She's best known for playing the newly elected councillor Maria Windass in Coronation Street. But Samia Longchambon wowed fans with a different talent as old TV footage was unearthed.
Samia, 39, from Eccles, has played hair stylist Maria since 2000. And in 2003 she took part in the celebrity edition of the Granada singing contest Stars in their Eyes.
The popular show, which ran from 1990 to 2006, had members of the public and celebrities impersonating singing stars. Mother-of-two Samia was hoping the clip of her performing as Australian singer Holly Valance on her number one hit Kiss Kiss would never see the light of day again, until this week it was uncovered by the Instagram account Hunsnet.
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Wearing a white vest and cargo pants and a bronde wig over her short dark hair, a pouting Samia was carried onto the stage by a troupe of male dancers for the explosive performance. Hunsnet joked: "Me in the talent show on my 2003 holibob to Pontin’s Prestatyn dallyn."
Samia replied with a hand-over-eyes emoji as she asked: "Where did you dig this up from?? #mortified #mwah." And Hunsnet told her: "Omg this is peak hun behaviour! Please don’t be mortified! THIS. IS. EVERYTHING!"
Samia added: @hunsnet crying! I thought nobody would ever have to see this again!" And she added that she had won the show: "Can you believe I won tho? Must’ve been the #mwah," she said incredulously.
paul_d_designer told her: "@samia_longchambon was deffo the MWAH’s hun, you were brilliant." lipsticklifeandlollipops commented: "@samia_longchambon you look amazing dallyn!" rebeccagrant_x applauded: "@samia_longchambon literal queen behaviour." And byrne_ldn said: "This is everything."
Samia also shared the clip on her Instagram Stories. She said: "It's important to be able to laugh at yourself tho right?? #Mwha #kisskiss." And she added: "Throwback to 2003 courtsey of @hunsnet."
Samia joins a long-line of Coronation Street stars who have also graced the Stars in their Eyes stage. Angela Griffin (Fiona Middleton) was Scary Spice, Tracy Shaw (Maxine Peacock) was Sporty, Jane Danson (Leanne Battersby) was Posh, Gaynor Faye (Judy Mallett) was Ginger and Holly Newman, who played Rovers barmaid Lorraine Brownlow, was Baby Spice for a soap version of the Spice Girls.
And there was a Coronation Street special with Kevin Kennedy (Curly Watts) as Canadian rocker Bryan Adams. Jennifer James (Geena Gregory) was Shania Twain, Les Battersby actor Bruce Jones was crooner Dean Martin, Eileen Grimshaw actress Sue Cleaver was Judith Durham and Nikki Sanderson (Candice Stowe) went on to win as American country singer LeAnn Rimes.
