Frank Foster

Frank Foster was a businessman and co-owner of Underworld who was responsible for raping Carla Connor.

Biography
As an Underworld client, Frank Foster took a shine to Carla Connor's PA Michelle Connor. Carla wanted to make a good impression towards Frank and sent Michelle to go and have dinner and discuss business with Frank in order to secure a contract, which actually occured on the last night before Michelle's boyfriend Ciaran McCarthy was due to leave. Frank however was more interested in discussing other things rather than business. Frank continued his business in Underworld and again took an interest in one of Carla's assistants, this time Maria Connor. When trying to secure a deal, Carla sent Maria round to Frank's house all glammed up hoping to make an offer. When Maria went round, they shared a few drinks on his sofa, and Frank forced himself on her believing he was onto something, and a distraught Maria left. He returned the next day but Maria tried her best to ignore him, and when Carla asked her later why she was being rude to him, she told Carla everything. Frank later apologised and signed the deal.

In March 2011, he went out on a date with Tracy Barlow who was working at the Rovers. However, Maria later warned Tracy about Frank and him trying to force himself on her, but Frank told Tracy that he had misread the signals and it was a mistake, and they continued to date. Frank later cancelled the order, but after Maria was forced to say sorry by Carla, he decided to go ahead with the contract. Frank's relationship with Tracy was short-lived after he dumped her due to her obsession with her ex-boyfriend Steve McDonald.

In April, Frank was happy with the deal with Carla. He later offered to buy a share into Underworld, which Carla happily accepted. Everyone at the factory celebrated Underworld's new victory, but Maria wasn't happy with it. Maria later packed in her job, and told her boyfriend Chris Gray about what had happened with Frank, which almost led to Frank being thumped by Chris. Chris told Maria she should call the police on Frank, but she was wary about doing so, although she ended up phoning them after a heated encounter with Carla. The police arrested Frank, but he was later released due to lack of evidence.

When Carla discovered the death of her mother, Frank shared his sympathies with her, and after she got heavily drunk at Nick's Bistro and later the Rovers, Frank was told by Peter Barlow to look after her. Frank took Carla back home, and let her sleep on the couch. When they arrived for work the next morning together, gossip began to go around, and Maria became convinced they were a couple. While in the Rovers, Chris confronted Frank and began pushing him around, which led to a fight and also a big brawl in the pub. Sometime later, Carla went round to stay at Frank's and they kissed, and later started a relationship. Frank proposed to Carla in the pub, only to be turned down in front of everyone. However, when he kept pushing her in the factory to why she didn't accept, she gave up and accepted his proposal. Frank also got Carla and Leanne to make up after their feud over Peter. When Frank and Carla celebrated their engagement at the Bistro in September, with Frank's parents Sam and Anne. Carla ended up getting drunk and having a go at his mother.Then she got in their car, despite the fact she was drunk. When he got in the passenger seat, she sped off down the Street hitting Stella Price and crashing into Barlow's Bookies. Frank put Carla in the passenger seat and decided to take the blame. When Stella pulled through, Frank got fined £500 pounds, £150 for damages and got six points on his licence, much to the anger of Stella's boyfriend Karl Munro. Frank also managed to get a house he wanted for him and Carla.

Carla then began to have second thoughts about their relationship, and got in touch with her solicitor, Jennifer Lingwood, to see what she can do about Frank if they split up. She then decided to let him down gently and split up with him the day before their wedding. An angry Frank returned to the flat and waited, demanding the truth and whether or not she saw another man. When she confessed to loving Peter, an angered and betrayed Frank raped Carla. He fled and Carla called Maria, who set off to help her at once. They called the police who arrived and took a statement from Carla. Frank then entered the flat acting as if nothing had happened, but DC Malone arrested him on suspicion of attempted rape. He spent a night in the cells while Carla received medical treatment. He was released on bail the following day and after provocation from Frank, Peter thumped him. Peter then followed him onto the Street and began to give him a beating. Malone arrived at the scene and arrested Peter for assault. The followed day when Peter was released after also spending a night in the cells, Frank was arrested once again and was denied bail at his hearing. However he later applied for bail and was accepted, but couldn't go near the factory. He hired his mother Anna to be his proxxy at Underworld, much to Carla's disbelief, which led to her storming round with Maria, but he then reported her to the police who gave Carla a warning. When Carla lost a client due to a misunderstanding at a meeting, he got his mum and a bunch of men to take away half the machines and materials as he half owns the business so he can set up somewhere else. When a struggling Carla had to make cuts, she got rid of a few staff members, especially Sally Webster, who then turned to Frank for a job which he accepted.

Background information

 * Andrew Lancel was cast in the role of Frank for a storyline arc in which the character would eventually rape Carla Connor. It was originally intended that Frank would attempt to sexually assault Michelle Connor as part of the storyline, however, actress Kym Marsh took an early maternity leave and the ordeal was hastily re-written to involve Maria Connor instead. As the storyline progressed and was leading up to his attack on Carla, Frank's on-screen parents were cast to coincide with the storyline.
 * Frank's storyline has been reported to have influenced real life rape victims to call the Rape Crisis helpline.

Quotes

 * "Good to see you Carla, a new face, not that I am complaining" (First line to Carla, and referring to Michelle)
 * "It's your fault, you made me do it" (After raping Carla)
 * "Which words Carla? Which words? I raped you? I raped you. I...raped...you. Theres your confession. Now does that make you feel better? Cause I did feel bad for it...a little bit...but you betrayed me. And it was your fault. No, no, no you should know by now that you picked the wrong person to fight with. Today was the best, taking your factory. That means I screwed you twice! Fancy going for the hattrick?" (Final Line)