Claudia is angered to see a woman leaving his house. Later, Marc tries to explain himself to Claudia by saying that the woman was his sister, but Claudia does not believe him. In April 2011, Claudia spots a receipt in Marc's wallet and assumes it is a gift for her, totally oblivious to knowing it is in fact for his alter-ego 'Marcia'.
On 23 May 2011, Claudia suspects that Audrey is the woman Marc is seeing behind her back. Her suspicions arise when she spots Audrey at Marc's house, only to be shocked as 'Marcia' enters the room, a disgusted Claudia storms out. A few weeks later, Claudia meets Audrey in the Rovers in an attempt to build bridges, however, Marc returns from the bathroom, having been with Audrey. A furious Claudia walks out of the Rovers firing insults at Audrey and Marc and telling them she doesn't want to see them again, before leaving. She has not been seen since, but was mentioned when Deirdre recommended Claudia's hair salon against Audrey's to newcomer Stella. In 2012, Rita mentioned that she had to go to Claudia's salon as Audrey was fully booked, complaining about the loud music.
Read more about this topic: List Of Coronation Street Characters (2009), Claudia Colby