10 Totally True Facts About… Kym Marsh (Corrie’s Michelle)
lnsidesoap YOUR BRIEFING ON THE WOMAN BEHIND CORRIE’S MICHELLE…
1 Kimberley Gail Marsh was born on 13 June 1976 in Merseyside to her Lebanese mother Pauline and father David Marsh. Kym is one of four, with a sister, Tracey, and two brothers, David and John.
Kym attended the Elliott-clarke Performing Arts school in Liverpool for two years, but left aged 15, unhappy that the course didn’t offer more singing.
2 Before she found fame, Kym had a number of jobs – including a receptionist, sales assistant, singing teacher, and even an Ann Summers party rep! If she hadn’t been successful in singing or acting, she says she would have been a make-up artist. “Two weeks prior to my audition for Popstars, I’d enrolled in college to do beauty,” reveals Kym. “I’d decided that it was my last year of trying to be a singer.”
3 Kym rose to fame in 2001 after appearing on the ITV show Popstars. She and four other singers, including Suzanne Shaw (Emmerdale’s Eve Jenson), were chosen to form the band Hear’say. The group scored a number one with Pure And Simple, and followed it up with several more hits. Kym quit Hear’say in 2002, and although the group held auditions to replace her, they split less than a year later.
4 After leaving Hear’say, Kym launched her solo career – and while her debut single, Cry, charted at number two, sales for her third single were disappointing, and she was subsequently dropped from her record label. “I sing now because I want to, not because it’s my job,” shares Kym.
“I sing a lot for charity events and I still enjoy it.”
5 In April 2006, Kym joined Coronation Street as Michelle Connor, a backing singer for Liz’s fella Vernon Tomlin’s band. “I was only meant to be there for four episodes,” explains Kym. “But they really liked the character and wanted to bring in a family – and that was the birth of the Connors.”
6 David and Emilie are Kym’s children with her ex Dave Cunliffe. In 2002, she wed Eastenders’ Jack Ryder (Jamie Mitchell), but they split in 2008. Kym then dated Hollyoaks’ Jamie Lomas (Warren Fox). They had children Archie and Polly, but divorced in 2014. Kym’s now dating Scott Ratcliffe.
7 Kym and Jamie sadly lost their baby boy, Archie, in 2009 when he was born prematurely at 21 weeks. Since then, Kym has become an ambassador for baby-loss charity The Mariposa Trust. Kym’s Corrie character Michelle and her husband Steve Mcdonald had a similar experience after the show’s producer, Kate Oates, approached Kym with the storyline. “They really wanted to do it because it’s such an important subject,” says Kym. “And since losing Archie, I’ve spoken to so many other families who have gone through similar things – and I just thought, what better way to raise awareness than to do this?”
8 Kym’s eldest daughter, Emilie, who’s now 21, is currently expecting her first child – who will be Kym’s first grandchild. Emilie auditioned for The Voice UK in 2015, but failed to get through the blind auditions. “Emilie’s a much better singer than me!” laughs Kym. “She’s been writing and recording her own music. I would never oppose her going on The X Factor if she wanted to. I’ll support her in whatever she does.”
9 Despite dazzling us with her seemingly effortless style, Kym confesses that she doesn’t actually enjoy the red-carpet treatment! “I sweat profusely,” she tells us. “It’s too much pressure. I play it safe with my outfit in case
I end up on a worst-dressed list!” Despite this, Kym has walked a lot of red carpets. In 2007, she won a British Soap Award for Best Newcomer, and another in 2017 for Best Female Dramatic Performance. She’s also won a TV Choice Award, Inside Soap Award and an NTA, among others.
10 Kym’s character Michelle has a long history with Steve (Simon Gregson) – and with more than a decade of acting with one another, it’s no surprise that Kym and Simon have a special friendship. “We’ve had a great time together,” she grins. “We’ve been screen partners for 10 years on and off. I always joke that Steve and Michelle are the Ross and Rachel of Corrie, as he always does something to mess up! Like when Steve was unfaithful with Leanne and she fell pregnant with Oliver… Simon kept saying to me, ‘We were on a break!’”