19 July 2023 , 18:30
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Stephanie Davis has come a long way from Somewhere Over the Rainbow as she makes her debut on Coronation Street tonight.
The mum-of-one, 30, shot to fame on the BBC reality show when she was a still a teenager, singing her heart out for the chance to play Dorothy in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical.
Steph didn't win the TV talent show, but she wasn't going to let that stop her from following her dreams.
However, after a toxic romance with Irish model Jeremy McConnell and number of nasty spats with her celebrity pals, she proved the path to stardom isn't always paved with gold.
So, as we wait for Aadi Alahan's new lover Courtney Vance - played by Steph - to rock up at the Rovers Return tonight, here's what's being going on with the actress off-screen.
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Toxic Jeremy McConnell romance
After meeting on the set of Celebrity Big Brother in 2006, Steph and Jeremy instantly fell into an on-again-off-again pattern that plagued them until their very last fight.
Stephanie Davis and Jeremy McConnell had a toxic romance (Getty Images)
The actress with her current boyfriend, Joseph McAlroy (instagram.com/stephaniedavis88)Steph had gone into the house after being fired from Hollyoaks and quickly had her head turned by the Irish charmer.
However, when the pair were booted off the show, the actress could be heard yelling in an audio clip from the Mirror: "Jez is leaving me, oh my God he's actually leaving us. You're actually leaving us after everything I put on the line for you. How much I love you."
Just three months after they left CBB, the couple's relationship had turned nasty. They were slinging insults on social media, with stories of infidelity flying on both sides.
The most shocking claim to come out was when Steph left a message on Jeremy's Instagram saying she was pregnant - which was quickly deleted.
Days later she confirmed she was expecting, but said Jeremy was no longer taking her calls.
Troll trauma
Following her fallout with Jeremy, trolls began targeting the mum-to-be - with one even suggesting she wasn't pregnant at all in a shameful tirade.
The actress had shared a throwback video when the keyboard warrior commented: "You're not even pregnant. We're all just waiting for the inevitable 'miscarriage horror' story. You're a mess."
Defending herself against the accusation, Steph replied: "Absolutely disgusting! This is why I'm not sharing any photos as there are so many vile people! I've been under enough."
She later wrote: "Stress! I'm very happy settled and over the whole thing now, but seeing comments like that, makes me sick. how do some of u sleep at night?"
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Becoming a mum
Steph gave birth to her son Caben Albi on January 13 2017 following a difficult three-day labour in which she was warned she might need an emergency c-section.
Steph plays Courtney Vance in Coronation Street (ITV)Explaining her unusual name choice to OK! mag, the actress said: "It's not actually a name I'd heard before, but it popped into my mind and stuck there.
"I wanted to give him an unusual name, I also wanted him to be called Albi after my granddad."
During his son's birth, Jeremy was halfway around the world on a lads' holiday.
The model's pals defended his decision, saying he 'needed' a 'well-deserved break' while he continued to deny being Caben's biological father.
However, after weeks of uncertainty, Jeremy finally agreed to take a paternity test - live on TV.
The model appeared on This Morning where he was grilled by Holly Willoughby and former host Phillip Schofield about his "toxic" relationship with the actress.
While he was at the ITV studio, he used the services of the same company that provided DNA tests for The Jeremy Kyle Show and ended up with conclusive proof he was Caben's father.
Celebrity spats
Steph is no stranger to public slanging matches, having defended herself against her ex Jeremy.
However, she also found herself caught up in a number of other spats, namely with her celebrity co-stars.
Commenting on Geordie Shore star Marnie Simpson's CBB romance with Lewis Bloor on the show, Steph noted: "Loads of people have tried to copy us since, just look at Marnie Simpson and Lewis Bloor!
"They were trying to copy me and Jez so badly that you could just see through it - and look what that happened."
Marnie lashed out branding Steph "delusional", with the actress then vowing she wouldn't give the reality star any more publicity.
Writing in her Star magazine column, Marnie said: "So Stephanie has tweeted about Jeremy yet again. I don't feel sorry for her, I just think the two of them should stop falling out so publicly and get some help in private, because no one wants to see that s**t."
Another Big Brother star caught up in the crossfire with Steph was Helen Wood.
The 2014 Big Brother winner and former escort didn't hold back after she accused the actress of "cheating" in a magazine column.
Steph was fuming after the comments, especially in the wake of Helen's former line of work.
Taking to Twitter, the actress raged: "Haaa best laugh at the day?@Helen_wood86 slag me for *cheating* now is out u were with a married man for money #slag least mine was love??
"Ps @Helen_wood86 thanks for taking time out to talk about me.I didn't even know who u were till then. Now I do a tart who wants to be famous?"
Hitting back, Helen fumed: "Well someone's got the bloody hump ? who has Jez banged behind your back this week? Can't blame the guy, look like soddin Malfoy! #Fail."
Tragic miscarriage
Steph revealed her heartache after suffering a miscarriage in 2021.
The former Hollyoaks cried tears of joy when she found out she was expecting a baby with her boyfriend Oliver Tasker, a Liverpool cycle shop worker.
However, her 'happy ending' wasn't to be as she told her fans: "We only told close friends and family as wanted to wait till the 12 weeks safety mark even though I thought of course it would all be fine. I was so happy. Unfortunately I started getting pains and was under the hospital were they were keeping a close eye on on me.
"I feel all over the place right now and know I was early but it still hurts. I seen my whole future ahead of me and had my hand on my stomach every day. Just feel so lost right now and my hormones are understandably all over the place. I know one day I’ll get my happy ending but for now I just have to get through this. Sending all my love, Steph x"
Current boyfriend
Stephanie went public with her current boyfriend Joseph Mckalroy, 27, last year following her split from her ex, Oliver.
Joseph heaped praise on his girlfriend after she landed her role in Coronation Street.
‘Sooo proud of you @stephaniedavis88 on your new journey,’ he wrote on social media, adding: "You’ve worked soo hard and you deserve the world and more love you than you’ll ever know."
The Miscarriage Association (01924 200 799) miscarriageassociation.org.uk supports women affected by miscarriage, ectopic and molar pregnancies. If you’re worried about a loved one you can also call the helpline which is manned Monday to Friday, 9am-4pm, or email [email protected]