Coronation Street star Victoria Ekanoye has opened up about a difficult period in her childhood, revealing she was once homeless with her mother before finding success on screen. The actress, best known for playing Angie Appleton on the ITV soap, said she rarely discusses the experience but acknowledged it helped shape who she is today.
Homelessness in Primary School
Speaking exclusively to Daily Star, in collaboration with BestBettingSites.co.uk, Victoria said: “It’s huge for me. I don’t really talk about this a lot, but my mum and I were homeless at one point. I was very young, in primary school. It was through kind people that we got back on our feet. It was a very short period of time, but it happened.”
Reflecting on her journey, Victoria described seeing her path from those early struggles to a career in acting as “incredible”. She said: “So to be where I am now compared to where I was then, and for my mum to see that journey and the trajectory I’m on, it’s incredible.”
Using Her Platform for Good
The star said she hopes sharing her story can help others facing challenges, whether related to background, health, or experiences in the entertainment industry. “The representation I’m able to offer in my own little way, to whoever’s watching, whether it’s a girl in the industry, a Black girl in the industry, a mother in the industry, someone who’s faced their mortality through illness or who’s living with a chronic disease, there are so many niches to my life and who I am,” she said. “I feel like if I’m making that small difference to even one person, that’s enough.”
Victoria also spoke about growing up in a less diverse area, where she was the only Black child at her school and faced bullying. “I grew up in a not very diverse neighbourhood. I was the only Black child in my school and I was bullied quite a lot,” she said.
Plans for a Creative Space
The actress now hopes to use her platform to create more opportunities for young people. She revealed plans to open a space through her production company where children can express themselves regardless of their background. She also wants to bring more overlooked stories to screens, including Black history and sickle cell disease. “There is a huge Black history that just isn’t told,” Victoria said. “Sickle cell is also a really underrepresented condition. A lot of people have heard of it but don’t really know what it is, and it’s so debilitating.” She expressed interest in exploring the condition through a documentary and potentially incorporating it into soap storylines.
Coronation Street: A Career Milestone
Looking back at her time on Coronation Street, Victoria said the soap remains one of the proudest moments of her career. “My mum has been watching Coronation Street since she was 18 years old. When I told her about it, she screamed, then she cried, then she screamed again,” she said. The actress added that the soap gave her career a huge boost and helped her develop her craft. “Coronation Street built my profile in the UK in a way that I was then able to springboard from. And what I will say is: you earn your stripes on the soaps. They shoot so quickly. It really whips you into shape with your acting chops.”
