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Tracy Lynette Barlow (née Langton, previously Preston) is the daughter of Deirdre Barlow and Ray Langton, currently serving a life sentence for the murder of Charlie Stubbs.

Born in 1977, Tracy was raised by Deirdre and her second husband Ken Barlow, who Tracy came to think of as her father. Tracy was a sensitive, unpredictable child who took disappointment hard. She was close to Deirdre but the end of Ken and Deirdre's marriage in 1990 marked a turning point in their relationship - Deirdre moved on too soon for Tracy who, like Ken, had hoped for a reconciliation. Tracy's view of Deirdre was sullied forever when she found out about her 1983 affair with Mike Baldwin, and their relationship hit is lowest ebb in 1995 when Deirdre's third husband Samir Rachid died after being beaten up while on his way to donate a kidney to Tracy, who was ill after taking a bad ecstasy pill. Time healed some wounds, but the trust and respect was gone.

Tracy moved to London after marrying Robert Preston in 1996. She returned permanently in 2002 after divorcing Robert, by which time Tracy had matured into a mischievous schemer, a woman who saw what she wanted and wouldn't stop until she had it, thinking of little more than her own satisfaction. In 2003, she nearly drove Roy Cropper to suicide by pretending that they had slept together and conceived a baby, whose father was really Steve McDonald. The following year, Tracy turned her attentions to Steve, and waged war with Steve's wife Karen, seeing her as the only thing keeping them from being together, but to her annoyance, even after splitting from Karen, Steve still wasn't interested in Tracy.

In 2006, when Tracy found out that her boyfriend Charlie Stubbs had cheated on her, she spent months making it appear to the neighbours as though Charlie was abusing her and then murdered him, intending to claim self defense. Her scheme backfired and she was found guilty of murder and sentenced to fifteen years. She is currently three years into that sentence.

1977-1989: Childhood
Ray and Deirdre Langton had been married for two years when Deirdre gave birth to their first and only child on 24th January 1977. Ray registered the birth himself so that he could put his preference of Tracy as the baby's Christian name, using Deirdre's choice of Lynette as a middle name.

With a baby to care for, the Langtons decided to move out of their flat at 20 Victoria Street, Weatherfield to the (moderately) larger 5 Coronation Street. Ray was a partner in building firm Fairclough & Langton, where Deirdre had worked as a secretary before leaving work to take care of Tracy. However, a year after Tracy's birth Ray had an affair with Janice Stubbs, a waitress at Dawson's Cafe, effectively ending his and Deirdre's marriage. A move to Holland was planned for the family as a fresh start, but Deirdre chose instead to remain in Weatherfield with Tracy while Ray went to Holland by himself. Ray didn't say goodbye to Tracy and paid no further visits during her childhood, sending only sporadic letters and Christmas presents.

Deirdre and Tracy were taken in by Emily Bishop at No.3. Now a single parent, Deirdre soon became exhausted and in March 1979 was happy to let friend Sally Robson make a fuss over Tracy, easing the burden somewhat. On one fateful day, Deirdre left Tracy in her pushchair outside the Rovers Return while she spoke to Annie Walker inside. Moments later, a lorry overturned and crashed into the pub. When unable to find Tracy, a grief-stricken Deirdre contemplated suicide, feeling that a life without her daughter wasn't worth living - but fortunately Sally had taken Tracy moments before the lorry hit.

Tracy started playgroup later in 1979. The following year, Deirdre and Tracy moved into the Corner Shop flat as Deirdre started work behind the shop counter. This was also a short stay as another move for mother and daughter occurred in July 1981, when Deirdre married Ken Barlow from No.1.

A more stable period followed for Tracy as she had a permanent home and now a steady father figure, and Ken in return came to look upon Tracy as a daughter. However, as Ray hadn't allowed Ken to adopt Tracy, she remained a Langton until 1986, when he finally relented. In the interim, Tracy had been unhappy having a different name from her parents as the other children at Bessie Street School had made fun of her.

In 1983, Ken and Deirdre faced the biggest crisis of their marriage - Deirdre's affair with Mike Baldwin. Ken and Deirdre were briefly separated but reconciled quickly enough that they were able to keep Tracy from asking too many questions. By 1985, Tracy had grown into a headstrong child who didn't always do what she was told; when Deirdre refused to let Tracy get a dog, she ran away from home and got on a train for Newcastle to stay with Ken's daughter Susan Barlow, apparently obvlivious to the panic which ensued at the Barlow household.

1989-1995: Tearaway teen
Ken and Deirdre separated again in December 1989 - this time for good - when Ken had an affair with Wendy Crozier, his secretary at the Weatherfield Recorder. Initially Tracy supported Deirdre, but above all Tracy wanted a return to the cozy Barlow family life and so once Ken saw the error of his ways and began seeking a reconciliation, in opposition to Deirdre who wanted a divorce, Tracy's allegiance shifted to Ken. Deirdre was subjected to further resentment when she took up with joiner Dave Barton, who had rescued Tracy when she accidentally set No.1's kitchen on fire. The divorce even affected Tracy's school life as Ken got a teaching job there in 1990, as he could stayed updated on Deirdre's exploits through Tracy.

Caught between two warring parents, Tracy started to rebel by playing truant from school, going instead to the amusement arcade with Steve and Andy McDonald. The year also saw Tracy get her first boyfriend, Graham Egerton, but it didn't last long.

In 1992, Tracy got her first job, working Saturdays at Maggie Redman's flower shop. Maggie was Ken's girlfriend and, it transpired, an old flame of Mike Baldwin's; her son Mark was Mike's son, although Mark believed his father was the recently deceased Harry Redman. On being told the truth by Deirdre, Tracy told Ken as he wasn't aware of Maggie's connection to Mike and Tracy thought he had a right to know. Tracy later informed Mark himself of his parentage, believing that it was too great a secret to keep from him. Maggie took exception to Tracy's actions and got revenge by telling Tracy about Deirdre's affair with Mike. Feeling betrayed, Tracy rebelled against Deirdre and, in a heated argument, called her a rotten cowing tart, earning a slap from her mother. She tormented Deirdre further by getting drunk and kissing Deirdre's boyfriend Doug Murray, but Deirdre believed Doug when he said he had done nothing but take her home.

At sixteen, Tracy left school with four GCSEs and started work at Maggie's shop full-time, having made peace with Maggie over their past disagreement. Her relationship with Deirdre was also more cordial but Tracy was growing fed up with being treated like a child and in October 1993 she abruptly moved out of No.1 to live with her new boyfriend, 22-year-old Craig Lee, refusing to pass on the address to Deirdre. Unfortunately Tracy's new life didn't last long as the lease ran out on the flat and Tracy had to turn to Deirdre, who agreed to house Tracy and Craig on the condition that they didn't get physical. Not surprisingly, Tracy took no notice of this and a month later she and Craig moved out after finding alternative accommodation.

Over the next few years, Tracy led a more independent life, usually turning up to see Deirdre or Ken when she wanted something. In 1994, she opposed Deirdre's marriage to Moroccan toyboy Samir Rachid but showed up at the wedding ceremony as a token gesture. The following year, Tracy was hospitalised after taking bad ecstasy in a nightclub, which resulted in kidney failure. Facing life on dialysis, Tracy wanted to die but Samir volunteered one of his kidneys when they were found to be a match for Tracy's. When Tracy awoke after the successful operation, she was stunned to learn that Samir was dead, found unconscious outside the hospital, and Deirdre had given permission for his kidney to be used. Tracy thought that Deirdre would never forgive her and moved to Blackpool to stay with Mark Ramsden, brother of her Weatherfield flatmate Lorraine.

1996-2002: From London to Preston
In 1996, Tracy met carpet fitter Robert Preston and they decided to marry. They intended to tie the knot in London, where they were living, but on telling Ken and Deirdre the news, Tracy decided to marry in Weatherfield instead, on the cheap; she booked the Registry Office immediately and bought a £14 wedding dress from a charity shop. The wedding was a success and the Prestons returned to London.

Tracy visited Weatherfield three times over the next few years: she turned up at Deirdre and Jon Lindsay's engagement party in 1997 and gave her approval of airline pilot Jon (who was later revealed to be a con man), and then two years later sought refuge in Weatherfield after falling out with Robert, who accused Tracy of having an affair with her friend Dan after seeing them kissing. Robert followed Tracy to Weatherfield and they reconciled when he accepted her story that she and Dan were just friends. Tracy also visited the Street in November 1999 for Ken's 60th birthday party.

Marriage problems continued for the Prestons in 2002 when Tracy had an affair and, after having it out with Robert, fled to Weatherfield, surprising the Barlows with her arrival on Christmas Day. Tracy initially claimed that Robert was the one who cheated but Robert soon arrived and put the record straight. With Tracy and Robert now seeking a divorce, Tracy moved back into No.1, where Ken and Deirdre were both living following their reconciliation in 1999, with Deirdre's ever-critical mother Blanche Hunt occupying the front parlour.

Residences

 * 20 Victoria Street (January to March 1977)
 * 5 Coronation Street (March 1977 to February 1979)
 * 3 Coronation Street (February 1979 to September 1980)
 * 15a Coronation Street (September 1980 to July 1981)
 * 1 Coronation Street (July 1981 to October 1993)

Margot Bryant played Minnie Caldwell in 992 episodes of Coronation Street from 1960 to 1976.