Claire Sweeney has a new man in her life, after previously admitting she was happy to remain single until her 80s.
The Coronation Street actress, 52, went public with boxer Ricky Hatton, 45, over the weekend, after the two stars sparked up a romance during rehearsals for the 2024 series of Dancing On Ice. Insiders revealed the sports star began “wooing Claire” after his early exit from the ITV series.
“They’ve been seeing each other quite a bit. He is completely besotted,” a source close to the new couple told the Mirror over the weekend. As the showbiz world reacts to Ricky and Claire’s shock union, we take a look at the Scouse soap star’s life off-screen prior to falling for the boxing champion.
Money woes
Despite being a household name for decades, soap legend Claire has faced financial battles over the years, with the mum-of-one hit hard during the Covid-19 pandemic. Speaking in March 2022, Claire recalled how she sold her holiday home just months before lockdown wreaked havoc on the entertainment industry.
In a candid interview with The Sunday Times about her financial situation, Claire disclosed when asked straight out how much she earned in 2021, responding: “Under £5,000. Our industry was decimated. Thankfully I’d sold a house in Spain, in 2019, so I was blessed that I could sit it out comfortably.”
“It was a big house in Mallorca that I’d bought in 2004 for €690,000 (£580,000).” Admitting her sorrow, she said: “It broke my heart to sell but it was in its own grounds, and my little boy didn’t want that – he wanted to be with other kids.” Claire went on to reveal that that despite selling her property for more than she paid, the profits were eaten up by taxes in both Spain and the UK. She lamented: “I sold it for €950,000 (£804,000), but I had to pay Spanish taxes and English taxes.”
