Coronation Street legend will strip naked for reality show after beating cancer
CORONATION Street star Victoria Ekanoye is the latest star to sign up to ITV’s The Real Full Monty.
Victoria, who played Angie Appleton in the hit ITV soap, will join celebrities including Dancing On Ice’s Vanessa Bauer, Paul Burrell and Gemma Collins on the show – which raises awareness of the importance of getting yourself checked for the early signs of cancer.
A source said: “Victoria has personal experience of the disease after being diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2021.
“So when she was asked she jumped at the chance of being involved in The Real Full Monty.
“She wants to do everything she can to encourage men and women to check themselves and the whole premise of the show is to get people talking.
“Victoria is a natural performer and will give it her all when it comes to getting her kit off with her co-stars.”
The former soap star found a lump in her breast while feeding her newborn son.
Victoria was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ – which meant that cancel cells were found in her milk ducts.
She went on to have a double mastectomy and has now overcome the disease.
LINE Of Duty creator Jed Mercurio is working on a drama series for ITV about Covid-19 after years of partnership with the BBC.
Breathtaking is based on the Rachel Clarke book of the same name that documents the pandemic’s early days.
It has finished filming in Belfast and will air this year.
Perry’s coat of charms
MOST celebs try to remain incognito when doing the weekly shop, but EastEnders’ Perry Fenwick paid the price for a blunder.
Perry, who plays Billy Mitchell, told the When There’s A Will There’s A Wake podcast: “These coats at work have all got our character names on.
“Which is all very good until a month ago when we finished filming and I stop off in Sainsbury’s for a few bits.
“I’m in there about an hour, getting recognised more than I’ve ever been recognised in my life – it’s like Beatlemania.
“It’s only when I get home I realise I’ve been walking around Sainsbury’s with ‘TV’s Billy Mitchell’ written in big letters on the back of my coat.”
Don’t pretend you didn’t love it, Perry.
THE second series of Sherwood will feature Homeland star David Harewood, Black Mirror’s Monica Dolan, Maleficent 2’s Robert Lindsay and Game Of Thrones’ Stephen Dillane.
The BBC One show will follow two new families entangled with the Sparrow clan.
Iain keen on years of love
LOVE Island might have lost some die-hard fans this series but one man is keen for the dating show to run and run – narrator Iain Stirling.
Tonight on ITV2’s Shopping With Keith Lemon, Iain says: “I’m loving it, it’s really easy. This is the tenth series. I think it might go on for many years.
“I’d like it to go on for 20 years because that’s how long is left on the mortgage! So that would be the dream, really.”
There’s no chance the BBC could tempt him out of the house with a Strictly Come Dancing pay cheque, either.
He added: “I’d go on Dancing On Ice. Strictly? No.
“I think Dancing On Ice feels less sexually charged!”
Wife Laura Whitmore will be chuffed, I’m sure.