She’s the girl who stole the nation's hearts on Celebrity Big Brother, and now Claire Sweeney is set to steal her way up the charts with the release this week of her debut single and album, entitled simply Claire.
After bursting onto British TV screens as troubled Lindsey Corkhill in Brookside, she debuted on the West End stage in Chicago last March - an easy transition for the sassy performer who spent four years doing cabaret aboard cruise ships and won Celebrity Stars In Their Eyes with her interpretation of Celine Dion two years ago.
Her performance drew her to the attention of music bosses who had previously seen her purely as an actress – and a lucrative five-album recording deal with Telstar followed. Since she signed the deal Claire’s star has soared. She has presented Challenge Of A Lifetime and A Song For Europe, as well as being honoured with her own red book on This Is Your Life. Demanding dance routines in Chicago led to the gorgeous singer/actress being voted Rear Of The Year and asked to model lingerie for Marks and Spencer. She has also been asked to promote the Irish Lottery.
It’s all a far cry from the 14-year-old girl who says she was driven from performance to performance “in the back of me dad’s meat van”.
The latest coup for the multi-talented Liverpool-born star, whose down-to-earth nature and sense of humour won over Big Brother viewers in Britain, is to have been welcomed by the Ministry of Defence as the official Forces' sweetheart. In doing so she follows in the footsteps of Dame Vera Lynn and Geri Halliwell.
Claire’s drive for success hasn’t left her with much time for a personal life though. After splitting with Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Alan Miller last year, she briefly dated theatre producer Adam Kenwright before work commitments drove them apart. And although she revealed she is as keen as anybody else to find Mr Right, 30-year-old Claire says she can wait for her knight in shining armour. ”I would love to get married and have two children,” she explained. “But I love what I do and have worked so hard for it. I would be mad just to throw it all away.”
A well-developed sense of humour has seen Claire through the pressures of celebrity life, especially recent reports she was pregnant. “Claire’s with child,” she laughed. “Claire’s with pasta more like! I said it must have been the immaculate conception. All I needed was for the three wise men to turn up.”
To listen to Claire singing, click on the links below:
Choose your connection speed for the video of Claire's single When You Believe:
LOW(56K): When You Believe
HIGH(LAN): When You Believe
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
