Coronation Street’s Claire Sweeney won over the hearts of the nation in the 1990s when she landed the role of Lindsey Corkhill in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside. The Liverpool-based soap opera was a huge success before it came to an end in 2003, which was Claire’s big break into the acting industry. Following her role on the show, she went on to become a TV presenter, a pop star, a radio DJ, and even a West End star.

Loyal fans will remember the 54-year-old even appeared on the first series of Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother before going on to present an alternative commentary of Eurovision life from her hometown. But what fans may not know is that the blonde bombshell also boasts an army background.

At the height of her career in 2002, the blonde bombshell teamed up with the British Army’s Combined Services entertainment (CSE) to perform concerts for troops in war-torn countries, including Kosovo and the Middle East like Afghanistan.

Sweeney’s role was similar to that of Dame Vera Lynn, who was known for her morale-boosting performances during World War II. She aimed to bring a touch of home to the troops who were stationed thousands of miles away from their families.

Ahead of her trip, she told the BBC at the time: “These guys are doing the most fantastic job for our country and for the whole world. They are thousands of miles away from their families and loved ones and I just hope I can take a touch of home out to them.

“This is probably the icing on the cake for me. You have got to give a little bit back.” It was at this point that she revealed that she wasn’t the only member of her family to work in the army.

She went on: “My brother was in the army for years and I wanted to see what life was like for him. If I can bring a tiny bit of the morale-boosting that Vera Lynn brought then I will be happy. She is a big heroine.”

The songstress performed songs from her album Claire on a Moulin-Rouge style set for the brave soldiers. At the time she was named the ‘forces’ sweetheart’ and still looks back fondly on the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Speaking to Camden New Journal in 2018, Claire reflected on the “amazing experience” not least because her brother was in the military, but also because it gave her a real insight into his life overseas, which she described as “poles apart” from her own.

She told the outlet: “I remember when a plane was landing and was completely blacked out because the plane before it had been shot at. My friends were saying, ‘Aren’t you terrified?’ and I said, ‘Well, I’m with the British military, if I’m going to be safe anywhere, I’m going to be safe with them.”

Now, fans can find the mum-of-one on Coronation Street where she plays the role of Cassie Plummer, the long-lost daughter of Evelynn Plummer (played by Maureen Lipman) and the biological mother of Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall).