Television Presenter, West End Musical Actress, Brookside Star, Celebrity Big Brother Runner-Up, Strictly Come Dancing Contestant

Claire Sweeney is a highly accomplished television presenter and West End leading lady whose career has spanned stage, screen and live entertainment. She first came to public attention in the popular Channel 4 soap Brookside, where she played Lindsay Corkhill. The role quickly made her a recognisable face with audiences across the UK and introduced her natural warmth and charisma to a national audience.

Her profile rose dramatically in 2001 when she took part in Celebrity Big Brother to raise money for Comic Relief. Claire became one of the standout personalities of the series and finished as runner-up to comedian Jack Dee. The programme brought her into millions of homes and almost overnight she became a household name. Television opportunities and sponsorship offers soon followed, including becoming the face of Marks & Spencer’s lingerie range later that year. Around the same time she presented ITV’s Challenge of a Lifetime, a show in which members of the public confronted their fears by attempting daring challenges. If a contestant backed out, Claire stepped in and completed the stunt herself, tackling some hair-raising tasks that further endeared her to viewers.

Alongside her television success, Claire established herself as a respected performer on the West End stage. In 2002 she took over the iconic role of Roxie Hart in the hit musical Chicago, stepping into the part previously played by Denise Van Outen. Her stage career continued to flourish and in 2006 she starred as Miss Adelaide opposite Patrick Swayze in the acclaimed production of Guys & Dolls at London’s Piccadilly Theatre. Her dancing ability was also widely recognised when she appeared as one of the favourites in the first series of BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2005, where she progressed through much of the competition before the series was eventually won by newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky.

Claire has remained a familiar and popular presence on television with programmes including Here Comes the Sun for BBC One, A Week in the West End for the BBC, Loose Women and 60 Minute Makeover for ITV. She has also enjoyed success as a recording artist, releasing her album Claire in 2002 along with the single When You Believe. The album included a cover of Queen’s Too Much Love Will Kill You, recorded with guitarist Brian May. Alongside her work in entertainment, Claire is also an experienced host for corporate events, awards evenings and live performances, combining professionalism, musical talent and a natural ability to connect with audiences of all kinds.

Why Hire Claire Sweeney?