Inside Sarah-Jane Honeywell’s life – CBeebies axe over topless pic to £100k debt

She first rose to fame as a CBeebies children presenter where she shared the screen with Mr Tumble star, Justin Fletcher.

Presenter Sarah-Jane Honeywell appeared on children’s shows such as Tikkabilla, Sing Sillaz and Might Mites. But her life changed forever in 2011 when she took part in a semi-nude campaign for PETS which saw her lying on a giant plate of food in Trafalgar Square.

The campaign shook the nation, which subsequently saw the kids’ TV host sacked from her job at the BBC. She was forced to carve out a new path for herself despite the many obstacles she faced along the way.

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But it’s fair to say Sarah-Jane has come out stronger each time. As the former children’s presenter celebrates her 50th birthday with a bang, Daily Star has taken a deep dive inside her life.

Let’s take a look…

Restrictive rules

The star first landed the role on the BBC show back in 2001, and while she loved working on the children’s show, she was surprised by the strict roles the cast were forced to follow.

Speaking on her CBeebies days, the presenter said she was “expected to be a saint” and claimed how stars were forbidden from saying anything crude and rude, even when the cameras were off and no children were around.

She also once angered TV bosses when she got a large fairy tattoo on her back, which she initially thought wouldn’t be an issue because her back wouldn’t be visible on camera. The TV star also said she struggled with some of her colleagues behind the scenes.

She even recalled one incident where a co-worker told her she looked “old and ugly” and that her hair was too long for the show. The starlet also revealed how many surprising fans of the show responded to her while she was out and about.

While working on the program, Sarah-Jane claimed that “Dad’s wanted pictures with my while mums scowled at me.” Despite her struggles on the show, the um-of-two worked at the company for 10 years before she was axed.

Topless campaign

The former presenter, 49, took part in a now infamous PETA photoshoot where she posed topless on a giant plate of food. But the daring shoot had a disastrous impact on her career with Sarah-Jane revealing that BBC bosses sacked her from her job without warning.

“I didn’t hear from colleagues about [the diet coke shoot]. I was invited to do a PETA photo as I’m vegan. It was a bra and pants shot.”

Sarah-Jane then explained how photographers asked if she could take her bra off because it would get more attention from the public. She confessed: “I thought it would be okay but it wasn’t. The Sun went to BBC for a comment and they said that I no longer work for them.”

The presenter went on to discuss how she spiralled in her 20s as she discussed her drug and alcohol use which resulted in her getting sacked. Sarah-Jane explained: “My ex said that I did drugs as well and then they took me off air.”

Broken friendships

Following her exit from the BBC, the star also lost many friends after her photoshoot was made public. But it’s fair to say the friendship she mourned the most was with her “best friend” Mr Tumble – played by Justin Fletcher.

Speaking about the fall-out, she said: “I called and left him a message but to this day he’s never responded. We were the best of mates, so that really hurt. I do understand it though, because as a children’s presenter he needs to protect this own image.”

In 2016, Sarah-Jane wrote a blog about losing her friendship with Justin, which read: “I regret losing my wonderful friendship with Justin. The day my picture went in the paper with the headline, ‘Cboobies’ I never heard from my lovely friend again.”

Crippling debt

In an interview with The Sun’s Fabulous magazine, the star revealed how she was left homeless, suicidal and £100,000 in debt after she was axed from kids’ TV.

She told the publication: “After that, all the doors were slammed in my face. I couldn’t get any auditions because people didn’t take me seriously and just passed me off as a children’s TV weirdo. Financially it was a disaster.

“We lost everything. As a result we were forced to live in the garage of my parents’ home for three years. As well as losing my job at CBeebies, I had also been through a breakup and it left my financial situation in ruins.”

Drug abuse

Following her exit from the BBC, the blonde bombshell landed a role in the West End production Cats: The Musical. It was at this point that she joined alcoholics anonymous and narcotics anonymous after her friends pleaded with her to get help on her birthday in 2001.

Previously, Sarah-Jane admitted to lying about ever taking illegal drugs when she was asked during a medical at the BBC. The star had previously dabbled with cocaine and pills but feared being honest would cost her the job.

She confessed: “It was my birthday and we were at a night club and it was just awful, and you realise the answer is not where you think it is. My friends told me I had everything and they asked me, ‘What are you doing?’”

The star detailed the tough journey to getting clean and how getting sober 21 years ago “changed her life” and quickly became the “best thing” she’s ever done.

Devastating miscarriage

The star suffered more devastating obstacles later in life after she suffered a miscarriage with her husband Ayden Callaghan. She explained that the event made her realise that she wanted a child with the Hollyoaks star.

The presenter also confessed that she “lost her mind” at the time because her husband was embroiled in a baby storyline on the soap at the time. Sarah-Jane explained: “I lost my mind a bit because he had a storyline with a child.

“I felt like I was getting back on track and it felt like I was losing everything again.” Luckily, the blonde bombshell fell pregnant again and the happy couple welcomed their son Phoenix, seven, because he “rose out of the ashes”.

They later welcomed their second child Indiana, five, just two years later.

New life

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Since then, the star has gone from strength to strength. In 2019, Sarah-Jane opened a theatre school in the heart of Lincoln in which she helps young people pursue their dreams with classes and shows.

Two years later, the presenter joined BBC Radio Lincolnshire and now host a weekly show every Sunday afternoon from 2pm to 6pm. Fans can expect to bop along to some of the biggest hits in the 80s and 90s as she discusses some of the biggest stories hitting the headlines each week.

Up until October last year, the broadcaster also presenter a Sunday breakfast show on the station. The presenter also worked as an additional puppeteer on the 2019 Netflix series, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk