Strictly Come Dancing champion and former Coronation Street star, Ellie Leach is set to appear on The Wheel, ready to aid guests in their quest for cash prizes.
The popular quiz show, presented by comedian Michael McIntyre, sees several celebrities help contestants answer questions and build up prizes for them to win.
Ellie’s illustrious rise continues post her 2023 victory. Hailing from Manchester and born on March 15, 2001, Ellie’s path to fame began with TV commercials and small parts until she scored the role of Faye Windass in the legendary soap opera .
Throughout her tenure as Faye Windass, Ellie navigated gripping plotlines involving bullying, teen pregnancy, the search for her biological father, and an early menopause storyline.
Ellie Leach also made her stage debut alongside Casualty’s Jason Durr in Cluedo 2, which toured the country earlier this year.
Outside of TV, what do we know about Ellie Leach’s life and career?
Ellie Leach’s famous cousin
Corrie stars Brooke Vincent and Ellie Leach are real-life cousins (Image: Instagram)
Ellie Leach is a cousin of Brooke Vincent, who played Sophie Webster in between 2004 and 2019. At the time of her casting, Brooke said: “I am chuffed to bits for her.
“She has made me so happy. We are all thrilled about it and I can’t wait to be with her on set to show her around.”
The cousins also have a close bond. Referring to herself as Brooke’s “mini me”, Ellie wrote on : “All I’ve wanted to do since I was younger is be like you.
“To dress like you, to have my hair the way you have yours, to wear them 7inch platform heels you wore which I still have no idea how, but most of all to be the kind of person you are.
“You can tell what type of person someone is by how highly people speak of them, and i’ve never heard a bad word said about you!
“I think i’ll forever be known as Ellie, Brooke’s cousin but i will always be so proud to be that and to have you by my side through life!”
Ellie Leach’s Strictly Come Dancing Win and Vito ‘love’ rumours
Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola won Strictly Come Dancing in 2023 (Image: Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images)
The actress took part in the series shortly after her exit from the soap. Pairing with Vito Coppola, the duo stood out as the best pairing in the 2023 competition and they went on to win the series.
Ellie and Vito soared to success on the dance competition, overcoming opponents such as star Bobby Brazier and actor Layton Williams from Bad Education. Their winning American Smooth delivered them a perfect 40 for the first time in the series.
Their palpable chemistry sparked speculation of a love affair among fans and on social media, but both categorically denied any romantic ties.
Reflecting on their journey, Ellie shared the profound effect the show had on her, stating, “The days after were very emotional.”
“My time at Strictly was life-changing, and to have the bond and friendship I made with Vito was amazing. It’s the sort of friendship I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. I’m very lucky and grateful for the experience.”
Despite both getting matching bee tattoos, Ellie and Vito insist they are merely good friends.
Ellie opened up about her connection with Vito Coppola, saying, “From the moment we met, we just clicked,” mentioning their blend of fun and hard work. Ellie also revealed they communicate daily, explaining: “We message every day,” and now regards Vito as family.
Is Ellie Leach in a relationship?
Actress Ellie Leach attends The Pride of Britain Awards 2024 (Image: 2024 Getty Images)
It is not publicly known if Ellie Leach is in a relationship, but she has had a few famous relationships over the years.
Ellie was in a relationship with Reagan Pettman for half a decade after meeting at The Manchester College, parting ways around the time Ellie left her role as Faye Windass on .
As rumours circled around Ellie and Vito, Ellie entered into a brief relationship with Strictly finalist and actor Bobby Brazier.
Reports online suggest they grew closer during the Tour in January 2024. After being seen together in public during the tour, they made their relationship official in March 2024.
New role after Strictly win
Following her win, Ellie secured the role of Miss Scarlett in the comedy-mystery play Cluedo 2.
Cluedo 2, which is based on the popular Hasbro board game, has been written by BAFTA Award winners Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran and directed by Mark Bell, the director of the original hit UK production of Cluedo and the global hit, The Play That Goes Wrong.
Ellie, who had been appearing in the show across the country, said that life has been “very, very busy”.
She previously said: “I’m very grateful to be working, of course, and to now be doing something new, obviously came straight from Strictly, did the tour, and then started rehearsals for Cluedo whilst doing the Strictly tour. I feel like I’m just constantly running on adrenaline.”
According to the actress her co-stars have been very supportive of her work on-stage in Cluedo 2.
She added: “On the opening night of the show, a lot of the cast from came to watch. It was really nice to see them because I’ve not seen them for a while. There was a lot of people supporting and I’m really grateful that people are following me around and supporting what I’m doing.”