Ray Crosby in Coronation Street was the sleazy, corrupt businessman who arrived on the cobbles determined to bulldoze Weatherfield to build a luxury hotel.
His former business partner Debbie Webster firmly pointed the finger in his direction when it came to taking the blame for the devastation caused in the storm and the sink holes that opened up all over the Street.
But was she right?
Who played Ray Crosby in Coronation Street?
Acclaimed actor Mark Frost played Ray Crosby in Coronation Street. He was already a familiar face to viewers, having starred in Doctors, The Bill, Poldark and Hetty Feather, to name a few.
Ray Crosby and Michelle Connor
Ray first arrived in Weatherfield in 2019, when he asked Speed Daal to cater a charity event. Worried they couldn’t cope with such a large order, Alya and Yasmeen Nazir asked Michelle Connor, who was then managing the Viaduct Bistro, to help.
The event was a huge success, and impressed Ray asked Michelle to do more work for him and eventually charmed her into working for him full time – much to Alya’s disgust because she felt she had been overlooked.
But the job offer had one very big string attached – sleazy Ray propositioned shocked Michelle, who told him exactly what she thought of him.
Ray, though, told Michelle she’d got the wrong end of the stick and she reluctantly believed him. But he started making life difficult for her and she eventually left her job and signed a gagging order promising not to mention why.
When Michelle left Weatherfield, Ray bought the Bistro.
Sleazy Ray exposed
Ray employed Alya Nazir and Bethany Platt to work for him, and started dating Abi Franklin. But Bethany found out about his dodgy history with Michelle and together with Abi, set about making him pay for his actions.
Ray, though, was seemingly untouchable and all Bethany’s efforts to expose him came to nothing. Poor Abi even ended up agreeing to sleep with him to keep him quiet about Kevin’s role in their plan.
Ray and Debbie’s takeover plan
Having got his claws into the Bistro and the garage, Ray began plotting to take over the whole street.
With the help of Debbie Webster, who was working with him on the quiet, Ray started secretly buying up properties all over Coronation Street.
Obviously, being Ray, he also bribed the council, blackmailed a few people, lied and cheated and eventually he came up with the idea of creating the sink hole at the Platts’ house in order to manipulate David into selling.
Ray’s comeuppance
Eventually, Debbie realised the error of her ways and started working to bring Ray down – though not before he raped Faye Windass. Faye then bopped Adam Barlow over the head in revenge, mistakenly thinking he was Ray and ended up behind bars herself (we’re still a bit cross about that, to be honest).
Debbie managed to get Ray to sign over his businesses to her, though when he realised what she’d done he shut her and Kevin in the fridge at the Bistro. Brrr!
Thankfully, though, the pair were discovered and the police found Ray at the airport where he was about to escape to a new life overseas.
Now Ray’s in prison too.
But if we know Corrie – and we do – the bad guys often make a reappearance just when we’re least expecting it. Could Ray show up again one day?
Coronation Street usually airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm on ITV.
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