Jennifer Ellison's agent told her she'd "never work in the West End again" if she didn't get back her pre-baby figure.
Jennifer Ellison
The 32-year-old actress - who starred in the hit musical 'Chicago' before having her six-year-old son Bobby in 2010 - was devastated she was turned down for a lead role and given the shocking ultimatum.
Jennifer shared: "I'll never ever forget it, but I was going for my first audition (since Bobby) and it was a big West End show, and I was like, 'should I go? should I not?' and i though, 'go on Jen, just do it.' It was the part of a type-cast blonde, really slim, but I went and I fitted into a dress I hadn't fitted into for ages, and I got myself a pair of sloggis underneath, mu husband was going to me, 'you look fabulous, you look gorgeous Jen.' I came out, got papped, on my way out with my spanks showing, I was on the front of all the newspapers.
"I got a call from my agent and he said to me, 'sometimes we have to do things in our client's best interest, and he said, 'This is feedback from the casting director. They've said if you ever want to working the West End again, for this type of role, you have desperately got to lose weight and get back to your 'Chicago' figure.' Well I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. I was like to Rob, 'Why did you tell me I look gorgeous!'"
Despite their insult, Jennifer - who was a size 18 at her biggest - refused to name and shame the casting director but explained what drove her to gain weight.
Speaking on 'Loose Women' on Thursday (19.01.17), she added: "I was always a dancer, I danced all my life, I went from being a West End star, leads in Chicago, and I had the baby, got post natal depression.
"I got to a size 18, I was in self destruct, I almost felt like, I'm a mum, I don't have to care about me, I don't have to care about what I look like.
"I was coming home from work, I was having a glass of wine, and everyone knows those big glasses turn into half a bottle and then a bottle."
Jennifer recently lost a stone and a half after she took part in new show 'Sugar Free Farm' and admitted her new figure has given her tonnes of energy.
She added: "It makes you realise you don't need what you're eating. I was absolutely flabbergasted at how little calories we need to function."
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