Strictly's Ellie Leach heartbreak after cheating boyfriend and Corrie exit
2023 was quite the year for soap star Ellie Leach, who wowed millions of Brits with her dance skills on the latest season of Strictly Come Dancing. Having long been a fan of the Saturday night show, Ellie has previously described having a shot at the Glitterball Trophy as a dream come true, and the glitz and glamour of the ballroom could be just what she needs after what has been a rather difficult year.
After 12 years on the cobbles, Ellie's time playing Faye Windass in Coronation Street came to an end last summer, with her final scenes airing in May. The 22-year-old has also had to deal with a fair bit of personal heartbreak in recent times, splitting from her long-term boyfriend in the exact same month she left the street.
But now the actress has been linked to co-star Bobby Brazier and it was reported that the soap pair have been enjoying secret rendezvous as they embarked on Strictly's live tour of the UK.
New romance
Ellie, 22, and Bobby, 20, are said to be prepared to go public with their romance in the coming weeks but they have previously hinted they were in a relationship with a slew of snaps together.
Earlier this week, professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin took to Instagram to share a snap of his partner, Layton Williams, who was seen eating dinner with both Ellie and Bobby. In the post, EastEnders star Bobby can be seen wrapping his arm around the back of Ellie's chair as the trio smiled for the photograph.
Corrie's Sue Cleaver says I'm A Celebrity stint helped her to push boundaries
Bobby and Ellie have made their feelings no secret (Instagram/ @ellielouiseleach)
The pair have reportedly enjoyed a string of dates (nikita__kuzmin/Instagram)"Unfairly axed" from Coronation Street
It's previously been reported that Ellie's fellow Corrie stars weren't happy at all about her being written out of the soap, with some even plotting to get her into the Strictly final as a way of sticking "two fingers" up at soap bosses. A source told The Sun: "Everyone has vowed to do all they can to get Ellie to the final of Strictly as a 'f*** you' to bosses. It was made clear to her earlier this year they didn't see a future for her character so she was left with no choice.
"At the time she said she had quit but it was always seen as an axe. It caused major upset behind the scenes because co-stars felt she was treated really badly. So they want her to become a big BBC star and stick two fingers up to the powers that be."
It's understood that Corrie boss Iain MacLeod assured Ellie that she would return following a six-month break in 2022, during which time her character was supposed to be in prison. Ellie, who is originally from Bury, Greater Manchester, said: "When I spoke to Iain about the story, he always reassured me I'd be coming back so I never once thought this was it. And I knew I'd be coming back to a big story."
True Corrie fans will no doubt recall that the character of Faye was introduced back in 2011, as a potential adoptive daughter for Anna (Debbie Rush) and Eddie Windass (Steve Huison). In the years since, the character has been at the centre of a number of hard-hitting storylines, which have seen her fall pregnant at the age of 12, and suffer early menopause as a young woman in her twenties.
In final scenes that some viewers regarded as anti-climactic, Faye headed off for a new life in Slough with old flame Jackson Hodge (Joseph William Evans) and daughter Miley (Frankie-Jae Simmonds), leaving the door open for a potential return.
She was left heartbroken following the painful split (Instagram)
Strictly has helped put a smile back on Ellie's face (BBC/Ray Burmiston)Heartbreak over cheating boyfriend
In the same month that viewers saw Faye leave Weatherfield behind, Ellie was in for another devastating blow after she and her boyfriend of five years Reagan Pettman called it a day. It's understood that Ellie learned Reagan had been unfaithful, destroying any sense of trust they had. Sources have since told the Mirror that Strictly has helped put a smile back on Ellie's face following "a hard few months".
One source revealed: "Leaving Corrie was emotional for her because she loved the show and the cast so much. And then on top of that, she learned that Reagan had gone behind her back, and they split up. It was very sad, but for her, the trust was gone and there was no way back for them as a couple. Ellie is a really positive person and always has a smile on her face - but it's been a difficult time. That's why it was brilliant that she has landed Strictly, it has really given her something to smile about."
The first live show of Strictly Come Dancing will air on Saturday, September 23 on BBC One at 6.15 pm
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