Kate Ford has admitted filming Coronation Street’s dramatic fire episodes took its toll – because the night shifts interfered with her evening glass of wine.

The actress plays street villain Tracy Barlow, who is one of the central characters in the upcoming plot which sees a huge blaze at Weatherfield’s Victoria Court flats.

She said: “We had 10 night shoots and it made me realise how hard it must be to work night shifts. It was really hard [working nights]. When do you drink your red wine?!”

Coronation Street
Tracy (Kate Ford) and Liz (Beverley Callard) watch the blaze at Victoria Court (ITV)

Kate said she loved to play bad girl Tracy, but thought there were deeper reasons behind her nastiness.

She said: “Sometimes Tracy is just so nasty, but if you don’t say it with conviction then it’s not going to work. So you just have to say it and get on with it.

“Tracy is extremely reactionary. If something or someone hurts her, she wants to hurt people back. When things are going well for her, she’s actually not that bad. I think Tracy is a really hurt and damaged person and lashes out a lot through bitterness, rather than her being an out-and-out villain.”

Coronation Street
Victoria Court goes up in flames in Coronation Street (ITV)

She continued: “People either love her or hate her. You get so many people saying Tracy should be punished, but then you get some saying they love her and that she’s so much fun.

“She’s one of those Marmite characters.”

Coronation Street continues on ITV on Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights. From Monday, May 25, it will air every weeknight for a week, as the fire drama unfolds.