Kimberley Walsh
Encyclopedia
Kimberley Jane Walsh is an English singer-songwriter, dancer, model, television presenter and actress. She is best known for being a member of girl group
Girls Aloud
, formed through ITV
's reality television programme Popstars: The Rivals. The group has marked their success by achieving twenty consecutive top ten singles (including four number ones) in the UK, five studio albums which have all been certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI)
, two of which went to number one in the UK, and accumulating a total of five BRIT Award
nominations.
Walsh fronts the 2009 Autumn/Winter collection for the fashion chain New Look. In July 2010, Walsh became a presenter on music talk-show, Suck My Pop
.
to Diane and John Walsh. She grew up with elder sister Sally, younger brother Adam and younger sister Amy in the suburb of Allerton
. Sally appeared on the soap opera, Emmerdale, between 1997 and 2000, playing the role of Lyn Hutchinson.
Walsh attended Sandy Lane First School, Stoney Lee Middle School and near Bingley at Beckfoot Grammar School
, and had her first taste of fame appearing in an advert as a child along with sister Sally in a George for ASDA advert. She starred as Young Cosette in a regional production of Les Misérables
and starred in ITV
's The Book Tower
. Walsh also attended the Bradford based theatre school Stage 84 for many years and was also, briefly, a teacher there.
show Popstars The Rivals
in 2002 with the song "Where Do Broken Hearts Go
". Several thousand applicants attended auditions across the UK in hope of being selected. Ten girls and ten boys were chosen as finalists by judges Pete Waterman
, Louis Walsh
and Geri Halliwell
. Walsh did not initially make it into the group of ten female contestants who were to appear on the show. However, when another contestant was disqualified on a technicality, she found herself on the show. These finalists then took to the stage participating in weekly Saturday night live performances which alternated weekly between the girls and boys. Each week, the contestant polling the fewest phone votes was eliminated, until the final line-ups of the groups emerged. Walsh joined Nadine Coyle
, Sarah Harding
, Nicola Roberts
, and Cheryl Cole
to comprise the new girl group Girls Aloud, formed through the show by a public vote on 30 November 2002.
The group's debut single "Sound of the Underground
" peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart
, becoming the 2002 Christmas number one. Girls Aloud hold the record for the shortest time between formation and reaching number one. The group released their debut album Sound of the Underground in May 2003, which entered the charts at number two and was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI)
later the same year. Since 2003, Girls Aloud have released twenty additional singles, with all but one charting within the top ten, and fifteen reaching top five positions. Their singles "I'll Stand by You", "Walk This Way", and "The Promise
" have charted at number one. Two of their albums have reached the top of the UK Albums Chart
: their greatest hits album The Sound of Girls Aloud
and 2008's Out of Control
, both of which entered the chart at number one, with over one million copies of the former being sold. All five of their studio albums have been certified platinum by the BPI. They have been nominated for five Brit Awards
, and in 2009 won "Best British Single" at that year's Brit Awards for "The Promise
". The group has sold ten million records worldwide. Girls Aloud have become one of the few UK reality television acts to achieve continued success, and had amassed a fortune of £
25 million by May 2009. The 2007 edition of Guinness World Records
listed them as "Most Successful Reality TV Group", while they also hold the record for "Most Consecutive Top Ten Entries in the UK by a Female Group" in the 2008 edition.
In July 2009, Girls Aloud announced they would take a year-long hiatus in the pursuit of solo projects, but would reunite for a new studio album in 2010. In August 2010, bandmate Nicola Roberts revealed that she wasn't anticipating a reunion of the band until 2012. Kimberley Walsh has revealed that she does not think its possible Girls Aloud will ever "officially break up". She explained that they are planning to tour again and will probably take breaks from time to time, doing solo projects but they will never permanently go their separate ways.
, although nothing has been confirmed. Soon after the rumour, Walsh confirmed on Suck My Pop, a programme that she co-hosts on the digital TV station Viva
, that she will feature on English
rapper Aggro Santos
' upcoming single, "Like U Like
". The track will be her first step away from Girls Aloud as a singer. Walsh was asked for OK! Magazine: "Kimberley, there are rumours, that you will be releasing a solo album..." and Walsh said: "Gosh! I haven't got any plan to do that. Gary Barlow signed Aggro Santos and he asked me to sing Like U Like, and I've done a song for the Horrid Henry film that I'm in. I'm not sure about doing anything big on my own just yet."
On 5 October 2011, Walsh took over from Amanda Holden
as Princess Fiona in the The West End production of Shrek the Musical.
to promote the show. Walsh became a presenter of new music talk-show, titled Suck My Pop
, on Viva
. Walsh also starred as a judge for ITV
's Entertainment show Born To Shine
during week 1.
starred in a BBC Educational Schools programme called Focus. In the same year, Walsh applied for the role of Maria Sutherland
in Coronation Street
. However, she lost out to Samia Smith
. In 2001, Walsh played Tracy in Dream Back. In 2007, alongside her fellow bandmates she appeared in St. Trinian's playing a school band member. In 2008 she and fellow band mate Nicola Roberts
had a small part in Britannia High
, in which they played themselves. Walsh has recently stated that she would like to star in a musical in the future, playing a stage role. In late 2010, Walsh landed a role in the live-action 3D family comedy film Horrid Henry: The Movie
as the titular character's overactive cousin Prissy Polly, with the film being released on 29th July 2011. On 24th August 2011, it was revealed that Walsh will take over the role of Princess Fiona from Amanda Holden
in Shrek the Musical, from October 5, due to Holden's pregnancy announcement.
on her own programme Kimberley Walsh At The BAFTAS in 2010 and in the summer of 2010 hosted sky 1 documentary "Girl In The Blue Jeans". She also presented coverage for The X Factor
live from South Shields
on the day of the final in 2009 for Joe McElderry
. On June 17 – 18 2010, Kimberley hosted Channel 4's The 5 O'Clock Show
with Stephen Mulhern. On 9 July, it was revealed that Walsh will be presenting Suck my pop
, a music program on Viva
, with Will Best.
in aid of Comic Relief
in March 2009. The climb, organised by Gary Barlow
, was also undertaken by fellow Girls Aloud member Cheryl Cole
, Alesha Dixon
, Fearne Cotton
, Denise Van Outen
, Chris Moyles
, Ben Shephard
, Ronan Keating
and Barlow himself. Between 3 February and 23 March 2009, Walsh, Tweedy, Barlow, Moyles and Cotton also raised money for Comic Relief by providing the voice for the BT Speaking Clock. As of 26 August 2009, Walsh is modeling for the clothing line New Look following in the footsteps of Lily Allen
and Alexa Chung
. Kimberley became OK!
magazine's new weekly columnist in August 2010. The column is called "Kimberley Calls The Shots". Kimberley Walsh was also named as the new face and hair of Schwarzkopf
for a reported 6 figure deal. In March 2011, Walsh teamed up with Tess Daley and Joanna Page to work with Maltesers to promote Red Nose Day 2011. In January 2011, Walsh was revealed as the new face of Puma AG
BodyTrain fitness toner wear. In May 2011, Kimberley Walsh was named as the face of Right Guard
s Xtreme Dry Range.
, Nicola Roberts
and Sarah Harding
who were placed at 57, 58 and 87 respectively. Walsh also won the Yorkshire Woman of the Year award 2009 in recognition not only for her professional success but also for her role as celebrity ambassador for the Breast Cancer Haven charity, which has a branch in Leeds. She was too awarded with the Cosmopolitan Ultimate Woman's award in 2009. Walsh has also who Yorkshire Women of the year in 2009.
after being caught on camera smoking a spliff
. She immediately owned up to it when questioned about the photo, which was taken on 31 December 2005, whilst she was attending a friend's party. She told The Sun
newspaper that she had got caught up in the moment and was deeply sorry, and that she realised what she did was wrong, especially since she is in a position where young fans look up to her.
However, it was reported on 9 June 2006 that Walsh's father, John, denied that she had ever smoked cannabis, and that she was just holding a rolled up cigarette that was not even lit. He also claimed that Victoria Newton
at The Sun pressured Walsh into apologising for something that she had not done, threatening that if she did not then Newton would make the story worse.
Despite this, Walsh admitted in an interview with The Times
, on 20 October 2006, that she had taken a couple of puffs on the spliff, but claimed that "it hardly makes me Pete Doherty
".
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
, formed through ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's reality television programme Popstars: The Rivals. The group has marked their success by achieving twenty consecutive top ten singles (including four number ones) in the UK, five studio albums which have all been certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI)
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
, two of which went to number one in the UK, and accumulating a total of five BRIT Award
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
nominations.
Walsh fronts the 2009 Autumn/Winter collection for the fashion chain New Look. In July 2010, Walsh became a presenter on music talk-show, Suck My Pop
Suck my pop
Suck My Pop is a comedy music chat show presented by Kimberley Walsh and Will Best. It is a weekly show, currently showing on Fridays at 7pm, covering music and celebrity news...
.
Early life
Walsh was born in BradfordBradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
to Diane and John Walsh. She grew up with elder sister Sally, younger brother Adam and younger sister Amy in the suburb of Allerton
Thornton and Allerton
Thornton and Allerton is a Ward in Bradford Metropolitan District in the county of West Yorkshire, England, named after the villages of Thornton and Allerton around which it is drawn....
. Sally appeared on the soap opera, Emmerdale, between 1997 and 2000, playing the role of Lyn Hutchinson.
Walsh attended Sandy Lane First School, Stoney Lee Middle School and near Bingley at Beckfoot Grammar School
Beckfoot School
Beckfoot School is a comprehensive school in Bingley, West Yorkshire with Technology College status, specialist school status in the Arts, Artsmark Gold and a Sportsmark Award. It also has a Charter Mark for services to the community and is a City Learning Centre...
, and had her first taste of fame appearing in an advert as a child along with sister Sally in a George for ASDA advert. She starred as Young Cosette in a regional production of Les Misérables
Les Misérables (musical)
Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
and starred in ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's The Book Tower
The Book Tower
The Book Tower is a British television series for children, produced by Yorkshire Television, that ran for 11 series from 3 January 1979 to 30 May 1989....
. Walsh also attended the Bradford based theatre school Stage 84 for many years and was also, briefly, a teacher there.
2002-2009: Girls Aloud
Walsh auditioned for the reality televisionReality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
show Popstars The Rivals
Popstars The Rivals
Popstars The Rivals was a British television talent show series that was broadcast on ITV1 in late 2002. It was the second UK series of the international Popstars franchise...
in 2002 with the song "Where Do Broken Hearts Go
Where Do Broken Hearts Go
"Where Do Broken Hearts Go" is the fourth single from Whitney Houston's second album, Whitney. The ballad was released in February 1988. The song was written by Frank Wildhorn and Chuck Jackson. Wildhorn approached Jackson about the opportunity to write for Whitney Houston...
". Several thousand applicants attended auditions across the UK in hope of being selected. Ten girls and ten boys were chosen as finalists by judges Pete Waterman
Pete Waterman
Peter Alan Waterman OBE is an English record producer, occasional songwriter, radio and club DJ, television presenter, president of Coventry Bears rugby league club and a keen railway enthusiast. As a member of the Stock Aitken Waterman songwriting team he wrote and produced many hit singles...
, Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh is an Irish music manager and judge on the British television talent show The X Factor.-Band manager:...
and Geri Halliwell
Geri Halliwell
Geraldine Estelle "Geri" Halliwell is an English pop singer-songwriter, author and actress. After coming to international prominence in the late 1990s as Ginger Spice, a member of the girl group the Spice Girls, Halliwell launched her solo career in 1998 and released her album Schizophonic...
. Walsh did not initially make it into the group of ten female contestants who were to appear on the show. However, when another contestant was disqualified on a technicality, she found herself on the show. These finalists then took to the stage participating in weekly Saturday night live performances which alternated weekly between the girls and boys. Each week, the contestant polling the fewest phone votes was eliminated, until the final line-ups of the groups emerged. Walsh joined Nadine Coyle
Nadine Coyle
Nadine Coyle is an Irish singer, songwriter, actress, and model who rose to fame in the early 2000s as a member of the band Six before becoming a member of successful girl-group Girls Aloud. The group amassed a joint fortune of £25 million by May 2009...
, Sarah Harding
Sarah Harding
Sarah Nicole Harding is an English singer-songwriter, actress and model best known for being a member of the pop group Girls Aloud, formed through ITV's reality television programme Popstars: The Rivals...
, Nicola Roberts
Nicola Roberts
Nicola Maria Roberts is a British recording artist and entrepreneur. In 2002 Roberts auditioned for the reality televisions series and competition Popstars The Rivals which saw her finish in the final line-up of a girl group named Girls Aloud...
, and Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Ann Cole is an English pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and model. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls...
to comprise the new girl group Girls Aloud, formed through the show by a public vote on 30 November 2002.
The group's debut single "Sound of the Underground
Sound of the Underground (song)
"Sound of the Underground" is the debut single by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud, later featured on their debut album of the same name. The song was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, and Niara Scarlett, and produced by Higgins and his production team Xenomania...
" peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, becoming the 2002 Christmas number one. Girls Aloud hold the record for the shortest time between formation and reaching number one. The group released their debut album Sound of the Underground in May 2003, which entered the charts at number two and was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI)
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
later the same year. Since 2003, Girls Aloud have released twenty additional singles, with all but one charting within the top ten, and fifteen reaching top five positions. Their singles "I'll Stand by You", "Walk This Way", and "The Promise
The Promise (Girls Aloud song)
"The Promise" is a pop song performed by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud, taken from their fifth studio album Out of Control . The song was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins and his production team Xenomania...
" have charted at number one. Two of their albums have reached the top of the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
: their greatest hits album The Sound of Girls Aloud
The Sound of Girls Aloud
The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits anthology by British and Irish all-female pop group Girls Aloud. It was released in the United Kingdom on 30 October 2006 and entered the UK Albums Chart at number one, making it Girls Aloud's first number one album. As of...
and 2008's Out of Control
Out of Control (Girls Aloud album)
Out of Control is the fifth studio album by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud. It was released in the United Kingdom on 3 November 2008 by Fascination Records. Like their previous albums, Out of Control was crafted by the production team of Brian Higgins and Xenomania...
, both of which entered the chart at number one, with over one million copies of the former being sold. All five of their studio albums have been certified platinum by the BPI. They have been nominated for five Brit Awards
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
, and in 2009 won "Best British Single" at that year's Brit Awards for "The Promise
The Promise (Girls Aloud song)
"The Promise" is a pop song performed by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud, taken from their fifth studio album Out of Control . The song was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins and his production team Xenomania...
". The group has sold ten million records worldwide. Girls Aloud have become one of the few UK reality television acts to achieve continued success, and had amassed a fortune of £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
25 million by May 2009. The 2007 edition of Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
listed them as "Most Successful Reality TV Group", while they also hold the record for "Most Consecutive Top Ten Entries in the UK by a Female Group" in the 2008 edition.
In July 2009, Girls Aloud announced they would take a year-long hiatus in the pursuit of solo projects, but would reunite for a new studio album in 2010. In August 2010, bandmate Nicola Roberts revealed that she wasn't anticipating a reunion of the band until 2012. Kimberley Walsh has revealed that she does not think its possible Girls Aloud will ever "officially break up". She explained that they are planning to tour again and will probably take breaks from time to time, doing solo projects but they will never permanently go their separate ways.
2010-present: Actual projects
It was first rumoured that Walsh was about to make a record deal with her band's record label, Fascination RecordsFascination Records
Fascination Records is a UK-based record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as an imprint of Polydor Records. The label was launched in spring 2006, and is managed by former TOTP Magazine editor Peter Loraine...
, although nothing has been confirmed. Soon after the rumour, Walsh confirmed on Suck My Pop, a programme that she co-hosts on the digital TV station Viva
Viva (UK & Ireland)
Viva is a music video and entertainment channel in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The channel was officially launched on 26 October 2009 by Alexandra Burke, with an exclusive live performance of her single "Bad Boys". The channel replaced TMF. The channel is owned by MTV Networks Europe and was...
, that she will feature on English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rapper Aggro Santos
Aggro Santos
Yuri "Aggro" Santos is a Brazilian-born English rapper from Balham, London.-Background:Santos was born in Sao Paulo and raised in London. He decided to become a musician after buying the Carlos Santana album 'Supernatural' when he was eight...
' upcoming single, "Like U Like
Like U Like
"Like U Like" is a song by British recording artist Aggro Santos. The song was written by Steve Mac, Wayne Hector and Aggro Santos and produced by Mac for his debut album, AggroSantos.com . After Santos was interested of making a duet with Walsh, Gary Barlow, contacted Walsh and sorted out their...
". The track will be her first step away from Girls Aloud as a singer. Walsh was asked for OK! Magazine: "Kimberley, there are rumours, that you will be releasing a solo album..." and Walsh said: "Gosh! I haven't got any plan to do that. Gary Barlow signed Aggro Santos and he asked me to sing Like U Like, and I've done a song for the Horrid Henry film that I'm in. I'm not sure about doing anything big on my own just yet."
On 5 October 2011, Walsh took over from Amanda Holden
Amanda Holden
Amanda Louise Holden is an English actress and presenter. Among her roles are Mia Bevan in Cutting It, Sarah Trevanion in Wild at Heart, and the title role in Thoroughly Modern Millie, for which she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award...
as Princess Fiona in the The West End production of Shrek the Musical.
Television
Walsh appeared in her own documentary for Sky 1 named Kimberley Walsh: Blue Jean Girl which aired on Wednesday, 17 June 2010. On the same day, Kimberley appeared on This MorningThis Morning (TV series)
This Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The...
to promote the show. Walsh became a presenter of new music talk-show, titled Suck My Pop
Suck my pop
Suck My Pop is a comedy music chat show presented by Kimberley Walsh and Will Best. It is a weekly show, currently showing on Fridays at 7pm, covering music and celebrity news...
, on Viva
Viva (UK & Ireland)
Viva is a music video and entertainment channel in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The channel was officially launched on 26 October 2009 by Alexandra Burke, with an exclusive live performance of her single "Bad Boys". The channel replaced TMF. The channel is owned by MTV Networks Europe and was...
. Walsh also starred as a judge for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's Entertainment show Born To Shine
Born to Shine
Born To Shine was an ITV entertainment programme which featured celebrities who learn a new skill taught to them by talented teenagers, live on ITV. It was presented by Natasha Kaplinsky.-Format:...
during week 1.
Acting
Before Walsh became a member of Girls Aloud, she had worked in theatre and acting. In 2000 Walsh appeared in the television series This Is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper as Gillian Oldfield, andstarred in a BBC Educational Schools programme called Focus. In the same year, Walsh applied for the role of Maria Sutherland
Maria Sutherland
Maria Jane Connor , is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street, portrayed by actress Samia Smith. The character first appeared on-screen on 19 May 2000...
in Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
. However, she lost out to Samia Smith
Samia Smith
Samia Maxine Ghadie , is an English actress best known for playing Maria Connor in the ITV Soap Coronation Street.-Early life:...
. In 2001, Walsh played Tracy in Dream Back. In 2007, alongside her fellow bandmates she appeared in St. Trinian's playing a school band member. In 2008 she and fellow band mate Nicola Roberts
Nicola Roberts
Nicola Maria Roberts is a British recording artist and entrepreneur. In 2002 Roberts auditioned for the reality televisions series and competition Popstars The Rivals which saw her finish in the final line-up of a girl group named Girls Aloud...
had a small part in Britannia High
Britannia High
Britannia High was a British musical drama television series co-produced by Granada Television Britannia High was a British musical drama television series co-produced by Granada Television Britannia High was a British musical drama television series co-produced by Granada Television (now part of...
, in which they played themselves. Walsh has recently stated that she would like to star in a musical in the future, playing a stage role. In late 2010, Walsh landed a role in the live-action 3D family comedy film Horrid Henry: The Movie
Horrid Henry the Movie
Horrid Henry: The Movie is a 3D family comedy film based on the fictional character Horrid Henry. The first British film for children to be shot in 3D, its UK release date was 29 July 2011...
as the titular character's overactive cousin Prissy Polly, with the film being released on 29th July 2011. On 24th August 2011, it was revealed that Walsh will take over the role of Princess Fiona from Amanda Holden
Amanda Holden
Amanda Louise Holden is an English actress and presenter. Among her roles are Mia Bevan in Cutting It, Sarah Trevanion in Wild at Heart, and the title role in Thoroughly Modern Millie, for which she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award...
in Shrek the Musical, from October 5, due to Holden's pregnancy announcement.
Presenting
Walsh appeared in Let's Dance for Sport Relief as a panelist and also fronted coverage of the BAFTA Awards for MTVMTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
on her own programme Kimberley Walsh At The BAFTAS in 2010 and in the summer of 2010 hosted sky 1 documentary "Girl In The Blue Jeans". She also presented coverage for The X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
live from South Shields
South Shields
South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne to Tyne Dock, and about downstream from Newcastle upon Tyne...
on the day of the final in 2009 for Joe McElderry
Joe McElderry
Joseph "Joe" McElderry is an English singer and model. He won the sixth series of the ITV show The X Factor in 2009. His first single "The Climb" reached number one on the UK Singles Chart and Irish Singles Charts. He was also crowned the winner of the second series of Popstar to Operastar, two...
. On June 17 – 18 2010, Kimberley hosted Channel 4's The 5 O'Clock Show
The 5 O'Clock Show
The 5 O'Clock Show was a daytime television chat show, which replaced The Paul O'Grady Show and is shown on Channel 4. It is presented by guest hosts every week. The format is along the same lines as O'Grady's show and consists of a mixture of celebrity guests, comic stunts and musical performances...
with Stephen Mulhern. On 9 July, it was revealed that Walsh will be presenting Suck my pop
Suck my pop
Suck My Pop is a comedy music chat show presented by Kimberley Walsh and Will Best. It is a weekly show, currently showing on Fridays at 7pm, covering music and celebrity news...
, a music program on Viva
Viva (UK & Ireland)
Viva is a music video and entertainment channel in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The channel was officially launched on 26 October 2009 by Alexandra Burke, with an exclusive live performance of her single "Bad Boys". The channel replaced TMF. The channel is owned by MTV Networks Europe and was...
, with Will Best.
Other work
Walsh climbed Mount KilimanjaroMount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is a dormant volcano in Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania and the highest mountain in Africa at above sea level .-Geology:...
in aid of Comic Relief
Comic Relief
Comic Relief is an operating British charity, founded in 1985 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Lenny Henry in response to famine in Ethiopia. The highlight of Comic Relief's appeal is Red Nose Day, a biennial telethon held in March, alternating with sister project Sport Relief...
in March 2009. The climb, organised by Gary Barlow
Gary Barlow
Gary Barlow is an English singer-songwriter, pianist and record producer. He is frontman and lead vocalist of pop group Take That and is currently the head judge on the eighth series of The X Factor. Barlow is one of Britain's most successful songwriters...
, was also undertaken by fellow Girls Aloud member Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Ann Cole is an English pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and model. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls...
, Alesha Dixon
Alesha Dixon
Alesha Anjanette Dixon is an English singer-songwriter, dancer, model and television personality. She first found fame in the all-female R&B trio Mis-Teeq, however, the trio separated in 2005 and Dixon continued pursuing her music career as a solo artist, signing to Polydor Records...
, Fearne Cotton
Fearne Cotton
Fearne Cotton is an English television and radio presenter who is known for presenting a number of popular TV programmes such as Top of the Pops and the Red Nose Day telethon. In 2007, she became the first regular female presenter of BBC Radio 1's Chart Show...
, Denise Van Outen
Denise van Outen
Denise van Outen is an English actress, singer and television presenter. Her most notable roles to date are as a presenter on The Big Breakfast, and as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago on both the West End and on Broadway.- Early life :Born Denise Kathleen Outen in Basildon, Essex, she is the...
, Chris Moyles
Chris Moyles
Christopher David Moyles is an English radio and television presenter and author, who currently presents The Chris Moyles Show on BBC Radio 1 and Chris Moyles' Quiz Night on Channel 4....
, Ben Shephard
Ben Shephard
Benjamin Peter "Ben" Shephard, also known as "Sheps" is an English television presenter who currently works for Sky Sports, as well as ITV.-Personal life:...
, Ronan Keating
Ronan Keating
Ronan Patrick John Keating is an Irish recording artist, singer-songwriter, musician, and philanthropist. Keating debuted on the professional music scene alongside Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Shane Lynch and Stephen Gately, in 1994 as the lead singer of Boyzone. His solo career started in 1999, and...
and Barlow himself. Between 3 February and 23 March 2009, Walsh, Tweedy, Barlow, Moyles and Cotton also raised money for Comic Relief by providing the voice for the BT Speaking Clock. As of 26 August 2009, Walsh is modeling for the clothing line New Look following in the footsteps of Lily Allen
Lily Allen
Lily Rose Beatrice Cooper , better known as Lily Allen, is an English recording artist and fashion designer. She is the daughter of actor and musician Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. In her teenage years, her musical tastes evolved from glam rock to alternative...
and Alexa Chung
Alexa Chung
Alexa Chung is an English television presenter, model and contributing editor at British Vogue.She currently hosts Gonzo with Alexa Chung for MTV UK, and is scheduled to host Thrift America for PBS in 2011...
. Kimberley became OK!
OK!
OK! is a British weekly magazine specializing in celebrity news. Originally launched as a monthly, its first issue was published in April 1993. In September 2004, OK! publishers Northern and Shell launched in Australia as a monthly title – the magazine went weekly in October 2006...
magazine's new weekly columnist in August 2010. The column is called "Kimberley Calls The Shots". Kimberley Walsh was also named as the new face and hair of Schwarzkopf
Schwarzkopf
Schwarzkopf refers to:- Place name :Germany:* Schwarzkopf , a mountain of Bavaria, Germany* Schwarzkopf , Berg im Nordschwarzwald* Schwarzkopf , a mountain of Bavaria, GermanyCzech Republic...
for a reported 6 figure deal. In March 2011, Walsh teamed up with Tess Daley and Joanna Page to work with Maltesers to promote Red Nose Day 2011. In January 2011, Walsh was revealed as the new face of Puma AG
PUMA AG
Puma SE, officially branded as PUMA, is a major German multinational company that produces high-end athletic shoes, lifestyle footwear and other sportswear. Formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler, relationships between the two brothers deteriorated until the two...
BodyTrain fitness toner wear. In May 2011, Kimberley Walsh was named as the face of Right Guard
Right Guard
Right Guard is a brand of deodorant for men. It is also a brand of shower gel. It is manufactured by the Dial Corporation unit of Henkel of North America, which acquired the brand in 2006 as a condition for Procter & Gamble's Gillette acquisition because P&G has other deodorant brands such as Old...
s Xtreme Dry Range.
Singles as Featuring artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
IRE Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
|||
| "Like U Like Like U Like "Like U Like" is a song by British recording artist Aggro Santos. The song was written by Steve Mac, Wayne Hector and Aggro Santos and produced by Mac for his debut album, AggroSantos.com . After Santos was interested of making a duet with Walsh, Gary Barlow, contacted Walsh and sorted out their... " (with Aggro Santos Aggro Santos Yuri "Aggro" Santos is a Brazilian-born English rapper from Balham, London.-Background:Santos was born in Sao Paulo and raised in London. He decided to become a musician after buying the Carlos Santana album 'Supernatural' when he was eight... ) |
2010 | 8 | 13 | AggroSantos.com AggroSantos.com Aggrosantos.com is the debut studio album by English rapper Aggro Santos. It was released on 31 January 2011.- Critical reception :Jon O'Brien from Allmusic gave the album three out of five stars and said "Santos will be able to adapt once his ubiquitous sound is considered passé, as an immediate... |
Awards
She placed number 37 in FHM’s annual list of "100 Sexiest Woman in the World"in 2009 ahead of fellow bandmates Nadine CoyleNadine Coyle
Nadine Coyle is an Irish singer, songwriter, actress, and model who rose to fame in the early 2000s as a member of the band Six before becoming a member of successful girl-group Girls Aloud. The group amassed a joint fortune of £25 million by May 2009...
, Nicola Roberts
Nicola Roberts
Nicola Maria Roberts is a British recording artist and entrepreneur. In 2002 Roberts auditioned for the reality televisions series and competition Popstars The Rivals which saw her finish in the final line-up of a girl group named Girls Aloud...
and Sarah Harding
Sarah Harding
Sarah Nicole Harding is an English singer-songwriter, actress and model best known for being a member of the pop group Girls Aloud, formed through ITV's reality television programme Popstars: The Rivals...
who were placed at 57, 58 and 87 respectively. Walsh also won the Yorkshire Woman of the Year award 2009 in recognition not only for her professional success but also for her role as celebrity ambassador for the Breast Cancer Haven charity, which has a branch in Leeds. She was too awarded with the Cosmopolitan Ultimate Woman's award in 2009. Walsh has also who Yorkshire Women of the year in 2009.
Personal life
On 8 June 2006, Walsh publicly apologised for smoking cannabisCannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
after being caught on camera smoking a spliff
Joint (cannabis)
Joint is a slang term for a cigarette rolled using cannabis. Rolling papers are the most common rolling medium among industrialized countries, however brown paper, cigarettes with the tobacco removed, and newspaper are commonly used in developing countries. Modern papers are now made from a wide...
. She immediately owned up to it when questioned about the photo, which was taken on 31 December 2005, whilst she was attending a friend's party. She told The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
newspaper that she had got caught up in the moment and was deeply sorry, and that she realised what she did was wrong, especially since she is in a position where young fans look up to her.
However, it was reported on 9 June 2006 that Walsh's father, John, denied that she had ever smoked cannabis, and that she was just holding a rolled up cigarette that was not even lit. He also claimed that Victoria Newton
Victoria Newton
Victoria Newton is an English journalist and showbiz correspondent. She is best known for being the former editor of the Bizarre showbiz column of Rupert Murdoch's The Sun newspaper.-Early life:...
at The Sun pressured Walsh into apologising for something that she had not done, threatening that if she did not then Newton would make the story worse.
Despite this, Walsh admitted in an interview with The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, on 20 October 2006, that she had taken a couple of puffs on the spliff, but claimed that "it hardly makes me Pete Doherty
Pete Doherty
Peter Doherty is an English musician, writer, actor, poet and artist. He is best known musically for being co-frontman of The Libertines, which he reformed with Carl Barât in 2010. His other musical project is indie band Babyshambles...
".