Inside Corrie cast’s sneaky plot to get revenge on bosses for axing Strictly star Ellie Leach
CORRIE stars have hatched a plan to get Ellie Leach into the Strictly final as revenge for her being axed.
They plan to plug the actress on social media and support her in interviews as if she was still on the ITV soap.
![FROM ITV STRICT EMBARGO - No Use Before Tuesday 18th January 2022 Coronation Street - Ep 10547 Wednesday 26th January 2022 - 2nd Ep Craig Tinker [COLSON SMITH] returns home from work and reveals that Ted's post mortem suggests he was run over which might have triggered the blood clot that killed him. Faye Windass [ELLIE LEACH] and Emma Brooker [ALEXANDRA MARDELL] are horrified. Picture contact - David.crook@itv.com This photograph is (C) ITV Plc and can only be reproduced for editorial purposes directly in connection with the programme or event mentioned above, or ITV plc. Once made available by ITV plc Picture Desk, this photograph can be reproduced once only up until the transmission [TX] date and no reproduction fee will be charged. Any subsequent usage may incur a fee. This photograph must not be manipulated [excluding basic cropping] in a manner which alters the visual appearance of the person photographed deemed detrimental or inappropriate by ITV plc Picture Desk. This photograph must not be syndicated to any other company, publication or website, or permanently archived, without the express written permission of ITV Picture Desk. Full Terms and conditions are available on www.itv.com/presscentre/itvpictures/terms](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/ACP_WEEK_4___22_jpg-JS705936630.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Sources said they want to stick “two fingers” up at bosses after popular Ellie, 22, was written out in April after 12 years playing Faye Windass.
It comes after The Sun revealed yesterday that ITV and BBC were looking to cut costs and offload more soap stars.
A source close to Corrie said: “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.”
Ellie joined Corrie in 2011 when she was ten years old and has tackled some major storylines, including teen pregnancy and early menopause.
In 2022 she had to take six months off after her character was jailed.
At the time Corrie boss Iain MacLeod assured her she would return.
She 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.”
But The Sun revealed in April she had been written out.
Her final scenes were shown last month, with Faye leaving the cobbles with ex Jackson and their daughter Miley.
Off screen, Ellie also split from her boyfriend of five years.
However things took an upturn when she signed for this year’s Strictly on the Beeb.
The source continued: “It definitely wasn’t Ellie’s decision to go, put it that way.
“The feeling among cast was bosses could have found new storylines to keep her character arc rolling and she deserved that after so long on the soap.
“Everybody loves Ellie. She told castmates that what was shaping up to be the worst year of her life — axed from Corrie and split from fella — is turning into the best one now she’s landed Strictly.”
Strictly launches next month, with celebs including Angela Rippon and Les Dennis.
Corrie did not comment.
