Coronation Street Glenda stars life off screen – including dramatic 9 stone weight loss

2023-04-16

Ahead of her Coronation Street debut last year, Jodie Prenger had already dabbled in the TV and showbiz world having appeared in a handful of programmes.

Jodie, who stars as barmaid Glenda Shuttleworth on the popular ITV soap, first shot to fame on The Biggest Loser in 2006, with the now-43 year old going on to win the show and bagging a £25,000 cash prize.

The UK edition of the programme – which was axed in 2012 – was for people wanting to overhaul their diets and their lives, with Jodie going on to shed an amazing nine stone on the show.

Two years later, Jodie took part in BBC talent show I’d Do Anything as the likes of Andrew Lloyd Webber and John Barrowman decided who they thought should win the opportunity to star as Nancy in the 2009 revival of West End show, Oliver!

Jodie, who hails from Blackpool, Lancashire, went to be crowned as the winner.

Oliver! opened in January 2009 at Theatre Royal, with Jodie playing the role of Nancy until March the following year.

Theatre isn’t all Jodie dabbled in ahead of her Corrie debut, she’s also been a guest panellist on Loose Women and used to present the midweek National Lottery on BBC.

If that wasn’t enough, Jodie’s had features on Waterloo Road, The Alan Titchmarsh Show and This Morning, as well as participating in the 2013 Let’s Dance For Comic Relief.

Another job Jodie boasts on her already impressive CV is radio hosting as the star would often sit in for Elaine Paige and the late Paul O’Grady when they were absent from their BBC radio shows.

But it was last year when Jodie bagged a permanent position on the cobbles as Glenda.

Recalling the moment she got the call from her agent, Jodie told OK!: “I must have terrified about 30-odd people in Ikea! I was at the checkout and my agent called. I screamed and I cried – one woman nearly dropped a cactus, bless her. Then my mum started crying – and then she went back in to get some meatless meatballs for me.”

Speaking about her Corrie character, Jodie went on to describe Glenda as “a woman to be reckoned with”.

“She reminds me a lot of my mother,” she added.

“She’s a bundle of energy. She comes off a cruise ship and there’s a vibrancy to her that is a dream to play.”

Coronation Street airs three nights a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8pm on ITV.

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