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Emmerdale Viv star Deena Payne unrecognisable in snaps from secret pop star career
Emmerdale fans might not know that one of the ITV soap's biggest stars had a secret career in pop music before entering the Dales.Deena Payne, best known for playing the late Viv Hope in the soap, was actually a part of girl band Cats UK before finding fame as an actress.Deena played Viv from 1993 until she was killed off in a fire in 2011.But before that, the star was best known as a singer, and had various relationships with musicians including percussionist Frank Ricotti, who played with Elton John among others.She is now married to Steve Grant, a musician from The Sweet, and the two share a son.But Deena looked completely unrecognisable as a member of girlband Cats UK.In promotional pictures of the band, its four members - including lead singer Bea Rowley - can be seen in skintight hot pants and tight tops featuring intrinsically 70s shoulder pads.With her dark brunette hair parted in the middle - and not backcombed like Viv’s used to be - Deena stood with her fellow band members with her hands behind her back as they wowed in the clinging ensembles.Deena blasted her way into the charts with novelty pop song Luton Airport in 1979. The track reached Number 22 in the UK Singles Chart, and was inspired by a rather odd advert.In 1977, drinks brand Campari released a TV commercial which showed actress Lorraine Chase being wooed by Jeremy Clyde.
