Coronation Street's Claire Sweeney pulls out of dream role amid I'm A Celeb rumours

Former Coronation Street's Claire Sweeney might be leaving her dream stage role behind to temporarily relocate Down Under for I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! as she's rumoured to be part of this year's lineup.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Sweeney, known for the role of Cassie Plummer on Corrie, was among the celebrities gearing up to undertake this season's Bushtucker Trials in the show hosted by Ant and Dec.

While there hasn't been an official confirmation of Sweeney joining I'm a Celebrity this year just yet, The Sun reports that the soap star might have to say goodbye to the boards and to the role of Miss Hannigan in Annie the Musical.

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There hasn't been an official announcement yet, but the outlet suggests this is imminent and that Sweeney will be missing several shows of the UK and Ireland tour, with one venue in Woking confirming that she is no longer due to perform at the theatre.

Digital Spy has reached out to Sweeney's representatives for comment.

Sweeney's departure from Coronation Street was first announced in January this year, with the decision to leave the cobbles in her rearview mirror being partly due to landing the role of Miss Hannigan.

"We wish Claire every success playing Miss Hannigan and congratulate her on being offered a role she has long wanted to play," a Coronation Street spokesperson said of Sweeney's exit.

"Cassie will be on the cobbles until the summer during which time she will continue to make her presence felt in Weatherfield leading up to a great exit storyline."

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Cassie's final scenes are shrouded in mystery as viewers remain in the dark about whether she really did make it to the station and got to take that cruise job, or if villain Ross Wilkes made sure that his past would never come back to haunt him.

"She's been rejected by the love of her life and her only option is to take this job," Sweeney said ahead of the scenes airing this summer. "Whether she actually makes it to the cruise ship, or what happens when Ross takes her - no one knows, and it's left wonderfully open…"

Coronation Street airs on weeknights at 8.30pm on ITV1 and streams on ITVX.

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