Claire Sweeney leaves Coronation Street after three years on ITV soap

Claire Sweeney is leaving Coronation Street.

The 54-year-old actress portrayed Cassie Plummer in the ITV soap since 2023, but it has now been confirmed Claire will be exiting the cobbles after being cast as Miss Hannigan in the UK tour of the stage musical Annie.

A Coronation Street spokesperson told The Sun newspaper: “We wish Claire every success playing Miss Hannigan and congratulate her on being offered a role she has long wanted to play. 

“Cassie will be on the cobbles until the summer during which time she will continue to make her presence felt in Weatherfield leading up to a great exit storyline.”

Claire reportedly told ITV bosses last year that she was intending to exit the soap after landing the role in Annie.

A source told the newspaper: “Claire loves Corrie but she’s always wanted to play Miss Hannigan.

“At first it was hoped she could do both but the extensive tour just made that impossible so she made the difficult decision to leave.

“She told bosses early enough that they were able to create an exciting and explosive exit storyline for her.”

In Coronation Street, Claire’s Cassie Plummer arrived in Wetherfield as a struggling drug user and the long-lost mother of Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall) and estranged daughter of Evelyn Plummer (Dame Maureen Lipman).

Claire previously described her role in Coronation Street as a “real turning point” in her career.

Claire explained to Woman’s Weekly magazine: “I think most women have a wobble when they turn 50. You become a bit reflective.

“You look where you are. And at the time I just thought, ‘You know what? I'm still working. I'm still doing work that I love and I can never grumble. I've done brilliant things in my life and in my career, and I'm grateful and thankful.’

“But when I got into Corrie at the age of 52, it was a lovely, lovely surprise and a real turning point for me.

“When I was younger, I wouldn't think, ‘This is fabulous.’ It would be, ‘What's next?’ But with Corrie, I'm so appreciating it and I'm staying in the moment.”

Claire shot to fame playing Lindsey Corkhill on the Channel 4 soap Brookside on-and-off from 1991 until 2003, before she went on to present TV programmes, take on roles in stage musicals and appear in several reality TV shows, including Celebrity Big Brother, Strictly Come Dancing.

Sweeney is grateful to the ITV1 soap for putting her back in people's living rooms.

She said: “It's nice to be known as an actor again.

“I landed the role in Brookside for six years, and then I went away and did loads of presenting work and musical theatre.

“So, to get back to acting in one of the best shows on TV, Coronation Street, was great.”