Corrie star Katherine Kelly wins £30K for theatre - VIDEO
HOW proud is Coronation Street star Katherine Kelly of the tiny Lamproom Theatre where she started out in her home town?
Our survey said …Very proud.
So much that she's donated a 30,000 cheque which she won on the celebrity version of TV game show Family Fortunes.
VIDEO: Press the green play button to watch our video chat with Katherine Kelly.
Now she's hoping it will turn around the financial fortunes of the charity run theatre in Barnsley, to give other talented young actors and actresses a break.
The venue was also recently given a cash boost by the council to help secure its future.
TV soaps queen Katherine, who plays Steve McDonald's new wife, Rovers barmaid Becky, was joined on the Vernon Kay hosted game show by mum Anne, brother Chris, sister Grace and dad, John – honorary president of the Lamproom.
They had to guess the most popular answers to questions in a survey of 100 people.
The Kellys hit the jackpot up against the family of Eastenders' star Patsy Palmer, who plays Bianca.
Katherine, a patron of the Lamproom Theatre, where she has appeared in panto and other shows,made a rare trip home to hand over a big cheque to trustees Roger Walton, Mel Dyke, Ian Hey, John Dennis, and theatre administrator Ruth Pearson.
But she told The Star she had been amazed by the game show win after a terrible practice run.
"We were awful. My Dad had never watched it before, and neither had my brother really,'' she laughed.
"I was right in the middle of filming Becky's second wedding. I had all the lines running around in my head. So I was just not in the right head space. We couldn't do it, honestly. We thought we were going to make such fools of ourselves on national TV. But we won.
"My dad has put his heart and soul into the theatre. I've performed here. My main support for this place is the youth groups. That's where my loyalties lie, because they are the heart of the Lamproom and its future."
She is planning a special show at the theatre in a year's time, possibly with another Corrie star, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the soap.
She will spend her 30th birthday next month in India, promoting the Action Aid children and communities charity with a Hello magazine shoot.
She has won five top national awards this year and today she thanked Star readers for their votes.
But the blonde beauty revealed she's been single for months because nobody has asked her out.
"I wouldn't say I'm looking – but I don't get approached. Nobody approaches me. I must scare people off. They must think I'm Becky, or married to Steve,'' she laughed.
"I can't think of anything else but work at the minute – it's so busy. I've been single now about six months and it's flying by."
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