Actress Jennifer Ellison has revealed the emotional toll of cruel comments about her post-baby weight, recalling a headline that branded her 'Hippopotamum' after she gave birth to son Bobby. The former Brookside star, now 29, weighed 13 stone and was a size 18 before losing five stone following her appearance on Dancing on Ice.
Ellison, who now wears a size 8 and weighs 8 stone, said the hurtful jibe haunted her despite her transformation. 'I will never forget this one picture of me out with Bobby and the headline was “Hippopotamum”. It was such a cruel thing to say when I was just enjoying being a new mum,' she told the press.
The turning point came when she struggled to land acting roles due to her weight. 'I was told at auditions that I needed to lose weight if I wanted to get work. It was upsetting and hurtful. But then Dancing on Ice came along and that was the incentive I needed,' she explained.
Now starring in a UK tour of Legally Blonde The Musical, Ellison maintains her figure through interval training, squats, lunges, and 50 stomach crunches daily. She also avoids carbohydrates after 6pm and eats regularly throughout the day. 'My trainer totally re-educated my brain. Starving yourself doesn’t make you toned or healthy,' she said.
Despite her success, Ellison admits her body has changed since childbirth. 'My hips are wider and I’m more curvy than I used to be. My boobs went up to a double J when I was breast-feeding. They went back to a D, but they aren’t what they were. At least they are not down by my knees,' she joked.
Proud of her post-baby body, Ellison said she never imagined she would wear a bikini again. 'After having a baby I never thought I would feel confident again about my body. I do feel proud of my body now in a way that I have never done before,' she added.
