Liverpool born actress Claire Sweeney has topped the bills of some of the West End’s biggest shows. Now, two decades after finding fame, Claire has opened up about a potential return to Brookside.
Claire, 50, found fame in 1991 as Lindsey Corkhill in the hit Channel 4 show, Brookside, filmed in her hometown of Liverpool.
The Walton-born actress remained a leading character until Brookside aired its final episode in 2003.
Since then, Claire has gone on to release her own album while appearing on shows such as Celebrity Big Brother as well as Strictly Come Dancing.
The mum-of-one also sat as a panellist on the hit ITV show, Loose Women in 2010, as well as starring in the musical Chicago and drama Holby City.
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Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, Claire admits that should producers come knocking – she is ready to reprise the role of Lindsey.
When asked about a potential return, Claire exclaimed: “Oh God yeah, if it was back now, I’d go back in a heartbeat, for two reasons.”
She added: “The show was wonderful and to come back home to Liverpool.”
Claire recently returned to the city following the easing of coronavirus restrictions – admitting that Liverpool had “come and saved” her.
Claire sat and spoke to the likes of Lady Anne Dodd, the widow of the late Sir Ken Dodd, Jason Isaacs who played Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter franchise and Benidorm actor, Tony Maudsley.
However, one of Claire’s favourite chats was with presenter Paul O’Grady.
“Paul O’Grady, he’s a very busy man and he gave me like an hour and a half of his time and told me some really beautiful emotional stories about Cilla Black as well, which brought a tear to my eye when he was talking about her,” she said.
Speaking of Cilla, who died aged 72 in 2014, Claire said: “She was a really fine singer and people just remember the latter years and taking the mickey. That woman could sing, the notes she could get were just phenomenal.”
Recalling an intimate conversation with Cilla, Claire told us: “I remember in Barbados – I used to sing one of her songs in like a musical – and I used to say: ‘How did you get that top belt?’
“She said: ‘Oh I didn’t know what I was doing, I just did it, I didn’t have a clue’, she was just a naturally gifted singer.”
Claire continued: “Growing up in the 1980s, I mean it was all Cilla Black and she was the biggest star in the country, Saturday night tele, Blind Date and then Surprise Surprise.”
Cilla famously fronted the latter from 1984 until the anniversary special in 2015, later handing the reins over to Holly Willoughby.
