This time next year we’re predicting that this lot will be household names. Remember, you heard it here first...
Susan Wokoma (Actress)
After shooting to fame in E4’s BAFTA-nominated comedy ‘Chewing Gum’, Susan ‘Susie’ Wokoma then wowed us again in ‘Crazyhead’, which she also wrote. We’re predicting even bigger things for the 28-year-old Londoner in 2017. First up will be her very own comedy series, which she will write and star in.
Tom Hughes (Actor)
Tom is no stranger to the small screen, having starred in the ITV series ‘Trinity’ and the BBC legal drama ‘Silk’. But his breakthrough role in this year’s ‘Victoria’ playing Prince Albert made us all sit up and take notice. And we’re not the only ones, as he’s rumoured to be dating his ‘Victoria’ co-star Jenna Coleman. The pair have known each other for several years but apparently only got romantically involved during the filming of the ITV period drama. Awwww.
Candice Brown (‘Bake Off’ champ)
The 31-year-old ‘Great British Bake Off’ champ has already quit her job as a PE teacher and could be going global in 2017, after reportedly being courted by several major US TV channels. As well as the possibility of fronting her own show, Candice has also been approached to launch her own cooking merchandise, a vintage jewellery line, and a make-up range with Revel London, meaning she’ll be giving Nadiya Hussain a run for dough.
Will Best (TV Presenter)
Will cut his presenting teeth on T4, E4 and 4Music as well as being the go-to guy to present sister shows to some of TV’s biggest entertainment hits, including ‘Got To Dance’ and ‘The Gleekly’. But he’s about to go primetime after bagging himself a presenting spot next to Alesha Dixon on ITV’s brand new dance show ‘Dance Dance Dance’, which hits our screens early next year. Prepare to swoon.
Amber Riley (Actress, Singer)
Yeah, yeah, we know Amber is already pretty well known thanks to her role as Mercedes Jones in ‘Glee’, but that was like a hundred years ago. 2017 is going to be HER year, thanks to a showstopping turn as Effie in the new West End musical ‘Dreamgirls’. We’re predicting her to clean up at all of the theatre awards next year, and quite right too. Watch her performance of ‘And I Am Telling You’ from the show on ‘The Graham Norton Show’ (above) and you’ll see why.
Joel Dommett (Comedian)
He might not have won ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’, but Joel won plenty of hearts (sorry) during his stint in the jungle - and we’re sure those semi-naked jungle showers had nothing to do with it. The reality show did wonders for his profile too, so expect to see a lot more of the young comedian in the new year, as we think will only be a matter of time before he gets his own show.
Abigail Hardingham (Actress)
After stints in ‘Waterloo Road’, ‘Hollyoaks’ and ‘Silent Witness’, it was Abigail’s stunning performance as Alice Webster in the hugely popular second series of ‘The Missing’ that really brought her to the attention of the masses. She’s already completed a short film, ‘Sealed With A Kiss’, which is due for release in 2017, plus could she be returning for another series of ‘The Missing’?
Roman Kemp (Presenter)
The 23-year-old might have cut his presenting teeth on Capital, but he definitely doesn’t have a face for radio. Snapped up by Simon Cowell as ‘social media correspondent’ for ‘The X Factor’, his good looks and connections (his dad is Spandau Ballet star and former EastEnder Martin Kemp), are set to help propel his star even higher in 2017. First up is a T4-style show on Sundays for ITV2 called '2Awesome', which we're sure will be a lot better than that terrible name suggests.
Anne-Marie (Singer)
Expect to see Anne-Marie ‘do a Jess Glynne’ after providing the vocals on Clean Bandit’s huge No.1 hit ‘Rockabye’. Jess’s career went stratospheric after featuring on the band’s breakthrough hit ‘Rather Be’, and the same fate awaits Anne-Marie in 2017 with the release of her highly-anticipated debut album, which has a working title of ‘Breathing Fire’.
Ciara Charteris (Actress)
The South African actress will be all over our TV screens in 2017, thanks to parts in the new series of ‘Grantchester’ and ‘Endeavour’. But, it’s her role Emma Tregirls, a love interest for the recently-cast Tom York’s dashing Sam Carne in ‘Poldark’, which will really send her profile skywards. Watch the trailer for the new series below...