Claire Sweeney has opened up about her return to acting after landing a role on ITV's Benidorm back in 2018.

The star of television and the West End found fame on Channel 4's Brookside, playing Lindsey Corkhill and has since gone on to appear in a number of shows.

However, the 50-year-old revealed to me that her role on Benidorm gave her faith after the shows creator, Brenden Litten "believed in her" after not participating in any TV work for some time.

Claire's role on the show saw her appear in the final episode as airport ground staff member, Maxine, coming to blows with families including the Dawson's.

Her cameo came as a total 360 degrees moment, which saw her working alongside her former singing teacher who she says was the first person to encourage her to follow her dreams.

She told the Daily Star: "I was proud to be in that episode and just to be surrounded by iconic characters really and Johnny Vegas' mum in it, Elsie Kelly, she was my singing teacher in school."

The mum-of-one added: "I still call her Mrs Hall which is her married name and that woman is really responsible for my career because she was the first person that picked me out and told me I could sing and set me on my way, really.

"It just takes one teacher sometimes just to say 'you can do this' and you go 'oh my God, I can' and it paved the way for me and it's thanks to Mrs Hall."

She added: "It was the same with Derren because I'd not done any TV for ages and Derren gave me the part in Benidorm and he believed in me and then he gave me the part in Scarborough which he wrote and he believed in me, he's been so wonderful."

Claire previously opened up to us, saying: "I'd been a fan of the show for years, I was a massive fan and I think Derren Litten (writer and creator) is brilliant, he's a genius.

"I always wanted to be in it and I was working with Tony Maudsley who played Kenneth in it."

Explaining how she landed the part of airport worker Maxine, she explained: "I wrote a letter to Derren saying 'I'd love to be in it' and then I got offered a part.

"It was only the one episode, it was the last series and I was just thrilled to go out there and be part of it and it was such a wonderful character as well.

"He's just brilliant at painting these characters."

Claire is currently starring in Dolly Parton's 9 to 5 The Musical as Violet with shows across the country.

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