Coronation Street star Ellie Leach confirmed as Strictly Come Dancing’s tenth celeb
CORONATION Street star Ellie Leach has been announced as Strictly Come Dancing’s 10th celeb signing.
The actress, 22, was confirmed on BBC Breakfast this morning and is raring to get started in the rehearsal room.
She said: “It still doesn’t feel real that I’m going to be doing Strictly. It’s always been a dream of mine so I guess dreams really do come true.”
Ellie is best known for playing Corrie’s Faye Windass for 12 years.
She has been nominated for multiple British Soap Awards and Inside Soap Awards for hard-hitting storylines including being pregnant at 13, discovering she was going through the menopause and reconnecting with the child she gave up, which led to her departing the cobbles earlier this year.
Prior to Coronation Street, Ellie appeared in independent movie A Boy Called Dad and drama Moving On.
Ex-Emmerdale star Adam Thomas and BBC Asian Network’s Breakfast Show host Nikita Kanda were announced yesterday.
Speaking about taking part, Adam said: “I am so excited to be joining the cast of this years’ Strictly Come Dancing. I’ve been such a big fan of the show for years, I can’t believe I’m actually doing it!
“I can’t dance to save my life but I’m buzzing to learn and have a good laugh with my pro. Get me on that dance floor…I can’t wait!”
Nikita, who has also fronted The One Show and interviewed stars from Bridgerton actress Kate Sharma to pop star Nick Jonas, said she “can’t believe” she will be starring in this year’s BBC One dancing competition, having grown up watching the flagship show.
Announcing the news on her Tuesday morning radio show, she said: “I’m literally shaking, I can’t believe this. I’ve grown up watching this show every single year glued to the TV like many of you at home.
“This has been the biggest secret ever, it’s been so hard to keep this in and today I feel relieved, I’ve finally let this out and sharing this moment with you.
“I just can’t wait for the glitz, the glamour, the hair, the makeup, the outfits, and even to meet those judges.
“Who would have thought all those years of me raving it up on the dance floor, at those weddings and those nights out and parties, those moves are making it to the Strictly ballroom stage on BBC One.”
Actor Adam made his breakthrough on ITV’s Emmerdale as Adam Barton, and finished third in 2016’s I’m A Celebrity.
Adam’s twin brother is Love Island star Scott and their brother Ryan, 39, was in Coronation Street.
He married long-term girlfriend Caroline Daly six years ago.
They have daughter Elsie-Rose, five, and son Teddy, eight, who also plays his son on Waterloo Road.
Speaking previously about rumours of him signing for Strictly, he joked: “Bring it all on. I love a bit of glitz and glam.
“I just want to experience the Strictly curse.”
Nikita took over the Breakfast Show in January after two years at the Asian Network.
Zara McDermott has also been announced for the show, making historyas the first ever Love Island star to land a place.
She joins actress Amanda Abbington, Bad Education star Layton Williams, Strictly’s oldest-ever star Angela Rippon, journalist Krishnan Guru-Murthy, comedian Eddie Kadi and Irish TV presenter Angela Scanlon.