3 REASONS
There are 3 reasons why I love my friend Gwen (who I am also proud to say happens to be my cousin-in-law!!!)
1) No matter how she feels, whatever else she says or whatever she is doing, she ALWAYS has something positive to say. ALWAYS.
Believe it or not that is actually quite a skill.
2) She is an inspiration - she has run countless marathons all over the world, she sets herself unbelievable challenges and even though she is already amazing, she is always working at being a better person.
3) She is beautiful beyond words and yet has absolutely no idea.
Here she is being French.
THE LAST 2 YEARS
Well i haven’t dropped off the face of the planet, it’s just things got pretty hectic and blogging seemed to be a bit of an unnecessary pass time, what with life, love and a fair bit of crazy work, was there really any point....anyhoo turns out everyone is blogging even if they have NOTHING to say and actually i always have plenty to say so to get back into it I should probably sum up the last 2 years with some pics.
October 2008 - a week before the half marathon i’d been training for I damaged my leg, so badly I couldn’t run the Royal Parks Half Marathon. It is putting it very very mildly to say I was GUTTED. Two weeks later I ended up in hospital for something unrelated but that was shit. I had to cancel Jelly going to help present Children in Need and I felt very sorry for myself. Blogging was the least of my worries. Then one late November morning in 2008 dear, darling Mike made me the happiest girl alive when he asked me to marry him. He gave me a beautiful pink sapphire engagement ring and we set a date to become Mr and Mrs Holliday. 
2009 absolutely zoomed past, at Easter we went to Yurt Camp
where we made fires, ate outside
and dressed up as pixies!
In the Summer Jelly and I went on a 10 day tour of the country to promote BBC Breathing Places. It was mental.
and then went filming in Belfast and met a fox!!
Then is was Farm Camp - a show I worked on in which we took 9, 10-12yr old inner city kids to live on a farm for 2 weeks to learn to be farmers. We lived at Bicton college in Dorset and it was absolutely brilliant. My job was to cast and look after al the children and there certainly were some characters.
Then Jelly and I had our last days filming with Green Balloon Club and we ALL went to Yurt Camp. It was freeeezing but such fun!
In October 2009 it was time to send out our wedding invites...
and finally on 31st Jan 2010 the big day arrived..
and i married my dream man, wearing my dream dress 
our honeymoon was in Hong Kong followed my Vietnam and mainly we just did our favourite thing, eat, eat, eat!!
In July 2010 a sad day came when my parents had to sell our beloved family home, bye bye “Cockerswood”
but on a happy note we went to the Philippines with our best friend Rob to watch out friends Phil and Cess get married.
The wedding was the most amazing wedding ever and their video is INCREDIBLE. WATCH THEIR WEDDING VIDEO
We also managed to get to Secret Garden Party again, the craziest festival ever! I fell in love with this Zebra mask. It’s on my Christmas list!!! hee heee
So that pretty much sums up the last 2 years of Life, Love and plenty of Laughs (with a little bit of work thrown in). Follow my blog as Mike and I begin the adventure of a lifetime, i build Roohoo Films into an amazing success and hopefully our little family gets bigger.
PUGGY
my crazy but wonderful friend Paul has got a new doggy... and i named him... he's called PUGGY.
isn't he CUTE!!!???!!!
NO IRON HERE
Yesterday after weeks and weeks and WEEKS of feeling sick and getting colds and feeling totally exhausted ALL the time I got the results of a blood test which I finally had. Apparently it turns out I have a very very low Iron count in the old blood... in fact it is so low I am bordering on anemia. GREAT... I would say that is always something one needs when one is trying to training for a half marathon. And my training has been interrupted so much as a result, which is making things very difficult. At least now I know the score and the good old Doc has given me some way strong Iron tablets to get down me. NEVER have I wanted to feel better so much. I cannot WAIT until they kick in!!! BRING ON THE ENERGY.
FINAL CUT PRO IT ROCKS
Last week I was lucky enough to complete a Final Cut Pro editing course at Soho Editors Training for which I received funding from Skillset. Skillset provides money for freelances to train and to various companies for films etc. It was an absolutely brilliant course! Five days of editing fun, although I have to say I have a new found respect for Editors. I always knew it was hard but learning what I did made me realize that it takes years and years of hard work and practice everyday to become an Editor as good as people like Mike Holliday The guy who trained us was really cool, Paddy Bird (I love that name!) and seemed to absolutely love teaching which made even varying db levels fun!
So having bought Final Cut Express (the cheaper version) I intend to edit everything and anything I can get my hands on to keep up the practice. Oh and on the last day I passed my Level One Certificate, whatever that means!
SECRET GARDEN PARTY
24th - 28th July 2008
Quite literally the best festival I have ever been too.
I had no idea what to expect but having read the website before hand and knowing that the festival was not just about music but about "free expression" and "action camps" galore I was worried. I was worried that the place would be full of egotistical prats trying to prove their self worth. Trying to be the most outlandish fancily dressed there and basically ignoring everyone else because clearly they were far more cool. And indeed everyone is dressed up ALL the time.....but it is so relaxed and so laid back that one morning when I found I had sat on some wet grass and my skirt and pants were wet to the bone and despite the boiling hot and humid weather I didn't want to be wearing them. I actually took off my skirt and walked around in my old pink knickers and I didn't look a bit out of place. No one gave a shit. Everyone was having far too much of a good time. There was no one you couldn't talk to. There were no larger louts and people so drunk you had to avoid them or places you couldn't get into because they were more packed than the london underground at rush hour. No this festival was well and truly for people wanting to have a good time. And boy did they. Partying went on until the wee hours every night. Not us I hasten to add.. sad as we are we were in bed by 1am every evening absolutely exhausted from the fun of the day.
The "action camps" turned out to be one of the best thing about the place... there was such crazy shit going on and enough down hill tyre races and rafting across the lake to make you average health and safety expert sick with worry. But HELL it was fun, we were free, the sun was shining and if you got bored of one thing around the next corner was always something better. Sock wrestling, fire camp, an open dance off, a performance of Hamlet, a random knock knock joke door (we spent a lot of time here, don't ask) and all this surrounded by the most beautiful lake upon which sat a galleon ship fit for Pirates of the Caribbean. The ship was in fact a bar and dance area which you had to take a raft to get to and on the Saturday night when the boat had been cleared they burned it down amongst an array of fireworks.
The music was good too... we had been SO lucky to get free tickets through my brother, James Yuill as he was playing there but sadly after his performance he had to hot foot it to Wales where he was due on stage the next day. But he left us with a list of must sees every single one worth their while. Post Wars Years, Animal Kingdom, The Brute Chorus, The Commmon Moral Cause! I managed to sneak in watching some of Alphabeat while Mike sped off to watch something else.. there was actually too much good stuff we wanted to see and not enough time. Sadly Grace Jones headlined on the saturday night and I would rather have eaten the mud than watched her. She scares the living crap out of me.. and speaking of which my only only complaint about the whole experience were the toilets. There just weren't enough but enough said as all in all if there is one festival you go to next year make it this one. I guarantee you will not stop smiling the whole time you are there.
oh YEAH and the highlight for me was winning the animal noises competition. I did my best party trick, a guinea pig. They loved it! hee heee
DUCK DAY
I can't believe finally a day has arrived that could go down in history as being my best day EVER.. if only they were REAL ducks... but still man....
ADOPT A DUCK, GET DOWN ON THE DAY and START CHEERING!!!!!
May the best Duck win!.....
CRAZINESS
So a few weeks ago I went to watch my friend Gwen run the london marathon, it was completely amazing, she was amazing. She is HARDCORE she complited the run in 3hrs 37 mins and has qualified for next year and to start with the women elite, she was very excited. WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO DO IT AGAIN???
Anyway it inspired me and although I have said before yeah i'd like to do it but I can't run that far, I announced to my boyfriend and anyone who happened to be listening "i'm gonna do it next year" He laughed in my face "yeah right, you'll never do it" he said. Then he whisphered to anyone who was listening "I'm only saying that coz it'll make her do it of course she can do it."
OH DEAR
So yesterday i entered the ballot for a place. And registerd with 3 charities just to make sure.
Mike said "you'd better get some running shoes, we'll go to the marathon shop" and that is where I found myself this afternoon, having some shoes fitted by a man who is about to run 52 MILES in August. Is he CRAZY? Anyway the shoes were really comfy, they made me feel like I could DEFINITELY run a marathon. Then the man put me on the running machine. "Try them out" he said
Mild panic on my part, "Oh god, What if I fall off?" I thought
Anyway I ran and Mike and the man even commented on how much of a natural runner I looked.
I bought the shoes.
When I got home I thought I'd better go for a run, darling Mike came with me on the bike, I ran non stop round the park (just over a mile) IT was SO HARD. My face was very red Mike commented I looked like a beetroot (just as we passed 2 girls) "That's what happens when you've run 10 miles" I said loudly so the girls could hear! hee hee BUT IT'S NOT A JOKE IS IT? I'm gonna have to do that soon AND MORE..
Anyway anyone would think no one had ever run a marathon before the way I KNOW I am going to go on about it but if I write it down then maybe I won't moan on to anyone.
So watch this (DULL) space as training for the London marathon begins here!!!
THE BADGET HAS LANDED
WEAKEST LINK
So it happened Jelly and Jackson were lucky enough to be invited to the Weakest Link to take part in the Puppet Special. It was completely amazing but the hardest puppeteering i have EVER done! It was SO PAINFUL....but SO worth it
We answered every question right, apart from one! I was so happy!
Anyway to see the result and the most hilarious show ever (Roland Rat was on it... my hero and was so so good) watch on
FRIDAY 28TH DECEMBER 2007 6PM on BBC1
CELEBRITY THE WEAKEST LINK
I'm not saying ANYTHING but Friday 9th of November 2007 may be a nerve wracking day.
All I will say is that I'm READING THE ENCYCLOPEDIA!!!!!!!
IT'S EASY BEING GREEN
Certainly when you are a gorgeous Green Story Maker and you have a lot of green friends!
A new programe has been dreamt up encouraging CBeebies viewers to Be Green and who better to lead the way than Jelly the Green Queen herself and with help from Kermit THE Frog not a lot can go wrong.... Yes you heard it right Kermit THE Frog and little Jelly Bean are set to change the world!!!!!
WWW.JAMESYUILL.COM
My brother who has already released 2 albums and is an amazingly talented folktronica artist is bringing some of his fat folk sounds to the Wye Fayre Festival on Saturday 7th July, you should head on down and check it out.
Or visit his myspace page and BUY HIS NEW ALBUM. 
It puts a new spin on these singer song writer types who are churning out the same old same old...
In particular his track No Surprise I can guarantee you won't be able to sit still and we're actually in pre-production for the music video to accompany this song right now so watch this space!
SPRINGWATCH FESTIVAL - BIRMINGHAM
This weekend Detective Dan, myself and Jelly were lucky enough to go to Birmingham to take part in one of the many Springwatch Festivals which were being held all over the country. 
I don't think it would be unfair to say that we slightly underestimated the amount of children who would turn up just to see Jelly and meet Detective Dan.
Our first show began on the Saturday in a little tent with Dan and Jelly behind a table and the children who had come to watch sitting on the floor. The MINUTE Jelly appeared from behind the table the children were on their feet, running up to the table, peering behind it, waving in Jelly's face, trying to touch her and everyone shouting "HELLO JELLY, HELLO JELLY, HELLO JELLY!!!!!!!" at the tops of their voices. This went on for about 10 mins where upon the event organizers called security.
So two big men turned up and tried to control the mass of children, slightly unsuccessfully. When we came to the end of the show they decided it was too mad to continue without some sort of barriers and so big metal bars were put up to keep the children back from the table. It was hilarious. With the barriers now in place and children under control everyone thought we were ALL safe. children safe, Jelly & Dan safe. All good.
However all was not so, again the minute Jelly appeared the children were up on the feet and surging forward to the barriers, now getting slightly crushed! Again they called security, two more burley men turned up. Things calmed down. We got through the show, no one was hurt and the event organizers decided that the next day they would move the whole performance to a big marquee in the park. We did one more show on the Saturday and exhausted we returned to the hotel and made it to bed nice and early!
The next day things were very different, now we had a big tent, barriers and a lot more security guards things were under control. So the organizers decided we should do some live radio encouraging people to come down... It was AMAZING, this cool lady called Jenny turned up in this car where upon she put up a HUGE mast and off we went...... live on radio Birmingham! I WAS SO EXCITED. I have ALWAYS wanted to be on the radio and Jelly could hardly contain herself!
So a few more thousand people turned up, all with children wanting a photo of them and Jelly... After our first show I brought Jelly outside only to be surrounded by hundreds of children and parents pushing to get close and a photo of their child with Jels. I could NOT stop laughing.. IT WAS MAD...It was like being Victoria Beckham. (By the way i didn't mention that it was like this the whole of Saturday too but we just went with it)
Anyway now things were serious as there was many more people and AGAIN they called security. They were SO wonderful and organized a pen for me and Jelly to sit in and the people then had to que to wait their turn for a chance to meet Jelly and have a photo. (I felt like Father Christmas!)
Here is Jelly with her bouncers!!!!
Anyway I have to say that the whole event was completely AMAZING, from the wonderful wonderful people who helped out & looked after us SO well to every single child Jelly and I met who at times bought me to tears they were so sweet. THANK YOU SO MUCH for such a fantastic time, I will never forget it!
X
Check out Jellys Blog to see some of the pictures children bought for Jelly!
Here is a link to the BBC Birmingham website with details of the show & pictures of Jelly and some of the lovely children we met.
GROWN UP SPRINGWATCH!
On Tuesday night Lotte (one of the CBeebies Springwatch Directors) and Detective Dan (one of the presenters), myself and little Jelly went to visit the Grown Up Springwatch Farm!! We had such fun and watched the show go out live from the gallery! There were SO MANY monitors.. it was like mission control but for animals.. VERY EXCITING!!
Here is a pic of the gallery where it all comes from..
and here is outside......
it looks prettier on tv doesn't it!
And here is Bill and me in his caravan! Lucky me!
But the BIG NEWS is Jelly is going to be on the Grown Up Springwatch show tonight at 7.30pm on BBC1
WOW
CHARLIE THE CHICK
This year for CBeebies Springwatch the team decided to "grow" some chicks and ducks and set up some incubators at the Springwatch Headquarters. The first little chicklet was born whilst we were away on Skomer filming.
I got to meet her recently and I was LUCKY enough to name her... so here am I with Charlie the Chick!
That day Jelly and I also did some filming with the lovely Chris from Doodle Do.. he has a nice accent because he is Welsh. He was also very very kind to Jelly and laughed at her jokes, which is nice because he is ACTUALLY a comedian!
JACK
May The Fourth be with You....Welcome to baby Jack a new addition to the family. I REALLY hope he grows up to be a Jedi
Isn't he LOVELY!
SKOMER ISLAND
So some of you may know that finally one of my little dreams (and a massive dream for Jelly) to see Puffins in the wild finally came true recently, when we went filming on Skomer Island for CBeebies Springwatch 2007. I'm not sure I have enough pictures to explain how utterly amazing the island is/was but.....
it's sheer remoteness........
coupled with the most amazing sunset I have ever seen in my life...... (and this photo has NOT been enhanced)
not to mention the puffins......
made this one of the most incredible trips of my working life.
Skomer Island is a tiny island off the coast of Wales which is only accessible by a small boat. The island has no cars or houses or shops or proper heating, electricity or people for that matter!!! The only people on the island are the island warden and his girlfriend, their 2 year old daughter Martha and a handful of volunteers who are there for the wildlife. Tourists visit the island day by day to witness the amazing variety of birds which inhabit the island and then there was us… the CBeebies Springwatch team who descended upon the island for 2 nights and 3 days.
Mexico Baby!!!!!
Yes here is a little map of Mexico... to see it bigger click below...then you can see where we're going... yes that's right....
http://www.spanishabroad.com/images/mexico/mexicomap.gif
Mike and I will be there TOMORROW!! Very excited! I'll be emailing as we go but in case not here is what we have planned.
16th Feb Leave London (lunchtime) arrive Mexico City (18:40) - Stay 2 nights in W Hotel - Mexcio (very very posh place innit... )
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/whotels/property/rooms/index.html?propertyID=1444
18th Feb fly to Los Mochis where we stay for 1 night and then board the train at 6am which takes us through the Copper Canyon
Arrive in a tiny village called Creel (inside the Canyon) and stay for a few days and nights, trekking, hiking etc through the canyon. NICE.. "I have new boots that don't make your feet sweat" But THEY DO
Re-board the train and travel to Chihuahua (pro-nounced Choowawa, like the DOG!!) I hope we see some!
23rd Feb fly from Chihuahua to Mexico City and onto Cancun.
On arrival in Cancun (the Yucatan province) we have been advised to get the hell 'outta there and so will be making a quick exit to the many beaches and towns near by, traveling around the area for about 2 weeks. We might even slip in a cheeky trip across the boarder to Belize!!
8th March We leave from Merida airport and fly back to Mexico City where we spend one night.
9th March leave Mexico and fly back to London Heathrow 
10th March LUNCHTIME Arrive London / Back Home
12TH MARCH 2007 AVAILABLE FOR WORK (Due to holiday relaxation I'll be happy, therefore VERY employable but will have TAN, although if employed will not show it off too much!)
CBEEBIES LIVE
A few weeks ago I went to see CBeebies Live in Belfast 
and met lots of lovely friends!!!
PC Plum, Me and Spencer from Balamory!
Justin Fletcher dressed as a clown
and Me! After the clown kissed me!!
The Tweenies even had a space ship!
It was fantastic!
RIP
I'm very sad to say that "Snap" the goldfish has passed away. He had a short but happy life and he will be missed. He has NOT been flushed down the loo but has been given a good burial in a blue plastic bag.
I watched "Finding Nemo" in his honor.
WE WON WE WON WE WON!!!!
Last night CBeebies Springwatch won a BAFTA for best Pre-school Live Action Show! We couldn't believe it!!! Sitting at the table together when they were about to announce the winners we said to each other "Well there's no way we've won.. there are no cameras near us" So we all looked around at the other people in out catagory to see who it would be, I didn't feel nervous or excited, I honestly just felt interested to see who it would be... And then when they announced "And the winner is CBeebies Springwatch!" We looked round at each other in shock.. none of us moved. In my head I could hear myself saying "They just said Springwatch! They just said Springwatch! That's US!! GET UP!!! GET UP!!!"
And then we all stood up and couldn't decide which way to go up to the stage and the cameras were on us and then I thought I might cry because I couldn't believe it! I was SO PROUD of us... ALL of US!
Because the reason we won is down to everyones hard work, determination and dedication and we have all done so well.......I am very lucky to have worked with such amazing people!
We all deserve to win a smiley BAFTA face!
ps.. My mum reminded me this morning that back in January 2005 when it was just Clare and I on the team thinking up ideas and planning we said to each other.. "Yeah the old team is back together....lets make another BAFTA nominated show!" And not only did we do that, we won it!!!
Me and Ron!......Ooooo and Sportacus from Lazy Town!
I met Ron Weasley!
And Sportacus (real name - Magnus) from Lazy Town (when he won his award he walked up on his hands to get it!!!)
Watching Jelly on the big screen! She was so sweet!
CBeebies Springwatch
CBeebies Springwatch has been re-commissioned and Jelly has a new role as a roving reporter! Very exciting! First stop Lundy Island with Bill Oddie to see Puffins.. one of her life long dreams! Lundy Island is a very small special place just off the coast of North Devon...take a look...
www.lundyisland.co.uk
It's Official! The Burd is the Word!
Recently my dear friend the Burd has spent most of his free time planning his move to a new house but has still somehow found time to help me design this website. He is truly amazing! So this is just to say "Big Up the Burd" I thank you for all your help! Visit his site
www.stiffrook.com for a fun filled web adventure! But come back to mine soon!Bafta Nomination - CBEEBIES SPRINGWATCH
Nominations announced -
The British Academy Children's Film and Television Awards in association with Electronic Arts.
PRE-SCHOOL LIVE ACTION
CBEEBIES SPRINGWATCH - Tony Reed, Clare Bradley, Aliex Yuill (BBC/CBeebies)
DOODLE DO - Tony Reed, Geoff Coward, Lizi Botham (BBC/CBeebies)
MILKSHAKE SUMMER - The Production Team (Five/Five)
THOMAS & FRIENDS - Simon Spencer, Steve Asquith (HIT Entertainment Limited/Nick Jr UK)