Claire Sweeney enjoyed a second pub date with Ricky Hatton on Friday evening, with new couple surprising staff at a pub in Stockport.
The Brookside and Coronation Street actress, 52, and the former professional boxer, 45, met on Dancing On Ice and have since been on a ‘string of romantic dates.’
On the ITV show, Claire was partnered with professional skater Colin Grafton and was eliminated in week three, while Ricky was partnered with Robin Johnstone and left in week one.
And while neither were particularly successful on the skating show it appears a romance may have blossomed from it.
Bartender Francesca at The Crown pub in Heaton Moor, told of how she was left starstruck when Claire and Ricky called in during their live music night.
Claire Sweeney, 52, enjoyed a second pub date with Ricky Hatton, 45, on Friday evening, with new couple surprising staff at a pub in Stockport (Claire second left, Ricky second right)
Speaking to Manchester Evening News, she said: ‘I said “Oh, you’re Claire Sweeney from Brookside, aren’t you?”, and she just laughed and said yes. I was a little bit starstruck because I used to be a huge Brookside fan, but then I saw the champ Ricky next to her and asked if I could shake his hand. It was just crazy.
‘They were both really, really friendly. They ordered a vodka, lime and soda and a Peroni but nobody ever invaded their space. We asked if we could get a photo with them and they were more than happy to do so.
‘I asked how they’d heard of the pub as I’d never seen them in there before and they said they just wanted to come in and visit after hearing good things about it. As I run social media for the pub, I give myself a bit of a pat on the back for that!’
Ricky is said to be ‘completely besotted’ with Claire after the pair met while competing on this year’s series of Dancing On Ice.
A source told The Sun: ‘They became friends on Dancing On Ice and really hit it off.
‘It’s since become romantic and they’ve enjoyed a few dates. It’s early days but they’ve got a spark and have been having a great time.’
According to another source, the pair have been on a number of dates and Ricky is ‘completely besotted’.
They told the Mirror: ‘The chemistry was electric. Ricky went out of the show early on but he contacted her afterwards and let’s say he started wooing her.’
The Brookside and Coronation Street actress and the former professional boxer met on Dancing On Ice and have since been on a ‘string of romantic dates’
The source added: ‘They’ve been out on several dates. Saturday was just one in a long line of them. They’ve been seeing each other quite a bit. He is completely besotted.
‘It seems like an unlikely match but he’s always had a way with women. They fall for his personality, and Claire has.
‘He knows her number one priority is her son so they are being very careful. Let’s watch this space.’
MailOnline has contacted representatives for both Claire and Ricky for comment.
Claire’s last long-term romance came with Daniel Reilly, and the pair split in 2017. They share son Jaxon, eight.
She has acted in Legally Blonde, and Educating Rita, but currently stars as Cassandra Plummer in Corrie.
Meanwhile Ricky has had a colourful love life over the years.
In his early 20s, Ricky had a brief relationship with a woman known only as Claire, who went on to have his boxer son, Campbell Hatton – born on January 9, 2001.
Ricky – born in Stockport, Greater Manchester, in 1978 – had his longest relationship with Jennifer Dooley, from 2005 to 2016.
Jennifer was there for some of the highest points of his career, seeing him win or retain multiple world titles as well as being there for the presentation of his MBE in 2007’s New Year Honours.
Hatton proposed to her on Valentine’s Day of 2009.
Claire and Ricky were also seen together at another point in the weekend as they met with friends at the Hot Water Comedy Club
Ricky was the first celebrity to be eliminated from Dancing On Ice 2024 in January (pictured with his partner Robyn Johnstone)
He fatefully named the couple’s Cheshire house the ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ after Elvis Presley’s hit track.
In 2010, a video of Ricky taking cocaine was leaked, leading him to begin rehab as Jennifer stood by him.
However, another month later, Irish boxing champion Emma Bowe told the Mirror of how she had been having an 11-month affair with the boxer after getting his autograph in Dublin.
A rocky period between Jennifer and Hatton after the fighter’s retirement in 2012 included him moving in and out of their £3 million home a number of times.
A December 2013 holiday bust-up led to Ricky moving out and after moving back in again months later, in June 2014, he moved out for a second time after going AWOL during a boozy trip to Lanzarote.
But their turbulent year was put behind them in the New Year when they went on holiday to Tenerife with their two daughters, Millie, 11, and Fearne, 10.
In 2016, however, another string of drink-fuelled nights out for Ricky put a final end to his and Jennifer’s 11-year relationship, after he was pictured looking worse for wear partying with other girls in his arms.
Claire Sweeney became the third star to leave this year’s Dancing On Ice in February (pictured with pro partner Colin Grafton)
He said of Jennifer: ‘It’s very upsetting when you’ve been in such a long-term relationship and it comes to an end.
‘I can’t deny there are times I have found things difficult.’
The year after that split, Ricky enjoyed a night out with Playboy model Carla Howe – but rumours of a romance were never confirmed.
Also in 2017, Hatton started a relationship with long-term ‘bezzie’ Marie Pollard, with the then-39-year-old posting a slew of snaps with his new partner over the course of the year.
On one of their most entertaining early dates, Ricky was hoping to take Marie to the Church Inn, but instead of an ale house the pair ended up at a house of God.
Despite meeting Ricky’s family, and spending time with him watching another thing close to his heart – Manchester City FC – the couple had separated by July 2018.
That month, Ricky shares a gallery of pictures with his new girlfriend, Charlie Nordell, on a trip to Las Vegas.
The couple stayed at the prestigious Caesar’s Palace hotel and posed for a number of smitten snaps to celebrate their romantic break.
The sportsman commented: ‘Nice to go to Vegas for a night and not get knocked the f*** out.’
He affectionately called Charlie the ‘fun police’ as she was one of those who had attempted to keep Ricky on the straight and narrow since his 2012 retirement.
However, the pair split after two years as a source told The Sun they ‘wanted different things’ with Charlie planning a move to Dubai for 2020.
Hatton managed to rekindle his romance with Marie in 2021, but only for less than 12 months with the boxer going public with new girlfriend Angela Blemmings in July 2022.
Claire is seen with her ex Daniel Reilly in 2012
Ricky – born in Stockport, Greater Manchester, in 1978 – had his longest relationship with Jennifer Dooley, from 2005 to 2016
He took the beauty therapist – owner of EyeCandy beauty salon in Stalybridge – on a romantic getaway to Dublin.
Angela shared the BBC Sports Personality Of The Year red carpet with Ricky in December, but the following year was less celebratory for the couple as they went their separate ways.
Ricky ended up with another Playboy model – Chelsea Claire – in August 2023, but this ‘ended up being more of a fling’ according to a Sun insider.
Their split was revealed in January 2024, shortly before Ricky was due to make his Dancing on Ice debut.
