Ricky Hatton’s ex-girlfriend Claire Sweeney has paid tribute to the former boxer after he was found dead on Sunday morning.

Tributes have poured in for Hatton, 46, who had a decorated career in the sport.

His body was found at his home in Hyde and police are not treating the death as suspicious.

Sweeney, who met Hatton on ITV’s Dancing on Ice last year, wrote on Instagram: “I’ve needed a few days to process the devastating news about my dear friend Ricky.

“My thoughts are with his family especially his children Campbell, Millie, Fearne and Lyla, his granddaughter.

“To them, Speaky (Paul Speak) and to all his friends who loved him so deeply and for so many years I send you my deepest sympathy. Ricky, you were the people’s champ.

“We adored and cherished you. Love you always.”

The death of the popular boxer has rocked the boxing community and tributes have been flooding in since his death.

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Owen Cooper, the star of TV drama Adolescence, has made history becoming the youngest to win an outstanding supporting actor Emmy.

Cooper, who is 15, played Jamie Miller in the highly-acclaimed Netflix series set in Liverpool.

Adolescence, which dominated Netflix’s most-watched list earlier this year, centres on the story of a 13-year-old boy arrested for the murder of a classmate.

It won a total of four Emmys.

Cooper was just 14 at the time of filming Adolescence and had never acted before.

In his acceptance speech he said he was “nothing three years ago.”

“It’s just so surreal. Honestly, when I started these drama classes a couple years back, I didn’t expect to be even in the United States, never mind here.

“So I think tonight proves that if you listen and you focus and you step out your comfort zone, you can achieve anything in life.”

The four-part mini-series provoked a strong response from viewers and prompted a conversation in the UK – and worldwide – around misogyny and online safety, with co-creator Jack Thorne joining Prime Minister Keir Starmer for a discussion on the matter at the end of March.

It was also widely praised for its filming techniques, with each episode captured in one continuous take.

Gyllenhaal’s gift

Cooper’s co-star Erin Doherty (who played Jamie’s therapist) won best supporting actress in a limited series, director Philip Barantini took home the Emmy for outstanding directing for a limited or anthology series or movie, while writers Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham won for outstanding writing in the same category.

Before the awards ceremony, Cooper, from Warrington, had been surprised by his acting hero Jake Gyllenhaal, who walked in unannounced during an interview he was giving to press.

The pair hugged, and Gyllenhaal gave Cooper a small gift – a “lucky duck”.

“I made this movie [Brokeback Mountain], and I got nominated for an Academy Award, and a friend of mine sent me this before. Something just like this,” he said.

“It’s just a ‘Lucky Duck’ to keep in your pocket. To give you a little bit of luck.”

There are few sporting stars who cross from the newspaper back pages to become front page news… but Ricky Hatton always was one of them.

Aside from his boxing brilliance, it was his personality and humour which made people pay attention.

In recent years, his happy-go-lucky character saw him cast on reality shows like Dancing on Ice.

But what’s more interesting is how and why the public came to have such great affection for him back in the day.

Follow the latest: Tributes being paid to former boxing world champion

Putting it kindly, sports stars aren’t always known for their sparkling personalities.

It was Ricky’s lack of interest in the trappings of fame which accompanied his epic run of victories that made him all the more cool.

He was the working-class hero who seemed unstoppable. It was a story that everyone wanted to follow.

Celebrities wanted to be seen alongside him. Piggy-backing off his popularity the likes of Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Denzel Washington and David Beckham were all pictured ringside at one time or another, drawn to his fan-friendly style and impressive winning streak.

At the same time as the Gallagher brothers were flying the flag for music from Manchester, Hatton was doing the same for boxing.

During his 2008 fight against Paulie Malignaggi, he had Liam and Noel escort him to the ring.

In an interview he said he thought all three of them might be killed when Liam held up Hatton’s IBO belt inches from Malignaggi’s face and with a swagger said ‘what do you think about that you d*** head?’.

Stories like that are why his appeal extended beyond sport. He was an ordinary bloke who’d done extraordinary things. He never lost sight of who he was and fans loved him for it.