Wanda Opalinska is an English-Polish actress, known for playing the part of Polish immigrant and Underworld factory worker Wiki Dankowska in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street. Opalinska went to drama school before studying English at the University of Birmingham from 1988 to 1991. She then qualified as an English teacher and taught in South London. She was a teacher of English and Drama at St Thomas More R.C. Secondary School, (Sloane Square, London), before leaving to further her teaching career at Whitgift School (South Croydon). There she was appointed first House Mistress (Ellis's) in the schools 400-year history. During her time at Whitgift her critique of George Orwell's Animal Farm was published by Longman as part of their acclaimed York Notes series.
