Charlie Stubbs
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| Coronation Street character | |
|---|---|
| Charlie Stubbs | |
| Portrayed by | Bill Ward |
| Duration | 2003-2007 |
| Date of birth | 17 November, 1971 |
| Date of death | 15 January, 2007 |
| Status | Deceased |
| Occupation | Builder |
| Family | Holly Grimshaw |
Charles "Charlie" Stubbs was a character in ITVs Coronation Street. Having only arrived in 2003, his parentage remained unknown. Charlie was portrayed by Bill Ward.
Contents |
[edit] Personality
Charlie was known primarily as a soap villain, although he was initially a respected member of the community. However, he was manipulative and ruthless when it came to getting what he wanted, and wasn't afraid to use violent methods when he saw fit.
Nevertheless, he did occasionally show a softer side to his personality even after most of the Street had seen through him. For example, in 2004, Charlie risked his life when he and Ciaran McCarthy ran into a burning building to save Dev Alahan and Sunita Parekh from a fire started deliberately started by Dev's psychotic ex-girlfriend, 'Mad' Maya Sharma.
[edit] Background
During the early days of his relationship with barmaid Shelley Unwin, Charlie told her that he had married very young and had a son, who he had not seen for some time.
Charlie's parentage was not made obvious but any reference that he made to his mother was scornful. He admitted to girlfriend Tracy Barlow that his mother had been absent throughout his childhood and that he had a brother whom he had not met.
However, it is unclear whether Charlie was lying to endear himself emotionally to them, or whether he was telling the truth.
[edit] Storylines
[edit] First appearance
Charlie Stubbs first appeared along with another builder in 2003. He needed a parking space for his bulldozer, but Mike Baldwin refused to move his car so that they could park. Charlie lifted Mike's Jaguar up with the bulldozer in response. Mike only just managed to save his car from being smashed.
[edit] Abuse of Shelley Unwin
Charlie was involved in an abusive relationship with Rovers landlady Shelley Unwin. Although he never hurt her physically, Charlie managed to isolate Shelley from her family members and friends. As part of a subtle campaign of psychological abuse, Charlie told Shelley that he had heard Sunita, her best friend, insulting her behind her back.
He became increasingly bored with a now agoraphobic Shelley, constantly cheating on her with other women. For example, Charlie kissed from Shelley's work mate, Violet Wilson. He also had sex with another woman in the back room of the Rovers Return, and on his stag night.
Shelley's mother Bev Unwin despised Charlie, despite having previously had an affair with him herself. She knew that he was the one who destroyed Shelley's relationship with her own mum, and did everything she could to split them up.
Eventually, Charlie asked Shelley to marry him, who was over the moon and instantly agreed. The wedding took place in September 2005, but Shelley finally stood up to Charlie at the altar, jilting him, much to the delight of many Weatherfield residents, who were convinced that he was abusing her. They consequently split up and Charlie began dating Tracy Barlow in December 2005.
[edit] Tracy's fake abortion
After a very short relationship, Charlie invited Tracy to move into his flat. However, he was unimpressed when she brought her young daughter Amy with her. Charlie refused to allow the toddler to live at the flat. Consequently, Tracy told her grandparents that Amy would be living with them from now on.
However, Tracy planned to manipulate Charlie into allowing Amy to move in. She lied that she was pregnant, much to Charlie's horror. He gave Tracy money for an abortion, which she spent on shoes. Following her 'termination', Tracy claimed that she needed her daughter more than ever. Charlie allowed Amy to come and live with Tracy at the flat.
Nevertheless, Charlie gradually became suspicious and confronted Tracy, who confessed to her lie. Charlie didn't choose to end their relationship though, much to Tracy's surprise. In spite of this, Charlie still decided to take revenge on Tracy; he hid one of the shoes which she had bought with the money that he had intended for her abortion and warned her never to cross him again.
[edit] Feud with Keith Appleyard
Charlie made an enemy of pensioner Keith Appleyard, who had refused to pay a roofing bill to the builder. In revenge, Charlie tore the tiles off from the roof. However, this was just the start of his plot to avenge him. He met the elderly neighbour's landlord and made an offer on the property, which was accepted. Charlie triumphantly evicted Keith from his home. This devastated Keith's grandson Craig Harris and left the whole of Weatherfield disgusted by Charlie's behaviour.
When Keith left Weatherfield, Charlie planned to renovate the property and then sell it. But girlfriend Tracy convinced him that they should move into no.6 themselves. Eventually, he agreed.
[edit] Shelley's pregnancy
In Summer 2006, as Shelley prepared to leave Weatherfield to start a new life in Derbyshire, Charlie planned to sleep with her one last to prove that he will always have a hold over her. He succeeded in doing so and gleefully informed Shelley of his motives following their one night stand. A guilty Shelley revealed details of the fling to Tracy, who slapped her across the face on finding out. Charlie denied it to Tracy, but she didn't believe him. However, at her leaving do, Shelley's mum, Bev, was heartbroken when she discovered the fling. In an attempt to clam her furious mother down, Shelley lied that she hadn't slept with Charlie and that it was just a ploy to finish his relationship with Tracy. Upon finding out, Tracy humiliated Shelley in front of a packed Rovers, before reuniting with Charlie.
Shelley returned in the September of that year and revealed that she was pregnant. Charlie was the father and Tracy found out, resulting in a huge catfight between her and Shelley. A furious Charlie threatened Shelley, although he refrained from hitting her. Shelley left the Street for good with Tracy and Charlie's relationship in tatters. Tracy eventually forgave Charlie but warned him that if he ever cheated on her again, then she would make him suffer.
[edit] Betrayal with Maria
With his flat now empty following the move to no.6, he let the property to Maria Sutherland and subsequently began having an affair with her. Charlie lied about the state of his relationship with Tracy to Maria - lies which she naiively believed. Charlie staged a burglary of Maria's flat in a bid to make her rely on him emotionally, but his control of the situation was about to be lost when a certain troublesome teen discovered the affair...
[edit] David's antagonism
When David discovered Charlie's infidelity and threatened to reveal his affair to Tracy, Charlie became worried that his cheating with Maria would be exposed.
Charlie threatened David violently in the back of a van, only for him to be caught by Liam Connor. But Charlie wasn't finished with David yet.
He lured David to Maria's flat where Charlie proceeded to fill the bathtub and hold David's head beneath the water for a few seconds at a time. Even after David promised to stop the behaviour that threatened the secrecy of Charlie's affair with Maria, Charlie continued his torment of the teen, saying; "One more question for you David, answer this and you can go. Who put the ram in the ramalamadingdong?" David then received further submersion in the water..
Charlie appeared to be enjoying himself, and would have carried on his behaviour for longer had Maria not walked in on them seconds later. Maria told all about her affair with Charlie to Tracy as a result.
[edit] Tracy's revenge
Tracy began a plan to manipulate the residents of Weatherfield into believing that she was a victim of domestic violence, which, of course, was not true. She burned herself with an iron and locked herself in rooms to frame Charlie for abuse. This was in revenge for his affair with Maria and the one night stand with Shelley earlier in the year. Hell hath no fury like Tracy Barlow scorned, as Charlie would discover...
Charlie suspected that Tracy was plotting revenge for his cheating and confided his fears in work colleague Jason Grimshaw. But he never thought that Tracy would stoop as low as she did.
Peter Barlow (Tracy's adoptive brother) returned to Weatherfield to set up the climax. Jason had told Charlie that he had spotted Tracy with another man (Peter), but was unable to identify him. Tracy had been threatening to cheat on Charlie, so he stormed home to confront her. Tracy hinted to Charlie that she'd slept with the man upstairs. This was in an attempt to make him attack her brother. Charlie fell into her trap and beat him up. For Tracy, it had turned out just as she had planned; everyone now believed that Charlie was being similarly violent towards her. But Charlie now twigged what Tracy was scheming and ordered her out of no.6.
[edit] Demise
On Charlie's return from court on 12 January 2007 (for assaulting Peter Barlow), Tracy attempted to seduce him with a lapdance. Although he was still angry with Tracy and initially demanded she pack her bags and leave, he eventually agreed to give their relationship another go. Tracy, however, was bluffing and when he lowered his guard, she struck him on the head with a large metal statue. Charlie fell to his knees before being taunted by Tracy, who then dealt a second blow to his head. She placed a kitchen knife in his hand to create the appearance of self-defence. Many instantly assumed that she had been defending herself as Tracy had manipulated everyone into thinking that Charlie was a woman-beater. Panic ensued outside as Tracy's concerned family gathered. After ransacking the house, Tracy finally called an ambulance and feigned some crocodile tears for the benefit of her family and neighbours.
Paramedics attending the scene discovered that Charlie was not dead yet, much to Tracy's dismay, and had a weak pulse. He was rushed to hospital.
However, Charlie lost his fight for life on 15 January 2007, when he died from a cardiac arrest in the presence of the only two people who now cared for him, former mistress Maria and work mate Jason.
Despite the lengths that Tracy had gone to in order to get away with her crime, her lies didn't fool the police and she was charged with murder on the night of Charlie's death. She was subsequently convicted and jailed for life.
[edit] Charlie's daughter
On 9 April 2007, it was revealed that Charlie Stubbs was the father of Holly Grimshaw, for whom Eileen Grimshaw had been caring after believing that her son Jason was the father. Holly's mother, Emma, had given Eileen the baby on Christmas Day, after falsely believing that Jason was the father.
Emma later revealed that Charlie had given a false name (Jason Grimshaw) on the night of Holly's conception. Consequently, Emma delivered her baby to the Grimshaw residence, believing that she was leaving the child with the father. However, after reading about Tracy's trial in the press, Emma realised her mistake and Holly was returned to her.
Thus, it seems that Charlie and his lies were continuing to cause heartache and wreck lives even beyond the grave.
It is known Charlie fathered at least 2 children, Baby Unwin (Child of Shelly Unwin) and Holly Grimshaw. It is unknown how many other children he fathered and if their mothers know his true identity.
[edit] Family
- Daughter: Chloe
- Baby Unwin (Unknown if male or female)
[edit] Enemies
