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Idol mum grabs pizza the action

8/ 5/2008

A HEYWOOD mother-of-four has grabbed a ‘pizza’ the action by starring in adverts shown at the beginning of ITV’s American Idol show.

Rona Cosgrave, 43, of Lewis Drive, stars in the adverts for Chicago Town Pizzas which are shown before and after each section of the hit US talent show.

She is shown running onto a stage, pushing another singer out of the way – then reaching for a slice of deep dish cheese and tomato!

Rona, mum to Martin, 20, Mark, 18, Charlotte, 16 and Louise, 10, landed the part after being recommended by her agent.

Although the advert was shot in January, it has only recently been shown during commercial breaks of the later stages of the talent show shown in the last few weeks.

Rona, who has previously had walk-on parts in Peter Kay’s ‘Max and Paddy’s Road To Nowhere’, ‘Clocking Off’ and ‘Waterloo Road’, attends the Linton Theatre Workshop in Bury with her two daughters.

She said: "At the audition for the advert they wanted you to sing a song and I can’t sing to save my life, but I did a bit of Tina Turner and they seemed to like it!

"I filmed the adverts in January at The Old Pie Factory studios in Manchester, where they film ‘Shameless’.

"It has only just started being on TV and people have started coming up to me in the street asking about it, they think it’s quite funny and I don’t mind.

"When I filmed the advert, I did it seriously, so it must just be the way I come across that’s funny!"

Rona decided to get an agent after attending drama lessons in Bury and realising she wanted to try and make a living from acting.

She said: "I have been going to drama lessons for seven years and decided to get an agent to see if I could get walk-on parts and I really enjoy doing it.

"I am hoping to keep trying to get more work and bigger parts in TV programmes or adverts to work as an actress."