Real reason huge Coronation Street star missed filming final scenes with Claire Sweeney

CORONATION Street star Claire Sweeney bowed out of Weatherfield this week after three years — but there was one huge missing star to help her say goodbye. The actress, 55, joined the soap in 2023 in a high-profile signing as Dame Maureen Lipman’s on-screen daughter Cassie Plummer. Claire Sweeney recently quit Coronation Street after three years on the soap Credit: Splash Claire’s on-screen mum Maureen Lipman decided against returning to film farewell scenes Credit: ITV But after three years, The Sun can reveal that Dame Maureen snubbed the chance to return to the show to wave off her daughter — and why. A source said: “Maureen’s busy working and in demand. She’s made it perfectly clear that if Corrie wants her back then it must be to actually work — not just prop up the bar of the Rovers or wave someone goodbye. Sign up for the Coronation Street newsletter Thank you! “She wants a proper storyline to sink her teeth into. If they can’t offer that then she’d rather focus her energies on work that interests her. “There are no hard feelings between her and Claire at all — but she’s just not interested in being set dressing.” READ MORE ON CORONATION STREET The Sun has contacted a representative for Maureen for comment. Dame Maureen last appeared in the soap in December. She is currently starring in comedy play Allegra at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London. Claire is taking to the stage too as Miss Hannigan in a UK theatre tour of Annie. It was an emotional end to her time on the Cobbles. Most read in Showbiz Recalling filming a scene involving Tyrone’s kids, she said: “Saying goodbye to Hope and Ruby, I sobbed. The tears were real. “At one point, the director even asked me to hold back a bit because it looked like I was having a breakdown. “The children started crying too.” She added: “ I only left because a project I’ve been working toward for 15 years finally came to fruition, and I simply couldn’t turn it down.” Comment now