'Rollercoaster' ride for TV couple

Hannah Spearritt and Primeval co-star Andrew-Lee Potts have confessed it is "a rollercoaster" living and working together.

The duo have been dating since meeting on set during the first run of the show - which kicks off for another series on January 26.

"Working together 24-7 is always going to be a rollercoaster I suppose, but we're good because any problems we have we have a chat about and work through," says the newly-brunette Hannah.

"It was a journey," adds Andrew. "The last thing you want when you're doing stuff wrong at work is for your missus to be watching it, so there was all that mixed in.

"Also, as an actor I'm used to looking after myself, even though it sounds selfish," he continues. "But with Connor and Abby, because it was me and Hannah, it meant so much more and we so wanted to get it right. There were a lot of emotions on the set for us. If we do it again we're looking forward to it because we went through that whole journey and we learnt quite a lot about each other."

Credit: this is north scotland

Posted: 25th January 2008

Jo is Pregnant

It's fair to say 2008 has got off to a much better start than last year for Jo O'Meara.

The former S Club 7 star - who was accused of teaming up with Jade Goody and Danielle Lloyd to bully Shilpa Shetty on Celebrity Big Brother 12 months ago - today announced she is pregnant.

The singer and her longterm boyfriend are expecting their first child in April.

She says: "It wasn't planned, but it was a very nice surprise.

"I'm nervous at the thought of a little person calling me mum, but it's a very happy way to begin 2008.

"This feels like a fresh start to me - new year, new baby, new purpose. I'm grateful for that."

Click here to read the rest of interview!

Credit: The Sun

Posted: 21st January 2008

'Primeval' stars
upstaged by reptile Rex

Primeval stars Andrew Lee-Potts and Hannah Spearritt received a shock when they were upstaged by the show's reptile Rex during an encounter with fans.

The pair, who play Connor Temple and Abby Maitland, were mobbed when they visited a shopping centre together - but the fans were more interested in talking about Rex than anything else.

"At first, we thought they wanted our autographs," Andrew told the Daily Star. "But then they said 'Where's Rex?' It was Rex they wanted - not us."

He joked: "It was a real blow to our egos, I can tell you."

Rex was introduced in the very first episode of the ITV1 show when he transported through a time portal from the past. He has since been adopted as a pet by the characters.

Credit: Digital Spy

Posted: 15th January 2008

Hannah: "My prime
rump is too sexy for kids"

Primeval star Hannah Spearritt has banned knicker shots from the new series because they are too saucy for children.

Last year viewers got an eyeful when they tuned in to the sci-fi smash and saw the actress wandering around her flat in skimpy underwear.

But when filming started for the new season, Hannah, 26, told producers she would not strip for the cameras again.

The former S Club singer – who plays researcher Abby Maitland – said: "I thought the clips of me wandering around in my pants last year were a bit much.

"The thing is, this was already in the script when I got the part and I didn't think too much about it at the time.

"We filmed the scenes all in one block. But the actual clips got spread across the series so it made it look like I was walking around in pants all the time.

"When we watched it back, we were quite shocked. I say 'less is more'. We don't need it for the show."

But Hannah says fans need not worry if they still want sexy shots in the monster show.

She giggled: "If you want to see hot naked flesh, then the lovely James Murray, who plays Stephen, gets his top off!"

Credit: Daily Star

Posted: 12th January 2008

Monster time for Hannah

BACK WITH A BANG: Hannah Spearitt returns for a new series of Primeval tomorrow on ITV1

From pop star sensations S Club to Hollywood films, and now fighting prehistoric monsters: Hannah Spearritt has gone a long way from her Gorleston roots.

But friends of the diminutive star have a chance to see her in action on the small screen again, with a return of the hit series Primeval, which starts tomorrow night on ITV1.

Hannah returns as Abby Maitland in the adventure series as the team solve the mystery of rips in time and save the world from some seriously beastly opponents. From a family of raptors going wild in the aisles of a local shopping mall, a sabre-tooth at an amusement park, to a woolly mammoth holding up traffic up on the M25.

Hannah, who starred in films Seed of Chucky, Agent Cody Banks 2 and Seeing Double, is quite happy at being asked back for a second series of Primeval.

"Being brought back for a second time is such a great feeling because it means you're involved with something that has worked; something that people really like. The fact people have actually asked you back, and there are enough people out there who have enjoyed Primeval so much they want us to go again is very cool. It's lovely to feel wanted!"

So with a new series come some new characters, new creatures, and some big surprises.

Hannah said: "This series is so much more heightened and really takes absolutely everything to a newer and more exciting level; both in terms of the amount of action on screen as well as the emotional punch its packing. It pushes itself and definitely doesn't relax. I hope people will be shocked, but of course delighted with what's been done."

So how does it feel to be back with the old gang once more?

"It was fun to see everyone again, but what's even better is that there are more characters in this series, so, even though it's lovely to get back with the main crew and cast, it's nice to mix it up with the new faces.

"What's really cool this time around is that we're better trained. In this new reality, we're much slicker as a team. And we've got a headquarters! How great is that! It's called the ARC which stands for Anomaly Research Centre and is almost like a new character. I think it's going to be the star of the show! We were all upstaged by a cute mechanical flying lizard the first time round, and now we're about to be acted off the screen by a set!

It's clear the new series has stepped up several gears in terms of scope and size; that things are bigger and faster. With this shift in pace and amount of action, just how involved in all of this is Abby?

"Oh she's right in the middle of it all which is what I love about her. She is not afraid to get involved, to get stuck right into the action. Abby actively puts herself in the main arena

There is one moment, actually, when she takes on a sabre-toothed tiger; it's my Russell Crowe Gladiator moment," she laughed.

Credit: Yarmouth Mercury

Posted: 10th January 2008