Speakers

Janet Ellis is a presenter, writer and actress who will be forever associated with her four years on Blue Peter. Since then she has presented TV and Radio series on subjects as varied as cars, gardens and parenting, as well as establishing a reputation as an articulate broadcaster and commentator.

For over ten years she was a regular panellist on Channel 5’s The Wright Stuff as well as guest paper reviewer on Radio 4’s Broadcasting House. She has written and presented documentaries for Radio 4, including half hours on Mermaids, Alan Ahlberg, Genies, Jigsaws and Hula Hoops.

She presented the 64 part Great Garden Challenge for Channel 4, Open Air for BBC1, Housebusters for Channel 5, and has appeared as celebrity guest on many TV series notably Come Dine With Me (winner!), The Weakest Link (winner!), Masterchef, Million Dollar Drop and Family Fortunes (winners!). Janet currently presents a regular popular Podcast Twice Upon A Time where Janet invites a celebrity guest to chat about their favourite childhood book.

Janet trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama, working in rep at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and Manchester Royal Exchange, and last year starred in Hell’s Bells written by Lynn Truss and a big success at the 2012 Edinburgh Festival. TV and radio drama includes Dr Who (BBC), Jigsaw (BBC), The Sweeney (ITV), Hotel Babylon (BBC), Waking The Dead (BBC), Married (Radio 4), and Inspector Steine (Radio 4).

Janet writes regularly for various publications including Woman & Home magazine amongst others and has contributed to The Guardian, The Daily Mail, The Observer and The Times. She  has been a judge on the Costa Book Awards, the 2013 Independent Booksellers Awards and Sony Radio Awards, 2012 and 2013. Her charity work includes Maggie’s Centres (London patron), Wellbeing of Women and Refuge. She is on the Council of the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain and the Board of the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith.

Janet is an ambassador with Just You, the UK’s market-leading solo holiday operator, which will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025