From Rylan to Katie Price, Dermot O’Leary, and Liam Gallagher – celebrities’ real names revealed
ON FRIDAY night, Celebrity Gogglebox fans were left stunned when Rylan Clark-Neal’s mum called him by his real name – Ross.
Viewers had no idea that the 32-year-old star had been going by a different name for the past eight years after shooting to fame on The X Factor back in 2012.
The TV favourite was actually born Ross Richard Clark, and he was publicly known as Rylan Clark before marrying husband Dan Neal and double-barrelling his surname.
Throughout the Channel 4 show, his mum Linda bickered with him as she repeatedly called him Ross having made a return to our TV screens the previous week.
But Rylan is far from the only star going by a different name – and while Stormzy was obviously born with a different moniker (Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr.), and Sir Elton John famously changed his from Reginald Kenneth Dwight, they’re not all quite as obvious.
Here are some of the UK’s best-loved celebs to be going by completely different names in the industry – and we have a feeling that some of them may surprise you.
DERMOT O’LEARY
On the subject of names, Dermot O’Leary also delighted fans this weekend when he finally revealed what he and wife Dee have called their newborn son.
Sweetly dedicating a song to him on his radio show yesterday morning, the presenter told fans that the little one’s name is Kasper “with a K”.
But after a staggering TWO DECADES in the industry, he’s still not really told fans his own name: Sean (with an ‘S’).
Dermot decided to go by his middle name, with his full title Sean Dermot Fintan O’Leary Jr.
JESSIE WALLACE
Jessie Wallace is probably more well-known by her EastEnders alter ego Kat Slater than Jessie, but before she was either the actress was actually called Karen.
The 48-year-old star first joined the BBC One soap back in 2000, and she has been publicly called Jessie (or Kat) ever since.
Unlike Dermot, Jessie isn’t even her middle name, with the star born Karen Jane Wallace.
TESS DALY
Strictly Come Dancing fans have naturally assumed that their beloved presenter’s name was probably short for Tessa, but it’s actually short for, erm, Helen?
The 51-year-old beauty was born Helen Elizabeth Daly.
DARCEY BUSSELL
And Tess – we mean Helen – isn’t the only Strictly star to be hiding their true moniker – with former judge Darcey also changing her name.
The retired ballerina’s full birth name is Marnie Mercedes Darcey Pemberton Crittle.
ANTON DU BEKE
While we’re on the subject, Strictly professional dancer Anton Du Beke also jazzed up his name for fame.
The 53-year-old probably thought that plain old Anthony Paul Beke didn’t quite have the same star power.
LIAM GALLAGHER
Another celeb who didn’t exactly change their name but definitely pulled the wool over fans’ eyes with the swap is Oasis rocker Liam.
He left his Twitter followers baffled in 2017 when he wrote: “WILLIAM JOHN PAUL GALLAGHER 21.9.72 SON OF MARGARET TONIGHT JOOLS HOLLAND AS YOU WERE X”.
That’s right, Liam, 47, actually goes by the second half of his birth name, William.
KATIE PRICE
Former glamour model Katie Price made a similar change, with the 42-year-old star born Katrina Amy Alexandria Alexis Infield.
Initially, Katie famously went by alter-ego Jordan, and then ditched the persona to be the Pricey we all know and love today.
While Katie is obviously shortened from Katrina, Price comes from her stepfather Paul, who her mum Amy married in 1988.
ALEX JONES
The One Show host Alex, 43, broke down in tears on The One Show earlier this week after she saw her mum for the first time in five months.
The same mum who, in 1977, called her daughter Charlotte Alexandra Jones.
Yes, the presenter publicly goes by a shortened version of her middle name.
LOUIS WALSH
X Factor judge Louis Walsh also chose to use his middle name as his first name, with the 67-year-old star actually called Michael.
He was born Michael Louis Vincent Walsh, but only half of those titles made the final cut.
KIM WOODBURN
Before she became renowned on Celebrity Big Brother for calling everybody “chicken-livered sh*ts” in 2017, Kim Woodburn was known for being co-host of Channel 4 series How Clean Is Your House.
And before that, the 78-year-old reality TV icon was known as Patricia Mary Woodburn (née McKenzie).
DENISE WELCH
Denise has had many names over the years, including Corrie local Natalie Barnes and Waterloo Road teacher Steph Haydock.
However, her first ever name was Jacqueline Denise Welch, with the 62-year-old star ditching her first name for her acting career.
OLIVIA COLMAN
In a similar vein, long-time fans will probably remember 46-year-old Olivia as her iconic Peep Show character Sophie before she added a whole plethora of other TV shows and films to her CV.
The actress played Queen Elizabeth II in Netflix series The Crown, and won an Oscar last year for her role as Queen Anne in The Favourite.
But despite her impressive portrayals of royals, to her family, Olivia will probably always be Sarah Caroline Olivia Sinclair.
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CALVIN HARRIS
Calvin Harris has had an impressive music career since he burst onto the scene in the late noughties.
The 36-year-old has collaborated with everybody from Rihanna to Pharrell Williams, and even had a short-lived romance with US singer Taylor Swift.
Taylor shocked fans during their romance when she repeatedly referred to Calvin by his real name, Adam – Adam Richard Wiles to be precise.