Before AJ Odudu shot to fame as a popular presenter - she was actually hanging out on the cobbles.
The Strictly Come Dancing star is best known for hosting shows such as Big Brother's Bit on the Side and backstage on The Voice UK.
But what most people won't know is that during the early stages of her career, AJ popped up during multiple episodes of Coronation Street.
Having been born in Blackburn and starting out as a reporter for BBC Blast based at Radio Lancashire, it's no wonder she found her way onto the northern soap.
AJ, who is partnered up with professional dancer Kai Widdrington, revealed all about her Corrie past on this week's Strictly It Takes Two.
New host Janette Manrara, who has stepped in to replace Zoe Ball after she left the spin-off show after a decade, wanted to delve into AJ's history in soapland.
Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Sign up for a Mirror newsletter here .
Clearly having some prior knowledge, Janette asked her: "You were an extra on Coronation Street a while back, right?"
Grinning AJ replied: "Yes back in the day."
Then came a massive surprise when a tweet from current Corrie favourite, Antony Cotton, was shown on screen.
The actor, who plays Sean Tully on the ITV soap, tweeted to show his support to his sort-of former co-star.
"Well @AJOdudu must be protected at all costs. Beautiful, funny, a smile from ear to ear, legs up to her eyeballs and probably the most northern gob I've ever heard on my telly," he tweeted.
"She is quite simply, magnificent #Strictly2021.”
Struggling to get her words out, AJ replied: "Wow! Oh my word, I'm actually star-struck. I can’t believe it. I'm absolutely buzzing.”
While Antony is a fan of her accent, AJ has previously claimed she believes she lost her Big Brother role because of her voice and appearance.
AJ was controversially dropped from Bit on the Side after just one normal and one Celebrity series in what Channel 5 claimed was a "mutually agreed" decision.
Speaking on the Nobody Told Me podcast, AJ said: “I remember people tweeting: ‘Who is that black girl with that dodgy accent?’ and ‘Why does she sound like that?’
"That made me feel so insecure. People were commenting on things I had no real control over.
"It didn’t help that someone internally said: ‘AJ, we think you should get some help with your voice. Maybe you can speak clearer and we could soften your accent.’
"All of my insecurities were being reinforced by the team that were meant to be supporting me. Then, when my contract wasn’t renewed, that was tough."
But determined AJ managed to make a success of her career and is now competing on Strictly.
AJ and Kai will be back in the ballroom this weekend with a Foxtrot to Amy Winehouse track Tears Dry On Their Own.
They are hoping they won't be the first couple to be eliminated from the competition this weekend.
*Strictly Come Dancing airs tonight on BBC One at 6.45pm
