Coronation Street’s Cassie Plummer star Claire Sweeney has swapped dieting for a new health regime after shedding an impressive four stone. The 53-year-old actress, who used to make annual resolutions to hit the gym or start a diet, admits her perspective has changed as she’s aged.
This shift came after Claire lost a significant amount of weight during her intense training for Dancing on Ice, where she partnered with skater Colin Grafton in January 2024.
Reflecting on her past physique, she said: “I looked back to when I used to host 60 Minute Makeover and I didn’t realise what good nick my physique was in. That was my goal. I had two pictures on my phone. One of me fat and one of how I wanted to look.”
In a chat with Best magazine, Claire confessed that she had always yearned to get fit and would often commit to a new diet. However, this year saw the star embracing a more mindful approach.
She shared: “I was watching a documentary with Joan Plowright and she said she wished she’d discovered mindfulness years ago. It really resonated with me.
“I went on holiday at Christmas and every morning I’d get up at 6.30am and go for a long walk along the beach and listen to The Mel Robbins Podcast. I’m learning loads from it.”
Claire revealed that she has gained a wealth of knowledge about meditation and decided to focus on mindfulness in 2025. This led her to the decision to “stay in the moment”.
Although working out may not be at the top of Claire’s priorities for the year, she does enjoy sticking to a regular exercise routine and tries to do “a little bit of everything” at the gym. Her goal is to maintain her health and strength as she ages, and she’s not concerned about achieving a specific size.
Claire had previously mentioned that, like many others, she gained weight during the coronavirus lockdowns. Despite her love for food, she expressed a desire to “feel fitter” on social media, saying: “Love being curvy, but wanna feel fitter, stronger and shifting a little bit of timber won’t go amiss.”
The actress, who rose to fame with her role in the Liverpool-based show Brookside, has since appeared in various programs, including Strictly Come Dancing, Celebrity Big Brother, and Holby City. In 2023, she joined the cast of Coronation Street as Cassandra Plummer.
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