Claire Sweeney is sipping a cup of tea while gazing at the ocean from her hotel room in balmy Barbados with her eight-year-old son, Jaxon. It's a moment of deep gratitude for the actress, whose Caribbean New Year escape has been three years in the making following countless Covid cancellations. Claire earned just £5,000 during lockdown when the entertainment industry was decimated. But the former Brookside star has started 2023 more in demand than ever.
Since turning 51 last April, her career has soared with an unrelenting schedule that included starring in 9-5 The Musical and Proud Cabaret's Cabaret All Stars, hosting her BBC radio show Claire Sweeney Meets and filming Channel 5 drama The Good Ship Murder with Shayne Ward and Catherine Tyldesley.
"I'm so grateful at 51 years of age to have had one of the best years of my life," says Claire. "I'd sold my house in Majorca in 2019 a year before Covid so luckily had the savings from the sale to see me In Barbado with her son Jaxon through, but it was tough. I'm just so proud that I've been in the industry for nearly 40 years and I'm still working and loving what I do." Claire lives with Jaxon in a four-story townhouse in London that she bought for £1.2 million in 2006. She also has an apartment in Pimlico and two in Liverpool that she rents out. Her success comes not only from her talent but from her determination to provide for her son, who she shares with former IT professional Daniel Riley.
Esta historia es de la edición January 23, 2023 de OK! UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición January 23, 2023 de OK! UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
A CITY OF TWO HALVES
There's a holiday for every budget to be found in Dubai, as OK!'s Faith Richardson discovered
'Christmas is a double whammy'
Chef James Martin on the pressures of dividing his time between his restaurants and his family over the festivities
LEARN HOW TO PLEASE YOURSELF
The festive season can be an incredibly stressful time, particularly for people-pleasers who struggle to put their own needs first
'There's a bit of faking it until you make it'
Actor Paul Mescal on entering the Gladiator II arena, building a blockbuster body for his role as fighter Lucius Verus, and heading up an A-list cast of Hollywood's finest stars
THE A-LIST HAIL HOLLYWOOD'S BIG HITTERS
A line-up of the film world's best-known faces attended this year's Governors Awards to celebrate lifetime achievements
'I think we arrived right on time'
The stars of the long-awaited film Wicked, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, tell us why its themes are so relevant right now and why the musical is so dear to their hearts
'No one knows who I am'
Having first found fame on social media, GK Barry has become the breakout star of this year's I'm A Celebrity
'I still pinch myself about how we met'
Now legally married, MAFS Uk’s Adam and Tayah Aveling are looking forward to Christmas with their daughter and welcoming baby number two in 2025
THE ROYAL WEEK
It was a sad week for Queen Camilla, but a good week for the royal family’s charities with visits to hospitals and homeless centres
WILLIAM AND KATE'S MAGICAL CHRISTMAS
After a challenging year for the royal family, the Prince and Princess of Wales plan to give their children an unforgettable time filled with fun and festivities
