Janet Ellis

Infobox_Celebrity
name = Janet Ellis

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imagesize =
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birth_date = birth date and age|1955|9|16|df=y
birth_place = Kent, England
death_date =
death_place =
occupation = TV presenter and actress
salary =
known_for = Blue Peter presenter
children = 3
relatives = Sophie Ellis-Bextor (daughter)
networth =
website =

Janet Ellis (born 16 September 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 (born 1979), Jackson Ellis Leach (born 1987) and Martha-Rose Ellis Leach (born 1991).

Early life

Ellis was educated at Richmond County School for Girls.fact|date=March 2008 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".

Blue Peter years

Ellis joined "Blue Peter" on 28 April 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.

During her tenure on Jigsaw and Blue Peter, Ellis was particularly popular with male viewers, She is regularly cited by viewers as the most attractive children's TV presenter of her era.Fact|date=September 2007 Referring to an episode of "Jigsaw", comedian Richard Herring observes that "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". [ [http://www.richardherring.com/warmingup/warmingup.php?id=385 Friday 5th December 2003 | Warming Up | RichardHerring.com ] ]

Personal life

When Ellis left "Blue Peter" on 20 June 1987 to have her second child, Jackson, there were rumours that she had been sacked because she wasn't married to the father:

The programme's producer Biddy Baxter has also denied that Ellis left the programme because she was unmarried. [Interview with Mark Lawson, BBC 4, 1 June 2007]

On 31 August 2007, Ellis was a special guest in an episode of the live television programme "Doctor, Doctor" broadcast on channel Five, in which she talked about her hypothyroidism with the presenter and general practitioner, Mark Porter. On live television Ellis explained that she suffered loss of energy and was not feeling right, and that she eventually had medical tests because she had several miscarriages whilst trying for a fourth child. She reported that the tests unexpectedly diagnosed hypothyroidism and so she was started on thyroxine tablets, which made her feel a lot better after a few days. Ellis said that it was not until she was well that she realised retrospectively how ill she had been.

It was revealed that Ellis had a total of ten miscarriages:

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 presented the 2005 series of "The Great Garden Challenge" for Channel 4. She is also a regular panelist on Five's "The Wright Stuff".

In May 2008 she appeared [http://www.fabulousmag.co.uk/celebs/celebs_naked_02_issue_007.php naked] in a magazine in support of PETA and in June of the same year she won "The Weakest Link" "Blue Peter" celebrity special.

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, after judge CeCe Sammy described her as having the vocal characteristics of "a cat on speed". Ellis managed to show good humour in the face of the defeat, stating that she had had "fun, a lot of fun". [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/scoopcps/jttou/news/2007/01/03/39430.shtml BBC - Just The Two Of Us - Show Two Result ] ]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/classic/bluepeter/presenters/ellis.shtml Profile as a BBC presenter]

Persondata
NAME= Ellis, Janet
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= TV presenter and actress
DATE OF BIRTH= 16 September 1955
PLACE OF BIRTH= Kent, England
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=