Famous people from Blackpool have gone on to star in Hollywood movies, Emmerdale and even win Celebrity Big Brother.

Blackpool has a thriving cultural heritage but you would be surprised to know that some of the most recognisable on-screen faces originate from Blackpool.

Past and Present Famous People From Blackpool

Alfie Boe

Alfie Boe is one of the most famous singers from Blackpool, known the world over for his performances in musical theatre. His recognisable tenor voice has seen him star in  Les Misérables and Finding Neverland to name a few and has performed with the English National Opera. Alfie Boe has also performed at the Royal Albert Hall as well as Blackpool Pleasure Beach, recognising his status as a Blackpool celebrity for a Music Quest concert to introduce the classics to a new generation. He has won a Tony Award, and his earliest musical memories are from listening to his father’s classical records. Boe received an OBE (Order of the British Empire) in 2019 in recognition of his contribution to music and charity.

Rae Morris 

Rae Morris is a female singer from Blackpool, who was born and studied in Blackpool. She studied music and drama at Cardinal Newman College in Preston, Lancashire, and worked as a waitress at Blackpool FC grounds. Morris gigged around Blackpool and the North West of England while she attended college, before being spotted by a radio presenter from BBC Radio Lancashire. Soon BBC Introducing took an interest, which saw Morris perform at Reading and Leeds festival in 2011. She signed to both Universal and Atlantic Records in 2011 and has since released 2 albums, Unguarded and Someone Out There.

Zoe Ball

English television and radio presenter, Zoe Ball is best known as the first female host of the Radio 1 Breakfast Show and presenter of Strictly Come Dancing: It takes two. Zoe was born in Blackpool in 1970 and is the daughter of English TV personality Johnny Ball. Zoe has presented shows such as The Big Breakfast Show and The Priory On Channel 4. She is also famous for presenting BBC one’s children show ‘Live and Kicking’. She has co-hosted the BBC one telethon alongside Terry Wogan, Fearne Cotton, Nick Grimshaw and Tess Daly. Zoe now hosts the BBC 2 Radio Breakfast Show, taking on the talisman from Chris Evans.

Chris Lowe

English Musician Chris Lowe, co-founder and band member of pop duo The Petshop Boys was born in Blackpool and went on to attend Arnold School, an independent school in Blackpool. Whilst in Blackpool, Lowe played the trombone as part of a seven-piece band known as One Under the Eight. The Pet Shop Boys are one of the most popular bands to emerge from the 80s synth-pop genre, with hits such as West End Girls, It’s a Sin and Always on my Mind. They famously featured in the 2012 London Olympic Games closing ceremony. The Pet Shop Boys have been nominated for a multitude of awards including Grammys, Brit Awards, Ivor Novello awards and Billboard music awards, most notably winning an Ivor Novello and Brit Award for West End Girls.  

Jenna Coleman

Jenna-Louise Coleman is a female actor from Blackpool best known for her roles as Jasmine Thomas in Great British Soap Opera Emmerdale, Clara Oswald in Doctor Who and Queen Victoria in the biographical drama Queen Victoria. Jenna has received critical acclaim for her roles. Born in Blackpool in 1986, Jenna began her career on stage and was a member of the theatre company ‘In Yer Space’. A proud Blackpool Native, Jenna graced the Blackpool Opera House Stage at the age of 10 when she appeared in Summer Holiday with Darren Day.

David Thewlis

Born in Blackpool in 1963, English Actor, Director, Screenwriter, And Author, David Thewlis attended Highfield High School in South Shore, Blackpool. David is most well known for his role in the Harry Potter film series, playing Remus Lupin. He has also featured in Wonder Woman, a 2017 film, as Ares. Thewlis has starred in a variety of films, notable performances include The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, War Horse and London Boulevard. Thewlis received the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor for playing Jonny Fletched in the film Naked (1993). Additionally, Thewlis directed Hello Hello Hello (1995) and was nominated for a BAFTA award for Best Short Film.

Danny Howard

Born and raised in Blackpool, Danny Howard was born in July 1987 and attended Edge Hill University. A household name on BBC Radio One, Danny Howard previously had a residency at The Syndicate Blackpool, one of the largest nightclubs in the UK. With a regular slot on BBC Radio One, Danny Howard has hosted Radio 1’s Dance Anthems with Danny Howard and will take over from Annie Mac from September 2021, hosting Radio 1’s Dance Party from Fridays from 6pm to 8pm.

Lucy Fallon 

Fallon was born in Blackpool in 1995 on the 13th of November. Lucy is most well known for her role in Coronation Street as Bethany Platt. Her performance earned her various accolades, including two British Soap Awards, a National Television Award and an Inside Soap Award. 

She studied drama, dancing and singing from the age of two at the Barbara Jackson Theatre Arts Centre, and attended Blackpool Sixth Form College, where she achieved a Distinction Star and two Distinctions in BTEC Extended Diploma in Performing Arts. lucy had several jobs before landing her role on Coronation Street, including working at Subway, the clothing shop New Look, and at the Merrie England bar on the Blackpool North Pier. 

Lucy has appeared at The Blackpool Grand Theatre several times, the highlight of which is her performance for the 125th Anniversary Show, where she sang Don’t Cry For Me Argentina, arguably the performance of the night. The evening was part of a fundraising campaign and featured Amanda Thompson OBE as a guest speaker. Lucy also recorded a reading for the Blackpool VE 20th Anniversary tribute. 

Nikki Sanderson

Nikki Sanderson is a British actor and singer from Blackpool, most known for the current role of Maxine Minever in Hollyoaks. Nikki previously starred in Coronation Street as Candice Stowe. Sanderson lived in Fylde Village until she was eight and currently plays Maxine Minever in the UK soap drama Hollyoaks. Nikki has also had a stint on Coronation Street and featured on X-Factor: Battle of the Stars. Sanderson is no stranger to the theatre and has appeared in plays such as  Living Under One Roof at the Theatre Royal, and pantomime as Peter Pan at the Gracie Fields Theatre.

Coleen Nolan

Coleen Nolan, famous for appearing on ITV’s Loose Women as a regular panellist and presenting on This Morning, was the only one of her sisters to be born in Blackpool. Nolan began her career as the youngest member of the female Irish family group, The Nolans and has appeared on Dancing on Ice and Celebrity Big Brother twice. She went on to win Celebrity Big Brother in 2017. She is also known to grace our screens for Iceland’s Food Shopping commercial.

Tania Mallet 

Born in Blackpool in 1941, English Model and Actress, Tania went on to become one of Britain’s most iconic models of the 50s and 60s. Tania played the stunning ‘Bond Girl’ Tilly Masterson alongside Sean Connery in the renowned James Bond film ‘Goldfinger’. Tania is also first cousins with BAFTA award-winning actress Dame Helen Mirren.

Pauline Moran

Better known as Miss Lemon from Agatha Christies Poirot, Pauline is an English actor, presenter, and astrologer. Born in Blackpool in 1947, Pauline trained at the National Youth Theatre and the National Academy of Dramatic Art before embarking on her acting career. Moran has been a professional astrologer since 1987.

Other famous people from Blackpool include:

• Hayley Tammadon, best known for playing Andrea Beckett in Coronation Street 
• Electropop singer and DJ Little Boots
• British American Singer and Songwriter Graham Nash
• Jacqueline Leonard, who played Lorraine Wicks in EastEnders
• comedic treasure Syd Little of the double act Little and Large.

Loved this feature? Then take a look at our Celebrity TV Shows and The Grand to hear about all the stars from Celebrity TV that have appeared at Blackpool’s Grand Theatre.

Other Arts and Entertainment Starts Born in Blackpool include; 

Bill Ashton (born 1936), jazz saxophonist and composer
David Atherton (born 1944), conductor
David Ball (born 1959), music producer and musician
Steve Barker (born 1971), film director and screenwriter
Lennie Bennett (1938–2009), comedian and television presenter
Cathryn Bradshaw, born 1964 actress theatre, television, radio, film
Charlie Cairoli (1910–1980), Italian-born clown based in Blackpool
Roy Calley, journalist
Frank Carson, Northern Irish comedian based in Blackpool
Peter Chelsom (born 1956), film director and actor
Robert Crampton (born 1964), journalist
Raine Davison (born 1984), actress
John Evan (born 1948), musician
Horace Finch (1906-1980), pianist and organist
Sonny Flood (born 1989), actor
Judy Flynn (Born 1963/1964), actress
Dan Forshaw (born 1981), musician
Karima Francis singer-songwriter
Errol Fuller (born 1947), author and painter
Hamish Hamilton (born 1966), concert and award ceremony director
Jeffrey Hammond (born 1946), musician
Roy Harper (born 1941), musician
Barney Harwood (born 1979), television presenter
Emilios Hatjoullis (born 1939), cartoonist and graphic designer
Curtis Jobling (born 1972), illustrator and animator
Patrick Keiller (born 1950), film director
Jacqueline Leonard (born 1965), actress
Little Boots (Victoria Hesketh, born 1984), singer-songwriter
Syd Little (born 1942), come (born 1955), singer
John Mahoney (born 1940), US actor (born in Bispham)
Nicholas McCarthy (born 1974), musician
Tania Mallet (born 1941), model and actress
Keith Marsh (born 1926), actor
Gary Miller (1924–1968), singer and actor
Pauline Moran, actress
David Morley (born 1964), poet
Janet Munro (1934–1972), actress
Sarah Myerscough, sculptor
Graham Nash (1942), singer-songwriter
Bernadette Nolan (born 1960), Irish-born singer and actress
Coleen Nolan (born 1965), singer and television presenter
Russell Payne (born 1971), writer
Jodie Prenger (born 1979), singer and actress
Ted Rhodes, script editor
Barbara Robotham (1936–2013), opera singer and distinguished voice teacher
Carol Royle (born 1954), actress
Robert Smith (born 1959), musician
John Sumner (born 1951), actor
Hayley Tamaddon, actress
Darrell Till (born 1975), singer-songwriter
Vicki-Lee Walberg, model
John Watson, comic book artist
Chris Wiggins (born 1931), actor
Tony Williams (born 1947), musician
Adrian Blacow, musician (alias VHS Head)
Tim Woolcock (born 1952), painter

Blackpool Grand

Take a look at what’s on at Blackpool Grand Theatre this Autumn / Winter 20/21

Blackpool Grand set out a COVID-Community Communication Programme (CCCP) during the Coronavirus pandemic. Our aims were simple, to CONNECT, COMFORT and UPLIFT. We would Connect people by offering tutorials on communication tools like Zoom and conduct community face-to-face meetings (book readings, youth groups and more). Comfort through stories of heritage, memories and storytelling, and to Uplift visitors spirits through laughter and exercise. Please do enjoy and if you can afford to donate please do.

The information in this story is accurate as of the publication date. While we are attempting to keep our content as up-to-date as possible, the situation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic continues to develop rapidly, so it’s possible that some information and recommendations may have changed since publishing. For any concerns and latest advice around COVID-19, visit the World Health Organisation. If you’re in the UK, the National Health Service can also provide useful information and support, while US users can contact the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.