Holly Valance

Not to be confused with Holly Palance.

Holly Valance
Valance in 2006, advertising the reverse charges service 1800 Reverse
Born
Holly Rachel Vukadinović

(1983-05-11) 11 May 1983 (age 41)
Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
Other namesHolly Candy
Citizenship
  • Australia
  • United Kingdom
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
  • model
  • activist
Years active1997–present
Political partyReform UK
Spouse
​
(m. 2012)​
Children2
RelativesOlympia Valance (half-sister)
Musical career
Genres
InstrumentVocals
LabelsLondon
Websitehollyvalance.com

Holly Rachel Candy (née Vukadinović; born 11 May 1983), known professionally as Holly Valance, is an Australian and British former actress, singer and model, and a right-wing political activist.

Valance became well known for her role as Felicity Scully on the Australian soap opera Neighbours (1999–2002) and later played Nika Volek in Prison Break (2005–2006). Her film roles include DOA: Dead or Alive (2006), Pledge This! (2006), Taken (2008), and Kambakkht Ishq (2009). Her first album, Footprints (2002), provided three top three singles: "Kiss Kiss", "Down Boy" and "Naughty Girl". The title song of her second and final album, State of Mind (2003), was also a UK top ten single. She has become involved in UK and US politics as a prominent supporter and fundraiser for Nigel Farage and Donald Trump.

Early life

[edit]

Holly Valance was born on 11 May 1983, as Holly Rachel Vukadinović,[2] in Fitzroy, Victoria, to a Serbian father from Montenegro, Rajko Vukadinović, and a British mother of English and Spanish descent Rachel (née Stephens) from Southampton.[3][4][5] Her father was a former pianist and model in his native Belgrade, Serbia, former Yugoslavia.[6][7] Her mother, whose father was a relative of comedian Benny Hill, was a model in the United Kingdom.[5][6][7] Valance's parents divorced in 1986. Valance has a sister, Coco. Rajko later remarried and Holly has a half-sister, Olympia, who has also acted in Neighbours as Paige Smith (2014–2018, 2020, 2022).[8] In Melbourne Rajko ran a "trendy imported European clothes store".[9][10]

Valance started modelling as a teenager, when "she posed for supermarket catalogues and ad campaigns and by 14 she was earning $200 an hour modelling children's clothes and teenage lingerie."[9] She grew up in Melbourne and moved to the UK when she was 18; she holds both Australian and British citizenship.[11][12] After two years she moved to Los Angeles, where she spent seven years before returning to the United Kingdom.[11]

Career

[edit]

1999–2003: Neighbours and music

[edit]

In 1999 at age 16, Valance was cast in the Australian TV soap opera, Neighbours, as Felicity "Flick" Scully.[13] Soon after gaining the role she left her Catholic school, "where girls were given detention for wearing make-up or having a hem above the knee."[9] She appeared in Human Nature's music video for "He Don't Love You" (November 2000), "in a raunchy shower scene."[9][14] Valance left Neighbours in 2002 to start her music career.[15] Her first single, released in April 2002, was "Kiss Kiss", an English language cover version of Turkish singer, Tarkan's "Şımarık".[14] It entered both the ARIA Singles and UK Singles Charts at No. 1. It charted in the top ten in seventeen countries, and went to number one in North Macedonia. The song was nominated for four ARIA Music Awards in 2002.[16]

Valance's second single, "Down Boy" (September), peaked at No. 2 in the UK and No. 3 in Australia. Her first album, Footprints, was released on 14 October 2002, which reached No. 9 in the UK and No. 15 in Australia. She co-wrote the album track "The Harder They Come" with Rob Davis, who supplied guitar for the album.[17][18] The album's third and final single, "Naughty Girl", peaked at No. 3 in Australia and No. 16 in the UK. Valance's second album, State of Mind, appeared in November 2003 and its title track was the lead single.[14] It peaked at No. 8 in the UK and at No. 14 in Australia. Valance dropped London Recordings in 2004 and said she was no longer interested in recording music.[19]

2004–2013: Prison Break and films

[edit]
Valance at an airport filming an advert for 1800 Reverse, a reverse charge call service, in 2006

In 2004, Valance returned to acting, this time in the United States, appearing in episodes of the television series CSI: Miami and Entourage. In 2005, she appeared in an episode of CSI: NY. In 2005 Valance returned to music, albeit briefly, when she appeared on Har Mar Superstar's album The Handler singing on the tracks, "DUI", "Back the Camel Up" and "Body Request".[20] She appeared in Prison Break in 2006 as Nika Volek, a role which she continued to portray in the show's second season. Also in 2006, Valance appeared in the National Lampoon comedy Pledge This!, alongside American socialite Paris Hilton. The same year, she starred in DOA: Dead or Alive, an adaptation of the popular video game Dead or Alive, in which she played Christie. In 2007, she appeared in the TV series Shark and Moonlight. In 2008, she had a role in the film Taken alongside Liam Neeson, and appeared in an episode of The CW series Valentine.

In 2009, she appeared in Frankmusik's video for his single "Confusion Girl". She also leaked a track called "Superstar" in 2009. In 2009 Valance played Brenda Snow for the video game Command & Conquer Red Alert 3: Uprising. She also appeared in Scott Caan's film Mercy.[21] Valance took part in the 2011 series of Strictly Come Dancing,[22] where she was paired with the professional winner of series 8, Artem Chigvintsev.[23] Valance and Chigvintsev were eliminated in the semi-final of the competition on 11 December 2011, giving them a fourth-place finish. She also starred in the Miss Marple television episode called "The Pale Horse". In 2011, Valance appeared in an advert for Foster's Gold bottled beer.[24]

In 2013, Valance was mentor and judge of fashion competition Shopaholic Showdown.[25]

2013–present: Hiatus and other projects

[edit]

In 2013, Valance took a hiatus from her artistic career to prioritise her family, and has since been doing charity work as Ambassador of The Children's Trust, the UK's leading charity for children with brain injury and neurodisability.[26] Since then, her only new role has been an appearance in the movie Red Herring, released in 2015 and shot in 2013.[27] On 28 July 2022, Valance was seen in a cameo appearance as Felicity Scully, in what was intended to be the final-ever Neighbours episode. Her appearance was filmed in the UK alongside that of Natalie Imbruglia's character, Beth Brennan.[28][29]

Personal life

[edit]

From 2005 to 2009, Valance dated Australian actor Alex O'Loughlin.[30] In 2010, she started dating British property developer Nick Candy, whom she married on 29 September 2012 in Beverly Hills, California.[31] The couple have two daughters. The first was born in November 2013.[32] and the second in September 2017[33]

Political views

[edit]

According to The Guardian in 2024, Valance has "rapidly risen to become radical-right royalty".[34] In February that year, she attended the launch of the new British conservative movement Popular Conservatism, led by former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss. In a series of clips posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), Valance was interviewed by Christopher Hope of GB News,[35] and was asked about her views on various issues. Her view on "the climate crisis or lack of" was that "cleaner, cheaper energy is what we need".[36] Asked about her political views, she said, "I would say that everyone starts off as a leftie and then wakes up at some point after making money, working, trying to run a business, trying to buy a home then realises what crap ideas they all are, and then you go to the right."[37] Valance said her top political priority was Britain leaving the European Convention on Human Rights and the establishment of a British bill of rights, adding that "the trickle-down effect would be a huge step in the right direction".[34]

A close personal friend of Nigel Farage,[38] Valance said she persuaded him to stand for Parliament in the 2024 general election.[39] In a 2024 interview she stated she was a member of Reform UK[39] and would be voting for them in the general election. She said, "I support anybody that sticks to what they believe in and isn't a turncoat, and doesn't do a million flip-flops and U-turns."[40][41] She helped the party raise £1.5 million within days of Farage's return as leader,[42] and has donated approximately £100,000 herself.[43] In December 2024 it was announced that Valance's husband would become treasurer of Reform UK.[44]

Having previously stayed at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort,[34] in 2024 she became the "UK poster girl"[38] for Trump's US presidential campaign, and co-hosted a large fundraiser in London on 11 June.[45]

[edit]

In January 2002, Valance dismissed her then-manager Scott Michaelson by telephone, 15 months before his contract was due to expire. In 2003, Biscayne Partners sued Valance Corp., won the case and was awarded damages by the Supreme Court of New South Wales.[46][47] During the trial, Valance's mother said Michaelson had been negligent as a manager, which forced her to take over from him.[48] The former Neighbours cast member Kym Valentine also gave evidence that Valance "said she was feeling bad, a bit stressed out, because she was leaving Scott" and that "she said the solicitors for her record company would get her out of the contract and would be faxing him the paper work (from the UK) to do so."[49] In court, Valance denied that she had said this to Valentine, even though she had signed an affidavit stating she had no recollection of the conversation.[50][51]

Justice Clifford Einstein said, "I have given close consideration to the question of whether or not the circumstances presently before the Court which do, it seems to me, show a calculated disregard of the rights of Biscayne as well as a cynical pursuit of benefit".[46] The court subsequently ordered Valance Corp. pay $350,000 to Biscayne Partners Pty. Ltd. Of this amount, $47,264.56 was "from shares Ms Valance and Mr Michaelson had bought together on the London Stock Exchange",[52] though the court did not award in favour of Biscayne getting a percentage of sales of her album, State of Mind.[46][53]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
2006 DOA: Dead or Alive Christie Allen
2006 Pledge This! Jessica
2008 Taken Sheerah
2009 Kambakkht Ishq Herself
2010 Luster Sally
2011 Surviving Georgia Rose
2011 Big Mamma's Boy Katie
2015 Red Herring Angela

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
  • 1999–2002
  • 2005
  • 2022
 Neighbours Felicity Scully
  • Main role
  • Episode: "20th Anniversary"
  • Episode: "The Finale"
2004 CSI: Miami Kay Coleman Episode: "Addiction"
2005 Entourage Leanna Episode: "My Maserati Does 185"
2005 CSI: NY Lydia Episode: "YoungBlood"
2005–2006 Prison Break Nika Volek Recurring role (seasons 1–2)
2007 Moonlight Lola Episode: "B.C."
2007 Shark Christina Shaw Episode: "Every Breath You Take"
2008 Valentine Vivi Langdon Episode: "Act Naturally"
2010 Agatha Christie's Marple Kanga Episode: "The Pale Horse"
2011 Strictly Come Dancing Herself Contestant (season 9)
2013 Shopaholic Showdown Herself Judge

Video game

[edit]

Discography

[edit]
Main article: Holly Valance discography

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Year Award Category Title of work Result
2000 Logie Award Most Popular New Talent – Female Neighbours Nominated
2002 ARIA Award Highest Selling Single "Kiss Kiss" Nominated
2002 ARIA Award Best Female Artist "Kiss Kiss" Nominated
2002 ARIA Award Breakthrough Artist – Single "Kiss Kiss" Nominated
2002 ARIA Award Best Pop Release "Kiss Kiss" Nominated
2002 MTV Video Music Awards International Viewers Choice Awards - Australia "Kiss Kiss" Won[54]
2003 Disney Channel Kids Awards Breakthrough Artist Won
2003 Disney Channel Kids Awards Best Single "Kiss Kiss" Won

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Taylor, Paul (4 August 2004). "Holly Valance – Footprints (London)". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Holly Valance | Miss 'Kiss-Kiss'". FHM. Archived from the original on 20 April 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  3. ^ "Holly Valance Interview - Five Minutes With..." You Tube. 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  4. ^ Gibbs, Ed (17 July 2011). "Almost famous". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
  5. ^ a b "Blic Online". Blic.rs. 5 January 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  6. ^ a b Farkas, D. (5 October 2008). "Holi Valans: Srpkinja u pohodu na Holivud". Nadlanu.com. Archived from the original on 8 September 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  7. ^ a b "Blic Online". Blic.rs. 5 January 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  8. ^ "Holly Candy and sister Olympia Valance lead stars in celebrating Neighbours 30th anniversary". HELLO!. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  9. ^ a b c d Nimmervoll, Ed (2004). "Holly Valance". HowlSpace. Archived from the original on 26 July 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2020 – via National Library of Australia. Note: this source claims subject was born in New Zealand but this is not supported by other reliable sources.
  10. ^ Nimmervoll, Ed. "Holly Valance". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 February 2020. Note: this source, by same author, has birthplace as Fitzroy.
  11. ^ a b "BBC News - Five Minutes With: Holly Valance". BBC. 26 November 2011. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  12. ^ "On the Move: Holly Valance". The Times. 5 October 2008. Retrieved 17 July 2011.[dead link‍]
  13. ^ "Holly Valance's surprise Neighbours return". News.com.au. 28 July 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  14. ^ a b c McFarlane, Ian (31 March 2017). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Holly Valance'". The Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. Jenkins, Jeff (Foreword) (2nd ed.). Gisborne, VIC: Third Stone Press (published 2017). p. 497. ISBN 978-0-9953856-0-3.
  15. ^ Thompson, Jonathan (29 September 2002). "Q The interview: Holly Valance". The Independent on Sunday. Archived from the original on 4 January 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2008.
  16. ^ Kazmierczak, Anita (15 October 2002). "Kylie sweeps Aussie music awards". BBC News. Retrieved 28 October 2008.
  17. ^ "Footprints – Holly Valance | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  18. ^ "'The Harder They Fall' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Retrieved 23 February 2020. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' &/or 'Performer:'
  19. ^ "Sexy bra trick clicks with fans". newpaper.asia1.com.sg. 24 October 2006. Archived from the original on 6 November 2008. Retrieved 28 October 2008.
  20. ^ Treuen, Jason (22 July 2005). "Look Mar, no pants". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 October 2008.
  21. ^ "Holly Valance Movie Appearances @ARTISTdirect". Artist Direct. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  22. ^ "Strictly Come Dancing signs up Lulu and Edwina Currie". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 6 September 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
  23. ^ "Holly Valance profile at". Strictly Come Dancing. British Broadcasting Corporation. 10 September 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  24. ^ "fosters". YouTube. 11 April 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  25. ^ "Shopaholic Showdown". Radio Times. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  26. ^ "Our Ambassadors | the Children's Trust".
  27. ^ "Red Herring 2015". Amazon. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  28. ^ Patterson, Stephen (24 July 2022). "Natalie Imbruglia and Holly Valance join Margot Robbie in huge Neighbours returns for epic final episode". Metro. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  29. ^ Denby, Laura (25 July 2022). "Natalie Imbruglia and Holly Valance return for Neighbours finale". Radio Times. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  30. ^ Barker, Lynne (19 July 2007). "Alex O'Loughlin: "Moonlight"'s Hot Vampire". TeenTelevision.com. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2007.
  31. ^ "Details of Holly Valance's £3million wedding to Nick Candy". HELLO!. 2 October 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  32. ^ Eden, Richard (24 November 2013). "Strictly Come Dancing star Holly Valance gives birth to her first child". The Sunday Telegraph. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  33. ^ "Holly Valance and Nick Candy 'delighted' to welcome second daughter". 21 September 2017.
  34. ^ a b c Quinn, Ben; Dugan, Emily (15 June 2024). "'Whispering in his ear': how Holly Valance became a cheerleader for the radical right". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  35. ^ "Holly Valance 'concerned about way things are going' as she outlines fears for her children. Celebrity and model, Holly Valance, was attending the launch of Liz Truss' new movement 'PopCon', Popular Conservatism". GB News. 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024 – via Twitter.
  36. ^ "'Putting restrictions on normal people for a non-existent climate crisis is insanity' 'Neighbours' star, Holly Valance, says that 'cheap, clean energy is what we need', but without putting restrictions on 'normal people'. @ChristopherHope". GB News. 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024 – via Twitter.
  37. ^ "'Everyone starts as a leftie and then wakes up and realises all the ideas are crap' Australian model and actress, Holly Valance, was at the launch of Liz Truss' new conservative movement 'PopCon'. @ChristopherHope". GB News. 6 February 2024 – via Twitter.
  38. ^ a b Baker, Graeme (12 June 2024). "Holly Valance: From Aussie pop star to Trump cheerleader". BBC News. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  39. ^ a b Patrick, Holly (4 June 2024). "Holly Valance says she convinced Nigel Farage to run in general election". The Independent. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  40. ^ Ahmed, Jacob (15 March 2024). "Former Neighbours star Holly Valance backs Reform UK at next general election". Independent. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  41. ^ Gibbons, Amy (14 March 2024). "Holly Valance says Australia has gone 'woke' ... and sends a message to Nigel Farage". The Telegraph. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  42. ^ Devlin, Kate. "Holly Valance helps Nigel Farage's Reform 'raise £1.5m within days of his return as leader'". The Independent. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  43. ^ Conroy, Will (20 September 2024). "Former popstar Holly Valance says kids call Nigel Farage 'uncle Nige' as she reveals £100k Reform UK donation". LBC. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  44. ^ Loffhagen, Emma; Strick, Katie (11 December 2024). "How Holly Valance became the darling of the far-Right as husband becomes Reform treasurer". The Standard. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  45. ^ Neate, Rupert (25 May 2024). "£161,000 for 20 days? Nick Candy bemoans One Hyde Park service charge". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  46. ^ a b c Biscayne Partners Pty Ltd v Valance Corp Pty Ltd & Ors (2003) NSWSC 874, NSW Supreme Court, 3 October 2003; retrieved 10 September 2006.
  47. ^ Biscayne Partners Pty Ltd v Valance Corp Pty Ltd & Ors (2003) NSWSC 874 Archived 8 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine. NSW Supreme Court, 3 October 2003. Retrieved on 10 September 2006.
  48. ^ "Manager 'helped me become a star': Valance". The Age. 18 September 2003. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  49. ^ "Not such good neighbours any more". The Age. 15 September 2003. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  50. ^ "Naked truth comes out in Holly's evidence". The Age. 20 September 2003. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  51. ^ "HollyWorld faces the real music". The Sydney Morning Herald. 4 October 2003. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  52. ^ "Holly takes a hit". The Age. 7 November 2003. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  53. ^ Biscayne Partners Pty Ltd v Valance Corp Pty Ltd & Ors (2003) NSWSC 1016 Archived 8 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine. NSW Supreme Court, 6 November 2003. Retrieved on 10 September 2006.
  54. ^ "2002 MTV Video Music Awards Winners". Billboard.com. 1 September 2002. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
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