While a lot of people in the US may not have heard the name Michelle Keegan before this week when FHM named her the Sexiest Woman in the World, the gorgeous actress is a well-known star in her native England. Since Michelle beat out numerous American favorites for the title, including Jennifer Lawrence [1], Kendall Jenner, and Kate Upton, we thought it was only right to get to know her better. And if you haven't immediately fallen in love with her from her beauty alone, these facts are sure to have you on Team Michelle. Keep reading to get caught up on your new girl-crush, then get a glimpse of her celebrity life [2] across the pond.
She used to work at an airport.
Before landing her first acting role, Michelle worked as a gate agent at Manchester Airport in England. She also worked in retail at Selfridges, England's high-end department store chain.
She was engaged to The Wanted's Max George.
Michelle and Max met at a mutual friend's wedding [3] in 2010 and were together for two years before calling it quits. Max, who found fame in the US with boy band The Wanted and had a role on the last season of Glee, popped the question [4] to Michelle a year into their romance with a $15,000 diamond ring. Sadly, she called off the engagement the following Summer after reports surfaced that Max had been sending his ex-girlfriend racy text messages [5] while he was still with Michelle.
She's now engaged to British TV star Mark Wright.
After her romance with Max ended, Michelle began dating Mark Wright, an English TV presenter and radio host. The two got engaged in September 2013 while on a romantic vacation in Dubai and are set to marry next month. Michelle was recently spotted enjoying her bachelorette party [6] in Dubai with her girlfriends.
She was a soap opera star.
While on her second audition ever, Michelle was offered the role of Tina McIntyre on the long-running British soap opera Coronation Street. She played the beloved character for seven years before being killed off last May. She then went on to star in the BBC drama Ordinary Lies and also played Tinker Bell in the European tour of Peter Pan.
She's a fashion icon.
Michelle is usually spotted sitting front row at numerous fashion shows during London Fashion Week, and she's also collaborated on a line for Lipsy London [7], the same brand the Kardashian sisters work with. She's also constantly photographed and praised for her street style looks as well as her glamorous outfits on red carpets.
She has big aspirations.
At 27 years old (she will turn 28 on June 3), Michelle's career is only just beginning [8]. She expressed to Saturday magazine that she hopes to make the transition onto the big screen in the near future, saying, "I would love to do a British rom-com, something like Notting Hill." She's also open to the idea of trying to tackle fame in America. "I would absolutely love to get a job in America if the right role came up. You never know what the future holds."
She's charitable.
Michelle was named the new patron of Royal Manchester Children's Hospital Charity [9] last October. "Being born and bred in this city, I know the excellent work the hospital does and couldn't think of a better local charity to support than RMCH Charity," she said. "Having visited the hospital myself, I have seen first-hand the difference that the Charity makes to the patients. Now that I am an official patron I will be encouraging the people of the North-West to join me in supporting the Charity to help ensure that Royal Manchester Children's Hospital is not only the biggest in the UK, but also one of the very best!"