EastEnders star looks unrecognisable 27 years after soap as they team up with I’m A Celeb star – can you tell who it is?
AN EastEnders star looks all grown up as she returns to performing 27 years after finding fame on the BBC soap.
The star was spotted singing at a bottomless brunch in London, teaming up with DJ Marvin Humes and Melvin Odoom.
Carly Hillman, now 41, first appeared on EastEnders in the 90s and was the youngest of the di Marco family who lived on Albert Square.
The clan were one of EastEnders’ most iconic families and was made up of matriarch Rosa [Louise Jameson] and her kids Beppe [Michael Greco], Gianni [Marc Bannerman], Nicky [Carly Hillman] and Theresa [Leila Birch].
Nicky di Marco, played by Carly, was the best friend of Sonia Jackson, and her family were introduced to the soap as rivals to the Mitchell clan.
Louise, Michael, Marc, and Leila, went on to continue acting while Carly swapped life in front of the camera for a microphone.
The star, from Hornchurch in Essex, now works as a solo vocalist and her website describes her as “a professional singer providing live entertainment for hire”.
She performs at weddings, birthday parties and corporate events and her specialities include pop, R&B, soul and disco.
The mum-of-two was most recently spotted teaming up with Music Clique Club, who host boozy brunches on the first Sunday of every month, with radio DJS like Marvin and Melvin also performing.
The brunch has upcoming events in March and April, featuring live performances from DJs and producers playing R&B, Hip-Hop, House and Funk.
Carly looked unrecognisable from her EastEnders days in a recent video showcasing what’s on offer.
She also now runs her own performing arts school, Act One Stage School based in Romford after previously appearing in Harry and Cosh in 2002.
Her other TV appearances and theatre credits include All Star Talent Show, Soapstar Superchef and Celebrity Britain’s Best Dish.
Carly was part of one of the 90s first soap sexual assault storylines when Rod attacked Nicky.
After protective brother Gianni took matters into his own hands and was charged with assault after confronting Rod.
The charges were later dropped and Nicky told her family she’d made the first move before Rod took things too far.
Soon after, Nicky fled Albert Square to live in a youth hostel and the character was written out of the soap in 2000.
The rest of the family – excluding Beppe – left Walford shortly after Nicky’s exit for a new life in Leicester and two years later Beppe followed after Rosa died off-screen.