Claudia Colby was introduced as an old friend of
Audrey Roberts (
Sue Nicholls). On 5 October 2009, it was announced that
Rula Lenska would portray Claudia. A
Coronation Street spokesperson said: "Rula will play a glamorous friend of Audrey's who she meets up with at a function. She makes Audrey think about her life and what she wants out of it. She will film her scenes on Friday 16 October and will appear on screen in the run-up to Christmas." In 2010, Nicholls has revealed that Lenska would return to
Coronation Street for a future storyline. Talking about Audrey and Claudia's relationship, Nicholls said, "Yes, she's a little bit like the wicked witch, isn't she? It's great fun. In my head, Claudia is that friend you know is always going to be a pain. She's the one who says the wrong thing, is always trying to out do you and has a habit of saying really horrid things even though she thinks they're a joke. But I think in a funny way they really do get on. She gets quite drunk at the party and when Audrey makes her announcement she has no qualms about filling Gail in on Lewis' past." She made a return in later 2010. In December 2010, it was reported that Claudia may become landlady of the local pub
The Rovers Return replacing
Liz McDonald (
Beverley Callard), a spokesperson said "Claudia ticks all the boxes for a feisty, no-nonsense landlady of a certain age. She could certainly make a great Rovers boss to follow in Liz's footsteps." However, producer
Phil Collinson later said the storyline suggestion was untrue. In May 2011, it was announced that Lenska was to leave the serial in order to appear in theatre. On 19 March 2018, it was announced Lenska would reprise the role of Claudia in a new storyline with Audrey in a bid to bring back light-heartedness to the show. Claudia returned on 25 July 2018. After two years she departed in April 2020. Lenska reprised the part for
Norris Cole's funeral in 2021, and will return again in 2022.
Storylines 2009–2011 Claudia attended a Weatherfield Traders' Association lunch, escorted by
Lewis Archer (
Nigel Havers), who she often hired for functions. Audrey also went and was shocked that Claudia employed a male escort, but Claudia explained that there was no sex involved and that it was just for appearances. Later, Claudia met up with Audrey again and they went to a dinner dance together. Lewis was also attending, escorting
Rita Sullivan (
Barbara Knox). Claudia was surprised to find out that Audrey had hired Lewis several times and had fallen for him. She reminded Audrey that Lewis's charms were contractual and when she met Audrey and Lewis again a couple of months later in a restaurant she made it quite clear that she still regarded Lewis as contactable. Claudia's doubts about Lewis' reliability as a permanent suitor for Audrey were to be proved right. On 13 August 2010, Claudia attended a party Audrey's daughter,
Gail McIntyre (
Helen Worth), threw for Audrey and Lewis who were moving abroad to run a hotel. However, Lewis chose that day to vanish from Audrey's life and Audrey was confronted by footage of him defrauding Barlow's Bookies and diverting
Deirdre Barlow's (
Anne Kirkbride) attention by kissing her. Claudia got drunk with Rita, and delighted in the floor show as Gail pushed a
Manchester tart into Deirdre's face. Claudia was not seen again until she arrived in The Rovers on New Year's Eve 2010, where she donated the prize of luxury treatments in Perm Suspect to the evening's charity raffle and befriended locals. The prize was won by a disgruntled Audrey, who had already had her nose put out of joint after her donation of a pedicure and manicure at Audrey's salon was somewhat dwarfed by Claudia's generosity. Claudia was keen to grow her business and initially showed interest in purchasing the butchers premises on Victoria Street from
Claire Peacock (
Julia Haworth) to convert into a rival salon to Audrey's salon. When Audrey claimed her free hair treatment at Perm Suspect, Claudia revealed that she was no longer interested in buying the premises as it smelt of meat. She asked if Audrey was interested in selling to her, an offer that was flatly refused. Claudia told Audrey that she had set her sights on
Marc Selby (
Andrew Hall), a client sat near them who had recently been widowed and not long after the pair start dating. In March 2011, while having her hair done one of Audrey's elderly clients dies, Claudia and Audrey are left horrified. Soon after, Claudia begins to suspect Marc is having an affair and Audrey joins Claudia in spying on him at his home. Claudia is angered to see a woman leaving his house. Later, Marc tries to explain himself to Claudia by saying that the woman was his sister, but Claudia does not believe him. In April 2011, Claudia spots a receipt in Marc's wallet and assumes it is a gift for her, totally oblivious to knowing it is in fact for his alter-ego "Marcia". In May 2011, Claudia suspects that Audrey is the woman Marc is seeing behind her back. Her suspicions arise when she spots Audrey at Marc's house, only to be shocked when Marcia enters the room; a disgusted Claudia storms out. A few weeks later, Claudia meets Audrey in The Rovers in an attempt to build bridges, however, Marc appears from the bathroom, having been with Audrey. A furious Claudia walks out of The Rovers firing insults at Audrey and Marc and telling them she does not want to see them again, before leaving. She is later mentioned when Deirdre recommends Claudia's hair salon against Audrey's salon to newcomer,
Stella Price (
Michelle Collins). In 2012, Rita mentions that she had to go to Claudia's salon as Audrey was fully booked, complaining about the loud music.
Reintroduction (2018) Claudia returns to Weatherfield in July 2018, amidst a feud between Audrey and her stylist,
Maria Connor (
Samia Longchambon). Seizing a chance to annoy Audrey, Claudia offers Maria the opportunity to run her own salon under Claudia's chain, however she demanded that Maria provide the money to pay for the new salon immediately. After failing to gain investment from
Carla Connor (
Alison King), Maria is invested in by Rita, who can see how spiteful Audrey is being about the situation. At the same time, Claudia becomes close friends with
Ken Barlow (
William Roache), and supports him when he learns that his pregnant daughter-in-law,
Sinead Tinker (
Katie McGlynn), has been diagnosed with
cervical cancer. Eventually, when both Claudia and Audrey are invited to an awards ceremony for the North West Salons Awards, their feud reaches breaking point when Claudia nominates Audrey for the lifetime achievement award, hoping to show rival salons that Audrey should be slowing down and eventually drop out of hairdressing forever. However, when presented with a bouquet of flowers, Audrey throws the flowers at Claudia, who dramatically knocks all the glasses over on the table. Later, when she sees how Maria and Audrey are starting to become close again, Claudia reminds Maria that she works for her now, and not to be as friendly with Audrey anymore. Claudia begins a relationship with Ken in 2019. After being scammed out of all her money, Audrey decides to sell her share of the salon to Claudia, infuriating Audrey's grandson,
David Platt (
Jack P. Shepherd), who squirts shampoo over both Audrey and Claudia. When Ken's son,
Peter Barlow (
Chris Gascoyne), suffers an alcohol relapse, Claudia pays for Peter to enter
rehab. Claudia later supports Audrey when it transpires that her eldest grandson,
Nick Tilsley (
Ben Price), was the culprit who scammed her out of her money. In 2020, Claudia began to suggest to Ken they move to a retirement community. Ken, after some consideration, accepts. In April 2020, Ken breaks up with Claudia and returns to 1 Coronation Street. The following year, Claudia returns following
Norris Cole's (
Malcolm Hebden) death. ==Lewis Archer==