Jennifer Ellison made her name as Emily Shadwick in television soap opera Brookside until 2003. After leaving she has moved between music, theatre and film, finding success in all.Her latest project sees her return to the theatre, after her hit role in Chicago, in the stage version of war of the Worlds in the role of Beth.I caught up with Jennifer to discuss her new project, her busy year and what lies ahead for her in 2009.

So what have you been up too since we last saw you in The Cottage earlier this year?

Oh let me think. I've shot my calendar and I have just shot an ITV drama called The Commander with Amanda Burton, I've also just been cast in War of the Worlds and I'm supposed to start rehearsing for panto at Christmas with Cilla Black and Les Dennis for the Capital of Culture for Liverpool.

You are going back into the theatre for War of the Worlds can you tell me a bit about the show and why you got involved in this production?

I kind of grown up listening to the War of the Worlds my dad was a big fan and always had it playing so I was actually really familiar with the soundtrack. I was then approached to audition so I auditioned and they sent me through some of the material I absolutely fell in love with it, it's just phenomenal it's amazing the amount that have been put into the show it's not just your typical stage show it's absolutely huge and spectacular.

Everyone knows the story from the recent Spielberg blockbuster film so how is that going to work on stage?

This show has been working a long time since the actual blockbuster, it's actually it's anniversary year, it's been a huge success, it continues to be an unbelievable success actually, so I think it's tried and tested to be honest.

You have done a lot of work in the theatre appearing in the likes of Chicago so how does it compare to working in television?

Well it's totally different with TV it can drag on and you don't know what you are going to get done in a day where as with theatre you are in at five o'clock and you are home at ten.

And the buzz that you actually get from performing live you can't get out of TV you never know what the audience is going to be like or how they are going to react sometimes they love you and other times they are a bit quite and it's that huge adrenaline kick from performing live.

You starred alongside Andy Serkis in the black comedy The Cottage what attracted you to the role of Tracey?

It was just the feistiness, she's the complete opposite to Beth in War of the Worlds, so as an actress you want to choose as many diverse roles as possible and I've been so fortunate to be able to do a wide selection of characters. She was so feisty, her language was foul, but when I read the script she had me in stitches and I just thought that she was a fantastic character.

This was your first British movie but you had made Phantom of the Opera, which was an American movie, how did the two filming experiences differ?

Well the first obvious thing is the budget, with Phantom we were filming in Pinewood Studios and we all had our own trailer and a $90 million budget. Whereas in The Cottage we were all herded off to the Isle of Man and we were all in one trailer together filming in a field working nights shoots, five o'clock in the morning til 9am, so it was totally different but both enjoyable.

We last saw you on a show Ghosthunting with Paul O'Grady and Friends how did that come about and how was it?

Well I have been on Paul's show quite a few times and he was approached by ITV to do this show and he wanted some people who he was friends with so he approached me, and it was something that has always fascinated me so I but his arm off to do it. But actually when I got there I drove everybody crazy because I'm a screamer when something scares me, and what people didn't realise was we were all sat in the dark in this haunted house in the middle of Sicily so you really do start to freak out.

Do you miss Brookside and being in a soap?

I miss the, in my industry you kind of do a job and then you finish it and all go your separate ways, I miss the familiness of it and going into work with the same people every single day and form a bond with them so I really miss that. However it's very hard work and long hours it was a big part of my life but I feel like I have done enough soap and I'm really excited to do War of the Worlds and other roles.

You have worked in theatre, television, film as well as music how do you find the transition between these four areas of the entertainment industry?

Well one of them you are a nightbird you are kind of out at night you become like a vampire and you sleep during the day. But with film and television you are up at five o'clock and four o'clock into hair and make-up and finished by seven so it's more of a body clock sort of thing.

Then there is the adrenaline of theatre you are there it's real and it's happening at that moment where it can take months or even years to see your film of TV show.

And finally what is next for you?

Next for me I start rehearsals for panto and then after panto i go straight into rehearsals for War of the Worlds, which I'm touring with next year, so I'm a pretty busy bunny.

Exclusive! Pre-sale of tickets for 'The War of The Worlds - Alive on Stage!' 2009 Tour starts September 30th, 2008 only at tickets.thewaroftheworlds.com

General sale starts October 3rd 2008.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw

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