...was the role written and given to her because she's Sarah Harding?

Option B.

She was offered the part by Blackburn with no audition required.

But it's only 4 short episodes so we can hopefully forget her soon.

If that is true it is a bloody disgrace.

She will be back in a years time as Blackburn will be impressed with her stint and will give her a years contract

Yep. No audition. I actually saw an interview with her where she said it herself.

Oh the horror....just when you think Corrie can't sink any lower.

If Sarah Harding did audition, it must have been the single audition in history with the worst bunch of actresses, if she was the best.

Loved Girls Aloud, but I do not love Sarah Harding in Coronation Street. Coronation Street needs new writers, new direction and someone with ideas in the top job. This was just a cynical way of keeping Corrie somewhat relevant.

Painful.

Just another example of stunt casting in soaps

Matt Willis was awful in EE last year. And although she is actually an actress, Denise Van Outen was atrocious early this year as well.

God only knows how bad Shayne Ward will be. Soaps will hire anyone and their mother because soap standards are so low when it comes to acting these days.

I wouldn't even know it was Sarah Harding if it wasn't for all the hype. She's unrecognizable.

Shane has auditioned with other actors, and unlike Sarah has acting experience so fingers crossed he'll be much better than Sarah as he's going to be in it for a longer stint!

I can't believe how bad Sarah was - only good but was the slap!

All that drinking she used to do. It can change you physically.

The overreaction about Sarah on here is hilarious. She is only in four episodes. I love how Sarah is getting slated for her acting, after one episode, yet the ones playing Michael and Callum get off scot free after being in more than two episodes.

I barely know Sarah's face from Adam, but after 3 seconds on the screen I knew it was her.

It had to be. Who else could it be?

She looks older than I first thought she'd be. And I thought she'd turn up looking like a chav, but she didn't.

really? I can't remember seeing shane in anything? however, I have seen Sarah in other stuff

but yeah Shane auditioned and had to wait to find out like everyone else so he won his place fairly, think it is better to be open minded and wait and see how his acting is before judging.

As for Sarah if there really was no audition there must have been some kind of process to choose her and they will have at least watched her showreel

Sarah does have acting experience, but she was cast in these roles on the basis that she was Sarah from Girls Aloud, and her name would get people watching. So she probably didn't have to dazzle TPTB on these projects with a stellar audition, in the way that an 'unknown' actress would.

Shayne's previous acting experiences were in the theatre. He has done Rock of Ages and War of the worlds. But in terms of his background, he has had zero acting training and was likely cast in those roles because of his has-been popstar days. But british theatre shows hire anyone these days. Even Kerry Katona was hired to play Marilyn Monroe in a musical. The credability of casting in britain just becomes worse each year. We will likely have Amy Childs doing Les Miserables in the near future.

Sarah has actually been in 2 episodes

I keep seeing this particularly about Michael but it doesn't make any sense as he is slaughtered on here for his acting regularly.

Anyway back to Sarah Harding and my goodness she makes the likes of Michael look like Oscar material so I suppose she's served some kind of purpose

It'll be interesting to see what happens now. All the interviews & things I've read mention its only a 4 episode stint but heavily hint that she might come back for a longer stint in future. Given how much she's been slated on social media for her dreadful acting will TPTB take note & not invite her back, or just ignore the fans & bring her back anyway?

BIB: The same FM has said twice that Les Dennis is never criticised - on this thread and on another one. They might have said it on other threads too but these are the only ones I've seen it on so far. I agree with you - I haven't seen a positive comment about him.

Michael and Callum do not get off scot free! The actors who play them are slaughtered on here regularly. Have you not seen the "Camp Callum" posts / threads? Les Dennis who plays Michael is criticised a lot. As for Sarah Harding, she wasn't that bad. Fair enough she did over emphasise her lines a bit but as a whole she was OK.

Blackburn saw her in "freefall" on YouTube and gave her the part

For 4 episodes

But she's staying on for longer

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...eet-debut.html

According to this she has been given more episodes to film. I don't mind but I'm not sure how her character would fit into a full time part. Sarah herself said (in the above article) that she's not sure about working in Corrie full time as the schedule is full on and you don't get much time to learn your lines. I get the impression she prefers films rather than a soap as you get more time to rehearse and do more takes. She's a very beautiful women and looks lovely in these photos.

It was tragic, as bad as Denise Van Outen.

Just think all thoses actors going to RADA and all the other drama schools to do acting and do auditions and she gets it because she was the drunk one who never sung in Girls Aloud.

Same as Kym Whatshername. Couldn't act for toffee.

Only got the job on Corrie because she knew someone there.

We all know Kym is a guttermouth Chav. A jumped-up nobody just like so many non-entities who have gone into TV presenting and acting from reality shows.

I saw a pic of her in the papers last week. Looked like it had been taken on a street corner.

And she thought she looked nice. She looked a total sla****.

dear god, she only had a few lines in 2 episodes to say and shes been bitched about to hell for it. Poor girl..................

She was no worse than some who have been regular cast members for 5 + years.

Fizz is the worst actress going with her baby ridiculous stupid voice, Sarah Platt & bethany ??? why on earth are they receiving a salary for their acting, both as bad as each other. Bethanys character is your typical Platt bratty kid with wet parents awful addition ............

wow what a lovely person you are!