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The actress, who plays Tyrone's mother Jackie Dobbs on the ITV1 soap, received financial help from Gazza after being made bankrupt in 2005. She used the cash to learn about naturopathy, a branch of alternative medicine.
"I was in debt, a lot of debt. There have been reports saying that it was £10,000, but that's wrong," Margi told the News of the World. "Add a zero and you might be closer!"
Speaking about Gazza's influence, she added: "I told him about the [naturopathy] course but said I didn't think I could do it. It was December and money was really tight. The next day, there was a cheque for the £3,000 fee in the post from Paul. He changed my life around."
Clarke returned to Corrie earlier this year after a nine-year absence. In a recent interview with DS, she vowed to take the soap more seriously after wasting her "golden opportunity" last time around.
She said: "It's one of Britain's top soaps and to be called to play on that stage, it's on a par with being asked to play for England and you should really honour it, have the commitment and give it everything you've got. I'm 54 now, and I'm never going to look a gift horse in the mouth again."
