Janet & Sophie

This well-known mother and daughter pair talk about their special relationship

TV presenter Janet Ellis lives in west London with her husband John. She has three children, Sophie, Jackson, and Martha.

Sophie’s father and I separated when she was four, but she handled it well. She got on with my second husband, John, straight away and was brilliant when Jack was born.

It’s strange watching Sophie perform. You’re stood in a room with a group of people who think she’s just as amazing as you do, which is overwhelming. I’m proud of how she’s handled her success; she believes family comes first.

She’s always been very confident. On her first day at school she didn’t give a backwards glance.

Sophie fell pregnant early on in her relationship, but I never questioned it. She was ready. The same thing happened with John and me. I think if it’s the right person, you grow up, not apart, over your developing bump.

You love your children, but it’s special when you like them too. Sophie’s fun, thoughtful and spontaneous, although she’s hopeless in the morning. She took me to New York for my 40th birthday and I quickly learnt that we wouldn’t be sharing conversation over breakfast!

Singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor lives in London with her husband, Richard Jones, and sons, Sonny, four, and Kit Valentine, who was born in February. Sophie is currently working on her fourth album.

Mum’s still the first person I turn to for advice. She’s such a calm and reassuring person; she's exactly the kind of mother I want to be. She never tried to be my best friend, just my mother, which sometimes meant she made decisions for me that I didn’t like, but they were always right for me.

I find Mum’s attitude to her career inspiring. When I got pregnant with Sonny at 24 everyone said to me, “Is that it for your career, then?” as though it was inconceivable that I could do both. But Mum experienced most of her success after having me.

Divorce is hard for children. I wouldn’t want my parents to still be together, as they’re both in very happy relationships, but I would never want to put my children through that.