Sophie’s choice... for dinner
Here’s one she made earlier... MARION McMULLEN finds out how singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s cooking was inspired by her Blue Peter presenter mum
SINGER Sophie Ellis-Bextor enjoys cooking in the kitchen with her musician husband Richard Jones and says spaghetti bolognese reminds her of her own childhood.
She says: “Everyone does their spag bol a different way. My stepmum always put a lot of vegetables into hers – she used courgettes, carrots and peppers – but my mum (former Blue Peter presenter Janet Ellis) went with tomato, beef and lots of garlic. So the dish also reminds me of the two houses I grew up in after my parents split up when I was four.
“My mum’s house is in Ravenscourt Park, west London, and my dad lived in St Margarets, a 20-minute drive away. I wouldn’t say it was the ideal childhood, but my parents were both very good about making me feel loved. It all ended up really well because my parents both remarried, and I’m close to my step-parents and have brothers and sisters on both sides.
“My mum used to have big meals at the weekend when people came over. Weekends were important because, until I was eight, mum was working during the week on Blue Peter. Sometimes I went on the show – I remember they made a snood and I got to try it on. Another time they were doing something on asthma and I jumped about on a trampoline with loads of other kids.
“My dad, Robin, works in telly too, as a producer and director. When we travelled, I would always try exotic stuff. I remember having mussels and chips in the South of France. And when I was four, my mum spent six weeks in Africa with Blue Peter.
“My dad and I joined her for the last 10 days and I ate lobster and prawns.” Sophie and Richard, bassist with The Feeling, have four sons – 13-year-old Sonny, Kit, aged eight, Ray, aged five, and one-year-old Jesse. She says: “In our house, a really good roast is the ultimate thing – we all love it. Richard and I have silly jobs, so no two weeksweek are the same shape. “DroppingDrop anchor and making thinthings happen regularly so that thethere is consistency and a rereassuring base is important tto make the kids feel secure aand happy. “Whenever we are home at weekends, we’re traditional and have a big Sunday lunch with Yorkshire ppuddings and the lot.” The 38-year-old singer says: “RichardRic and I always cook lunch together and we do the same for Christmas dinner. He is fantastic at roast potatoes and I do the vegetables. We both get on with our bits and bobs, and it means that, if we’ve a house full of people, it still feels relatively relaxed.”