ITV Coronation Street icon looks unrecognisable two decades after brutal murder

Tracy Shaw, best known for her role as Maxine Peacock in Coronation Street from 1995 to 2003, now enjoys a peaceful life with her two sons and cherished dogs. However, she has recently been making a comeback to the acting world.

Her portrayal of the attractive, curly-haired blonde Maxine, who had love affairs with characters such as Curly Watts, Des Barnes, Andy McDonald and Tony Horrocks, is likely her most recognised professional role so far. She tied the knot with the endearing butcher Ashley Peacock, played by Steven Arnold, but met a horrific end when she was slain by serial killer Richard Hillman.

The TV antagonist had aimed to murder Emily Bishop and intruded into Ashley and Maxine's home on an evening when Emily was looking after Joshua.

Richard had intended to make Emily's death look like a botched burglary, but his scheme was thwarted when Maxine unexpectedly came back home early and saw Richard hitting Emily with a crowbar. In a state of panic, she tried to escape upstairs, but Richard ended her existence by repeatedly striking her with the crowbar.

During her time on Corrie, the actress also became popular in men's magazines and won the Rear of the Year award in 1996. She even embarked on a brief pop career in 1998, releasing two singles, 'Ridin' High' and a cover of Lonnie Gordon's 'Happenin' All Over Again', according to the Mirror, reports the Daily Record.

After departing Corrie, Tracy took up the role of Sally in the stage play The Blue Room, alongside Jason Connery, son of film legend Sean.

Tracy Shaw, the former Coronation Street star, has opened up about her life away from the spotlight. Tracy, who was once linked with Darren Day and married to TV producer Robert Ashworth before their 2001 divorce, has since found happiness with childhood sweetheart Ashley Poundall. The couple have two sons, Louis and Luca.

In a candid chat on Loose Women back in 2019, Tracy spoke about the pressures of fame after leaving the cobbles of Weatherfield. She shared how uncomfortable she felt when photographers would snap pictures of her and her son Louie during walks with fellow actress Angela Griffin.

Now embracing social media, Tracy often posts updates, describing herself as "single" and a "survivor", and shares moments from her life, including outings with her beloved German Shepherd dogs.

In 2021, Tracy gave fans a sneak peek into her work on the stage production of 'The Cat and the Canary', where she played Annabelle. More recently, she's been teasing a new venture with snaps from Molinare's recording studio, hinting at a film project with the hashtags "#film" and "#directorArabella".