CLAIRE Sweeney’s entertainment company had just £756 in it when she joined Coronation Street last

year.

The telly favourite, 53, is now playing homeless drug addict Cassandra Plummer on the ITV soap after

taking a break from acting for a number of years.

The actress, famed for her role in iconic soap Brookside, runs a company called Westmoreland Entertainments Ltd.

Books filed to Companies House earlier this year show that cash was running low in its coffers at the time she landed the money-spinning role.

The figures for the 12 months to the end of May 2023 show cash deposits of £53,955 but with creditors like the tax office and other bills to pay, the firm had a bottom line of just £756 – which had dwindled from £15,202 in 2022.

It was revealed in April 2023, that she  would be joining the cast of Corrie as Cassandra Plummer, the daughter of Evelyn Plummer and the biological mother of Tyrone Dobbs.

And earlier this year, The Sun told how Claire had signed a big money deal to stay on in Weatherfield for the next 12 months.

Speaking about her future on the soap, Claire told Cheshire Life: “I’ve just signed my contract for another year in Corrie and I’m really happy to fully invest all my time and energy into Cassie and see what develops.”

Since her screen comeback, Claire also appeared on Dancing On Ice at the start of this year.

She met boxer Ricky Hatton on the show and the couple sparked up a romance, which has gone from strength to strength.

He recently gushed about her:  Claire is like me, I’ve met someone who I get on with like a house on fire.

“She is just like me. We spend our whole time laughing together. Claire is just like me – she’s so down to earth.

“She would never turn a picture down with a fan and she’s always got time for people. That’s what I really like about her.

“We’ve just been having good fun.”

The Sun has contacted Claire’s rep for comment.