SOAP star and animal lover Gemma Atkinson is high-fiving – after a question on boy band Five won just over £25,000 for Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary.

The Emmerdale actress was on The Chase with a celebrity panel earlier this month and admitted she hadn’t done too well in her one-on-ones.

She said: "To be honest, I felt I had let everyone down as, when you are on the spot in front of a live audience with Bradley Walsh in front of you, it is nerve-racking.

"Then it came to the last question and, for the four of us to win £110,000 between us, they asked us a question about a boy band.

"I knew it was Five and everyone else was clueless but, because I hadn’t been too good in the rest of the competition, they didn’t believe me.

"Anyhow they went for it, I redeemed myself and we won the jackpot!"

Along with the £25,000 Gemma won, her contacts with Animal Friends meant the pet insurance firm also presented a further £10,000 to Bleakholt.

She added: “I just love animals. I had my first dog when I was two and I have grown up with them. You hear a lot about big charities but I wanted to give to a less well-known charity and one which is local and personal to me.”

Gemma has two dogs, Ollie and Norman, who she adores and was brought up in Bury, often visiting Bleakholt as she grew up.