FORMER Hollyoaks and Dancing on Ice star Jorgie Porter is returning to her home town of Trafford this weekend.

The Dancing on Ice runner-up is coming home to play Iris Kelly in Fame the Musical at the Palace Theatre.

The 30-year-old TV star is returning to her roots to finally fulfil her childhood dream of dancing on stage.

Born in Trafford General Hospital on Christmas day, 1987, Jorgie was brought up in Trafford by her mum, an artist, and her grandmother.

“It was a happy household. We were always laughing”, said Jodie.

A former ballet dancer, she was told by her first childhood dance teacher that she was too overweight to make it professionally.

But armed with a secondhand pair of ballet shoes and leotard, she attended a Manchester dance school run by Francine and Billy Garton.

“Francine was like a second mum. We had so much respect for her. When she left for America, we were heartbroken.”

Approaching local celebrities, her mum managed to raise enough money to send Jorgie to the prestigious Hammond School in Chester, which specialised in the performing arts.

But it wasn’t all plain sailing for Jorgie.

She said: “I was scared of a teacher. When he was standing at the cassette player and not looking, I did three pirouettes and fell right on my bum.

“He just stood there and said, ‘I give myself five guesses as to who that was’, and he stared right at me.”

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In Fame the Musical, Jorgie has received support from the show’s respected choreographer and director Nick Winston.

She said he has coached her and given her the confidence to strap on her ballet shoes again.

“He has helped a lot,” she said.

“Ballet technique is very different from ice dancing. I have had to forget my ice training completely to focus on my ballet.”

Jorgie enjoys doing the pas de deux with her character’s on and off boyfriend Tyrone (played by Jamal Crawford).

“We get on well and have great chemistry. I am really lucky.”

Jorgie said she enjoys playing the character of Iris Kelly, a talented ballet dancer who leads people to believe she is extremely wealthy.

She said: “I can relate to her because she’s poor, and a bit cocky too. At first she is a bit above herself. You probably wouldn’t get on with her but that is because she is so insecure.”

She added: “It’s great to be back home. My mum wants to go to every show, every day to see me perform. She’s so supportive of me.”

• Fame, the Musical runs from tomorrow, Friday, July 20 until Saturday, July 28. For tickets see atgtickets.com/Manchester.