Claire Sweeney shares a heartwarming cuddle with her son Jaxon, 10, after the tragic death of her ‘cherished’ ex-boyfriend Ricky Hatton aged 46

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Claire Sweeney shared a heartwarming moment between her and her son Jaxon, revealing how he’s been supporting her after the sad loss of her friend, Ricky Hatton.

I was so incredibly saddened to hear about the passing of Ricky, the former boxing champion. He was only 46 and passed away earlier this month at his home in Greater Manchester. Thankfully, the police have said there’s nothing to suggest anything untoward happened, which is a small comfort in this awful time.

He and Claire, 54, were good friends and dated for eight months last year. She was deeply saddened by his recent passing, expressing her devastation last week.

She felt a little better on Tuesday after a lovely day with her 10-year-old son, watching the musical Wicked in London’s West End.

The Coronation Street actress shared a sweet and honest photo on Instagram of her and her son, Jaxon, sharing a close hug in their kitchen.

People immediately flooded Claire’s comments section with praise for the adorable picture, calling it exactly what everyone needed to see.

Oh my gosh, Jaxon is *everything* when I’m feeling down! Seriously, he’s like the best medicine ever ❤️ It’s like he just *knows* what I need, it’s so precious… I’m constantly thinking about him, honestly! x x

The connection you share with Jaxon is truly wonderful, and I hope he can support you as you heal. He’s such a sweet and thoughtful son to you! ❤️❤️

It’s wonderful when our children hug us, especially when we’re the ones who really need the comfort. It’s a sweet reminder of their innocent love and empathy.

Lizzie Cundy, known for her past association with footballers’ wives, commented with a heart emoji and a message of support, saying ‘Beautiful ❤️ What you need my darling xx’. Singer H from the group Steps simply wrote ‘Love this xx’.

Michelle Hardwick, who stars in Emmerdale, and Chelsee Healey from Hollyoaks both responded with several red heart emojis.

I was so touched by Claire’s tribute to Ricky last week. She posted this beautiful video montage of him on Instagram, set to Elvis Presley’s ‘If I Can Dream’ – it was a really lovely way to remember him.

She expressed her sympathy to Ricky’s family and friends, including his manager, Paul Speak – affectionately known as Speaky – who tragically discovered his body at his home in Hyde.

Claire shared that she’s been taking time to come to terms with the heartbreaking news of her friend Ricky’s passing. She’s thinking of his family, particularly his children – Campbell, Millie, Fearne, and Lyla – and his granddaughter during this difficult time.

I am so sorry to hear about Speaky, and I offer my heartfelt condolences to everyone who loved him. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him for so long.

‘Ricky, you were the people’s champ. We adored and cherished you. Love you always.’

Claire and Ricky became close while working together on Dancing On Ice in January 2024, and they continued to be friends even after their romantic relationship ended.

Shortly before he passed away, she publicly backed the athlete’s decision to resume boxing, posting about it on Instagram with the simple message: ‘This is brilliant’.

Ricky had retired from boxing and briefly tried coaching, but he was planning a comeback fight in December.

Claire shared that she and her partner had been friends for 25 years before they became romantically involved. The boxing champion added that it was good they found each other after both of their previous relationships ended.

The actress had been single since splitting from her ex-husband, Daniel Reilly, the father of her son Jaxon, in 2017. Ricky, meanwhile, had ended a relationship with Angela Blemmings two years before that.

Claire and Ricky broke up in December 2024, ending their eight-month relationship, despite having recently shared a vacation together in Tenerife.

According to a source, Claire and Ricky have ended their romantic relationship but are still close friends. They realized they’re better suited as pals than as a couple.

They have a lot in common and genuinely enjoy each other’s company, but they live very different lives.

Claire and Ricky remained on friendly terms after their relationship ended. 

This follows the family of Ricky expressing their shock and stating they believed he was at peace after his passing.

The Hatton family released a statement sharing sad details about the star’s last days. They said he had been enjoying time with loved ones and was looking forward to what was ahead.

We were deeply saddened to hear about recent events. As far as we knew, Richard was doing well, even though he had faced challenges in the past.

He was looking forward to the future, with his bags packed for a trip to Dubai to announce his return to fighting. He was also planning a special celebration there, with his daughters, Millie and Fearne, as the guests of honor.

He couldn’t wait for his family to finally watch him fight live. As a loving grandfather, he cherished moments with his grandchildren, Campbell and Lyla. Richard was also hoping to enjoy more time in Tenerife.

Richard had conversations with both his family and colleagues in the days and weeks leading up to the weekend.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m deeply saddened to share some news. Richard spent a lovely Friday evening with his daughters, and seemed so happy and connected. It’s truly shocking, therefore, to hear about what happened over the weekend. We’re all still reeling from the unexpected events.

Richard was discovered by his friend and manager, Paul Speak, and we are currently offering support to Paul, Richard’s parents Ray and Carol, his children, and the rest of his family.

The incredible show of love and sadness from people everywhere demonstrates how deeply Richard was cherished. Eventually, remembering this widespread affection will bring us comfort and a sense of pride.

Right now, we’re asking for privacy as we grieve. Our main focus is taking care of Richard’s children and granddaughter and making sure they have the support they need.

The family asks for privacy at this difficult time and requests that Richard’s memory be respected. Details about a memorial service will be shared when available, but no further public statements will be made at this time. – WLR Law

If you need to talk to someone in confidence, you can reach Samaritans by calling 116 123, or find help on their website at samaritans.org. Alternatively, you can visit The Calm Zone for support at https://www.thecalmzone.net/get-support.

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2025-09-24 04:05