Coronation Street’s Tracy Barlow is to hook up with Paula Martin.
The no-nonsense cobbles florist – played by Kate Ford – is married to Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) and has had numerous male love interests over the years, but she looks set to bed a woman, Sophie Webster’s (Brooke Vincent) ex, for the first time.
A soap source said: "Tracy has seen it all on Coronation Street – affairs, murder, kids, divorce, the lot. But the writers have decided to give her another new twist with a night of passion with a woman.
"Her and Paula will end up spending the night together after one thing leads to another."
But Tracy and Steve’s daughter Amy Barlow will attempt to bribe Paula (Stirling Gallacher) to keep quiet about their one-night stand, which is expected to play out early next year.
The source added to The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre TV column: "It’s not known if Steve finds out, but when Amy gets wind of it she does her utmost to try and keep it a secret and bribe Paula into staying quiet."
But Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) will find out about the secret one-night stand, and love every minute of it.
Paula will tell Leanne that her and Tracy’s bedroom session is "regretted by both of us".
When Tracy asks Leanne if she is enjoying her predicament, she replies: "Just a little! Oh go on Tracy, when did you decide you were attracted to women?"
Tracy has been married to Steve twice, and has had numerous male flings in Weatherfield, including Dev Alahan (Jimmi Harkishin), who she dumped after realising he was "not marriage material", Rob Donovan (Marc Baylis), and Charlie Stubbs (Bill Ward), who she murdered.
Coronation Street’s Tracy to hook up with Paula?
