Claire Sweeney makes an ’emotional’ return to Brookside as secrets of the iconic cul-de-sac are revealed – 21 years after the Channel 4 soap came to an end

Former Brookside star Claire Sweeney took a ‘trip back in time’ on Wednesday as she posed for an Instagram photo during a visit to her old film location in Liverpool.

The 53-year-old actress, who played Lindsey Corkhill in the Channel 4 soap, said she was “quite emotional” as she had her picture taken beaming in the iconic street, which was sold to residents after the show ended.

The much-loved soap opera aired from 1982 to 2003 and followed the working-class residents of Brookside Close, a real-life cul-de-sac in Liverpool’s West Derby district.

Claire confirmed she had visited the filming location in her hometown, more than two decades after the finale aired.

The singer looked stunning during the outing, as she wore a plunging, patterned green wrap dress, teamed with a pair of flip-flops.

In a second photo, Claire poses next to her mother Kathleen, before beaming as she poses in front of her fictional family’s home.

She wrote: ‘Was heading to West Derby today and decided to take a trip down memory lane. Went to Brookside Close where residents now live.

‘Felt quite emotional. Spent 6 very happy years playing Lindsey Corkhill. Loved Brooksie’.

In another post, Claire looked unrecognizable as she posed in the same spot as character Lindsey, “24 years too early.”

She wrote: ‘Back in the day… The same place 24 years earlier’.

The set where Brookside Close was filmed was in a real cul-de-sac of new-build houses.

The properties were auctioned by Mersey Television in 2008 for £735,000 after standing empty for years.

After being transformed into a luxury development, but retaining the character of the original film set, the iconic 13 properties in Brookside Close were sold in 2011.

Claire’s outing comes after she admitted overcome with pride when she congratulated her boyfriend on Instagram last month.

Claire proved herself to be Ricky’s biggest supporter as she proudly shared how proud she was of the athlete after it was announced he had earned a place in the Boxing Hall of Fame.

She shared a video of Ricky speaking about the award, writing: “I’m so proud of you, honey, flying to the US to be inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame.”

“What an honor and so well deserved @rickyhitmanhatton” alongside a series of red heart emojis.

Speaking for himself, Ricky said: ‘When I left I thought that receiving awards was a thing of the past. To do what I did, I have great memories, I have an MBE and I thought I had done that, but to get the phone call about the Boxing Hall of Fame was quite a shock.’

‘I also see myself as a local boy from Hattersley. I always try to keep my feet on the ground and stay humble. That’s why I’m embarrassed to talk about these things.’

“I accept this award along with everyone who has worked with me. There are too many people to mention, and all the fans who have supported me.”

Claire and Ricky hit it off after both appearing on Dancing On Ice in January and last month they returned from a romantic trip to Tenerife together.

Ricky revealed the couple still ‘like a house on fire’ after the couple returned from their holiday.

When asked by The sun how their vacation went, Ricky replied: ‘It was great! Claire is just like me, I met someone I really get along with.’

“She’s just like me. We laugh together all the time. Claire’s just like me – she’s so down to earth.”

“She would never turn down a photo with a fan and she always has time for people. That’s what I like about her. We just had fun.”

Their sunny outing came just weeks after they made their red carpet debut in Manchester.

An insider recently revealed that Claire plans to introduce Ricky to her family, including her nine-year-old son Jaxon.

A source told MailOnline: ‘Claire and Ricky have become very close. She wasn’t looking for a relationship but then Ricky came along and it just felt right and natural and she’s very happy.’

“She signed up for a reality TV show and met a great guy. It feels a bit like winning the lottery. She’s very happy that it all came out of nowhere and often that’s the best way.”

“She is now really looking forward to introducing Ricky to her family and friends soon. They are also really looking forward to the man who has put a smile on Claire’s face.”

A source said the mirror: “The chemistry was electric. Ricky left the show early on, but he reached out to her afterward and let’s just say he started courting her.”

“They’ve been on several dates. Saturday was just one in a long line. They’ve been seeing each other quite a bit. He’s really into it.”

“It seems like an unlikely match, but he’s always had a way with women. They fall for his personality, and so does Claire. He knows her top priority is her son, so they’re being very cautious. Let’s watch this space.”

In Dancing On Ice, Ricky was paired with skater Robin Johnstone and was unfortunately the first to be eliminated.

Claire was paired with male skater Colin Grafton, and followed Ricky just two weeks later, becoming the third celebrity to be eliminated. It wasn’t all bad news though, as Ricky had already begun pursuing her.

Before Ricky, Claire hadn’t been on a date since Christmas 2023 and joked that she might be following in her grandmother’s footsteps. Claire claims she didn’t find the love of her life until she was 86.

Her last long-term romance was with Daniel Reilly, the father of son Jaxon, but they split in 2017.