Janet Ellis

Janet Michell Ellis (born 16 September 1955) is an English television presenter, actress and writer, best known for presenting the BBC children's television programmes Blue Peter and Jigsaw between 1979 and 1987. In 2016 she will publish her first novel, The Butcher's Hook. She is the mother of the singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, the drummer (and former child actor) Jackson Ellis-Leach and art historian Martha Ellis-Leach.

Early life

Ellis was born in Chatham, Kent. Her father was a soldier, stationed during her childhood at various places in Britain and Germany. Accordingly, she attended seven schools in the two countries, including Russell House School between the ages of five and seven, and St Hilary's between the ages of 11 and 13 (both in Sevenoaks, Kent), and from the ages of 13 to 17 her last school was Richmond County School for Girls in Surrey. Having expressed an interest in acting since the age of five, she applied to and was accepted by the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She spent the year gaining experience of the acting world by working backstage at the Comedy Theatre in central London and as an assistant stage manager at the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond.