A former Coronation Street favourite who was murdered on the cobbles lives a contented quiet life these days with her two sons and beloved pooches but has been dipping her toes back into the world of acting. As hairdresser Maxine Peacock from 1995 to 2003, her character became one of Coronation Street ’s all-time icons. For actress Tracy Shaw, now 51, it has probably been her most notable professional role to date, with some huge storylines.
Pretty, curly blonde haired Maxine enjoyed romances with the likes of Curly Watts, Des Barnes, Andy McDonald and Tony Horrocks. She married loveable butcher Ashley Peacock, played by Steven Arnold but saw a tragic end when she was murdered by serial killer Richard Hillman. The TV villain had planned to kill Emily Bishop, so broke into Ashley and Maxine's house on a night when Emily was babysitting Joshua.
Richard had hoped to make it appear as if the elderly woman had been killed during a burglary but Maxine returned home alone early to see Richard hit Emily over the head with a crowbar. She tried to run upstairs, but Richard Richard killed her by hitting her several times with the crowbar. During her time in Corrie, the star was also a lad’s-mag favourite and won Rear of the Year in 1996 and launched an ill-fated pop career in 1998 that saw her releasing two singles Ridin' High and a cover of Lonnie Gordon's Happenin' All Over Again.
After her axe from Corrie, Tracy appeared as Sally in stage play The Blue Room alongside Jason Conner.