Ricky Hatton and Claire Sweeney take HUGE next step in their relationship as they share a slew of loved up snaps
Last month they made their red carpet debut as a couple.
And Ricky Hatton and Claire Sweeney took the next big step in their relationship this week as they headed to sun-drenched Tenerife for their first holiday as a couple.
The former boxer, 45, took to Instagram with a slew of loved-up snaps with the actress, 53, as they enjoyed a romantic meal before watching his beloved Manchester City’s 5-0 win over Wolves with friends.
Claire looked stunning in a plunging summer dress that showed off her newly sun-kissed skin to perfection, while Ricky cut a soft figure in black.
He captioned the post: ‘Great evening and food last night with our friends @elmiradortenerife. Thank you so much for taking care of me like you always do. Fantastic evening. Ricky & Claire
Ricky Hatton, 45, and Claire Sweeney, 53, took the next big step in their relationship this week as they headed to sun-soaked Tenerife for their first holiday as a couple
The former boxer took to Instagram with a slew of loved-up snaps with the actress as they enjoyed a romantic meal before watching his beloved Manchester City’s 5-0 win over Wolves with friends.
It comes after Claire and Ricky made their first public appearance together at Co-op Live’s official welcome ceremony.
The showbiz couple looked great together as they took a look at Manchester’s newest events space with other celebrities.
They confirmed their relationship with the outing, bJust a few days earlier, Ricky took to Instagram with a loving birthday message for Claire.
Claire has told friends she feels ‘like she’s won the lottery’ as her romance with Ricky goes from strength to strength.
A friend of Claire’s 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 so it feels a bit like winning the lottery and she’s really counting her blessings because it all comes out of nowhere and often that’s the best way.
‘She is now very much looking forward to introducing Ricky to her family and friends soon and they are very much looking forward to meeting the man who has put a smile on Claire’s face.’
Claire looked stunning in a plunging summer dress that showed off her new, sun-kissed skin perfectly, while Ricky cut a suave figure in black.
He captioned the post: ‘Great evening and food last night with our friends @elmiradortenerife. Thank you so much for taking care of me like you always do. Fantastic evening. Ricky & Claire
It comes after Claire and Ricky made their first public appearance together at Co-op Live’s official welcome ceremony last month
Meanwhile, a source close to Ricky joked: ‘At first Ricky thought signing up for DOI had been a big mistake because he wasn’t the best skater! But as soon as he was introduced to Claire, he realized that agreeing to the show was a great move.
“They’re having a lot of fun and having a good time.”
The pair met on the ITV show and started dating after Ricky messaged her and invited her to a boxing event.
And Corrie star Claire was floored by the boxing legend’s knockout charm.
Friends say the retired world champion is ‘one of the funniest people’ she has ever met – and the pair have become ‘incredibly close’ and are plotting a summer holiday.
A source said: ‘Anyone who knows Ricky knows how funny and entertaining he can be. But Claire had no idea until she met him on Dancing on Ice, and that’s what really attracted her to him in the first place. He had her in hysterics all the time and after that they got closer and closer.
The pair met on ITV’s Dancing On Ice and started dating after Ricky messaged her and invited her to a boxing event.
Ricky called his new love “gorgeous” in his recent post celebrating her birthday
‘Things have gotten serious quite quickly and they’re just really enjoying each other’s company and seeing how things develop from here.
‘They are also discussing taking a holiday together to Tenerife this summer, which will take their relationship to the next level.’
Friends also think Claire could be a good influence on Ricky, who has suffered from personal problems in the past.
Our source added: ‘Ricky’s had a bit of a rollercoaster lifestyle in the past. Since his retirement, there has been a lot of drinking and partying, which he combines with his boxing training and coaching other fighters.
“But Ricky likes to draw a line under a lot of that. He still likes a drink and a joke, but he’s back on track and open to settling down. That’s why his friends and family are happy that someone like Claire comes along. They think this could be the right time for both of them and everyone just wants them to be happy.”
Details about the couple’s relationship emerged last week, with sources revealing it they had developed “electric chemistry” on the show.