I don’t hear from eligible bachelors on social media, just foot fetishists, says Hollyoaks star Jennifer Metcalfe
AS one of the hottest actresses in soap, you’d expect Hollyoaks siren Jen Metcalfe to be inundated with suitors.
But the 39-year-old admits the men who contact her on social media are mainly interested in her FEET.
In an exclusive interview, single Jen revealed: “I’ll get people who say, ‘Oh, I bet you’re not short of a few people slipping into your DMs’.
“The only thing I get is weird foot fetish guys. It’s all very funny.
“There are definitely no eligible bachelors, let’s put it that way.
“I walk around everywhere with no shoes on, and apparently my feet are a thing on the internet.”
Read More on Jennifer Metcalfe
But approaching her landmark 40th birthday, Jen is more confident in her body than ever.
The actress, who has played man-eater Mercedes McQueen in the Channel 4 soap since 2006, used to hit the gym in a bid to “keep small” — but all that changed when she became a mum.
Bradford-born Jen, who shares five-year-old son Daye with her ex-partner Greg Lake, said: “I still love going to the gym when I can.
“In my twenties, it was more about, ‘I must look good, I must keep small, I must keep toned’.
Most read in TV
“Now it’s like, ‘Oooh I’ve got an hour to myself, let’s go get a sweat on’, and just get your head in a different space.
“I exercise now for a different reason.
“It’s liberating being happy with what you’ve got and making the most of it instead of trying to change yourself.”
Jen hasn’t had a serious relationship since splitting from Geordie Shore star Greg, 37, two years ago but did go on a number of dates with ex-Burnley and Bolton footballer Chris Eagles, 36.
Daye lives with Jen at their home in Greater Manchester and spends every other weekend in Newcastle with his dad.
And she admits bringing up a child does not leave her much spare time for romance.
She said: “Daye is still so young and needs a lot of my energy and time but I wouldn’t have it any other way, he’s the person I love spending it all with.”
“When Greg has Daye I’m catching up with friends, catching up on sleep, doing the shop and doing stuff for our family in our home.
“There’s not much time for things other than work, Daye, friends and just enjoying life.
“I feel like as you get older your world becomes smaller but more fulfilled. It’s nice and there’s more contentment.”
Jen has a good relationship with Greg and has enjoyed spending time with his new partner, Alicia Rudge, and her three children.
She said: “Me and Greg are the two most important people in Daye’s world. When he’s in the room with us he’s at his happiest.
“When Greg has him we often go for walks in the park together, play and have fun and a catch up on everything that is going on with Daye.
Daye loves it and we get to enjoy time as a family. We will always be family.
Jennifer Metcalfe
“Daye loves it and we get to enjoy time as a family. We will always be family.
“Greg will visit our home in Manchester and Daye and I’ve visited Newcastle to spend time with Greg’s family.”
Jen had an extended break from Hollyoaks over the summer and took little Daye on holiday to Spain at the same time Greg was there.
She said: “We ended up having a lovely day on the beach together, which Daye just loved.
“I think where children are involved and there’s good energy and good people, there’s no reason for it to be any other way.
“I trust Greg’s instinct and who he chooses to be around Daye.
“His partner is lovely. “I think it’s lovely he gets extra love.
“Sometimes the idea of what it might be like to separate when you have children, and the anxiety of what that could bring, is worse than the reality.
"It’s really important not to judge anyone’s situation, especially with relationships, families and their personal decisions, because you don’t know their story.”
With her 40th birthday on the horizon next September, Jen is planning a blow-out party in Ibiza.
She said: “I celebrated my 30th and went to the South of France with loads of my friends.
“This year me and my friend went for dinner at 6pm and at 9.30pm I was like, ‘Can we go home? I’m so tired’.
“Whether you’re 40 or 70 it’s just nice to have another year, and I am loving life.”
And Jen plans to take Daye on holiday over the Christmas period.
She said: “I’m going to take him on holiday for New Year — he out- parties me now.
“He’s like, ‘Mummy, I don’t want to go home’ — he stayed up every night until 11.30 or 12. I’m usually in bed at 9pm. I was like, ‘This is not good’. He’ll be an all-night raver.”
Jen has been at the centre of some of Hollyoaks’ biggest storylines since she first roared into the village as Mercedes nearly 17 years ago.
Last month serial killer Silas Blissett, played by Jeff Rawle, 71, was killed by Mercedes’ son Bobby Costello following years of tormenting the McQueens.
She said: “I just love it. They write so well for my character.
“Even after all these years, I’m always thinking, ‘What can she get up to next?’.
There’s not one day where it feels like work.
Jennifer Metcalfe
“But they seem to find a way of getting her up to more mischief and it just seems like it’s normal for her.
“Silas brought to the surface a lot of problems within the family.
“He may be dead but he’s left them with the fall-out to deal with, which is going to be massive. They always pull together and are there for each other. But it’s the first time they can’t — the family’s broken.
“I ended up having a nice summer off with Daye so it probably gives a little indication of what happens for a while. Mercedes might need a little time away to catch a tan.
“They’re like, ‘Are you going to sign another year?’ Hell yeah! I have signed until this time next year and could not be happier.
“When I started, I remember thinking this is such a great job, and then all of a sudden it is nearly 20 years later.
“The time goes so quickly and it’s just such a beautiful place — with some amazing people.
“There’s not one day where it feels like work.”
Jen recently teamed up with eco-friendly toy brand Recyclings after realising how many plastic toys her son has in their home.
She said: “Daye goes through so many — the whole place is full of plastic.
“I’m lucky because his birthday is in June, and then it’s Christmas, so it’s every six months that we get a whole load of new ones.
Read More on The Sun
“I realised how many toys he had that he hardly plays with.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
“But the Recyclings toys are so good and what is amazing is that they are teaching them all about recycling too.”
- See to find out more about sustainable toys.
