The worlds of soap opera drama and glitzy dance competitions collided when several beloved Coronation Street stars decided to step out of Weatherfield and onto the Strictly Come Dancing stage. The stars showcased their talents outside the cobbled streets for fans, from impressive performances to unexpected eliminations.
Some stars faced illness nightmares and Covid woes as they vied to clinch the coveted Glitterball trophy – and many soared ahead in the competition as they put their best foot forward for the judges.
As Corrie babe Ellie Leach currently lights up the dancefloor with her partner Vito Coppola, let’s take a look at some of the hottest Corrie stars who’ve appeared on the BBC dance show.
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Ellie Leach
Leach is best-known for starring in Coronation Street, with the actress having recently left the ITV soap after starring as Faye Windass for 12 years. Leach had numerous hard-hitting storylines during her long stint on the cobbles, and was nominated for multiple awards for her performances.
Leach burst onto the dance floor in week 2 of the current season, performing a Foxtrot to Perfect by Fairground Attraction alongside her partner Vito Coppola, and scoring a whopping 31 points.
Following Leach's knockout performance, Motsi Mabuse said: "I'm slowly falling in love with you, beautiful frame and posture, musicality and storytelling good but needs consistency."
Ellie previously said that appearing on Strictly has been a longtime "dream" of hers
Katie McGlynn
In 2021 Kate and her professional dance partner Gorka Marquez took their shot at the Glitterball trophy. Unfortunately, they didn’t last long, with Kate later admitting she “wasn’t a dancer” and they became the second couple to be eliminated from the BBC Dance show. During their interview, when asked about being the second couple to be eliminated from the competition, Katie said: “We're sad because it means we won't be rehearsing together, it means our journey's ended but we're still going to stay friends.”
Kym Marsh
In 2022 it was announced that Marsh would be competing on the twentieth series. She faced a series of challenges after testing positive for Covid and taking a temporary break from the show. Despite the hiccup, she was the tenth celebrity to be eliminated after losing the dance off to Molly Rainford and Carlos Gu.
Marsh later spoke out about coping with severe anxiety before she dances on Strictly. The former Hear’Say singer told the Sun she had had a panic attack “out of nowhere” before a dance earlier in the competition and she had been working to manage her anxiety.
“I’ve always suffered from panic attacks. It’s something I don’t mind talking about because I know it can affect anyone at any time,” she said. “Sometimes it has been ages [since an attack] and then suddenly one just hits. Everyone thinks that because you’re on the telly you must be amazingly confident, but the truth is that I’m not always and this is how that comes out.”
Will Mellor
Will Mellor made it all the way to the semi-final on last year's Strictly Come Dancing alongside Nancy Xu.
Reflecting on his Strictly Come Dancing journey, former Coronation Street star Will Mellor admitted the competition was "the hardest thing I've ever done". The actor, 46, also took part in the Strictly tour earlier this year and loved his experience on the BBC competition. However, it's clear the show was "physically and mentally" challenging for the soap star.
Tina O’Brien
Coronation Street star O'Brien, known for her portrayal of Sarah Platt on the soap since 1999, became the fourth star to get the boot from Strictly after her Argentine tango failed to impress back in 2011.
She was partnered up with pro dancer Jared Murillo, and faced a series of hiccups on her journey, including not being able to perform in the third week due to illness. O'Brien was eliminated in the fifth week of the show when she landed in the bottom two alongside Felicity Kendal, who was saved thanks to the public vote.
She went on to participate in the 2011 Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour.
Alexandra Mardell
Soap star Alexandra Mardell was crowned the winner of Strictly Come Dancing’s Christmas special back in 2022.
The 30-year-old actress is known for playing Emma Brooker in Coronation Street. She lifted the silver star trophy with her dance partner Kai Widdrington following a show filled with festive-themed performances.
The pair impressed the judges and studio audience and scored a perfect 40 with their quickstep to Sleigh Ride by The Ronettes. Mardell was dressed up as a reindeer while Widdrington wearing a Santa outfit.
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Following the win, Mardell said: "I am so shocked, I cannot thank you enough. I’m so happy about that, I did that for you (Kai) as well, I can’t believe it."
The couple had to battle tough competition to secure the title against five other celebrity pairings.
Claire Sweeney
Claire Sweeney, aged 52, made her debut in Coronation Street earlier this year.
Set for dramatic storylines involving Tyrone Dobbs and his grandmother Evelyn Plummer, Claire plays a brand new character with a mysterious past.
It was announced earlier this year that the ex-Brookside actress would be heading to the cobbles after a successful presenting career, appearing on Loose Women and 60 Minute Makeover.
Claire Sweeney and John Byrnes are a dance partnership from Series 1 of Strictly Come Dancing, the dancing competition on BBC One. In the fifth week of the competition the couple danced a Samba to the song "Shake Your Bon-Bon" by Ricky Martin. They received 32 points from the judges.
The couple were in the bottom two along with Lesley Garrett and Anton Du Beke and were eliminated from the competition.
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