I don't know if I'd do nudity - I'd have to look at the role first, but maybe I would 
How’s the acting going at the moment?
I’ve got three films starting in the next year. I’ll be starring in a West End play in January and maybe another musical. I’m quite busy, which is good, but it’s mental.
Which do you prefer – film acting, stage acting or movie acting?
People always ask me this. I just like to be acting. I love it! It’s good to be on a stage because you get an instant reaction. TV is a lot more intense. But I do love all types of acting.
What would be your dream role?
I absolutely love Julia Robertsin Pretty Woman. That is my all-time favourite role. I like how lighthearted it is; I’d like to do more things like that.
How about an action film, where you’re head-butting people?
Oh, I’d love to do an action film. To do some kickboxing or taekwondo – that would be amazing!
How about your dream roll – what’s the thing in a sandwich you could never get tired of?
Oh, God. I’m dead boring with sandwiches. It’s embarrassing. I don’t like butter and I’m so picky and fussy. I love cheese and ham with salt-and-vinegar crisps in a sandwich. It’s all I’ll eat. Terrible.
Speaking of food, do you still see Gordon Ramsay? Does he scare you as much as he scares us?
Yeah, I still speak to Gordon and his wife, Tanya. He doesn’t really scare me that much now, butI suppose it’s because I see him socially. He’s the loveliest man. I went to Dubai recently, and we went to Gordon’s restaurant. He was over there and I didn’t know. I’m sat there having my dinner and all I hear is someone shouting, ‘Ellison!’ and it’s Gordon. He’s just ridden into the restaurant on his bike, lifted me up and just drove me around. He’s brilliant.
Why was the second Hell’s Kitchen so shit?
Well, obviously, not having Gordon – but also because they didn’t have celebrities in there. I think everyone likes to see celebrities mess things up, because they see them and sort of know them. It didn’t really work with the public. A:Is it right that you’ve been offered a lucrative book deal? A:Yeah, I’ve been offered one, but I’m still young. I’d like to live my life so I’ve actually got stories. I’ve done a lot for a young girl, but there’s so much more I want to do.
Do you think your book will have as good a title as Lee Sharpe’s My Idea of Fun?
Well, I don’t know about that.
Have you had any ideas for a title?
I’ve got a few ideas I don’t know if I can tell you. It’ll be something to do with where I’ve come from and where I’m going.
You broke your collarbone recently – was it in a fight?
God, that was so funny. I’d been to Stringfellows with Michelle Heaton and Andy Scott Lee and loads of our friends were there drinking champagne. We went back to the hotel and outside there were these massive pillars and I was drunk so I started swinging round one. But my arm didn’t fit around it and I fell off.
What did the others do?
The funny thing was I knew I’d broken something straight away, but no one believed me – I think because we’d all had a few. I was like, ‘It’s definitely broken,’ and they were all like, ‘Don’t be silly, no it’s not.’ So that was a lot of help!
And you had an allergic reaction to body-paint on a photoshoot. Why were you eating paint?
I was doing a magazine shoot and they covered me in gold body-paint. I had a reaction to the lead or something, but that was a load of rubbish in the papers when they said that I was rushed to hospital. I just had red spots and it was a bit itchy.
Does the press still get to you?
I’ve got to a stage now when I don’t let it bother me. When they write good things it’s nice, but if it’s bad you just ignore it. There’s nothing you can do about it.
What’s the lie about you that just won’t go away?
There’s nothing, really. There were a few really annoying things at the beginning but it’s all calmed down.
Do you ever Google yourself?
I have done once. There was this psychotic fan guy on the internet and his site got shut down, so I was checking it wasn’t still there. It’s quite silly to Google yourself, I suppose, but I haven’t done it in a while – I haven’t had the time.
Do you still live in Liverpool?
Yeah, well, just outside – I live in Cheshire now. I don’t think I could ever leave the area unless it was for work.
What does ‘la’ mean?
La?
Yeah, you know – as in ‘What does “la” mean, la’?
It’s just something little scallies say after everything, isn’t it? Doesn’t mean anything.
What’s the weirdest Liverpudlianism you’ve heard?
‘Kidda’ is a strange one. It’s always ‘la’ and ‘kidda’.
What would you do to make it in Hollywood?
I don’t know if I’d do nudity because it comes back to haunt you. I was watching something about Catherine Zeta-Jones the other day, and they were showing an old film she did when she was younger and she was naked in it. But then look at Sharon Stone – it worked for her, so you never know. I’d have to look at the role first, but maybe I would.
Would you be prepared to be the girl on the arm of a closeted actor to help him quash gay rumours?
No, I could never do that.
Do you miss Brookside? We miss Sinbad.
It was really a shock at first, because it’s like a family of people, with make-up and the cameramen and everything. And the security of it is good, but I wanted to do new things. I really want to do movies, but who knows? Maybe one day I’ll be back on a soap and people can see me almost every night.
MORE MAXIM GIRLS
Bookmark this post with: