“The timing was right,” Claire explains. “It’s risen its head on a few occasions over the years, but this time it just seemed right. Now, I get to come home every night as I’ve still retained the same house in Yorkshire that I had when I was in it in the 90s.”
Claire first left the soap in 1999 following a 10-year stint and went on to star in Bad Girls and Coronation Street. Over the years, Claire – who lives in the Yorkshire Dales with her partner of 14 years, who likes to keep out of the spotlight – has done her fair share of reality TV too. Although the star admits that the rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis she received in her twenties meant her 2006 stint on Strictly was too painful to be enjoyable.
She’s been a mainstay of the British telly scene for more than three decades, and as she marks her milestone birthday, Claire sits down with OK! for a chat about everything from ageing to marriage, and why she substituted having children for dogs, horses and holidays…
Hi, Claire. Happy birthday! How do you feel about turning 60?
This story is from the January 31, 2022 edition of OK! UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 31, 2022 edition of OK! UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
TAKE CARE OF YOUR GUT
Simple lifestyle and dietary changes can improve digestion, boost immunity and enhance your overall wellbeing
I'll cherish my friendship with Vito for the rest of my life'
Last year's Strictly winner Ellie Leach tells OK! about life on tour in Cluedo 2 and reuniting with her dance partner
'If one little thing had gone wrong, my entire path in life would have changed'
TV presenter Charlene White on her strict Jamaican upbringing in southeast London, her own tough parenting style and why she'd love the Princess of Wales to be a guest on Loose Women
I have seen cockroaches the size of terriers'
Joanna Lumley shares travel tales that aren't for the faint-hearted, Ab Fab gossip and other stories from her legendary screen career
'Once you become a parent, the times when you leave the house are extra special'
Comedian Joel Dommett on returning to the I'm A Celebrity jungle and how fatherhood has changed him
'We're so pleased our rainbow baby is here'
Mrs Brown's Boys actor Gary Hollywood and his wife Cherylanne invite us into their home to meet special new arrival Carter
'Ballroom dancing is your real school of life'
Former Strictly star Kristina Rihanoff on why she thought she'd never dance again after becoming a mum and how her daughter Mila is now following in her footsteps
A CELEBRATION FOR THE KING
As King Charles marks his 76th birthday, we hear how our beloved monarch may take time to reflect on a difficult year and look ahead to a busy, brighter 2025
WILLIAM'S 'BRUTAL' YEAR
The Prince Of Wales praises his wife and father as he opens up on the tough challenges of 2024 while visiting Cape Town to present the Earthshot Prize Awards
'Love is there for absolutely everybody'
Emmerdale star James Moore - who has cerebral palsy and once thought he would never marry - and his wife Sophie Edwards chat to OK! about their big day
