Simona Armstrong's Biography

Simona Armstrong was born in Romania. Simona, who was 28 years old when she was one of the ten finalists in the BBC's How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria, lived in Glasgow but now resides in Greenford, Middlesex.

Simona Armstrong was the fourth person to be rejected from How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria. Andrew Lloyd Webber said: "Simona, you're a great actress ... but Maria is the wrong role for you."

All was not lost, however, as Andrew Lloyd Webber invited Simona to audition for a different musical.

Simona Armstrong had two years of Romanian pop and classical vocal training at the Bucharest Academy before leaving to live in the UK. She is married to a personal trainer, Ian, who is Scottish.

At the time of How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria, Simona Armstrong was a receptionist, who had also acted. Simona Dumitrescu-Armstrong had a credit as Ivana in A Touch of Frost: Dancing in the Dark.

The Daily Record once had to issue an apology regarding Simona's visit to a pole dancing club.

In February 2008, it was revealed that Simona Armstrong singing Changes would be one of the six contestants for the UK's Eurovision entry.

Other entries included Rob McVeigh and Michelle Gayle.