At a curvy size 10, Jennifer Metcalfe used to have a figure most women would be delighted with. But the Hollyoaks star shocked her fans last week when she revealed she’d had liposuction on her bottom and thighs earlier this month – taking her to a size 6-8.
Jennifer, who’s said: “My bum is certainly a big one,” admitted she was thrilled with the results, saying: ‘I’m completely amazed at the results after just one op. I feel like I’ve dropped a dress size – and I have!’
And last week, Jennifer, 26, told Closer that while she feels great since having lipo, she’s struggled with body insecurities in the past. The star sparked health fears in 2008 when she appeared to have lost a drastic amount of weight.
'I'm completely amazed at the results after just one op. I feel like I've dropped a dress size- and I have!'
She admits: “When I joined Hollyoaks four years ago, I did worry about being in the ‘Gorgeous and Groomed’ category but as you settle into the industry and get older, you just don’t care as much. I’m very confident with how I look now – whether I’m all dolled up or looking like sh*t.”
While Jennifer doesn’t want to go into detail about her lipo, it’s been revealed she paid £2,000 for the “Vaser” technique on her thighs and bottom, which uses ultrasound to break down the fat.
The actress has made no secret of her love-hate relationship with her curves, describing her bum as “quite a shelf.” She’s said: “It’s got meat, it wobbles and it sticks out. Me and my friends laugh about it all the time. It takes up nearly the whole dance floor!”
Jennifer also admits her confidence nosedived in 2006, when Hollyoaks producers asked her to cut her thick, long hair short for her role as Mercedes McQueen Fisher.
She says: “I went from having hair down to my bum to a short crop, which made me want to cry.”
She went on to have hair extensions glued in, but after 18 months was horrified to find they were causing her natural hair to fall out.
She says: “I was terrified that if I kept using extensions, I’d end up bald, so I stopped. I now use the Nourkrin hair recovery programme to thicken my hair. Luckily, it’s worked.”
Jennifer also insists she has a relaxed approach to her body now.
She laughs: “Sometimes I look at pap shots and think: ‘Oh, I’ve done alright there!’ and other times I think: 'Jesus, what was I thinking?’ Everyone has good and bad days. You just have to take it with a pinch of salt. I do watch what I eat, but I don’t stress about it.”
She adds: “For breakfast I have two pieces of granary toast with butter, and tea, then I have a baked potato and beans for lunch. In the evening, I like pasta, salad and chicken. And I drink two litres of water a day.”
Last year, Jennifer broke off her two-year romance with footballer Jermaine Pennant. She says she’s now happily settled with a new man, but won’t reveal his name!
She says: “Everything’s going well with my boyfriend. I’m too young to marry though – I’m still a baby. But I think every girl sees marriage and kids in her future, so hopefully it will happen one day.”
By Katie Banks