00:00So, after ten years away from our screens, Jennifer Ellison is making her return to TV as an estranged mom.
00:07Mmm, well you remember the former Brookside star, of course, very well.
00:11She's now joining the cast of the series Go Ed, where she plays, as you said, an estranged mom to
00:16a working-class Liverpudlian teenager.
00:18Let's take a look.
00:19Your aunt said we called.
00:21Told us about your dad's MS, and how it's been getting worse.
00:25And I had to look after them all by yourself.
00:27Something just hit me, how family is family, and how the past doesn't really matter when something like this happens.
00:35Look, I can't go back and change what's happened between us, but I can be here now to help.
00:42If you'll let me.
00:49Brilliant. Jennifer Ellison joins us now. Hello.
00:52Hi.
00:52It's so good to see you.
00:54Oh, thank you for having me.
00:56Oh, how does it feel then? Because you've been away off our screens, I think, for, what, a decade, would
01:01that be like?
01:02Acting, yeah.
01:03Yeah.
01:03I've done a little bit of reality TV, but actually doing what kind of started, which was acting, yeah, ten
01:09years.
01:10And what made you come back?
01:13Just the timing felt really right.
01:16Obviously, I've had three boys, set up my own business, and, you know, it was kind of, like, it wasn't
01:23the easiest thing to do, go back into my career when I was bringing up three little boys.
01:27But they're older now, and my eldest had just finished school, and Go Ed came along, and it's something that
01:33I've loved.
01:34So, it just felt really right.
01:36I'm so pleased you said that, because I've been dreading having to try and pronounce this properly.
01:41ITV 2, a new series, Go Ed.
01:43Go Ed.
01:44And what does it mean?
01:45It's a scouse term, that's kind of like, Go Ed, it's great.
01:49Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:51It's series three, isn't it?
01:53It is, yeah.
01:53Tell us a bit about the premise of the storyline, and what your character is, and what the show's about
01:58for people.
01:58So, basically, lots of people, kind of, when anyone talks about it, they kind of say it's like a scouse
02:03in between.
02:04So, it's kind of extremely funny.
02:06It's double BAFTA nominated.
02:08It's been extremely successful, and it's really following this group of teenagers, and we've watched them.
02:15We're now in series three, so they've become, like, from 16 to 21 now.
02:18And it's just, they're so funny, and the heart, and what they get up to.
02:23It's quite rude.
02:25You're selling it.
02:26Yes.
02:27Your daughter's Amy.
02:29My daughter's Amy.
02:29But you are estranged.
02:31We are.
02:31Which is why you've not been in the first two series.
02:34And I'm back.
02:35And why were you estranged?
02:37What happened?
02:38Well, we go into that in the show, and we kind of cause it, like, a fracture between her relationship
02:44with the dad,
02:45which the viewers have grown to really love.
02:47And that's, like, a really strong bond.
02:49So, they don't know whether I'm back for good intentions and good reasons,
02:53or whether there's something else behind it.
02:55And, Jennifer, you, in that, in this period of time, you've had a successful sort of dance and drama school,
03:01haven't you?
03:01Is that right?
03:02You did that.
03:03I have, yes.
03:03I remember watching you.
03:04The last thing I remember you on on my television, actually, was doing the dancing, the Dirty Dancing reality show,
03:11because you're such a great dancer and everything.
03:13But your personal life has been turbulent, as well, you've had three beautiful boys,
03:17but you have had a lot of turbulence in your private life.
03:19Has that also been, sort of, in a way, the reason why you've kept, in a way, a low profile?
03:25Because I suppose, as a mum, you want to protect your kids from all of that.
03:28And being out and around in the public, paparazzi and so on, would have brought so much attention on them
03:34at a very difficult time.
03:35Yeah, and I think what it was, was confidence, self-confidence, having the boys, they came first.
03:43And for a long time ago, I gained a lot of weight, I kind of wasn't looking after myself, put
03:48myself first.
03:49Did you say you had a sugar addiction?
03:50I did.
03:51Well, I didn't realise until I actually worked out how many cans of Coke I was drinking a day and
03:56stuff like that.
03:57So, it was just kind of, I know it sounds really silly, but it was kind of energy.
04:02So, it was like getting through the day, having a, sort of, not eating, but just drinking a lot of
04:06drink.
04:06Just drinking a lot of drinks, yeah.
04:08And by the time someone actually put in front of me, like, a mound of sugar of what I was
04:13drinking.
04:13We had Paul Gaskell on last week, and he was drinking 35 Red Bulls a day.
04:19Now, you weren't anywhere near that, were you?
04:20No.
04:21I don't know how I've got any teeth left, like.
04:24But, yeah, 35 Red Bulls!
04:2635 Red Bulls a day!
04:27It took him six weeks of detox.
04:29Wow.
04:30People don't realise how addictive it is.
04:32I know.
04:32And that's the thing, and there's not much education around it, and there's not much,
04:36kinds of people aren't aware of how addictive it can be.
04:38I think of the food rather than the drinks, don't you?
04:40Yeah.
04:41How old are your boys, and do you let them watch the show go in?
04:43No.
04:44Oh, it's a bit rude for them, is it?
04:45They can see my clips, yeah.
04:47They can see my little bits.
04:48But not the whole show.
04:49Not the whole show.
04:50Well, I'm sure they're incredibly proud to see Mum back on TV in a way that we all remember you
04:54from Brookside days,
04:55and I'm sure you're going to be an absolute success in it.
04:58Oh, thank you.
04:59Yeah, good to see you.
04:59Thank you very much.
05:00Go ahead, ITV2.
05:02Go ahead.
05:02Go ahead.
05:03It's on Monday night at half past ten.
05:05Brilliant.
05:06Monday night.
05:06Wonderful stuff.
05:06Good night to hear.
05:07Yeah, good to see you.
05:0818 minutes past nine, time for the competition, £8,000 a month into your bank account for 12 months, an
05:15entire year.
05:16That is what Andy is peddling on the coast of Portugal.
