Angellica Bell turns 50: CBBC icon parties until 1am with celeb pals Alan Carr, Fleur East and Nicki Chapman at wild birthday bash

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Angellica Bell turned 50 and celebrated with a glamorous party on Tuesday night, inviting famous friends like Alan Carr and Fleur East.

I recently hosted a fabulous midweek gathering at Solaya, a beautiful spot within the Art’otel in Hoxton, East London. It was wonderful celebrating while stepping into my sixth decade – I’m still having fun, and feeling great! Many of you may remember me from my days on CBBC, and it was lovely to connect with friends old and new.

The group celebrated Angellica’s birthday with a party that lasted until 1am. Comedian Alan presented her with a large birthday cake.

Angellica was joined by several familiar faces, including her husband Michael Underwood, who used to host shows on CITV. Also there were Andrew Hayden-Smith from Byker Grove, actor David Ames, and comedian Judi Love.

Notable guests like Danny Beard and Nicki Chapman enjoyed a meal of grilled sea bass, venison, and mushroom risotto.

Alan gave a speech to celebrate Angellica’s special day before bringing out her large, candle-lit cake.

The party was photographed by Rankin, a famous photographer who has worked with celebrities like Kate Moss and Madonna. He took many pictures of the birthday girl enjoying time with her friends.

According to a source, Angellica’s friendships with celebrities are genuine; these are her real, close friends, not just acquaintances she collects for status.

Oh my gosh, it was the sweetest thing! Alan wheeled out this massive cake – seriously, HUGE – and started singing to her! Then, being Alan, he immediately followed it up with one of his famously cheeky, slightly-too-honest jokes right after she blew out the candles. I swear, he always knows exactly how to make her laugh, even if it’s a little bit risky!

To be honest, they really worked hard. Despite it being a Tuesday, they didn’t finish up until around 1 a.m.

Angellica looked stunning on her big night, wearing a cheerful yellow mini dress decorated with palm trees while posing with her friends.

The TV star, who appears much younger than she is, wore her shiny dark hair down and kept her makeup natural and radiant.

Angellica recently impressed her fans by sharing stunning photos from a beach day in Antigua, which she enjoyed while on a cruise.

She looked fantastic in a black, polka-dot bikini, enjoying a rum punch and the Caribbean sun on the beach.

Her stylish two-piece featured a black ruffled bikini top and matching mid-rise bottoms. 

Angellica accessorised with oversized beige shades as she struck a series of poses for the camera. 

The star appeared in high spirits as she mingled with people on the white-sand beach.

These vacation photos were shared after Angellica talked about a strange purchase she made early in her career. She explained she felt pressured to appear thinner on television and bought something to help with that.

The TV and radio personality, famous for hosting shows on CBBC from 2000 to 2006, recently described herself as a ‘chubby child’ when she was younger.

In a recent interview on the Spent podcast, sponsored by Nationwide, she revealed she once tried using an electronic muscle stimulator – a device that sends electrical pulses to make your stomach muscles contract – hoping to get a six-pack.

Angellica shared that she never dreamed of being on TV when she was younger, as she didn’t think she was particularly attractive. She didn’t believe she had the looks to become a presenter.

Before becoming a TV reporter, she held down a variety of jobs as a teenager, including delivering newspapers and working at McDonald’s. She got her start in television in the late 1990s as a field reporter for Channel 4’s Big Breakfast.

She first gained recognition in 2000 when she began working at CBBC, initially filling in between programs. This led to her becoming a regular presenter on shows like Xchange, 50/50, and That’s Genius!

Even though she achieved success, she admitted that she still struggled with self-doubt and often wished she could appear less prominent in her films.

I was chatting with Matt Edmondson recently, and I was telling him how crazy it still feels that I even got to be on CBBC. Honestly, it wasn’t something I ever really imagined for myself – it just didn’t seem like a possibility!

Perhaps it was because I didn’t know the path to take. I’d always seen it and thought it seemed amazing, but I never pictured myself being a part of it.

As a kid, I wasn’t much to look at – I was a bit overweight and wore thick glasses. I didn’t think I stood out, so I just figured I’d see how things went.

She explained that she’d spent money on an abdominal exercise machine, but quickly discovered it didn’t work and wasn’t a substitute for regular exercise and a healthy diet.

She told me about a workout machine she used to own that promised a six-pack. It worked by sending electric shocks to your stomach muscles, and the advertisements claimed you’d see results in about six months.

Angellica explained that the theory behind this is it’s supposed to help you get in shape. Apparently, these devices give your muscles little electrical impulses, making them contract – and the promise is you’ll end up with a seriously toned physique, like a Greek god!

When Matt asked her how often she used it, she admitted she hadn’t been consistent. She explained that she tried it for a while, but didn’t see any results.

I’m pretty sure it’s a scam. Achieving a physique like that requires a lot of protein and countless sit-ups, and that’s just a fact.

Just sleep, and don’t enjoy yourself. No ice cream, no cake… I simply won’t do it.

She openly admitted the investment hadn’t been a good one, and she’d later learned how important exercise and body acceptance are.

Angellica felt like the purchase wasn’t worth the cost. She also admitted to once feeling pressured to appear thinner on television, which led her to try certain products – she described it as similar to using shapewear like Spanx.

I’ve stopped wearing shapewear completely. I’ve decided to embrace my body and enjoy life without restrictions – I want to indulge and be comfortable with who I am.

I’d like to lose a little weight and get in better shape, but I really lack the motivation to exercise and go to the gym.

She explained that it wasn’t until later that she started buying more exercise equipment. She enjoyed being active as a child, but wasn’t overly focused on it.

I decided to run a marathon while working at CBBC. I wanted a challenge that would get me in shape and also allow me to raise money for a good cause.

That’s when things began to improve. I realized I just needed to put in some effort.

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2026-03-26 13:21