Coronation Street star Claire Sweeney delivered a heartfelt tribute to the late boxer Ricky Hatton during a live appearance on This Morning on Tuesday. The actress, who plays Cassie Plummer on the ITV soap, spoke with presenters Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard about her memories of Hatton, who died in September 2025.
Sweeney, who had a brief romance with Hatton after their time on Dancing on Ice in 2024, described him as a 'legend' and a 'good, good man'. She said she felt 'very blessed' that he was in her life. Ben Shephard, who trained with Hatton for a Sport Relief boxing fight, also shared fond memories, calling him 'a really good man' who was 'sorely missed, but so fondly remembered'.
The conversation turned to Hatton's memorable appearance on Dancing on Ice, where he was known for his humour despite his lack of skating skill. Sweeney recalled his desire to skate to Elvis's 'If I Believe', and Shephard noted that Hatton was 'a sporting icon that was happy to be seen as the joker'.
Sweeney also hinted at her character Cassie Plummer's upcoming departure from Coronation Street, describing the storyline as 'heartbreaking', 'dramatic', and 'explosive', with a 'blast from the past' set to arrive on the cobbles.
