Coronation Street's Claire Sweeney reveals how co-star influenced her I'm a Celeb decision
Former Coronation Street actor Claire Sweeney has revealed how her ex-co-star Alan Halsall played a key role in her leaping at the chance to be on this season of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!.
Sweeney is known to Corrie fans for playing Cassie Plummer, the mother of Halsall's character Tyrone Dobbs. She explained how her on-screen son had encouraged her to enter the jungle after he appeared on I'm a Celeb... in 2024.
"Alan said it was one of the best things he'd ever done," said Sweeney, who took some time off dream project Annie the Musical to head Down Under.
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"He said: 'If you ever get the chance to do it, then do it'. And so it was a no-brainer for me when they approached me. I am really excited."
The soap star, also known for her previous role in Brookside, explained that she was already a "super fan" of I'm a Celeb... and had "wanted to do it since it started".
"To finally get to do it is brilliant," Sweeney enthused.
"If I'd been asked to do this 15 years ago, I would have been a different person back then. I'd not had my son, Jason; I was fearless and I'd already done a show called Challenge of a Lifetime.
"As I've got older and become a mum, you become aware of things. I want to conquer some of those fears."
Corrie fans won't have long to wait to witness Sweeney's antics in the jungle, as the Ant and Dec reality TV series is due to commence on 16 November.
Trading the usual Sunday start slot for a Monday, the show will be preceded by a one-off special, I'm a Celebrity: How to Survive the Jungle, which is set to air on 15 November.
Other famous faces heading Down Under include football legend Wayne Rooney, radio host and former Love Island star Chloe Burrows, Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson, and Gavin and Stacey icon Joanna Page.
I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! season 26 is set to air on ITV2 and stream on ITVX.
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