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Coronation Street star Jennie McAlpine has shared hopes for Claire Sweeney to return to the soap in the future after her exit earlier this year. Claire played Cassie Plummer on the cobbles for three years but she left as part of a dramatic storyline that concluded in August.
After a tumultuous few weeks, Cassie decided to make a fresh start away from Weatherfield. But viewers last saw Cassie getting into a car with villainous Ross, and a sinister twist suggested that she may not have left the street safely.
Claire left Corrie in order to pursue one of her dream roles and play iconic character Miss Hanigan in the UK tour of Annie.
ITV
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Speaking exclusively to us at Inside Soap, Jennie, who plays Cassie’s daughter-in-law Fiz, recalled going to see her co-star in the much-loved musical, and stressed that she would love Claire back on Corrie one day.
“It was totally gorgeous,” she smiled. “Me and Alan [Halsall, aka Tyrone] took our little girls to see Claire with her home crowd in Liverpool! My daughter Hilda is seven and played Miss Hannigan in our own drama production, so we know the show well! Hilda was in awe seeing Claire play the part on stage.
“Claire was great to work with. We’d absolutely love to see her back on Corrie, but who knows what the writers have decided?”
Claire is taking a break from her role in Annie, however, as this week it was announced that she will be one of the campmates on this year’s series on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here.
Jennie was on the ITV reality show herself back in 2017, and ahead of the new series starting this Monday, she told us about her jungle memories – and about one of the less fun elements of her experience.
ITV
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“Can you believe it’s nearly 10 years ago that I was in the jungle?” she said. “How has that happened?
“All I’ll say is, prepare for the green ants. Honestly, you’ve never felt anything like it. They drop these tiny things on you, and they get everywhere – and I mean everywhere! It’s like getting an electric shock, they’re horrible!”
To read our full exclusive chat with Jennie about her 25 years on Corrie, pick up the latest issue of Inside Soap, available to buy from Tuesday, 17 November.
Coronation Street airs on weeknights at 8.30pm on ITV1 and streams on ITVX.
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