Drama Queens: release date, cast, premise and everything we know

Drama Queens stars posing in a promotional image
Drama Queens follows a great line-up of soap legends. (Image credit: ITVBe)

Drama Queens is an exciting new ITVBe series that follows some legendary soap names from shows like Coronation Street, Emmerdale, and Hollyoaks.

It has been billed as a "new kind of reality show", where it features some of Britain’s best soap talent. Filmed in Manchester and the North West, the series features fan favourites from three of the nation's biggest soaps.

Speaking about the appeal of the series, star Amy Walsh said: "I think as with any fly on the wall documentaries, whether it’s the Beckhams, Ed Sheeran, or whoever, anyone who enjoys getting a peek behind the scenes into people’s private lives will love it. 

"And if you’re a soap fan or you follow us on Instagram then this series is like getting the fuller, glossier version of what’s going on. You’re getting the whole picture!"

Here's everything you need to know about Drama Queens...

Drama Queens release date

Drama Queens starts on Wednesday, April 10 on ITVBe and ITVX. Episodes will continue in the same timeslot for eight weeks.

The next episode airs on Wednesday, April 24.

Drama Queens premise

According to Lime Pictures, viewers can expect an inside look at the real, unscripted lives of these soap stars, going behind the scenes of red-carpet events, awards ceremonies, house moves, and precious family moments.  With the soap stars leading interconnected lives, the series introduces the genuine friendship groups between them, across eight episodes.

Drama Queens cast

Drama Queens star Amy Walsh

(Image credit: ITVBe)

The line-up for Drama Queens is Emmerdale stars Roxy Shahidi (Leyla Harding) and Laura Norton (Kerry Wyatt), Amy Walsh (Tracy Metcalfe), Coronation Street's Lucy Fallon (Bethany Platt), Brooke Vincent (Sophie Webster) and Ellie Leach (Faye Windass), Hollyoaks' Jorgie Porter (Theresa McQueen) and former EastEnders star and Hollyoaks newcomer Rita Simons (Roxy Mitchell) and Jamelia (Sharon Bailey).

When asked about joining the series, Amy Walsh told us: "One of the producers at Lime Pictures who I worked with years ago on Hollyoaks approached me. We bumped into each other at last year’s National Television Awards and had a really honest, friendly chat about being new mums in this industry. 

"She asked when I was going back to work after maternity and I said ‘I’m in such a predicament. I just don’t know how I’m going to juggle everything’. I think that conversation planted a seed. A few weeks later she told me about this project and asked if I wanted to be involved."

Amy has also teased who'll be making an appearance in the series from her family. She said: "You’ll see my mum. She and I go out for a nice lunch together, just the two of us with no kids around which is very rare and Sally [her sister] came up with her children during the school holidays so we took all the kids for a day out at the farm. 

"Kimberley [Amy's other sister] doesn’t appear this series because, as you can imagine, she’s been pretty busy with the Girls Aloud tour coming up. And my brother Adam wasn’t keen on the idea of being on telly so he stayed away."

When asked about keeping up appearances, she said: "I’m the sort of person who does a massive tidy up even if a friend is just coming for lunch. That was the trickiest part of it. Not only was I getting myself ready for filming, I was getting Bonnie ready and the house too.

"There was one day where Toby was away for work and I’d been parenting by myself for a week. Bonnie hadn’t been sleeping well and Laura and Roxy were coming to mine for lunch which was going to be filmed. By the time they arrived I was a broken woman. Usually I try and nap whenever Bonnie’s asleep but I couldn’t that day. "

Brooke Vincent

(Image credit: ITVBe)

Meanwhile, Brooke Vincent revealed what fans might find surprising, saying: "I never usually let people see the chaos. I document real life on my Instagram, but I’m always somewhere doing something. It’s been funny to have people along for the journey. People are flabbergasted by how rough I look on a daily basis. I’m very much a tomboy.

"I am not very glam. The majority of the time I will be in a cap with my hair tied up. Day to day as a mum the last thing you want to do is put makeup on. So I document that well! "

Is there a trailer?

Yes, a trailer for Drama Queens is available and sees the stars telling fans they're excited to show off the "real me". Take a look below!

Lucy Buglass
Senior Staff Writer

Lucy joined the WhatToWatch.com team in 2021, where she writes series guides for must-watch programmes, reviews and the latest TV news. Originally from Northumberland, she graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a degree in Film Studies and moved to London to begin a career writing about entertainment.

She is a Rotten Tomatoes approved film critic and has a huge passion for cinema. She especially loves horror, thriller and anything crime-related. Her favourite TV programmes include Inside No 9, American Horror Story, Stranger Things and Black Mirror but she is also partial to a quiz show or a bit of Say Yes to the Dress