Janet Ellis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Janet Ellis | |
| Born | April 9, 1955 (age 51) |
Janet Ellis (born September 16, 1955) is a television presenter and former actress, who appeared on BBC children's television during the 1980s. She is perhaps best remembered as a presenter on Blue Peter, a role she won after hosting the award-winning children's programme Jigsaw. She has three children, the singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor (27), Martha-Rose Ellis Leach (16) and Jackson Ellis Leach (19).
Her first television appearance was a bit part in The Sweeney. Her big break came in 1979, when she played Teka in the Doctor Who story The Horns of Nimon.
Contents |
[edit] Blue Peter Years
Ellis joined Blue Peter on April 28, 1983, and during her four-year stint, co-presented with Simon Groom, Sarah Greene, Peter Duncan, Michael Sundin, Mark Curry and Caron Keating. She immediately become a hit with the teen and pre-teen viewership.
[edit] Popularity
During her tenure on Jigsaw and Blue Peter, Ellis was particularly popular with male viewers, due to a combination of easy charm, good looks, and a busty figure. She is regularly cited by viewers as the most attractive childrens TV presenter of her era. Comedian Richard Herring sums up his thoughts on her popularity amongst the (now older) teen male demographic:
| “ | Funnily enough, as a young man, I was a big fan of Sophie's mum, Janet Ellis. I particularly liked her in the show Jigsaw and have especially fond memories of when they were doing a show based on the letter 'O' and Janet was playing Nell Gwyne ('o' for oranges, you see). Many men of my age have very similar memories of the awakening of their sexual desire thanks to the rather low cut dress that Janet Ellis was wearing. For us the 'o' stood for 'oh my God'. | ” |
[edit] Pregnancy
When Ellis left Blue Peter on June 20, 1987 to have her second child, there were rumours she had been sacked because she wasn't married to the father:
| “ | Nobody was thinking it was a scandal that I hadn’t married. In fact I announced my pregnancy in January and carried on presenting Blue Peter — with an ever-widening girth — until June. The bump was clear for everyone to see. It’s just a shame that the myth has been perpetuated for so long. | ” |
(Sunday Times, November 2004)
Also, contrary to popular public belief, the child in question was not her pop singer daughter Sophie Ellis-Bextor, who was born eight years earlier and had appeared with her mother on the show.
[edit] Later years
Ellis went on to present Open Air for the BBC, and has since presented a huge range of programmes on topics such as gardens, cars, holidays, cookery and childcare. She is a frequent contributor to children's charity Scene & Heard.
She is the author of How To Get Married Without Divorcing Your Family with Caron Keating, and currently (as of 2005) presents The Great Garden Challenge for Channel 4. She is also a regular panelist on five's The Wright Stuff.
[edit] Just The Two Of Us
In January 2007 Ellis appeared on the BBC reality singing show Just The Two Of Us partnered with Alexander O'Neal. Despite being 'saved' by Stewart Copeland on the previous night, she left the show in acrimony on 4th January 2007, following a controversial judges decision. She was described by judge CeCe Sammy, some have said unfairly, as having the vocal characteristics of a "Cat on speed". Ellis managed to show good humour in the face of the defeat, stating:
| “ | I've had fun, a lot of fun. | ” |
| Preceded by Sarah Greene |
Blue Peter Presenter No. 13 1983-87 |
Succeeded by Yvette Fielding |
