in february 2003, a drunk mike offers joe a share in the factory if he will agree to be his partner. after more negotiating, mike gives joe control of the factory. after he sacks hayley cropper (julie hesmondhalgh) and makes karen supervisor, steve becomes suspicious of the relationship between karen and joe and accuses them of sleeping together. over time the factory girls begin to also speculate about them, especially after they go clubbing together after a staff night out. steve's suspicions are also aroused and convinced that they are having an affair, steve punches him and dumps karen. however, the mcdonald's reconcile, much to joe's disappointment as he is in love with karen. joe deliberately flirts with other women to make karen jealous, his ploy pays off. joe steps up his campaign to get karen when he takes her to a business conference in wolverhampton, where he comes on to her. although she initially turns him down, she eventually sleeps with him, after her marriage to steve breaks down when he is unfaithful.