KIMBERLEY Walsh has revealed she could have become a soap star before rising to the top of the pop charts.

The Bradford-born singer-turned actress says she was down to the final three to play the part of Maria Connor in Coronation Street in 2000.

However, that wasn’t meant to be and Miss Walsh would go on to ITV reality series Popstars the Rivals and become a member of Girls Aloud.

Speaking on The One Show, she said: “I actually made it to the last two or three for Maris in Coronation Street the year before I got into Girls Aloud, so things could have been a lot different.”

 

She is now set to return to the stage in a new production of Sleepless in Seattle, which is the first live indoor theatre show since lockdown.

Sleepless, A Musical Romance, debuts at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre in September.