Coronation Street’s Claire Sweeney has shared her warm feelings towards co-star Jacob Roberts, describing him as “good looking,” only a short while after parting ways with ex-beau Ricky Hatton. The 53-year-old actress praised the actor who plays Kit Green, saying on the Off Script… podcast: “I tell you what, he’s a good-looking bugger isn’t he? He’s handsome and a really nice guy, a lovely, lovely lad.”
Additionally, Claire expressed her admiration for fellow actor Jack P Shepherd for his talent and growth in the soap. She fondly reflected on his early days, noting: “I love old Corrie and I was looking at some footage the other day when he was a kid, coming in ordering a pint in the Rovers. Even then you could see what a great little actor he is and he’s really proving his chops at the moment, he’s such a good actor.”
The 37-year-old actor, who has portrayed David Platt since 2000, obviously made an impression on Claire, who started dating 46-year-old former boxer Ricky Hatton following their encounter on Dancing on Ice. The relationship, which once had them jet-setting globally, reportedly remains amicable post-split.
Reflecting positively on their past connection, Claire said to The Sun: “We’re still friends. We were friends, we dated then we’re friends again. It’s all good.”
An insider revealed to the Daily Mail the reasons behind the split, sharing: “Claire and Ricky remain good friends, there has been no fallout between them.”
The source added: “They decided they’re better off as pals and are no longer romantically together. While Claire is one of the biggest stars on Coronation Street and is very career-gliding, Ricky’s more freewheeling and unpredictable.”
In her podcast chat, Claire also opened up about how filming intimate scenes has evolved, saying: “Nowadays, I had to do a kissing scene with Steve McDonald, Simon Gregson, and they said to us, ‘do you want an intimacy coordinator?’.
“And I didn’t know how to play it because I didn’t want to put Simon in an awkward position because times have changed. I just said to Caroline who’s in charge of the cast, ‘I’m OK with it’.
“But I was also aware that you don’t want to do someone out of a job as well. So, I just said, ‘Simon’s great and I’ll just get a breath freshener and I’ll hold back on the tongue’. And then Simon just sent a message saying: ‘I think we’ll be alright’. He was on the same page, old school.”
It’s also been reported that Claire has inked a new contract to continue her role on Coronation Street, securing her character Cassie’s place on the cobbles for the foreseeable future.