Sophie Ellis Bextor's mother Janet Ellis opens up about suffering 10 secret miscarriages and why she didn't tell her famous daughter for years

Sophie Ellis Bextor's mother Janet Ellis has opened up about suffering 10 miscarriages in just five years.

Between the ages of 35 and 40, Janet, now 70, heartbreakingly lost ten pregnancies and received no medical explanation.

The TV presenter admitted she didn't tell her famous daughter Sophie for years because she didn't want to 'burden her' or put her off from having more children. 

Janet shares Sophie, 46, with the her ex-husband Robin Bextor, as well as daughter Martha-Rose, 35, and son Jackson, 38, with late husband John Leach.

She said: 'After three, you become a patient at the recurrent miscarriage clinic. But they never discovered why it happened.'

'I already had three children, and I didn't want to lose their childhoods. They didn't know anything about what was happening. I didn't want them ever to think that I was unwell because of it.

'I didn't want to burden her [Sophie]. And I didn't want to put her off having more children', she told The Mirror.

While Janet never found out why she had 10 miscarriages, she feels the medical explanation for other women is still 'completely unexplained' to this day. 

Sophie's son Sonny previously revealed why he moved in with his grandmother Janet as he gave a sweet insight into their relationship.

Singer Sophie shares Sonny, 21, Kit, 15, Ray, 12, Jesse, eight, and Mickey, five, with husband Richard Jones, 43, bassist in The Feeling. 

Sonny moved out of his west London family home to be with his grandmother and former Blue Peter presenter Janet.

Speaking to The Times, Sonny has explained his reasons for the move and sweetly said him and Janet are now 'closer than ever'. 

He said: 'I think it got to the point, back home, where I needed more space. Three of my brothers shared a room. The only time the house got quiet was when everyone was in bed. 

'So when I was coming to the end of school, my grandmother asked if I wanted to move in. I've been coming here all my life, so it's always felt like a second home anyway.' 

He added that there are no house rules living with her but that he does help with the laundry and washing up, but explained that 'nothing is forced'. 

Sonny and Janet often eat together, with Janet cooking for him - but they 'mostly do their own thing'.

On his future plans he said: 'I'm not sure how long I'll stay here. If I did move out, I would want it to be somewhere nice, and that would be expensive. 

'But I think if I did leave, I'd miss the home comforts. I would also miss my grandmother. We've always been close but we're closer than ever now.'

Janet told how she was happy for the company in the five-bedroom house that felt 'empty' after her husband of 32 years John died from cancer in 2020.