Katherine Kelly

Katherine Kelly, (born 19 November 1979) is a British actress and recording artist who is most well known for playing Becky McDonald in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street. She has also starred in the film Mischief Night.

Kelly was born in Barnsley, South Yorkshire and grew up in both Barnsley and Wakefield, West Yorkshire. She attended Wakefield Girls High School. She has strong links with The Lamproom Theatre in Barnsley, established in 1998 by her father John (who is originally from Castleisland, County Kerry, Ireland), and has regularly supported fund-raising events held there.

She trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), London, with fellow students Meredith MacNeill and Laurence Fox, graduating in 2001. She worked at Chichester Festival Theatre in The Accrington Pals with actress Amy Robbins and at Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester in Othello with Andy Serkis and Lorraine Ashbourne. Since then, she has worked in TV, film, radio and voice-over. She was a leading lady at the Royal Shakespeare Company from 2004–2005, performing in both Stratford-Upon-Avon and the West End.

On the 18 April 2011 it was announced that she would be leaving Coronation Street at the end of the year. She will then star as Miss Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer at the National Theatre from 24 January 2012. Recently, Kelly appeared on ITV's This Morning to discuss her departure from Coronation Street and she said 'I decided to leave Coronation Street for a change' She also talked about her role in 'She Stoops To Conquer' and said that 'you've got to be careful what you wish for because this couldn't be more different, really!'