‘We were the best of mates so it really hurt’: Axed CBeebies star Sarah-Jane Honeywell reveals she was frozen out by Mr Tumble after THAT topless shoot left her suicidal and bankrupt
- The former TV host, 47, shot to fame in 2002 on shows such as Higgledy House and Mighty Mites, alongside Justin Fletcher, 50 – also known as Mr Tumble
- Her career went down in flames when she posed for raunchy photos for PETA in 2011, and was quickly dropped by the BBC
- It was then that Mr Tumble shut down their friendship, with a swift cut-off
- If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org
Axed CBeebies star Sarah-Jane Honeywell revealed she was frozen out by her ‘best friend’ Mr Tumble after she was fired from the show for a topless shoot.
The former TV host, 47, shot to fame in 2002 on shows such as Higgledy House and Mighty Mites, alongside Justin Fletcher, 50 – also known as Mr Tumble – however her career went down in flames when she posed for raunchy photos in 2011.
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 his own image.’
It’s all over now: Axed CBeebies star Sarah-Jane Honeywell revealed she was frozen out by her ‘best friend’ Mr Tumble after she was fired from the show for a topless shoot
Sarah-Jane enjoyed huge fame on the kids’ TV circuit in the various BBC shows, however her ill-fated career hit a speedbump when she posed for PETA during a break from her presenting duties in 2011.
After posing topless on a huge plate of food in London’s Trafalgar Square to oppose eating meat, she was met with rage from bosses and was dropped from the channel.
Sarah-Jane admitted she only agreed to do the shoot for a ‘bit of fun’ and wasn’t paid for her involvement, but still faced backlash from BBC bosses.
The star also posed for a shoot in a skimpy vest pouring Diet Coke all over her breasts, and when the images came to light she learned she’d been sacked.
Trouble: Sarah-Jane’s controversial topless shoot for PETA in 2011, is pictured. The shoot was thought to have enraged BBC bosses, who then dropped her from CBeebies
Infuriating: The star also posed for a shoot in a skimpy vest pouring Diet Coke all over her breasts, and when the images came to light she learned she’d been sacked
She told The Sun: ‘The BBC was asked to comment, and they simply said I no longer worked for them. That was how I found out. There was never a phone call or a single conversation with my bosses – despite me having worked there for 10 years’.
In 2016, Sarah-Jane wrote a blog about losing her friendship with Justin, penning: ‘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.’
Justin has long been the channel’s hottest property and is said to earn six figure sums from the lucrative live shows that he once put on.
He continues to appear on the series Something Special, which has been praised for its use of Makaton sign language and being aimed at children with special needs or those that struggle to communicate.
Justin began presenting on BBC and later CBeebies in 1999, after landing his first big hosting job on ITV’s Fun Song Factory in 1998.
Hurtful: 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 his own image’
Sarah-Jane said that she understands why their friendship had to end, saying: ‘He had a very important, brilliant brand to protect. For the sake of children’s joy everywhere, I’m glad he chose them over me…
‘Justin loves the kids and he is passionate about entertaining them and that’s why I do love him. I actually feel quite emotional writing this and I think it’s the first time I’ve truly admitted to myself that, I miss my old mucker.’
The star admitted that after her sacking she was bombarded with online abuse criticising her behaviour, and she faced yet more criticism after speaking about taking cocaine in her youth.
In a 2013 interview she told The Sun: ‘When I did my first line of cocaine, it felt like nothing. It was less mind-altering than alcohol. I started to think, ”I don’t get what the big deal is”. But what I didn’t realise is that cocaine is a slow burner.
‘That’s what is dangerous and what we forget to tell people. Over the first year of me doing it, it got worse and worse.
‘Cocaine psychosis had started to come into my life. I became paranoid because I thought people were following me. I was very thin. My friend and I realised one of us was going to die or go crazy.’
Happier times: 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 his own image’
After the demise of their friendship and the loss of her job, it was then that Sarah-Jane’s life began to spiral, as she racked up £100,000 worth of credit card debt and became suicidal due to her lack of work.
After reflecting on ending her life, she was pulled back from the brink by her Hollyoaks star husband Ayden Callaghan, with whom she has son Phoenix, five, and Indiana, three. The family live together in Lincoln.
In 2016 she reflected on her battles with drugs and alcohol in an Instagram post to mark her 44th birthday.
Sarah-Jane, who was pregnant with her second child at the time, wrote: ‘Today I’m 44 years old – yes old, not young and I’m also proud to be 16 years #cleanandsober – my little boy Phoenix, my little boy bump and my husband @aydencallaghan are the best gifts a girl could ever wish for on her birthday – I am truly blessed!
‘I’m proud to be old and thrilled I’m an old mum – apart from 2 well documented years of ‘extreme partying’ on that awful drug cocaine, I’ve lived a clean and sober life for 16 years now.
‘I may not be working on kids TV anymore because I admitted to my past mistakes in the hope of helping the future generations that watched me on TV but that’s ok,I did it to help others not me.
‘We are all addicts but be addicted to something wonderful like family not something toxic like alcohol or drugs! Living a clean life has blessed me in the future.
‘By keeping completely away from drugs and drink for 16 years now I have kept super healthy so I could start a family in my 40’s – being a mum is the best thing I have ever done. It’s who I am. It’s the best drug in the world. #dreamscancometrue.’
Sarah-Jane was previously candid and honest about experiencing a miscarriage in their first pregnancy. Ayden asked Hollyoaks bosses to remove a stillbirth storyline on the show due his personal experiences.
Reflecting on the loss of her first child, Sarah-Jane said that the work opportunity came up for Ayden when they had ‘just started to feel OK about [their own loss]’.
If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org
Sweet: After reflecting on ending her life, she was pulled back from the brink by her Hollyoaks star husband Ayden Callaghan, with whom she has son Phoenix, five, and Indiana, three. The family live together in Lincoln (Ayden, pictured in 2015)
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