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Charles "Charlie" Stubbs was a nefarious builder who psychologically abused his partner Shelley Unwin before being murdered by Tracy Barlow in 2007.

Taking over the Victoria Street builder's yard under the name of Stubbs Building Contractor in 2003, Charlie ran the business successfully, becoming good friends with labourer Jason Grimshaw. Away from work, he was a bully and a womaniser and constantly cheated on his girlfriends, with several illegitimate children to his name.

Charlie's longest-lasting relationship in Coronation Street was with Shelley. Charlie controlled and manipulated the Rovers landlady in order to isolate her, keeping her at his beck and call until she plucked up the courage to jilt him at the altar in 2005. With Tracy, Charlie had met his match, as when he got up to his usual tricks - having an affair with Maria Sutherland - Tracy got revenge by bludgeoning him to death and staging the crime scene so that it seemed she had killed him in self-defence. This backfired and she was found guilty of murder, but was released in December 2010 on a technicality.

Biography[]

Born in 1971, not much is known about Charlie's family except that he once mentioned that his father was a "bigot". He was married at 18 and had two children but was divorced and estranged from his family by the time he arrived on the street in 2003. Charlie needed room to park 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.

2003-2005: Relationship with Shelley Unwin[]

Charlie was involved in an abusive relationship with Rovers landlady Shelley Unwin. Although he never hurt her physically, apart from when he ripped some earrings out of her ears after a fight, 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 Parekh, her best friend, insulting her behind her back.

He became increasingly bored with a now agoraphobic Shelley, constantly cheating on her with other women. He kissed Rovers barmaid Violet Wilson. He also had sex with another woman in the back room of the Rovers, and also cheated 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 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 was due to take 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.

2005-2006: Relationship with Tracy Barlow[]

After a very short relationship, Charlie invited Tracy to move in with him at 19a Victoria Street. 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 Ken and Deirdre Barlow 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.

Charlie made an enemy of pensioner Keith Appleyard, living at 6 Coronation Street, who had refused to pay a roofing bill to him. 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 Coronation Street 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.

2006-2007: Affairs and death[]

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 would 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 calm her furious mother down, Shelley lied and said 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 September 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 Weatherfield 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.

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 naively 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 David Platt discovered the affair.

Tracy murdered Charlie by hitting him on the head with a statue after discovering his affair with Maria. She denied murdering him to the police and used David Platt as a false witness to the fact she didn't kill him. David, however blackmailed her, and she was eventually found guilty and sent to prison for a life sentence. Tracy got the last laugh however when she managed to get the verdict overturned four years later in January 2011, having found out that a forensics officer who worked on Charlie's case was dodgy. This led to Tracy becoming a free woman.

Charlie's daughter[]

On 9th April 2007, it was revealed that Charlie Stubbs was the father of Holly, 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 2006, after falsely believing that Jason was the father.

Emma later revealed that Charlie had told her he was "Jason Grimshaw" on the night of Holly's conception. Consequently, Emma delivered her baby to No.11, 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.

Personality[]

Duckworths 1983
"If you've owt to say, spit it out before it flamin' well chokes yer"
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Relationships[]

Duckworths 1983
"If you've owt to say, spit it out before it flamin' well chokes yer"
This article or section is unfinished.
Please edit this article to fill in the missing parts and remove this message when done.

Background information[]

Duckworths 1983
"If you've owt to say, spit it out before it flamin' well chokes yer"
This article or section is unfinished.
Please edit this article to fill in the missing parts and remove this message when done.

First and last lines[]

"Gotta be fate!" (First line, chatting up Deirdre Rachid)

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"So I've been told." (Final line, to Tracy Barlow)

Appendices[]

Duckworths 1983
"If you've owt to say, spit it out before it flamin' well chokes yer"
This article or section is unfinished.
Please edit this article to fill in the missing parts and remove this message when done.

See also[]

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