Jennifer Ellison

Jennifer Ellison
Born	(1983-05-30) May 30, 1983 Liverpool, England
Occupation(s)	Actress, Singer, Model

Jennifer Ellison (born May 30, 1983) is an English actress, glamour model, television personality, dancer and sometime singer. Ellison, who was born in Liverpool, is perhaps best known for playing Emily Shadwick in the television soap opera Brookside until 2003, though since then her regular photoshoots in men's magazines have kept her in the public eye. She is renowned for having a large bust and has recently made cameo appearances in a few television shows.

Career

Acting

Ellison's acting career started in 1998 with her role as Emily Shadwick O'Leary on the British soap opera, Brookside. Her stay in Brookside ended in 2003. The same year Ellison ventured into film, where she played Meg Giry, Christine Daae's friend and Madame Giry's daughter, in Joel Schumacher's adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera. Ellison has also recently appeared in an episode of the ITV legal drama The Brief.

In 2007, Ellison has appeared in episodes of the British television shows New Street Law and Hotel Babylon and has begun work on the British film The Be All And End All opposite John Thompson and Liza Tarbuck.

It was announced in 2005, that Ellison was to act in the lead role in the horror film "The Cottage", Ellison was also cast as Cleopatra in a contemporary film version of the Caesar and Cleopatra story.

Modelling and magazine appearances

Ellison is currently featured in Maxim magazine's Girls of Maxim gallery. She has appeared regularly in almost all of the mainstream British "lads' magazines" over the last five years, though her first appearance was in 1999 in a sexually suggestive shoot for FHM at the age of only 16, under the heading "Jailbait". Recently, Ellison took over a contract with lingerie giant Ultimo for its "Young Attitude" line from fellow model Jordan barely two months after she had been signed on. Though Ultimo boss Michelle More had chosen Jordan for being "sexy, fun and outgoing," she later changed her mind, stating, "Jordan was just the wrong choice for [us]. Jennifer is a far better option and far classier." In 2005 Ellison was voted "world's sexiest blonde" by readers of the UK magazine, Nuts, beating model Victoria Silvstedt, who came second, and pop superstar Britney Spears, who was voted third. Ellison is also a regular in the yearly FHM "100 Sexiest Women in the World" feature. She first appeared in 2003 at number 50, then at number 40 in 2004, and by 2005 she was at number 23. In FHM's current 2006 poll, Ellison is 31

Dance

Since the age of three years old, Ellison has trained as a dancer. She started off at a dance school in Liverpool, but then moved to a dance school in St.Helens, Elizabeth Hill School Of Dance And Drama. Her achievements in the field included world titles as well as winning the National Ballet and Modern Dance Championships two years running in 1996 and 1997. She also trained with the Royal Ballet School until she was sixteen.

Theatre

Ellison had a run in the London West End theatre version of the musical Chicago, and returned from 10 July to 9 August, 2006 playing the leading role of Roxie Hart. Ellison was actually supposed to finish on 12 August, but was forced to pull out three days early due to a knee injury. Ellison will be touring the UK in Chicago from 25 September, 2006 until 5 May, 2007, appearing in Birmingham, Manchester, Sunderland, Nottingham, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent and Liverpool Ellison is currently starring as Roxie Hart in the hit musical Chicago which started touring the UK in October 2006 and finishes February 2007.

She will also soon appear in the west end play Marlon Brando's corset.

Music

Ellison has also flirted with a pop rock[1] career. Her first single was Baby I Don't Care, released in June 2003, which reached number six in the charts. The song was originally released by Transvision Vamp in 1989. The following year in July, after being brought back into the public eye after winning Hell's Kitchen, Ellison released her second single, Bye Bye Boy, which reached number 13 in the UK charts. Her debut album rumoured to be called 'Silent Footsteps' was shelved but a sampler featuring 6 full tracks, 2 snippets and 2 remixes can be found on eBay from time to time.

Television

In 2004 Ellison appeared on the reality television show Hell's Kitchen, which she went on to win. In 2005 she appeared on the celebrity challenge show With a little help from my friends.

In spring 2007 Ellison appeared in the BBC reality TV show The Verdict, based on a fictional courtroom, alongside the likes of Jeffrey Archer and Sara Payne.

Ellison played the self styled character of Carrie Cottan in an episode of the BBC's Hotel Babylon which aired March 2007

Trivia

• Ellison is a fan of Everton Football Club, although she was once the girlfriend of Liverpool player Steven Gerrard.
• The question of whether or not her breasts (size 32DD) are real or as a result of plastic surgery is often the subject of much press speculation. Ellison herself strenuously denies that she ever got implants, giving as evidence the facts that since she grew up on camera (having been a member of the cast of Brookside since she was a pre-teen), and that any sudden increase (as would have been the result of surgery) could easily be detected. In addition, she was formerly a dancer, and when she stopped dancing she subsequently put weight on all over her body, resulting in her now-curvy figure.
• In 2005 she guest presented the children's programme Ministry Of Mayhem.
• Welsh singer Charlotte Church recently rubbished the idea that Jennifer Ellison is "curvy". She said: "Jennifer Ellison is like a size fucking six - she's not curvy... curvy's when you've got a bit of weight all over, instead of having heavy tits."
• Released her own fitness DVD Jennifer Ellison's West end workout in December 2006.

Discography

Singles

Year	Song	United Kingdom
2003	"Baby I Don't Care"	6
2004	"Bye Bye Boy"	13