Kym Marsh — things you didn't know about the TV star and Strictly contestant

Kym Marsh began her career in the music industry and is now a household name as one of the UK's most popular actors and presenters.

After hitting the number one spot with the band Hear'Say and enjoying a brief solo music career, Kym won her first acting job and has never looked back. She starred as Michelle Connor in Coronation Street and is about to go back to school in the new series of BBC drama Waterloo Road.

Away from the spotlight Kym is dedicated to her busy family and raising money and awareness for the many good causes that are close to heart. 

We know she's busier than ever, that she's going be fabulous as part of Strictly Come Dancing 2022, but what else is there to know about her?

Kym started her showbiz career on a reality TV show

Kym first found fame when she took part in one of the very first reality TV shows –Popstars. Shown on ITV in 2001, a 24-year-old Kym was picked to be part of a new pop group called Hear'Say, alongside Myleene Klass, Suzanne Shaw, Danny Foster and Noel Sullivan.

Their first single, "Pure and Simple" went straight to number one in the UK charts, as did their first album Popstars. Their second single was also a huge success, called "The Way to Your Love," it was the group's second number one. 

In January 2002, Kym left the band to pursue a solo career and went on to release her debut album, Standing Tall, which reached number nine in the UK charts and achieved two top ten singles. 

Kym also entered Making Your Mind Up in 2006 in the hope of being the UK's Eurovision entry. She sang a ballad called "Whisper To Me" but ended up coming fourth with Daz Sampson winning with his song "Teenage Life," (which came 19 out of 24 in the final contest).

Her acting debut was in a BBC medical drama 

Kym's first TV acting role was in the daytime BBC soap Doctors. She played a character called Ruth Parry for just a few episodes, but it was enough to give Kym the acting bug. She then won roles in Holby City and in the Hollyoaks spin-off series Hollyoaks: In the City.

But her big break came when she secured a role pulling pints behind one of the most famous bars in the country…

Kym spent 13 years on the cobbles

In 2006 Kym bagged her dream role of starring in the Manchester-based soap Coronation Street. 

She played the feisty Michelle Connor for 13 years and was at the centre of many huge storylines, including discovering her son Ryan had been swapped at birth, her rollercoaster relationship with Steve McDonald, being kidnapped and cheated on by Robert Preston (Tristan Gemmill) and then jilting him at the altar.

But one of her most memorable and award-winning performances was for a storyline that was also very close to her own heart. On screen, her character Michelle was pregnant with Steve McDonald's baby and went into labour at 23 weeks, resulting in the baby, named Ruairi, passing away. 

It was a storyline that sadly reflected Kym's own experience of stillbirth as she lost her own son Archie, who was born at just 21 weeks in 2009. 

Kym went on the win Best Female Dramatic Performance at the 2017 British Soap Awards for her moving performance and often talks about her experience in the press and on her Instagram account to help others who have suffered such a devastating loss. 

Kym's Corrie cast mates are like her second family

Kym took the tough decision to wave goodbye to the cobbles in 2019, as she was ready to spread her wings and take on a new challenge. 

Check out her Instagram post below of her last day on the Street where she says: "Over and out.....Michelle Connor has left the building...what an amazing 13/14 years I have had. Met some amazing friends, learnt so much and am so blessed to have been part of such an amazing show!!! Thanks to all the fans for being so loyal and supportive over my time at @coronationstreet and to all the fabulous cast and crew who are like my second family!! I love you all! Here’s to new beginnings!!"

Since leaving Coronation Street Kym has established herself as a trusted presenter on a range of TV shows. She is the regular co-host of Gethin Jones on the daily BBC morning show Morning Live and also fronts the true-crime series Murder at My Door with Kym Marsh, and the consumer rights show Your Money and Your Life. 

Kym is dancing for all the grandmothers out there! 

Kym is definitely a very glamorous granny and a very proud one too. The actor has two gorgeous grandchildren, the eldest is Teddy who was born in May 2019 to Kym's daughter Emilie. 

Her second grandchild was born in August 2022 to her son David and his fiancée Courtney. The new edition to the family is called Clayton, check out Kym's adorable post below announcing his arrival into the world. 

Kym has four children herself, her eldest is David, 27, then her daughter Emilie, 24, Archie, who sadly passed away just a few moments after he was born prematurely in 2009 and finally her youngest is Polly, who is 11. 

While chatting about the arrival of her newest grandchild on Morning Live and the exciting news that she was part of this year's Strictly, the regular doctor on the show Dr Xand claimed that he didn't believe a grandmother had ever won the show, promoting Kym to reply she would be, "doing it for the grandmothers out there!"

Kym has a former Coronation Street favourite to thank for meeting her husband

Kym was introduced to her husband, Army Major Scott Ratcliff by her former Corrie co-star Antony Cotton, who is a mutual friend of the pair.

Scott asked Kym to marry him on her birthday in June 2021, after three years together and they tied the knot four months later at the prestigious military academy in Sandhurst. 

Kym and Scott shared their big day with 150 guests including many of her Corrie co-stars. Alison King (Carla Connor) was a bridesmaid and Antony Cotton (Sean Tully) was the Master of Ceremonies.

Kym has been married twice before, first to the former EastEnders actor Jack Ryder, who she wed in 2002 and divorced in 2009. Her second husband was the Hollyoaks actor Jamie Lomas, who is the father to the late Archie and daughter Polly. They got hitched in 2012, but went their separate ways in 2014.

Kym's dad is battling prostate cancer

In June 2021, Kym's much-loved dad, Dave, shared the devastating news that he had been diagnosed with incurable prostate cancer. He bravely told his story on Morning Live in the hope that more men would be made aware of the symptoms and get checked. 

Kym adores her dad and shares many beautiful pictures of the pair on her social media. She was delighted he could walk her down the aisle for her 2021 nuptials to Scott, which made the big day even more of an emotional and special occasion. 

Kym told OK! magazine: "There were tears when he walked me down the aisle and when I gave him a kiss when he sat down – there were lots of tears surrounding my dad that day. Everyone who knows us, knows how close I am to my dad."

Kym is "delighted" to be starring in Strictly Come Dancing 

Kym told the BBC: “I’ve considered doing Strictly for years but the timings never worked out. I’m so delighted that this year they have!

"I’m a huge fan of the show and can’t believe I’m going to go from watching at home in my pyjamas to actually dancing in front of the judges in a glittery dress, it’s unreal!”

Kym normally keeps herself fit and has run her fair share of 10k races for charity, but in a recent Instagram post she declared she was stepping up her fitness regime to make sure she will hit the dance floor in the best shape possible. 

In the below post she says: "Getting myself match fit ready for my next big adventure!!! Starting as I mean to go on."

Kym Marsh's fact file

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We work hard to ensure that all information is correct. Facts that change over time, such as age, will be correct, to the best of our knowledge, at the time of the last article update.