Jacqueline Jossa bares her soul in underwear shoot: ‘I’ll never be stick thin but I feel sexy’

Jacqueline Jossa

by Georgina Terry |
Updated on

She’s gone from playing fiesty Lauren Branning in EastEnders to being a busy mum-of-two – but Jacqueline Jossa is looking happier and healthier than ever.

The 26-year-old former soap actress gave birth to second child Mia – who she shares with ex TOWIE star husband Dan Osborne – in June and revealed she was on a weight loss mission to slim down after admitting she was the “biggest” she’d ever been.

CHECK OUT EastEnders' most SHOCKING Christmas Day episodes

Gallery

Eastenders Christmas Day episodes

eastenders christmas day1 of 10
CREDIT: BBC

10. Frank Butcher RETURNS

Who could that be knocking on the door on Christmas Day? Santa? Rudolph? No, it's Frank Butcher of course! Frank made his return to Albert Square on Christmas Day 1995 after over a years absence, much to the horror of Pat, who'd recently shacked up with fellow car dealer Roy Evans. Awks!

eastenders christmas day2 of 10
CREDIT: BBC

9. Jamie Mitchell's heartbreaking goodbye

One of EastEnders' saddest Christmas Day moments has to be when we said goodbye to the adorable Jamie Mitchell. His relationship with Sonia may have been short-lived (thanks to Martin Fowler, who accidentally knocked Jamie down in a dramatic hit and run), but it was definitely the real thing. Jamie and Sonia's love story came to a tragic end on Christmas Day 1998, when Jamie took his final breaths in hospital with Sonia by his side as the couple declared their undying love for each other. In true EastEnders style, Jamie's heartbreaking final moments were shown alongside scenes of Mo and Billy's marriage vows to the soundtrack of 'Stand by Me'. Basically, the whole nation was left bawling into their family-sized tubs of Celebrations.

eastenders christmas3 of 10
CREDIT: BBC

8. Max Branning comes back to Albert Square

Christmas Day 2016 saw the shock return of the infamous Max Branning. After serving time in prison after being falsely accused of Lucy Beale's murder, a bitter Max returned to the square in the last 30 seconds of the Christmas special. The 'duff duff duff' left us all gawping at our screens wondering what this meant for the residents of Albert Square - especially the Beales!

eastenders christmas day4 of 10
CREDIT: BBC

7. Dirty Den serves Ange a divorce

We couldn't write an ultimate ranking of EastEnders' most SHOCKING Christmas Day episodes without throwing it back to the 80's when Den and Ange were the landlords of The Queen Vic (we know, nostalgia alert). Who can forget Christmas Day 1986 when Dirty Den presented Ange with a divorce-shaped Crimbo present, after finding out about her cancer lie. Only on EastEnders, eh!

pauline fowler death eastenders5 of 10
CREDIT: BBC

6. Pauline Fowler passes away (under the square's Christmas tree, of course!)

Feisty Pauline Fowler was in EastEnders for an incredible 21 years, so we have to admit, we were a little disappointed that her death was so, well, low key. After a bust-up with Sonia in The Queen Vic, Pauline took a little lie down under the square's Christmas tree... and never woke up again. It may not have been dramatic, but it was certainly moving.

eastenders christmas6 of 10
CREDIT: BBC

5. Archie Mitchell meets his maker

Villainous Archie Mitchell may have only been in EastEnders for a year and a half, but caused all sorts of trouble in that time. Things came to a head (pun intended!) on Christmas Day 2009, when Archie was whacked over the head with The Queen Vic's iconic bar statue in front of 10.9 million viewers. What a way to go.

eastenders christmas day7 of 10
CREDIT: BBC

4. Evil Trevor torments Little Mo

Christmas 2001 was quite possibly EastEnders' bleakest festive showing of all time, as it focused on Little Mo and her abusive husband Trevor. The nation held its collective breath as we watched evil Trevor overflow Mo's Christmas dinner with gravy, before shoving the whole lot on the floor and making his terrified wife eat the remains off the carpet. Cheery it was not.

eastenders christmas day8 of 10
CREDIT: BBC

3. Abi and Lauren fall off the roof of the Queen Vic

The Brannings are never far from the drama at Christmas and 2017 was no exception as Abi and Lauren headed to the roof of the Queen Vic to save their dad Max who was threatening to jump. But, in a dramatic turn of events, it was the girls who ending up falling off the roof, leaving pregnant Abi dead.

eastenders christmas9 of 10
CREDIT: BBC

2. Mick FINALLY discovers Dean raped Linda

Christmas Day 2014 saw Mick Carter go full Danny Dyer when he FINALLY found out about Dean raping Linda. After months of tension, Linda finally cracked under the pressure of Mick's romantic proposal and revealed that Dean attacked her. Naturally, furious Mick went straight for Dean's throat (destroying their Christmas dinner in the process), only halting his attack when Shirley dropped yet another bombshell – that Dean and Mick are brothers! What. A. Day.

eastenders christmas day10 of 10
CREDIT: BBC

1. Max and Stacey's affair is revealed!

Christmas 2007 was an absolute corker of an episode that will be forever imprinted on our memories, as it was the year Max and Stacey's torrid affair finally came out into the open. For those who have forgotten (HOW COULD YOU?), the horrible truth came out when little Lauren reluctantly gave Bradley a copy of his wedding video for Christmas… although it turned out she'd actually caught Max and Stacey snogging each other's faces off on camera, much to the horror of the extended Branning family and, in fact, the rest of the nation.

READ MORE celeb news

Danny Dyer takes SHOCKING new TV role

Ferne McCann celebrates Sunday's birthday with LAVISH party and admits she and Charlie Brake are 'flirting'

Ex-Towie star Dan Osborne says Celebrity Big Brother SAVED his marriage to former EastEnder Jacqueline Jossa following turbulent split

WATCH TOWIE's Chloe Meadows, Amber Turner and Courtney Green tell us why you should NEVER buy a man an expensive gift

Jaqueline Jossa
©Boux Avenue

Jacqueline - who's also mum to the couple's eldest daughter Ella, three - set up the Instagram account @jacsmumtum to document her progress and despite admitting she’s not a fan of the gym, she has lost nearly two stone since June by focusing on a healthy diet and using Herbalife shakes.

Jac has previously talked about feeling pressure to slim down after giving birth, but says she has learned to focus on health over dress size. She said, “It’s not about being stick thin, I won’t ever be stick thin. It’s about feeling happy and sexy and maintaining a healthy lifestyle."

Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us