She’s best known to millions of soap watchers for her role as Angie Appleton on Coronation Street, but tomorrow night Victoria Ekanoye will show off her singing skills on Celebrity X Factor.
The actress, who played Angie in Corrie until earlier this year, says her first love was music and she loved to entertain by staging her own mini concerts pretending be Madonna when she was growing up.
Victoria, 36, will be seen taking to stage performing in front of judges Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Nicole Scherzinger and a host of record company executives and VIPs including Grammy Award-winning songwriter Diane Warren.
“I’ve been singing since I was three or four and drove my mum and dad mad,” she told us.
“Music and singing has always been my first love so it was amazing to be approached by the show.
“I was really, really excited.”
Victoria Ekanoye on Celebrity X Factor
(Image: CREDIT Syco / Thames)
Victoria says she’s ‘a blues and jazz girl at heart’ and she also grew up listening to country music.
The actress is also a rock fan but as a child she was influenced by pop superstar Madonna.
“My dream was to be Madonna. I knew all of her Blonde Ambition tour concert, even the speaking bits in between,” she said.
“I had it on VHS and I performed mini concerts. I’m a big 80s music fan, rock, 80s and blues and I used to write songs.
“I find that music can therapeutic and so nostalgic.
Victoria’s first love was music
(Image: Syco / Thames)
“I’ve always performed songs in character and as part of a role so it’s great to be performing as me.”
Victoria joined Corrie as mum Angie, who was married to compulsive liar Jude Appleton the son of Mary Taylor, in 2017.
The actress previously appeared in The Lion King in the West End as well as touring the US, South America and Europe in The Blues Brothers production.
Victoria, who was born in Bury and raised in Stockport and Rochdale, moved to London at 18 to pursue her love of acting which landed her the role in The Lion King.
Mary Taylor bid a tearful farewell to Angie Appleton
(Image: ITV)
In America Victoria is known for playing the Queen’s assistant Rachel in the E! series The Royals about a fictional British royal family, in which she has acted alongside Elizabeth Hurley as Queen Helena Henstridge and the legendary Dame Joan Collins as Alexandra the Grand Duchess of Oxford.
Victoria recently sang for guests at the annual Manchester Fashion Festival.
Asked about singing for the audience of VIPs in Simon Cowell’s garden in Los Angeles, she said: “I was so overwhelmed, I was a little bit like a deer in headlights.
“Diane Warren was in the audience who has written some of the most incredible hits of all time.
“It was just nothing like I’d ever done before.
Victoria Ekanoye
(Image: Thames/Syco)
“I’m a northerner and I like to talk but I got up on stage and barely spoke. But I thought ‘there’s no going back now.’
“We filmed at Simon Cowell’s actual house and he was so gracious, smiley and funny.
“And the contestants were so lovely, egging everyone else on.”
On the show the acts will fight for a chance to be crowned champion and come out with a record deal.
And Victoria is being cheered on by her Weatherfield pals.
“I love them, they’re so loyal,” she said.
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“They told me ‘just go out and be you, go out and sing it’s what you do.’
“It’s nice to represent Manchester and the north and I’d love to get through to the live finals.”
Last week The Chase star Jenny Ryan stunned the judges with her big voice, belting out the epic Queen anthem Somebody To Love.
Celebrity X Factor is a screened tomorrow night at 8.30pm on ITV1.
