Claire Sweeney, 53, 'wants to eat all the time' as she 'battles' menopause

Actress and TV personality Claire Sweeney is on a mission to flip the menopause script by getting candid about her journey - 'I want to eat all the time, which is a struggle'

Claire Sweeney has opened up about going through perimenopause, admitting it’s important to speak out to break down the stigma of the once-taboo topic.

The actress, 53, first started experiencing symptoms in 2019, which included anxiety, headaches and fatigue. “I’ve been lucky so far and I haven’t had hot sweats, but one thing I have had is a bit of anxiety, headaches and sometimes I feel lethargic,” she tells us. “But it can be hard to know if it’s because of perimenopause or if it’s just life.” Claire has certainly got a lot on her plate. She lives in London with her 10-year-old son Jaxon, who she shares with ex Daniel Reilly, and works in Manchester for her Coronation Street job, playing Cassie Plummer.

On top of that, the actress, who is smitten with former boxer Ricky Hatton, has also been struggling with an increased appetite. “My appetite has gone through the roof,” she continues. “I want to eat all the time, which is a struggle. But I make myself go to the gym and work out. As I’ve gotten older, I find I battle with my weight a bit more. When I was young, I could eat a lot more and do less exercise and stay thin, but now you eat a cake and it’s on your bum straight away! I think it’s an age thing.”

Claire has confided in her pal, broadcaster Carol Vorderman – who has also candidly discussed her own experience with the menopause – about her symptoms, and she recommended a doctor on Harley Street in London. “I spoke to him about it and he was great,” she recalls. “And then I also started speaking to a doctor in Manchester, who also works with some of the Coronation Street ladies.”

After talking to professionals, Claire started using oestrogen gel, a type of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) used to relieve the symptoms of menopause. “I wanted to get there early before it gets a grip of me,” she says. “It’s good – it’s really helped me. I use it every day. I haven’t gone into menopause yet, I’m still getting periods, and I don’t know when I will. But I feel prepared.”

Claire says she didn’t know much about perimenopause and menopause before going through it herself. She admits, “I just remember my mum putting her make-up on and sweating buckets and getting a bit snappy with me. Her sweating lasted for years, and I haven’t had that. I’m grateful I’m not currently getting the hot sweats and I’m sleeping OK.”

While it wasn’t a conversation she had when she was younger, she now openly speaks about it with those closest to her. “What I love now is that so many women are open about it and conversations are everywhere,” she says. “My friend is going through menopause, and we compare our symptoms. Everything is open. Before, it wasn’t transparent and people thought they were going through it on their own.”

She also praises menopause pioneers including TV presenter Davina McCall for playing a significant role in raising awareness around the topic. “It’s becoming less taboo thanks to the likes of Davina, who has brought it to the front,” she says. “I also chat to Kate Thornton. It really is a wonderful thing that women are talking about it.”

And her advice to anyone going through it? “You’re not on your own. Women are talking and there’s so much information out there, whether it’s in documentaries or articles. Talk to your friends. It’s such a transparent subject now. Whatever you do, don’t suffer in silence.”