Molly Rainford

Molly Anne Rainford was born on November 22, 2000, in Havering, London, England. Her career in entertainment began at a young age, most notably in 2012 when, at the age of 11, she auditioned for the sixth series of Britain’s Got Talent. She performed her rendition of Jennifer Hudson’s “One Night Only,” progressing through the semi-finals with Roxette’s “It Must Have Been Love” and ultimately finishing in sixth place in the final with Beyoncé’s “Ave Maria.” Following her appearance on Britain’s Got Talent, Rainford signed with Sony Music. Simon Cowell, one of the judges, sponsored her attendance at the Sylvia Young Theatre School, and she later continued her education at East London Arts & Music.

Rainford’s television career expanded beyond singing. From 2014 to 2015, she served as a presenter for the CBBC children’s entertainment series Friday Download, co-hosting alongside Akai Osei and Bars and Melody. In 2016, she appeared in an episode of the CBBC show Millie Inbetween as Chloe. Her acting career gained further momentum when she took on the titular role in the CBBC comedy-drama series Nova Jones, which premiered in 2021. The series, focusing on a galactic pop singer, was subsequently renewed for additional seasons. In 2022, Rainford participated as a contestant in the twentieth series of Strictly Come Dancing, where she reached the final and finished as a runner-up with her partner Carlos Gu.

Continuing her musical pursuits, Rainford released her debut extended play, “Commitment,” in 2019, which included tracks such as “I Like You” and the title single, which accumulated over two million online streams. She followed this with a second EP, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” in 2020, featuring covers of classic Christmas songs. In March 2023, a significant career development occurred when she was cast in the BBC soap opera EastEnders as Anna Knight. Her character debuted on June 1, 2023, as part of a new family taking over the fictional Queen Vic pub. Concurrently, she released “My Heart’s a Broken Record” with DJ Alex Kirsch as her first mainstream single. In 2025, she is scheduled to compete in the third series of Celebrity Race Across the World with Tyler West.