Once the darling of the early 00s, at one moment in time Holly Valance was not only all over your TV screens but also your radio. Now in a bizarre twist no fans saw coming, the former singer has turned her efforts to politics, becoming a surprisingly influential figure on the right.
The career progression from Neighbours to Nigel Farage is something unique to Holly Valance - now Holly Candy. Once a chart-topper with Kiss-Kiss, she's ditched the Top of the Pops microphone in favour of GB News podcasts and conservative conferences where she voices her denial of climate change, criticises climate activists, and slams leftie ideas.
During her speech at the Popular Conservatism conference led by ex-prime minister Liz Truss, the former Strictly Come Dancing contestant revealed: "I just think the climate crisis – or lack of – is not a crisis. The air is better than when I was growing up, it used to stink walking down the street when I was growing up."
Continuing her tirade on a GB News podcast, she made her thoughts on 21-year-old Greta Thunberg very clear, saying: "I don’t understand why you have this, like, demonic little gremlin high priestess of climate as the goddess in classrooms, Greta (Thunberg). All the kids are coming home with depression and anxiety."
Now married to Reform's current treasurer, estimated billionaire Nicky Candy, the couple were previously vocal supporters of the Conservative Party, but later announced they would make the shift to Reform. Nick Candy, who before his stint in politics was better known as a billionaire property tycoon, met his future wife at a party in 2009.
Two years later the couple would become engaged on a holiday to the Maldives, before tying the knot in 2012. Today they hang out with Nigel Farage - who their two daughters reportedly call "Uncle Nigel" - the couple operate in some elite circles using their vast array of mansions to host some big names.
Having previously boasted of living in Britain's most expensive flat, the family now rotate between a £75 million Chelsea home, a £175 million penthouse in One Hyde Park, a £10 million Grade II-listed estate in the Cotswolds - and a summer home in Monaco. Their homes have played host to some influential right-wing figures, from Leave EU founder and UKIP backer Arron Banks, to former US ambassador Woody Johnson.
The couple were even invited to join Nigel Farage on a visit to Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago home in 2022. Two decades earlier, Holly was in Florida for a very different reason, appearing in CSI: Miami, before another role in CSI: New York, and a notably bigger role in the hit US show Prison Break.
However, after seemingly stepping away from acting and presenting in 2013, Holly's most recent venture was to host a glitzy London fundraiser for Donald Trump in June last year - with tickets an eye-watering $100,000 per person.
On her newfound political activism, she revealed: "Everyone starts off as a leftie and then wakes up at some point after you start either making money, working, trying to run a business, trying to buy a home, and then realise what c*** ideas they all are – and then you go to the right."
And Holly may soon have an even more involved role in politics. According to The Times, the Conservative Party has seriously discussed naming her as their candidate for London mayor in 2028, claiming she has right-leaning political figures across the UK "eating out of the palm of her hand".
