Strictly Star Shayne Ward’s Dramatic 3 Stone Weight Loss With Two Simple Changes

Five years after leaving Coronation Street, Shayne Ward, who played Aidan Connor, is hitting the dance floor on Strictly – the first live show begins on Saturday September 21 on BBC One. It comes after he swapped the cobbles for a cruise liner, solving crimes on Channel 5’s The Good Ship Murder.

But what has Shayne been up to in her time away from our screens? Let’s dive into her off-screen life, including her relationship with another soap star. Shayne was born and raised in Tameside, Greater Manchester on October 16, 1984, the son of two Irish travelers who settled in England. He attended St. Peter’s RC High School in Manchester, where he first discovered his love of performing.

This passion led him to appear on Popstars: The Rivals in 2002. At just 18 years old, Shayne made it to the final 30 contestants on Popstars: The Rivals, but unfortunately missed out on the opportunity to become a member of One True Voice.

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Musical career

Despite being so close to his dream, Shayne didn’t give up on his music career and took another chance at fame when he auditioned for The X Factor three years later.

Shayne quickly impressed the judges and progressed through each stage of the competition under the guidance of Louis Walsh, who mentored him throughout – before finally securing victory in December 2005!

Her first single was an original song called “That’s My Goal”, which was widely acclaimed by music critics and fans. This song truly launched his musical career, with several albums following over the next few years, including “Shayne Ward”, “Breathless” and “Obsession”.

As his solo career took off, Shayne was even considered as a potential member of the famous 90s group Take That.

This surprising revelation came in 2006, when Gary Barlow revealed in his autobiography that Shayne had been seriously considered as a potential replacement for Jason Orange, before the star’s departure from the group.

However, Jason chose not to leave at that point, meaning Shayne didn’t have to intervene – but it was certainly a nice endorsement to receive such praise from pop superstar Gary!

Role of Coronation Street

Although his music career continued to go from strength to strength, Shayne decided to try his hand at a different type of performance in 2015 when he joined the ITV soap Coronation Street as Aidan Connor, a distant cousin of Michelle Connor , played by Kym Marsh.

Making his official debut on the cobbles in August 2015, Aidan quickly became a fan favorite and even won a 2016 National Television Award and a 2016 Inside Soap Award for Best Newcomer.

Aidan was originally only supposed to be a character on the soap for one year, but he proved so popular with audiences that Shayne’s contract was extended for a further two years. Aidan was often at the center of several gripping storylines, including a tense love triangle between Adam Barlow, Eva Price and himself.

However, his career on the soap came to an end in 2018, when Shayne announced he would be leaving the show amid a heartbreaking suicide storyline. Her final scenes aired on August 10, 2018.

Dramatic weight loss

During his time on Corrie, Shayne admitted to the Mirror that he gained weight because of the irresistible food in the Granada Studios canteen.

He gained a staggering three stone (42 pounds) and decided it was time for a change. During his final months on the show, he appeared noticeably thinner after changing his diet and exercise routine.

Life after the cobblestones

Since leaving Weatherfield, Shayne has kept busy with various acting gigs, including the lead role in the psychological thriller The Ascent and the 2020 film G-Loc. He also returned to his musical roots by releasing a compilation of his previous works in the December 2022 album Anthology. Shayne hinted at a new album in the works, promising a country-pop vibe.

Soap star bride

While his character Aidan’s love life was a roller coaster ride on Coronation Street, Shayne’s own love story is much less tumultuous. He is engaged to former Hollyoaks star Sophie Austin. Sophie, famous for her role as Lindsey Butterfield on the soap, began dating Shayne in 2016. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Willow May, that same year.

They have since added a son, Reign Thomas Austin Ward, to their family, born in June 2022. The couple originally thought they were about to welcome a second daughter, but are now “thrilled and blessed » by the surprise arrival of a baby. boy.