Who is Ellie Leach? Meet the Strictly Come Dancing 2023 contestant and Corrie star

She is swapping the cobbles for the dance floor this year.

By Morgan Cormack

Published: Thursday, 14 September 2023 at 14:09 PM

Much loved Coronation Street alum Ellie Leach has got her sparkles on and is ready to take on the Strictly Come Dancing 2023 competition.

The actress recently exited Coronation Street after starring as Faye Windass for 12 years on the ITV soap. During her long stint on the cobbles, Leach had numerous hard-hitting storylines and was nominated for multiple awards for her performances.

Now, she’ll be taking to the dance floor and will join the likes of Amanda Abbington, Angela Rippon, Layton Williams, Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Eddie Kadi, Angela Scanlon and Zara McDermott.

Leach admits that appearing on Strictly has been a longtime “dream” of hers, but will she have what it takes to get the coveted Glitterball trophy? We’ll just have to wait and see.

In the meantime, read on for everything you need to know about Ellie Leach.

Who is Ellie Leach?

Ellie Leach for Strictly Come Dancing 2023, wearing a denim shirt and smiling
Ellie Leach for Strictly Come Dancing 2023.
BBC

Age: 22

Job: Actor

Instagram: @ellielouiseleach

Twitter: @ellieLleach

Ellie Leach is an actor best known for playing the role of Faye Windass on Coronation Street from 2011 until her exit from the soap earlier this year in April 2023 – with her final scenes airing this past May.

Having been in the soap since she was 10 years old, Leach has tackled a number of hard-hitting storylines, including Faye’s pregnancy at age 13, a very complicated love life, a stint in prison and early menopause.

Her final major storyline involved reconnecting with the child she gave up, Miley, which led to her character’s departure from the soap.

Now, Leach has left the soap in the hopes of pursuing other acting opportunities after being in Corrie for 12 years.

What has Ellie Leach said about joining Strictly 2023?

Speaking about the exciting news of her Strictly Come Dancing confirmation, Leach 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!!!!”