Rebecca Atkinson

Although Manchester-born Rebecca made a name for herself in award-winning show Shameless, she didn't always want to be an actress. She'd landed bit parts in Coronation Street and kids show Children's Ward when she was younger, but had her heart set on a career in dance rather than acting. And she was busy training to become a professional dancer at college in Preston when she was offered the role of Shameless' flirty barmaid Karen. Juggling the role with her studies, she still managed to complete her dance course during gaps between filming the popular series. In 2008 she made the transition into films with a saucy role in British football-themed flick Away Days, before returning to TV to record the sixth series of Shameless.