Coronation Street star signs for Strictly Come Dancing after quitting soap and splitting from partner
FORMER Coronation Street star Ellie Leach is set to bounce back from heartbreak by signing for the upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing.
The actress, who left the ITV1 soap after playing Faye Windass since 2011, recently split from her boyfriend model Reagan Pettman after five years together.
Now Ellie, 22, may welcome the infamous “Strictly curse” which sees celebrity contestants fall in love with the sexy pros on the BBC1 dance show.
A TV insider said: “This could be just the tonic for Ellie, who’s had some huge life changes this year and could do with something fresh to focus on.
“As well as splitting from Reagan she left Corrie, a show which she effectively grew up on as she joined the cast when she was just a child.
“It’s going to take some adjusting to, but Strictly is part of opening up a new chapter for Ellie.
“The dance contest will also give her a chance to get glammed up in a way which she rarely did on the cobbles of Weatherfield as Faye was a comparatively frumpy character.
“The only time Ellie was seen dressed to the nines was when she was walking the red carpet at events as herself.”
It was May when single mum Faye was seen leaving the soap, moving to Slough to be with Jackson Hodge, the man who got her pregnant at the age of 12.
Ellie is steeped in Corrie because she is the cousin of Brooke Vincent, 31, who’s best known for playing Sophie Webster on the show for 15 years.
Strictly bosses will be hoping this will bring an extra sparkle of stardust when Ellie’s relatives are invited into the studio to support her during the contest.
Her addition to the line-up, which has yet to be confirmed by the BBC, will see the show sign up the “full soap set” as it’s already set to include former Emmerdale actor Adam Thomas, 34, as well as EastEnders’ Bobby Brazier, 20, who is the late Jade Goody’s son.
Strictly declined to comment “on speculation” but are set to announce all the competitors within weeks as the 21st series of the show starts in September.