Ricky Hatton appears to confirm Claire Sweeney romance with sweet birthday post
Boxing legend Ricky Hatton has appeared to have confirmed his reported romance with former Brookside star Claire Sweeney, sharing an adorable post on her birthday. The pair, who both wowed audiences on ITV's Dancing On Ice, are reportedly smitten with one another.
Ricky, 45, known for his prowess in the ring as 'The Hitman', and Corrie star Claire, 52, are reported to be dating, after being spotted on a pub crawl around Ricky's hometown in Greater Manchester.
Fans were thrilled to see the chemistry between the two during their stint on the ice-skating competition, which was ultimately won by former Corrie actor Ryan Thomas. Insiders claim that the spark between them was undeniable from the moment they met at rehearsals, and since then, they've enjoyed numerous dates starting back in March.
Ricky took to Instagram on Wednesday, 17 April to send birthday wishes to Claire. He posted a sweet snapshot of them from their Dancing On Ice days, where he's seen grinning ear to ear next to a stunningly dressed Claire, reports the Mirror.
"Happy Birthday Claire," he captioned the photo. "Have the best day gorgeous. Lots of love, Ricky xx."
Touched by the gesture, Claire re-posted the heartfelt message, affectionately responding: "Thank you darling."
The boxing champ and the Corrie fave have reportedly been loved-up for a few weeks, stepping out together earlier this month when they were all smiles during a pub tour in Ricky's native Greater Manchester.
Speaking to The Mirror, an insider gushed: "The chemistry was electric. Ricky went out of the show early on but he contacted her afterwards and let's say he started wooing her. They've been out on several dates. Saturday was just one in a long line of them. They've been seeing each other quite a bit. He is completely besotted."
"It seems like an unlikely match but he's always had a way with women. They fall for his personality, and Claire has. He knows her number one priority is her son so they are being very careful. Let's watch this space."
After being snapped earlier this month on a night out with mates, clutching bottles of Veuve Clicquot champagne, Ricky and Claire were seen again outside another pub around 11pm.
Looking lovely in a chic black frock and shimmering silver heels, Claire was seen cosied up to Ricky, while he sported a big grin. Later, he played the gentleman, draping his jacket over her shoulders.
The duo also enjoyed some time with their circle at Liverpool's Hot Water Comedy Club over the weekend. Ricky took to social media to share snaps of their fun-filled drink session.
Claire opened up on the Mirror's Invite Only podcast back in January, sharing her desire for a partner: "I really want to be with someone who makes me laugh. Someone who's kind. Someone I will click with. So, someone like that, it just wouldn't be about aesthetics OK, there's an initial attraction but I want it to be more than aesthetics, that's the type of person I'm looking for."
