Kym Marsh

The actress and singer Kym Marsh is no stranger to singing competitions, having first risen to fame in 2001 as a contestant on the TV talent show Popstars.

Kym enjoyed chart success with hits such as 'Pure & Simple' and 'when she made the final line-up for the band Hear'Say along with four others (including Pop Star to Opera Star host and Classic FM presenter Myleene Klass).  She left the group in 2002 and her next big musical role was that of the heroine Annette in the hit West End Musical 'Saturday Night Fever' where she won sparkling reviews and criticial acclaim.

She is now best known for playing barmaid Michelle Connor in the long-running soap opera Coronation Street.

See what Kym has to say about opera:

"You can be sure I'll be wearing something glamorous. You can't sing opera in a pair of jeans. I spend enough time in tracksuits looking after the kids and going back and forth to Corrie. I love getting dressed up."

"I'm learning to place my voice differently and to breathe differently. It's been fantastic for my singing technique. In pop, you can get very lazy, but it's really good to train up your voice. I've found it so rewarding and exciting to find out all these new things the voice is capable of."

"With people like Vanessa and Danny involved, I hope we'll bring in the younger demographic. Viewers always like to learn something new. It might well convert a lot of people to opera, which can only be a good thing."