‘I would have loved to have done it’: Claire Sweeney admits she regrets not doing Eurovision

Claire Sweeney has admitted she regrets not being part of the Eurovision Song Contest when she was younger.

She told MailOnline in a new interview that she had the “perfect number” to join, saying, “I look back with a little bit of regret that I never got into it when I was younger.

“Because I had a song on my album called When You Believe and it was supposed to be early 2000s and that would have been perfect to get into.

“And I feel like I’ve missed being a part of this family. I would have loved to. I’m a bit old for it now [to enter Eurovision].’

The Scouse Brookside actress, 52, is doing alternative coverage for Saturday 2023’s event on the BBC’s red button.

Claire presents her alternative coverage alongside a man named Paul Quinn, who was chosen as her co-host after a search for the ‘other voice of Liverpool’.

She said: ‘He’s a Eurovision nerd. He knows all the statistics, he knows everything. So we are the voices of Liverpool.

‘At the BBC you have to be impartial. There are so many things I would like to say. I could be honest, but I don’t know how honest I can be. You have to be honest and I am honest.

The actress revealed that she loves UK 2023 entrant Mae Muller, as well as her song for the finale I Wrote A Song.

She said, ‘Mae Muller is fantastic, she’s brilliant. I think that song is fantastic. It really grows on you.’

The Scouse star, who was born in Walton, is very excited that the Eurovision Song Contest will be hosted in her home city.

She revealed, “I feel like Capital of Culture plays an important role in this because then the city was injected with a ton of money and regenerated and rejuvenated. It was nice as if we were preparing for this at the time.’

The mother of a child also discussed the fact that she is very proud of where she comes from and the celebrations that take place on Saturday.

Claire said: ‘It’s the perfect time for Eurovision to happen here. We are a cultural city, we are united by music, comedy, art. Liverpool is the perfect place to hold it.

‘I couldn’t be prouder. I’ve always been proud of the city, I love it so much. I am so proud of this city.

‘The other day when I walked through the village along the river from the arena at night, the police and guards said, ‘we haven’t had any trouble for a minute, everyone has been brilliant’. As they say in the song, all you need is love and it has been.

“We’ve been so inclusive, we’ve embraced the Eurovision Song Contest for Ukraine, the city is blue and yellow everywhere, it’s a real tribute. The city has progressed. We stand shoulder to shoulder and we involve everyone.’

She also praised Alesha Dixon’s rap about Liverpool, describing it as “brilliant” and “amazing” in excitement for Saturday’s grand final.

Claire has been in show business since 1991 after landing her first major role in Brookside and since then the star has appeared in everything from Celebrity Big Brother to her most recent role in Coronation Street.

The actress is absolutely thrilled to be joining the cast of Coronation Street as Evelyn’s (Maureen Lipman) daughter Cassandra and Tyrone’s birth mother.

Claire has had a busy week and revealed that she went straight from filming Coronation Street with Maureen to the Eurovision Song Contest on Tuesday.

She admitted that they filmed “very tough” scenes on it and then going to watch the Eurovision semi-final made it the “most mental day” of her career.

Claire said, “I had a weird first day [on Tuesday] because I’ve been filming all day with Dame Maureen Lipman, who’s doing an acting masterclass, we shot very heavy scenes, very dramatic scenes.

‘Then I had to take a quick shower, turn around quickly, put on my make-up and go to the Eurovision Song Contest. So it was one extreme to the other, so I was there watching the semi-finals.

“It was the most mental day of my career, and I can’t believe it happened to me at 52 years old. Filming Corrie and then going to my hometown to watch Eurovision. It was just brilliant.’

She revealed that she really enjoyed starting the show and is excited to film more.

Claire said, “It’s only taken me a few days now, but it’s been a big epic for me because I’m a huge fan of the show. I couldn’t believe my first day on the cobblestones.’

The star also spoke of the possibility of a Brookside reboot if she returns to soap operas.

Claire said, ‘It’s a huge hit on STV. Who knows? Stranger things have happened. Oh, I don’t know, my head is in Corrie at the moment, so I don’t know.’

She also revealed that her son Jaxon, with ex-partner Daniel Reilly, doesn’t yet “get” what she’s doing.

Claire said, “He’s eight. He doesn’t care. He is obsessed with art, he loves music and his friends and he loves his life. He’s very nice. He’s a beautiful boy.’

Though she added that she wouldn’t discourage him from following in her footsteps if it makes him happy.

She said, “This business has brought me great joy. I’m 52 and I still love what I do. I still get excited watching the show. I still get excited and nervous. It still stimulates me.

“So if he can be as happy as me doing what I’m doing, that’s all I want.” You just want your child to be happy. And if he wants to do it, great, I wouldn’t stop him.

“As long as he’s happy I can’t say I don’t want him in the business because it’s brought me a lot of joy.

“It has enabled me to meet brilliant people, travel the world, be challenged when I’m afraid to do a show, and overcome my fears.”

She admitted that overcoming her fears is something she’s still working on and it’s hard at times.

Claire said, “It’s funny because I’m going through menopause so the anxiety kicks in and you can’t let the gremlin get you, and that’s hard sometimes. It’s a struggle and you try to hold yourself together.

“If I didn’t love what I do, I wouldn’t do it. That’s what gets me through it: the love for it. Because sometimes it can be scary and you think, “I must love doing it.”

“I will never be that person who says, What am I worried about? I will always be grateful, I will never take it for granted and I will never be complacent. I will always be a little nervous and question myself.’

In addition to the plethora of roles in her career, Claire also starred as Shirley Valentine in the theater production.

And now she has praised Sheridan Smith for her interpretation of the actress in the new cast.

She said: ‘I did Shirley Valentine just before lockdown and I remember getting a call from Sheridan late at night, “How did you learn this, with all the rules?” But I think she learns faster than I do, and she was great.

She reached out because for anyone who’s played Shirley Valentine, you feel like part of a little family because you know what’s involved.

‘I started learning six months earlier. When I saw her do it, I was like ‘there’s more, I forgot. Omg how did I learn all that?

“There’s a moment when you show how good she is: I watched it, relaxed it, and then I forgot, I got transported and got lost in Shirley Valentine’s story.” She’s that good. She’s a star.

“She just has funny bones Sheridan. Not only is a great dramatic actress. It almost had a stand-up quality to it, with the accent being impeccable. She’s brilliant.’