BBC bosses plan to offer Strictly’s Ellie Leach soap role after axe from ITV’s Coronation Street
BEEB bosses are so sure Ellie Leach will be a hit on Strictly there are already discussions about her joining BBC One drama Waterloo Road.
The dance contest — which has just confirmed it will return to our screens on September 16 – bagged Ellie shortly after she quit ITV1 soap Coronation Street.
Now they want to get plans in place to keep her with the Beeb after this series of Strictly concludes, and the school drama is a no brainer.
A TV insider said: “Ellie was hugely popular when she appeared on Weatherfield’s cobbles as Faye Windass and there’s every chance she’ll be a bigger hit when she gets on the dancefloor.
“When the glitter falls on the upcoming series of Strictly, they want to tap into her mass appeal and bring that over to Waterloo Road.
“They don’t want to leave it too late and have another show snap her up.”
Another bonus for Ellie is that she’s already pals with her fellow competitor on Strictly, Adam Thomas, and he’s already a cast member on Waterloo Road.
The actress played single mum Faye on Corrie from 2011 to May of this year when her character was seen 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, who’s best known for playing Sophie Webster on the show for 15 years.
Ironically Sophie’s mum, Sally, is played by Sally Dynevor, who in real life is the mother of Hattie Dynevor who’s just joined the cast of Waterloo Road too.
It’s all SO confusing.
High stakes fashion
BILLIE PIPER scooped her rivals once again . . . but this time in the fashion stakes.
On the red carpet at the Elle Style awards in London this week she entranced fans in this teal-coloured satin suit and wide-brimmed hat.
The former Doctor Who star has just finished filming new Netflix drama Scoop.
Billie dyed her hair blonde to transform into BBC producer Sam McAlister, who secured the now infamous Emily Maitlis BBC Prince Andrew’s BBC Newsnight interview, which is due to air next year.
Billie was joined by Don’t Worry Darling star Florence Pugh and Daisy Jones and The Six’s Suki Waterhouse for the star-studded event.
Trin the nude and loving it
TRINNY WOODALL doesn’t plan to slow down ahead of turning 60 next February.
Instead, the presenter of makeover show Trinny & Susannah Undress has been taking its title literally after her split from partner Charles Saatchi earlier this year.
She kicked off her new persona by stripping off to pose on a holographic horse, Beyonce-style.
She told an online audience: “I was on a horse naked at the weekend, and I really enjoyed dressing sexy, because I’ve never done it.
“I loved doing the shoot, I felt so empowered.
“I felt so good, I felt this freedom.”
She added of her split from Charles: “I got to this stage in the relationship where I felt on my own, so then in the end it was about, ‘I have the power to do what I want to do, so I’m going to move on’.
“I feel this is a new stage in my life.”
TASKMASTER will be back on our screens this month.
Greg Davies and Alex Horne are joined by Julian Clary, Lucy Beaumont, Sam Campbell, Sue Perkins and Susan Wokoma for the first episode of season 16 on September 21, at 9pm on Channel 4.
Matt off to Tinsel town?
CHRISTMAS has come early for Emmerdale bad boy Matthew Wolfenden.
But it’s hard to tell if he was on Santa’s naughty or nice list when it comes to his next venture.
Fresh from the Dales, he will walk onto the West End stage with a very festive new role in an adaptation of hit Christmas film Elf.
In a far cry from his 17 years as the soap’s David Metcalfe, Matthew will channel his inner Will Ferrell to play Buddy the Elf alongside a star-studded cast at the Dominion Theatre.
He will be joined on stage by Holby City star Tom Chambers as Walter Hobbs, and tennis player Andrew Castle’s daughter Georgina as Jovie for the production, which runs from November 15 into 2024.
Lottie’s stab nut
LOTTIE MOSS once bedded a date who had stabbed his bedroom wall in a fit of anger.
The model, currently in E4 show Celebs Go Dating, told the Not My Bagg podcast: “I met this guy in LA.
“He was a drug addict, awful guy.
“Obviously I fell in love with him within three days.
“He was like, ‘I live in New York. Do you want to come and live with me?’
“So I get there, his bedroom – mattress on the floor, there’s a knife stabbed into the wall.
“He said it was because he lost his phone – anger issues!”
Celebs Go Dating is on E4 at 9pm.
LEE MACK has confirmed Would I Lie To You? will be making a telly comeback.
Following his success at Tuesday’s NTAs, scooping the Quiz Show gong for The 1% Club, Lee said: “We’ve recorded one episode that has yet to go on television and we’re doing some more next year.”
Sex trip in Vogue
VOGUE WILLIAMS and Joanne McNally are no strangers to talking about sex.
But now the podcasting duo will explore how far they would push their boundaries on a new E4 show.
The pals, who present My Therapist Ghosted Me, have swapped their podcasting mics for plane tickets to Ibiza for an eye-opening journey of self-discovery.
The one-off special follows Vogue and Joanne’s visit to an erotic nightclub.
Joanne joked of the trip: “I had an absolute ball in Ibiza and I can’t wait for people to see how liberated I now am and what a frigid Vogue is.”
Joanne & Vogue’s Sex Drive airs from September 21 on E4.