Inside Ellie Leach’s life on the small screen – from Corrie Street cobbles to Strictly Come Dancing winner

ELLIE Leach’s journey from Coronation Street to Strictly Come Dancing has been nothing short of extraordinary.

Here is everything you need to know about the Manchester-born actress who turned her passion into a dazzling career.

Ellie Louise Leach is an English actress best known for portraying Faye Windass on the ITV soap Coronation Street.

She was born on March 15, 2001, in Manchester.

Ellie attended Fairfield High School for Girls and is a cousin of Brooke Vincent, who also appeared on Coronation Street.

Her early career included roles in TV ads and a small part in the film A Boy Called Dad, as well as the TV show Moving On.

Coronation Street

In 2011 Ellie joined Coronation Street at the age of ten.

She portrayed Faye Windass, a character who goes through several dramatic storylines, including teenage pregnancy, bullying, relationship struggles, early menopause and even sentenced to prison for attacking a neighbour.

Speaking about the soap in early 2023, Ellie said: “I have been in Coronation Street for twelve years but it literally feels like I started yesterday.

"That’s over half my life! It’s mental. Faye has been through a lot.”

Leaving Coronation Street

In April 2023 The Sun exclusively revealed that Ellie was leaving the cobbles after 12 years.

An insider told The Sun: “Ellie’s been on the soap since she was 10 years old so it’s all she’s known, she sees the cast like an extension of her family.

"She’s sad to be leaving, but grateful that her character won’t be killed off.

"She’s going to have a go at trying other acting roles for a bit.”

When the star left the soap, fans felt her final storyline was "rushed."

Ellie's time on the soap came to an end when her character left Weatherfield in a packed vehicle with her ex-boyfriend Jackson and their daughter Miley.

She shared a heartfelt farewell video on Coronation Street's Instagram account, saying: "Just want to say a massive, massive thank you to everyone who has watched Corrie over the past 12 years and supported me.

"And also to my Corrie family, I am going to miss you all so much.

"And yeah just thank you so much to everyone who has always said nice words and really supported me."

A montage then followed of her Corrie best bits.

Following the news of her soap exit, Ellie was joined by a host of Corrie stars, including on-screen love interests Craig Tinker, played by Colson Smith and Jackson Hodge, portrayed by actor Joseph Evans at her leaving do.

Strictly Come Dancing

In 2023, Ellie competed in Strictly Come Dancing and was paired with professional dancer Vito Coppola.

Throughout the competition, she delivered a series of impressive performances, including a powerful Paso Doble in Week 5 that earned her a perfect score from judge Motsi Mabuse, who called it the best performance of the season.

She often spoke about the emotional impact the competition had on her, as she faced both physical and emotional challenges.

Her hard work paid off when she and Vito were crowned the champions of the 2023 season.

Ellie became the youngest-ever winner of the show.

Following her Strictly stint, there were rumours about a romance with dance partner Vito Coppola, but both confirmed they were focused on the competition and shared only a strong professional connection.

Ellie later had a brief romance with Strictly co-star Bobby Brazier during the 2024 tour.

An insider told The Sun: “Bobby and Ellie are the talk of the tour.

“Their friendship has grown and grown, and they’ve been spending nearly all their free time together before and after performances.

";They’ve been having their meals together, and flirting increasingly openly.

“The chat on tour is they may have enjoyed a cheeky snog, and will go public with their romance any week now.

“They’re both hugely popular characters, and make a really cute couple.

"There are also endless commercial opportunities for them as a pair because they are both hugely in demand, with the world at their young feet. Everyone is very excited about this hot new pairing.”

However, their relationship ended in March 2024, with sources saying they parted as friends due to their busy lives taking them in different directions.

In 2024, Ellie and Vito returned to Strictly to perform their iconic Paso Doble again, which brought Ellie to tears as she reflected on how much the dance and the show meant to her.