Ten Things You Never Knew About Amanda Holden

Who was the biggest winner out of Britain's Got Talent's ratings smash finale on Saturday night? The Simon Cowell Christmas Party Fund, Susan Boyle or eventual winners Diversity? Well, maybe even more grateful than all of the above, was former also-ran actress and judge Amanda Holden. The smiley, self-confessed Botox fan, is now a household name with interest in her presenting skills and revealing dresses coming from as far afield as America. Read on to discover ten tantalising facts about the reality TV star.

1. Amanda Louise Holden was born on February 16, 1971. She grew up with mother Judith and stepfather Leslie in Waltham Chase in Hampshire.

2. Before her acting career took flight, Amanda appeared as a contestant on Cilla Black's Blind Date in 1991. She was not selected by the male picker and revealed that her ideal man was Jack Nicholson. "I like experience and maturity [in a man]," she admitted.

3. Another early TV appearance for Amanda came in 1994 when she cameoed in EastEnders as knicker-seller Carmen for five episodes. Her character was hired by Tricky Dicky (Ian Reddington) to work on Sanjay Kapoor's (Deepak Verma) stall.

4. Amanda has been adding an extra string to her extensive bow of talents this year, training as a midwife. She will reveal her new skills in ITV documentary My Life In Your Hands later this year.

5. Amanda wasn't the only member of the Holden family to be given the showbiz gene. Her sister Debbie, who is two years older, has also worked as a successful model.

6. Most Britain's Got Talent viewers copped an eyeful of Amanda Holden's ample chest region last week. But do you know her exact measurements? Her vital statistics are apparently 34B-24-34!

7. Holden has made no secret of her desire to launch a pop career at some point. She admits that she is too old to "try to be Britney", but reckons she could give pop-country music a good go. She said: "I don't think Amanda Holden's Country Album would be a huge seller. Maybe a bit more of a crossover like Shania Twain. I wouldn't mind covering Dolly Parton's 'Nine To Five'."

8. We already mentioned that Amanda made a cameo in EastEnders back in 1994. But did you know that she also auditioned for the role of brassy barmaid Tiffany Mitchell in the BBC One soap. The part eventually went to Martine McCutcheon, who used the show as a springboard for Hollywood acting, a pop career and a role in Echo Beach.

9. Holden hasn't given up on her dream of one day appearing in a soap, admitting that she would love to play a "snooty Southern bitch" in Coronation Street. "I love Corrie and that's kind of more iconic, I'd go into that for a bit," she revealed.

10. According to her friends, 38-year-old Holden has a "bawdy" and "crude" sense of humour when she's out on the town. "She has mannerisms a bit like Barbara Windsor in the Carry On films," said one pal. "She'll tell a rude joke about breasts and hoist up her own breasts to make the point...It's totally over the top." The filthy minx!