Janet Ellis
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{{Infobox_Celebrity
| name = Janet Ellis
| image = Replace this image female.svg
| imagesize =
| caption =
| 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 (UK TV series)|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 (actor)|Peter Duncan]], [[Michael Sundin]], [[Mark Curry (television presenter)|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".<ref>[http://www.richardherring.com/warmingup/warmingup.php?id=385 Friday 5th December 2003 | Warming Up | RichardHerring.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
==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:
{{quote|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.|Janet Ellis, The Sunday Times (November 2004)}}
The programme's producer [[Biddy Baxter]] has also denied that Ellis left the programme because she was unmarried.<ref>Interview with Mark Lawson, BBC 4, 1 June 2007</ref>
On [[31 August]] [[2007]], Ellis was a special guest in an episode of the live television programme ''[[Doctor, Doctor (Five TV)|Doctor, Doctor]]'' broadcast on channel [[Five (channel)|Five]], in which she talked about her [[hypothyroidism]] with the presenter and [[general practitioner]], [[Mark Porter (doctor)|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:
{{quote|Whatever John and I might have decided, nature intervened and after that final, tenth miscarriage, I didn't fall pregnant again.|Janet Ellis, The Daily Mail (January 2008)}}
==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 (channel)|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 (UK game show)|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".<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/scoopcps/jttou/news/2007/01/03/39430.shtml BBC - Just The Two Of Us - Show Two Result<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
{{start box}}
{{succession box|
before= [[Sarah Greene]]|
title=''[[Blue Peter]]'' Presenter No. 13|
years=1983-87|
after= [[Yvette Fielding]]
}}
{{end box}}
{{BPpresenters}}
==Notes==
<references/>
== External links ==
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/classic/bluepeter/presenters/ellis.shtml Profile as a BBC presenter]
<!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] -->
{{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=
}}
[[Category:1955 births|Ellis, Janet]]
[[Category:Blue Peter presenters|Ellis Janet]]
[[Category:English television presenters|Ellis, Janet]]
[[Category:Living people|Ellis, Janet]]