Ellie Leach

Last updated

Ellie Leach
Born
Ellie Louise Leach

(2001-03-15) 15 March 2001 (age 23)
Education Fairfield High School for Girls
OccupationActress
Years active2009–present
Television Coronation Street
Strictly Come Dancing
Relatives Brooke Vincent (cousin)

Ellie Louise Leach (born 15 March 2001) is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Faye Windass on the ITV soap opera Coronation Street between 2011 and 2023. Following her exit from the soap, she won the twenty-first series of the BBC contest Strictly Come Dancing .

Contents

Early life

Leach was born in Manchester, Greater Manchester on 15 March 2001. [1] Leach attended Fairfield High School for Girls. [2] [3] [4] Leach is a cousin of Brooke Vincent, who played Sophie Webster in Coronation Street between 2004 and 2019. [5]

Career

Leach began her television career appearing in television advertisements for Staples and McDonald's. [6] In 2009, Leach appeared in the film A Boy Called Dad . [7] In 2010, Leach appeared in an episode of Moving On as Stacy. [8]

In 2011, she was cast in the role of Faye Butler, a potential adoptive child for Anna (Debbie Rush) and Eddie Windass (Steve Huison) on the ITV soap opera Coronation Street . [9] In April 2023, it was confirmed that Leach would be leaving Coronation Street after 12 years in the role of Faye, with her departure scenes set to air in a "huge story" in July 2023. It was initially reported that Leach had chosen to leave Coronation Street but would not be killed-off, leaving the door open for the actress and the character to return in the future. However, Leach later confirmed the show's bosses had told her they could "see no future for the character" resulting in her role being axed. [10] [11]

Following her exit from Coronation Street, Leach signed up to appear as a contestant on the twenty-first series of the BBC dance competition Strictly Come Dancing . [12] She was partnered with professional Vito Coppola and the pair went on to win the competition. [13] [14] At age 22, she became the youngest celebrity to win the show, a record previously held by Olympic gymnast Louis Smith of series ten, who was 23 at the time. [15] [16]

Strictly Come Dancing performances

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2009 A Boy Called Dad KatieFilm role [17]
2010 Moving On StacyEpisode: "I Am Darleen Fyles" [18]
2011–2023 Coronation Street Faye Windass Series regular [19]
2012Coronation Street: A Christmas CorrieTelevision short [20]
2015The Sound of Music LiveNun ensembleTelevision film [21]
2023 Strictly Come Dancing HerselfWinner; series 21 [22]
2024 Drama Queens Herself [23]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef(s)
2013 2013 British Soap Awards Best Young Performance Coronation Street Nominated [24]
Inside Soap Awards Best Young ActorNominated [25]
2014Inside Soap AwardsBest Young ActorNominated [26]
2015 2015 British Soap Awards Best Young PerformanceNominated [27]
Inside Soap AwardsBest Young ActorNominated [28] [29]

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References

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  2. "Fairfield High School Summer Festival". When You Wish Upon A Star. 2016. Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
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  4. Heffeman, Laura (6–12 January 2017). "You Ask...Ellie Leach (Faye_". Inside Soap . 2017 (Unknown): 40.
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  12. "Ellie Leach is the tenth celebrity contestant confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing 2023". BBC . 9 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
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