RICKY Hatton has broken his silence on his romance with Claire Sweeney after their romantic Tenerife getaway.
Former boxer Ricky, 45, gushed all about the blossoming relationship while speaking with The Sun at yesterday’s TV BAFTAs.
When asked about the holiday, he replied: “It was great! Claire is like me, I’ve met someone who I get on with like a house on fire.
“She is just like me. We spend our whole time laughing together. Claire is just like me – she’s so down to earth.
“She would never turn a picture down with a fan and she’s always got time for people. That’s what I really like about her.
“We’ve just been having good fun.”
Since we revealed the couple were an item last month, they’ve been going from strength to strength.
Ricky, who first met soap legend Claire, 52, while taking part in Dancing on Ice‘s 2024 series, was seen cuddling the actress on a bar crawl at the beginning of April.
While he only lasted a week in the ITV contest, he became close to Claire, and remained in touch. Claire was eliminated in the third week.
Just a week after they were first spotted, they enjoyed a second romantic date at a pub, taking pictures with the staff at The Crown boozer in Heaton Moor, Stockport.
The couple’s blossoming new romance follows a series of personal heartbreaks throughout the years.
Dad-of-three Ricky was devastated when fiancée Jennifer Dooley, 44, left him in 2016 after he went on a string of booze benders.
Ricky split from Playboy model Chelsea Claire, 14 years his junior, days before his debut in the reality show – with those close to Ricky saying the age gap became too much.
Scouser Claire was engaged to Daniel Reilly, father to her son Jaxon, but they split in 2015.
But it seems Ricky has already proven a hit with pals following their unexpected connection.
The actress has enjoyed an incredible career since her rise to fame in the late 80s.
Claire launched into the spotlight when she joined the cast of Brookside in 1989.
The in-demand star was then snapped up by Loose Women and was a panellist on the show from 2003 until 2005.
The talented star switched from the screen to the stage and
headed for the West End in the early noughties.
From 2001 to 2012, Claire appeared in theatre shows like Chicago, Educating Rita, and Legally Blonde.
The much-loved star played a ‘no-nonsense’ ground crew worker at the airport of the Spanish resort in the last ever episode of ITV’s Benidorm, which aired in May 2018.
In 2023, Claire headed back to her soapland roots and bagged a role in Coronation Street.
Claire’s other big roles include Candy Cabs (2011), Scarborough (2019), and The Good Ship Murder (2023).
A friend told MailOnline, “Claire and Ricky have become really close. She wasn’t looking for a relationship but then Ricky came along and it just felt right and natural and she’s really happy.
“She signed up for a reality TV show and met a great guy so it feels a bit like winning the lottery, and she’s really counting her blessings as it all came from nowhere and often that’s the best way.
“She’s now really looking forward to introducing Ricky to her family and friends soon and they are really looking forward to the guy who has put a smile on Claire’s face.”
