‘It’s good to be evil’

Dec 10 2008 by Will Harris, Crewe Chronicle

From Brookside to Big Brother to the West End – Claire Sweeney has done it all. Will Harris interviews her

LIVERPUDLIAN actress and TV personality Claire Sweeney can’t quite believe how her career has turned out.

The 37-year-old is getting ready to open in a month-long panto stint at the Regent Theatre in Hanley tomorrow alongside Jonathan Wilkes in Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs.

But seven years after an inspired decision to become a contestant on the first Celebrity Big Brother, she considers herself fortunate to have had so many doors opened to her.

“I was lucky it was the first one,” she says. “No-one had done it before and there was nothing else like it on TV – like there is now, with all your jungle, dancing and skating shows.

“It was unchartered territory and none of us who went in really knew how it would affect our careers.

“As far as I was concerned, I was doing it for Comic Relief. But it didn’t do me any harm.”

Claire first came to the nation’s attention as Lindsay Corkhill on Brookside before its demise in 2003.

But since her eight-day trial in the Big Brother house, the world has been her oyster. She immediately scored the leading part of Roxie Hart in the West End production of Chicago, followed by regular musical roles, an album release and TV appearances on programmes such as Loose Women.

She will also feature in her own programme in January, called Claire Sweeney’s Big Fat Diet, to be screened on ITV1.

But until then she will be spending time in familiar surroundings, with two previous visits to the Regent Theatre under her belt in 60s musical Shout! and Guys and Dolls.

She says: “I love this place and it’s an added bonus for me that it’s only 40 miles from Liverpool so I get to see my friends and family.

“I’ve done panto for a few years now and I’ve worked with Johnny Wilkes and Christian Patterson before on Guys And Dolls, so it’s like old times.”

And Claire says she can’t wait to hear all the booing and hissing.

“Playing the Wicked Queen is great fun. She’s very glamorous and very camp.

“Last time out in pantoland, I played Aladdin. But it’s much more fun being evil.”

Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs runs at the Regent Theatre from tomorrow (Thursday) until Sunday, January 11. Tickets are priced £13-£22 – phone 0870 060 6649 or visit www.theambassadors.com/regent.