Coronation Street's Michelle Collins reveals former agent encouraged her to turn down Strictly Come Dancing

Michelle Collins has revealed that a “snobby” former agent told her not to take part in Strictly Come Dancing.

The former Coronation Street and EastEnders actress, 58, told Good Morning Britain that she was approached by BBC bosses to appear on the show “four years ago” but turned down the offer.

“I’ll be honest,” she told hosts Kate Garraway and Ben Shephard. “They asked me four years ago and I turned it down because I was with an agent who was a little bit snobby about it.

“I’d just gone with this new agent and she said ‘Oh I don’t think you should’ and they’ve never asked me since.”

She added: “It’s not me being a bit snobby!”

Garraway, who appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2007 with professional dancer Anton Du Beke, told Collins: “Go get some lessons! Don’t tell anyone, Michelle and have some dance lessons. We’ll get on to the BBC and you can do it next year.”

Collins then admitted that she would prefer to focus on her acting career, telling the presenter: “I’d rather be doing a nice TV series or a play or something.”

The actress starred on Coronation Street between 2011 and 2014 as Stella Price, with current Strictly contestant Catherine Tyldesley playing her daughter Eva.

Discussing her on-screen daughter’s future on the show, Collins said: “She is in her element, she will love it and I hope she does well.”

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV from 6pm.

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