Tracy Shaw was born 27th July, 1973 in Belper. She is an English actress who played Maxine Peacock in Coronation Street for almost eight years from May 1995 to January 2003. One of the soap's top pin-ups in her day, Shaw's character was included in a number of love affairs with likes of Steve McDonald, Des Barnes, Greg Kelly, Dr Matt Ramsden and even Curly Watts. Maxine was then finally married of in a surprise union with butcher Ashley Peacock (Steven Arnold) in 1999. Shaw eventually took the decision to quit the series in late 2002 but not due to pay refusals as reported, but rather because she felt Maxine had simply come to the end of the road. Maxine subsquently met her maker as one of serial killer Richard Hillman (Brian Capron) victims early the following year. Her death brought in strong ratings for the soap, with over 17 million viewers tuning in.