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SHE’S known and loved by fans as EastEnders’ bubbly barmaid Tiffany and Love Actually’s tea lady heroine Natalie, but Martine McCutcheon has entered a hot new chapter in her life.
The actress and singer, who previously confessed that she feels sexier than ever in her forties, now has more confidence than she did at the height of her fame decades ago.
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The London-born star, 48, who recently opened up on her life-changing health diagnosis, explained that she now feels “so much more fulfilled, confident and sexy” than she did in her twenties.
But the mum-of-one, who went into "complete denial" after being told she had ADD (attention deficit disorder) as she struggled to cope with the death of her brother, is now fully embracing her sexy side.
Her ‘fresh and fabulous’ persona is world’s away from her traumatic upbringing, whereby her mother, Jenny Tomlin, experienced domestic abuse by the hands of her father.
And despite her past, not only has she now lost a jaw-dropping five stone, but she’s not afraid to strip off either - and it’s enough to make even the most liberal lot blush.
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Here, Abigail Wilson and Brand and Culture expert Nick Ede reveal how Martine has undergone the ultimate ‘sex-over’ - and is now on the tip of everyone's tongues.
She’s back
Martine shot to fame playing Tiffany Mitchell in EastEnders, before playing the iconic role of the Prime Minister's tea lady Natalie in Love Actually in 2002.
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The TV darling has built a huge fan base thanks to her varied career and relatable attitude, and has an impressive 634,000 Instagram followers.
One thing is certain - Martine, who recently returned to her pop career with cover of 90s classic for a new Lidl advert - is back and better than ever.
Nick Ede tells Fabulous: “Martine McCutcheon is one of the UK's most popular stars and with her new advert for Lidl making the headlines, she's back.
“She has talked openly about her illness and struggles but now she has lost weight, she has a lot of body confidence and is a very popular fashion influencer and social media star.
Martine McCutcheon Announces Split with Husband After 18 Years
“With her big personality and fabulous figure, she's back to her best and I am sure she will be on the tip of everyone's tongues now she's gone back to her pop star roots.
“She's not been coy about her stunning looks and fabulous body shape.
“This confidence has reflected well for her when it comes to getting brand endorsements and promotions.”
Traumatic childhood
But things haven’t always been smooth for the brunette beauty.
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Martine has previously opened up about her traumatic childhood as she talked about Mel B's restraining order against estranged husband Stephen Belafonte on Loose Women.
The actress bravely revealed that she and her mother, Jenny Tomlin, experienced domestic abuse by the hands of her father.
Martine's recent diagnosis
MARTINE McCutcheon has opened up about her life-changing health diagnosis.
The Love Actually star says she went into "complete denial" after being told she had ADD (attention deficit disorder) as she struggled to cope with the death of her brother.
Martine - who also has ME (chronic fatigue syndrome) - was struggling to get out of bed after her sibling LJ - Laurence John - passed away with "no medical explanation" at the age of 31 in 2022.
Opening up about her diagnosis, the former EastEnders actress said: "I always felt there were certain things that I looked at differently, different things I struggled with compared to other people, but different things I found so easy, and I realised, when I got my ADD diagnosis, that I had spent so much time trying to be a square in a round circle, and it was exhausting.
"It was so draining. It was just so hard. And in a way, I feel like I wasn't meant to find out, as sad as it was, because I did lose a lot of things in my life.
"I did struggle with a lot of things that I don't think I would have done necessarily. I think that if I'd have known before those four years ago that I had ADD, I don't know if I would have been able to have coped with it the way that I do now.
"I think, thank god people are being kinder and more knowledgeable about ADD and ADHD. People says, oh, everybody's got something these days - but I don't think it's these days. I think we've always been around but we all blossom in different ways, and we need different things to blossom. And it all made sense.
"At first I went into I went into denial, completely into denial, because my brother had passed away. I've been diagnosed with ME, and I just thought, I can't take this diagnosis on and whatever it means. I need to just keep going at life the way that I am.
"And in a way, I was kind of right. And then when I did finally look at it, I cried, I cried, cried and cried, I grieved, and it was just for if only I'd known how different things could have been, how much more with ease I would have been able to have done things.
"I do look back and see a lot of struggle with what I did. People just sort of think, oh, you know, she had the Midas touch.
"She'd do this, she'd do that. But I was always told by agents, why don't you just stick with one thing, because then you could go all the way to the top in it and stay there.
"Now I look back and I think, my God, it was a blessing that I couldn't, or didn't want to focus on the one thing."
She told the panel: "My mum was a career woman, very educated, and even though she made the choice to get away from my dad, it took years, it took nine years."
The 48-year-old explained how her mother had to have panic buttons installed after her father, Thomas Hemmings, refused to leave them alone.
She shared: "We had panic buttons. In the end, I would call the police when I was four years old and they would keep me on the phone while what was going on was going on downstairs.
"And guess what, by the time the police arrive it 'hadn't happened', so they couldn't convict him of anything."
Praising her mother's bravery, the star believes men can sometimes use children as a "weapon".
She's back to her best and I am sure she will be on the tip of everyone's tongues
Nick Ede
She confessed: "Sometimes these men do use children as a weapon. My mum was so strong and brave. It's a really scary decision to make, but women are dying of domestic abuse every week.
“They have to have a plan. These men are bullies and they're obsessed. It's all a calculated move."
According to Nick: “Martine has been very candid in her recollections of her childhood and the abuse she and her mother received from her father.
“She has become a role model, like Mel B, for vocalising the trauma that comes from it and how it has affected her but she's overcome this and has been able to be a support to others.”
Impressive weight loss
Not only has her childhood had a huge impact on her life, but she’s also been on an incredible weight loss journey too.
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The Love Actually star has wowed fans over the last few years with her incredible five stone weight loss transformation.
She has shared her fitness journey with her followers, which saw her drop three dress sizes.
She previously revealed how she had transformed her figure and confessed that she was a fan of the Cambridge Weight Plan diet.
Nick says: “She's a great example of how women are looking better and better in their late 40s and 50s and showing that it's never too late to start again.”
The star, who was signed by the prestigious Elite, one of the world's leading model management companies, explained: "I’ve spent so long fighting to feel healthy again, I didn’t want to do anything too drastic that was going to make me feel lousy.
“But after having Rafferty I found it so tough to lose my baby weight and that does start to affect your self-esteem.”
The Perfect Moment singer, who gave birth to son Rafferty in 2015, added: "My loss was a tiny bit slower than the average person but to be honest I expected that as many diets/food plans didn't work for me at all as the lymes disease and me can really play havoc with how your system works.”
She's showing the world that she's not washed up but she's as fresh as she was 20 years ago
Nick Ede
Despite her health battles, Martine has found ways to manage her health, which has given her the energy to chase both her dreams.
She told Love Sunday magazine: "I think it takes a long time to work out what your own recipe is.
"It’s taken me such a long time to look through all the stuff that’s out there and just do what works for me.
"So it’s not as simple as just going on a crazy diet. I just feel like it’s really important to encourage women to just be the best version of themselves."
Martine explained that she doesn't follow a particular diet to stay healthy, but has a "simple trick" to stay in shape as she revealed: "The 80/20 rule is what works for me.
"For 80 per cent of my week, I will have mainly just healthy proteins, vegetables and fruit, organic and veggie juices and Flora ProActiv spread.
"And then I’ll have treats 20 per cent of the time - I’ll have that slice of pizza, chocolate or a G&T to celebrate a friend’s birthday."
Stripping down
And after her impressive weight loss, it’s no surprise that Martine, who also has ME (chronic fatigue syndrome), isn’t afraid to strip off.
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The popular actress, who often posts swimwear snaps on social media, left her fans delighted when she stripped down to her bikini bottoms for a daring bathroom snap.
Baring all for the selfie, Martine strategically placed her phone in front of her chest in order to protect her modesty in the raunchy snap.
She also looked slimmer than ever when she stripped down into her swimsuit on a previous trip to Italy.
The star showed off her toned figure in a striped swimsuit and wrote: "I want to go back to Italy."
But she’s also not afraid to bare it all, as the star has also shared a variety of topless snaps whilst sunbathing too.
Nick explains: “In the last few years she has become more body confident and we have seen her stripping down on holiday.”
Marriage breakdown
Not only did her sibling LJ - Laurence John, pass away with "no medical explanation" at the age of 31 in 2022, but Martine has also gone through a heartbreaking marriage breakdown too.
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Back in August, Martine revealed the breakdown of her marriage to Jack McManus after 18 years together, in a lengthy statement.
In an Instagram story, Martine said her singer-songwriter partner had decided it was best for them to go their separate ways after 18 years and that she had accepted his decision.
Martine McCutcheon and Jack McManus - relationship timeline
MARTINE McCutcheon and husband Jack McManus have split following an 18-year relationship. Here are the details.
Martine McCutcheon revealed her split with husband Jack McManus in an emotional message posted to her Instagram Stories.
It came just weeks after the ex EastEnders actress, 48, told how her love for the singer, 40, was "unconditional" - and how she was looking forward to their "next chapter."
Jack is a singer-songwriter who went to the famous BRIT School.
The pair met at a live music venue in Piccadilly in the early 2000s.
Speaking about when they first met, Martine previously confessed: "We laid eyes on each other and that was it."
The former couple tied the knot in 2012 at Lake Como in Italy.
The pair welcomed their son Rafferty in 2015.
On August 22, 2024, Martine announced the break-up on social media.
Martine said their number one priority would continue to be the "happiness and welfare" of their son, Rafferty, and they "look forward to being parents together" for the rest of their lives.
In the post, she penned: "After much thought and consideration, Jack has decided it's best for us to separate after 18 years together and I accept his decision.
"We are both so very blessed and grateful for our beautiful, nine-year-old son Rafferty, whose happiness and welfare has always been, and will continue to be, our number one priority.
"We both of course still cherish and look forward to being parents together to our wonderful boy for the rest of our lives."
But according to Nick, Martine’s ‘sex-over’ proves that she won’t let her split stop her, as he concludes: “With her split from her husband Jack, she's showing the world that she's not washed up but she's as fresh as she was 20 years ago and she's looking fabulous.”
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