Ep 54: Claire Sweeney, actress, singer, dancer and TV presenter

Claire trained at the Elliot Clarke Stage School in Liverpool and the Italia Conti Stage School in London. Her extensive acting work on television includes playing regular character Lindsay Corkhill in Brookside, the fiery Katrina in the award-winning drama Clocking Off, Lindsey Kendal in the popular BBC series Holby City, Roz in BBC1's hit drama Merseybeat, and Amanda in comedy drama Candy Cabs.

Claire's West End roles include Roxie Hart in Chicago and Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, playing opposite Patrick Swayze. Claire played the title role in Educating Rita alongside Matthew Kelly and Paulette in the UK tour of the award winning Legally Blonde. In 2011, she starred in a one-woman show Tell Me on A Sunday. Other theatre credits include White Christmas, Shout!, Fosse (World Tour), The Play Wot I Wrote, and the UK Tour of John Godber’s September in the Rain, alongside John Thomson. She has also performed duets with International Opera stars Bryn Terfel and Jose Carreras at The Royal Albert Hall, and headlined the Lytham Proms Festival.

As a television presenter, Claire authored the one-hour ITV primetime documentary Claire Sweeney: My Big Fat Diet. She presented four series of 60 Minute Makeover(ITV1) and hosted Saturday night shows Here Comes the Sun (BBC1) and Challenge of a Lifetime (ITV1). Claire presented three live specials of I'm Famous and Frightened for Living TV. She appeared in the first and most successful series of Channel 4's Celebrity Big Brother, was a regular panellist on Loose Women, appeared on Celebrity Come Dine With Me, and was a contestant on the first ever series of Strictly Come Dancing. Claire has also enjoyed taking part in The Royal Variety Show and BBC1's primetime Saturday night series Let's Dance for Comic Relief, in which she made it to the finals.

Claire has entertained British Troops abroad, and was the first entertainer to visit the troops in Afghanistan and Oman. She was delighted and honoured to perform at A Party To Remember broadcast live on BBC1 from Trafalgar Square to celebrate VE Day and sang live at The Royal Albert Hall for VE Day as well as performing live to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in the presence of HM the Queen. Claire is an Ambassador for the Variety Club and was the leading force in raising one million pounds to build a new wing for Claire House as part of the Sparkling Star Campaign. Over the years Claire has made several trips to Africa for her Aids charity work, a cause she holds close to her heart.

Claire's solo album, simply entitled Claire, reached the top 5 of the UK charts. In 2010, Claire performed in a series of concerts entitled Battle Of Britain - 70th Anniversary with three of the country's finest orchestras.

She was recently seen in the BBC1 comedy Scarborough, staring alongside Jason Manford, Stephanie Cole and Catherine Tyldesley playing Maneater Hayley Coxand has also recently played Shirley Valentine onstage, Willy Russel’s one-woman play directed by Ian Talbot OBE.

She also starred as Irene Roth in Crazy For You, Baroness Bomburst in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray (all on National Tour). Prior to these, Claire toured in the hit show Sex In Suburbia, which she co-wrote, following its hugely successful run at the Royal Court Liverpool. She recently guest starred as Maxine in the hit ITV comedy Benidorm, was special guest on Jane and Friends, and hosts her very own weekly musical theatre-themed show on Magic FM.

2014 saw her most important production to date – the birth of her first child Jaxon.