Soaps

Girls Aloud singer Kimberley Walsh reveals she nearly played Maria Connor in Coronation Street

Kimberley lost out on the role to Samia Longchambon

Girls Aloud singer Kimberley Walsh revealed she was nearly cast as Maria Connor in Coronation Street.

The 38-year-old pop star has had multiple hits with girl group Girls Aloud. But she could’ve become a soap star after she auditioned for the role on the ITV soap 20 years ago.

Appearing on The One Show yesterday (Tuesday, August 4), she explained: “I got down to the last two or three for Maria in Coronation Street, so yeah, things could have been very different.”

Kimberley appeared on The One Show (Credit: BBC)

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Kimberley missed out on the cobbles part as actress Samia Longchambon landed the role. Samia still plays the hairdresser to this day and is currently in the middle of a major storyline.

Kimberley Walsh: Fames after Popstars

Instead, Kimberley auditioned for the reality series Popstars: The Rivals in 2002 and won a place in Girls Aloud with Cheryl Tweedy, Sarah Harding, Nadine Coyle, and Nicola Roberts.

Samia has played Maria for 20 years (Credit: ITV)

Together, the group landed four number one hits and two number one albums, as well as gaining five BRIT nominations before splitting in 2012.

Years later, bandmate Sarah Harding landed a spot on Corrie as Tracy Barlow’s arch-nemesis Joni Preston, appearing in five episodes in 2015.

Kimberley Walsh’s Emmerdale star sister

What’s more, Kimberley’s sister Amy Walsh currently appears in Emmerdale as Tracy Metcalfe, who she has played since 2014.

This week, Tracy is in for a shock when she discovers she is pregnant with her new boyfriend, Nate Robinson.

Kimberley and Amy’s sibling Sally Walsh played Dales character Lyn Hutchinson from 1997 until 2000. Lyn dated Marlon Dingle, only to break up with him on his 25th birthday.

Kimberley’s sister Amy plays Tracy in Emmerdale (Credit: ITV)

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Kimberley has gone on to star in a number of West End shows, making her theatre debut as Princess Fiona in Shrek the Musical in 2012.

She also appeared in the Disney Channel musical series The Lodge in 2017 and Channel 4’s Ackley Bridge in 2018.

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Charlotte Rodrigues
Soap Contributor
Charlotte Rodrigues joined Entertainment Daily in April 2018, as Audience Engagement Executive. A huge soap fan, Charlotte then became Senior Soap Writer, delivering the latest storylines and spoilers to our followers.