Are You Michelle from Skins?

A little different format this week! Jamie and I answer your questions and let you know what's happening next. We actually had mega amounts of fun recording this is I hope you like it too! Thank you so, so much for listening to series 2, we can’t wait to have you back for series 3. All my love, April x

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This week my guest is the beautiful Molly Rainford! Molly was thrust into the spotlight at the age of 11 when she got to the final of Britains got Talent. I was so interested to speak to someone that experienced that overnight fame at such a young age, and how one grapples with the industry thereafter. Did she have a support network? Who was making the decisions for her? And how to you live you forge a career in the public eye when you’re still at school and have your education to finish? We speak about all this, and about how Molly is now turning her hand to acting in the brilliant CBBC series Nova Jones.

We also ask YOU for your contributions to the final episode…can’t wait!

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John Owen-Jones is here… insiiiiiide your mind…! Little Phantom of the Opera reference there for you theatre heads who might already know that John Owen-Jones was the longest running Phantom on London's West End and has also played Jean Valjean in Les Misérables just shy of 2000 times! I therefore think he is the perfect guest to explore just what embodying a character for so many years feels like for the man behind the mask. We speak about the time we were both in Les Misérables together (when I was just 10!), John’s move into music and podcasting, and he also turns the tables and questions me about the time I was fired on the spot for not breaking a nudity clause in my contract. At the end of the day you’re another day older! 

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Nikki Blonsky are you Tracy Turnblad from Hairspray?! I couldn’t believe it when Nikki said yes to this interview; not only was she so iconic in this role, and played it so brilliantly, but the similarities to my experience are remarkable. We were both 17 when we got our first big role and were suddenly thrust into the spotlight and we talk about how we’ve found matching that role since. However we also spoke about the differences; Tracy Turnblad was so well received and held in such high esteem as an inspirational character, whereas Michelle saw at least 10 years of viewers despising the character. We discuss how this has affected the both of us, how Nikki sees herself now, and just how much John Travolta means to her. 

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My guest this week is classic Skins alumni from series 1 - Siwan Morris! Siwan played Angie the teacher who had an affair with one of the students. It was so interesting catching up with Siwan, not least because I hadn’t heard her lovely voice in over 15 years, but to hear her experiences of being a 32 year old woman filming the same risqué scenes we as 17 year olds had to. And in her case - full frontal nudity. Did she feel empowered? Did she a feel a little unsafe like we did? Or did she feel old enough and equipped to deal with with the filming process and what followed thereafter? It was fascinating chatting to Siwan being the same age as she was when she filmed Skins. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed the nostalgia factor of it! 

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My guest this week is Jade Ewen; you might know her best as the sixth member of Sugababes, but she has many guises and is also known as one of the UK’s most successful Eurovision contestants, Princess Jasmine on the West End and most recently none other than Mariah Carey in Netflix’s Luis Miguel. We chat about her many breaks and unknowns including being flown out to LA without being told she was about to join the Sugababes, and starting filming Luis Miguel without being told she was playing Mariah Carey(!) But what resonated most from her tales of a life in showbiz is just what a lovely person Jade clearly is. Acting as caregiver to her registered blind parents from a child, her warmth, positive outlook and openness really made this one of the most lovely conversations I’ve had.

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WE’RE BACK!! And with an episode that shows EXACTLY why I created this podcast. I was thrilled when Shenae agreed to speak to me (having been the biggest 90210 fan) and even more so when her kind words about Are You Michelle from Skins? helped me understand the reason why I’m doing this, and made me cry. So many of Shenae’s experiences during, and after 90210 resonated hard with me and we both feel so thankful to have since created our own spaces to share our actual lived experience. Shenae speaks about difficult relations on set, getting chased in her car at 18, and how her trauma of those times are playing out now. I’m so blown away by Shenae’s story and so thankful to her for sharing. 

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Hello and welcome to THE SECOND SERIES of Are you Michelle from Skins? with me, April Pearson. And yes, I played Michelle in E4’s iconic teen drama, Skins. This show is helping me work through the highs and lows of being associated with something so memorable by talking to other creatives who are also known for that one seminal moment in their career. I'm speaking to boyband members, soap stars, and other Skins cast members about how that one iconic role has impacted their life and career going forwards. Ever wondered what it’s like being that person from…..? Well sit back, and let’s find out together. 

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This week I welcome my friend Mickey Sumner onto the podcast. We met when we were both working on the film “Caught” and have remained friends ever since. Mickey has recently published an essay in Romper where she discusses mothering her son with disabilities and her experiences with postpartum anxiety. It's raw, brave and honest and I urge you all go and read it here: https://www.romper.com/parenting/what-i-know. In this episode Mickey speaks about what fame and success mean to her, how that has been shaped by having traditionally ’successful’ parents in Sting and Trudie Styler, and how motherhood has since flipped those notions on their head. 

We are so happy to announce Clairol Natural instincts are sponsoring this series of Are You Michelle From Skins? Natural Instincts is a semi-permanent conditioning colour which gives rich colour, shine and blends aways greys in 20 minutes. Find your perfect shade and more at clairol.com 

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Antony Costa... who knew the legendary Blue star also moonlights as a therapist? We had SUCH a lovely chat which culminated in the most helpful therapy session for me! Antony shared how his time in naughties pop sensation Blue so precedes him that he often forgets his own surname, which makes him the perfect guest for Are You Michelle from Skins? We also spoke about life since Blue, musical theatre, how important it is to put the hard work in and how ultimately, we all need to be a little more AFB (Antony From Blue). ALL RISE for AFB! 

We are so happy to announce Clairol Natural instincts are sponsoring this series of Are You Michelle From Skins? Natural Instincts is a semi-permanent conditioning colour which gives rich colour, shine and blends aways greys in 20 minutes. Find your perfect shade and more at clairol.com 

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