Ricky Hatton has been spotted cosying up to Claire Sweeney on a night out together – just months after they appeared on Dancing On Ice.
The Manchester boxing hero, 45 and Coronation Street actress, 52, both took part in the ITV reality show earlier this year. Despite being eliminated from the series, which was eventually won by actor Ryan Thomas, the pair appear to have bonded as they were spotted at the pub together in Ricky’s hometown of Hyde, Tameside, on Saturday.
They were seen leaving their first boozer with friends at around 6pm, with Ricky carrying bottles of Veuve Clicquot champagne. The pair were later spotted arm in arm arriving at another nearby pub at about 11pm, with their arms around one another.
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Ricky, wearing trainers and jeans, then wrapped his jacket around the actress – who looked glamorous as she sported a form-fitting black sequinned dress – to keep her warm when they left an hour later before heading back in the direction of his house on foot.
Claire, famed for playing Lyndsey Corkhill on Brookside, admitted that despite a string of failed romances she’s in no rush to find love again earlier this year. The actress and singer admitted she hadn’t been on a date since Christmas, and has sought comfort knowing that her grandmother didn’t find ‘the love of her life’ until she was 86. Claire’s last long-term romance came with Daniel Reilly, and the pair split in 2017. They share son Jaxon, eight.
Ricky, meanwhile, was dealt a bitter blow earlier this year following the break down of his brief relationship with Playboy model, Chelsea Claire, who at 31 years old is 14 years his junior. Ricky, who has three kids, started dating Chelsea last summer but decided to keep their romance a secret until October of that year. And while things appeared to be going well for the sportsman, it seems a combination of their vast age gap, along with work commitments, took too much of a toll on their relationship.
Despite being an early fan favourite, Ricky got the chop from Dancing On Ice after just one performance. He later confessed he was “gutted” to be going home despite the judges applauding him for how far he’d come. Speaking to hosts Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern, he said: “I’m gutted to be going home yeah, I’ve tried to be a winner all my life in everything I’ve done. It’s been a while since I saw the second round. I think I will carry on skating.”
Claire, meanwhile, fared slightly better on the ITV show and was the third celebrity eliminated along with professional skater Colin Grafton.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
