They made their red carpet debut as a couple last month.
And Ricky Hatton and Claire Sweeney took the next big step in their relationship this week when they flew to sunny Tenerife for their first holiday as a couple.
The former boxer, 45, took to Instagram with a series of smitten photos with the actress, 53, as they enjoyed a romantic meal before watching his beloved Manchester City’s 5-0 victory over Wolves with friends.
Claire looked gorgeous in a low-cut summer dress that perfectly highlighted her freshly sun-kissed skin, while Ricky cut a smooth figure in black.
He captioned the post: ‘Great evening and food last night with our friends @elmiradortenerife. Thank you very much for taking care of me as you always do. Fantastic night. Ricky and Claire X’
Ricky Hatton, 45, and Claire Sweeney, 53, took the next big step in their relationship this week when they flew to sunny Tenerife for their first holiday as a couple.
The former boxer took to Instagram with a series of photos in love with the actress, while they enjoyed a romantic meal before watching his beloved Manchester City’s 5-0 victory over Wolves with friends.
It comes after Claire and Ricky made their first public appearance together at Co-op Live’s official welcome ceremony.
The showbiz couple looked great together as they joined other celebrities to check out Manchester’s newest event space.
They confirmed their relationship with the exit, bBut just days before, Ricky took to Instagram with a lovely birthday message for Claire.
Claire has told friends she feels like she has “hit the lottery” as her romance with Ricky goes from strength to strength.
A friend of Claire’s told MailOnline: ‘Claire and Ricky have become very close.
“She wasn’t looking for a relationship, but then Ricky came along and it felt good and natural and she’s very happy.
“She signed up for a reality TV show and met a great guy so she feels like she won the lottery and she’s really counting her blessings as it all came out of nowhere and that’s often the best way.” “.
“She is now looking forward to introducing Ricky to her family and friends soon, and they are looking forward to meeting the boy who has made Claire smile.”
Claire looked gorgeous in a low-cut summer dress that perfectly highlighted her freshly sun-kissed skin, while Ricky cut a smooth figure in black.
He captioned the post: ‘Great evening and food last night with our friends @elmiradortenerife. Thank you very much for taking care of me as you always do. Fantastic night. Ricky and Claire
It comes after Claire and Ricky made their first public appearance together at Co-op Live’s official welcome ceremony last month.
Meanwhile, a source close to Ricky joked: ‘Ricky initially thought signing up for DOI had been a big mistake because he wasn’t the best ice skater. But as soon as he was introduced to Claire, he realized that accepting the program was a big step.
“They’re having a lot of fun and enjoying themselves.”
The couple met on the ITV show and began dating after Ricky messaged her and invited her to a boxing event.
And Corrie star Claire was left stunned by the boxing legend’s knockout charm.
Friends say the retired world champion is “one of the funniest people” they have ever met, and that the pair have become “incredibly close” and are planning a summer getaway.
A source said: “Anyone who knows Ricky knows how funny and entertaining he can be. But Claire had no idea until she met him on Dancing on Ice, and that’s what really attracted her to him initially. He constantly had her in hysterics. and they became closer and closer after that.
The couple met on ITV’s Dancing On Ice and began dating after Ricky messaged her and invited her to a boxing event.
Ricky called his new love ‘beautiful’ in his recent post to celebrate his birthday.
‘Things have gotten serious quite quickly and they are just enjoying each other’s company and seeing how things develop from here.
“They are also considering going on holiday together to Tenerife over the summer, which will take their relationship to the next level.”
The friends also believe that Claire could prove to be a good influence on Ricky, who has suffered personal problems in the past.
Our source added: ‘Ricky has had a rollercoaster lifestyle in the past. Since he retired he has been drinking heavily and partying, which he combines with his boxing training and the training of other fighters.
“But Ricky is willing to put an end to a lot of those things. He still likes to drink and laugh, but he’s back to normal and has an open mind to settle down. That’s why his friends and family are delighted that someone like Claire has arrived. “They think it might be the right time for both of them and everyone wants them to be happy.”
Details of the couple’s relationship emerged last week, with sources revealing that They had developed “electric chemistry” during the show.