Soap stars to superstars: How to watch them on Virgin TV

From Coronation Street’s Becky McDonald to Happy Valley’s DI Jodie Shackleton, award-winning actor Katherine Kelly has found huge success in a sparkling TV career that’s spanned two decades. Now, she’s starring as a flight attendant pushed to the edge in heart-thumping drama In Flight airing at 9pm on Tuesday 12 August on Channel 4 HD (CH 104) and in Apps > Channel 4. Check out the trailer below.

In the crime thriller, which comes from the creative minds of Mike Walden (Whitstable Pearl) and Adam Randall (Slow Horses), single mother Jo Conran (Kelly) discovers her son has been imprisoned by a criminal gang in Bulgaria who blame him for a murder he swears he didn’t commit. She becomes entangled in the syndicate’s murky operations and is blackmailed into smuggling drugs on flights in order to keep her son alive. Yikes!

Joining Kelly for the high-octane international misadventure are Stuart Martin (Miss Scarlet And The Duke) as gang leader Cormac and Ashley Thomas (Top Boy) as Jo’s ex and customs officer Dom Delaney. The cast also includes Julia Brown (Karen Pirie), Bronagh Waugh (Ridley), Harry Cadby (Dope Girls), Corinna Brown (Heartstopper) and Ambreen Razia (Starstruck).

In Flight marks the latest TV venture for Kelly since leaving the Corrie cobbles back in 2006, with some of her standout performances from the last few years including The Crow Girl (available on Paramount+), Protection (Apps > ITVX), Mr Bates Vs The Post Office (Apps > ITVX), The Long Shadow (Apps > ITVX), Ruby Speaking (Apps > BBC iPlayer) and Bloods (Sky Comedy on demand).

But Kelly’s not the only actor who’s graduated from soap stardom to the big leagues. In fact, many of our favourite actors have roots in soap operas before transitioning into bigger projects including Hollyoaks’ Ricky Whittle (Land Of Bad), EastEnders’ Mimi Keene (Sex Education) and Coronation Street’s Millie Gibson (Doctor Who).

Read on for our soap stars to superstars round-up to find out where some of these household names started their careers and where you can watch them across Virgin TV now. They might just surprise you…

Before Sarah Lancashire had legions of fans (including royalty – she was recently made a CBE for her services to drama. Fancy) in the likes of Happy Valley, she first stepped onto screens for a brief appearance as Wendy Farmer in Coronation Street, before returning to the cobbles in the 1990s as fan favourite Raquel Watts.

Where else you can watch Sarah:

• Black Doves – Stream series 1 in Apps > Netflix now

• Happy Valley – Stream series 1-3 in Apps > BBC iPlayer now

• The Accident – Stream series 1 in Apps > Channel 4 now

• Last Tango In Halifax – Stream series 1-5 in Apps > U + Apps > BBC iPlayer now

• The Paradise – Stream series 1-2 in Apps > U now

Himesh Patel began his TV career as Tamwar Masood in EastEnders and since his departure in 2016 has been rubbing shoulders with Hollywood’s elite, counting Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Millie Bobby Brown, Helena Bonham Carter, Daniel Levy and Elizabeth Olsen as co-stars. Impressive…

Where else you can watch Himesh:

• The Assessment – Stream it in Apps > Prime Video now

• The Franchise – Stream season 1 in Sky Comedy on demand now

• Don’t Look Up – Stream it in Apps > Netflix now

• Yesterday – Stream it in Sky Cinema on demand now and in Apps > BBC iPlayer until Friday 22 August

• Enola Holmes 2 – Stream it in Apps > Netflix now

Since Michelle Keegan first burst onto screens as Coronation Street’s Tina McIntyre her acting career has gone from strength to strength. She’s given us critically acclaimed performances as Our Girl’s Georgie Lane and Brassic’s Erin Croft while winning our hearts in the process.

Where else you can watch Michelle:

• Brassic – Stream series 1-6 in Sky Max on demand now

• Fool Me Once – Stream series 1 in Apps > Netflix now

• Ten Pound Poms – Stream series 1-2 in Apps > BBC iPlayer now

• Our Girl – Stream series 2-4 in Apps > BBC iPlayer now

• Tina & Bobby – Stream series 1 in Apps > ITVX

It’s no secret that whatever Suranne Jones touches turns to telly gold. Since her breakout role in Coronation Street as the feisty Karen McDonald (who could ever forget her church brawl with Tracey Barlow?), the award-winning actor has starred in some of our favourite TV dramas over the years, including the shocking Doctor Foster.

Where else you can watch Suranne:

• Hostage – Stream series 1 in Apps > Netflix from Thursday 21 August

• Vigil – Stream series 1-2 in Apps > BBC iPlayer now

• Gentleman Jack – Stream series 1-2 in Apps > BBC iPlayer now

• I Am Victoria – Stream it in Apps > Channel 4 now

• Doctor Foster – Stream series 1-2 in Apps > U + Apps > BBC iPlayer now

Ben Hardy had barely settled into life on Albert Square as Peter Beale before catching the eye of Hollywood producers and landing a role as superhero Angel in Marvel’s X-Men: Apocalypse. A series of major roles followed, from Queen drummer Roger Taylor in biopic Bohemian Rhapsody to a paranormal researcher in upcoming horror The Conjuring: Last Rites.

Where else you can watch Ben:

• Love At First Sight – Stream it in Apps > Netflix now

• Unicorns – Stream it in Apps > Netflix now

• 6 Underground – Stream it in Apps > Netflix now

• Bohemian Rhapsody – Stream it in Apps > Prime Video + Apps > Disney+ now

• X-Men: Apocalypse – Stream it in Apps > Disney+ now

Nathalie Emmanuel is a triple threat in the entertainment industry, conquering stage, small screen and big screen. She started in West End productions then joined the Hollyoaks ranks as smart rebel Sasha Valentine, before graduating to a little fantasy series you might have heard of called Game Of Thrones… Cue a roles in high-profile franchises Maze Runner and Fast & Furious and the rest is history.

Where else you can watch Nathalie:

• Army Of Thieves – Stream it in Apps > Netflix now

• Die Hart 1 + 2 – Stream it in Apps > Prime Video now

• Fast & Furious 7, 8 + 9 – Stream them on Sky Cinema on demand now

• Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials + Maze Runner: The Death Cure – Stream them in Apps > Disney+ now

• Game Of Thrones – Buy seasons 1-8 on Virgin Media Store now

Emmy winner Anna Friel might be one of the most versatile actors of her generation, from playing the first lesbian character on British television in Brookside’s Beth Jordache to diverse roles in quirky US comedy Pushing Daisies, Scandi noir-style police procedural Marcella, harrowing drama Unforgivable and many more.

Where else you can watch Anna:

• Unforgivable – Stream it in Apps > BBC iPlayer now

• Locked In – Stream it in Apps > Netflix now

• Monarch – Stream series 1 in Apps > Channel 4 + Apps > Prime Video now

• Marcella – Stream series 1-3 in Apps > ITVX now

• Deep Water – Stream series 1 in Apps > ITVX + Apps > Prime Video now

Jenna Coleman’s debut role as Emmerdale’s Jasmine Thomas was so well received that she was nominated for numerous TV Newcomer awards. Since she left the Yorkshire Dales behind, though, we’ve been able to admire her serious acting chops as she’s nailed performances across the historical drama, crime, fantasy and sci-fi genres.

Where else you can watch Jenna:

• The Sandman – Stream seasons 1-2 in Apps > Netflix now

• The Jetty – Stream series 1 in Apps > BBC iPlayer now

• Wilderness – Stream season 1 in Apps > Prime Video now

• Victoria – Stream series 1-3 in Apps > ITVX now

• Doctor Who – Stream series 1-13 in Apps > BBC iPlayer now

From Walford to Weatherfield and beyond, soaps have proved to be a breeding ground for talent. But what about the stars who pursued other endeavours outside of the acting world? Read on to find out what they’ve been up to outside of their sets.

• Bradley Walsh: Since Walsh left Coronation Street in 2006, you’ll find him hosting game shows like The Chase, Blankety Blank and Gladiators, or taking his son Barney on road trips around the world in Bradley Walsh & Son: Breaking Dad.

• Patsy Palmer: Palmer ditched the East End for California, where she regularly hits the DJ decks in glamorous Malibu and has also founded her own wellness company, Good & Proper Hair.

• Shaun Williamson: Since Williamson’s dramatic exit from EastEnders, he’s had successful ventures on stage, in radio and as a top 50-ranked player in the UK Quiz Grand Prix. Recently he’s fronted his one-man feel-good karaoke party, Barrioke.

• Ross Kemp: The former Mitchell brother has carved an impressive career as a documentary film-maker, with series including Ross Kemp: Mafia And Britain and Ross Kemp: Shipwreck Treasure Hunter.

• William Roache: Although Ken Barlow has resided on the cobbles for over six decades (and Roache has the Guinness World Record to prove it!), the Corrie legend is currently the most popular UK soap star on video-messaging platform Cameo.

• Alan Cumming: Before Cumming became a household name, as a Hollywood actor, best-selling writer and host of the US version of The Traitors, one of his first TV roles was in Scottish soap Take The High Road where he played an evil woodcutter.