Sophiya Haque joins Ayesha in Coronation Street

Remember Sophiya Haque? She's was a famous Channel V veejay in the nineties and her exotic looks and urban ways ensured that she's all over the place. And yeah, she was far more sexy, classy and a better dancer than her namesake who came to B-Town later as a veejay- actress- singer, Sophie Choudry!

Bollywood also had come calling and she made her debut with an offbeat movie Snip which tanked. Also her sexy dancing and bit roles in The Rising : The ballad of Mangal Pandey, Sandhya, Haan Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya, Indin' etc failed to establish her as a star.

After that she kind of disappeared and has been trying to make a mark internationally. Much like another ex- veejay and contemporary Laila Rouass who's seen acting in UK shows like the Footballers Wives after a failed Bollywood career! Sophiya has now even played a small part in the Angelina Jolie - James McAvoy starrer 'Wanted'.

Now the news is that she's bagged a part in UK's biggest TV drama Coronation Street. The Brit- Bangladeshi beauty will play the ITV soap's 51st Rovers barmaid. She'll play Poppy, a friend of Rovers Return landlady Liz McDonald (Bev Callard). Liz chooses Poppy as her new assistant manager out of spite for her son's fiance Michelle Connor (Kym Ryder).

Set in Manchester, Coronation Street is one of the longest running serials in TV history and airs 5 episodes every week. Sophiya joins the soap few weeks after another Indian born actress Ayesha Dharkar. Ayesha is currently playing the love interest of the long established character Dev Alahan.