You may recognise Ellie Jane Taylor from her hilarious sketches and appearances on the likes of Mock the Week, Live at the Apollo and even back in the day - our guilty pleasure show - ‘Snog, Marry, Avoid’! But recently her Instagram antics with her daughter (who she affectionately and hilariously refers to as ‘Ratbag’) has caught our attention.
Mum Ellie has been a breath of fresh air among the ideal parenting images, telling it straight up like it is. Motherhood is no perfect, well-groomed life, but a messy chaos of ups and downs. Her posts are filled with humour and sympathy for new mums and experienced mums alike, poking fun at the ‘Insta Mummy’ image and sharing her parenting fails.
In fact, the reaction to this content has been so positive that she’s decided to write a book about her experience as a new mum. She gets super honest and upfront, explaining the premise in a recent post:
‘It’s the book I would have liked to have read when I was deciding to have a kid/pregnant/a new lost mum. Very funny, very honest and featuring an account of my first post-birth poo that is so dramatic, Reese Witherspoon has bought the screen adaptation rights.’
The book is being published on the 22nd of July and is available to pre-order here – a great idea for a gift for new mums!
She shared her experience recording the audiobook version and the awkward and hilarious run in she had with her producer when sharing her birth and pregnancy journey:
‘Highlight of the recording so far - the male producer cringing while professionally correcting my pronunciation of the word ‘labia’ (correct way is laybia FYI). Call off your expedition, Mount Mansplain has officially been summited.
‘P.S. obviously he wasn’t being a knob, it’s his job to stop me saying things wrong, but we both thought it was funny plus Mount Mansplain is a great phrase so BACK OFF all angry men called Alan.’
No holds barred, as you can see! Ellie’s take is honest and frank, talking about all the bodily, emotional, weird things about motherhood that no one ever addresses.
‘Ellie has written a refreshingly honest take on parenting that will make you both laugh out loud and cry tears of relief that it’s not just you’ – Romesh Ranganathan.
‘It’s a funny, honest account from the frontline of parenting that I wish I could’ve read when I was thinking about having a kid and all the bits that followed.’ Ellie shared. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever been more proud of something I’ve made (aside from Ratbag child).’
The honest lowdown on Motherhood and all its grisly delights, asks the questions no one wants to admit to asking themselves - do I want a child? Do I have a favourite? Do I wish I hadn't had one and spent the money on a kitchen island instead?
Stand-up comic, broadcaster and actress Ellie Taylor is relatable, clever and interested in how women can have it all. Her honest, hilarious and moving account of the whys and hows of having a baby makes perfect reading for expectant mothers and fathers everywhere, as well as those who've been there, done that, and wonder how on earth they did.
In this very funny book she writes candidly about her own personal experience exploring the decision to have a baby when she doesn't even like them, the importance of cheese during pregnancy, why she took hair straighteners to the labour ward, plus the apocalyptic newborn days, childcare, work and the inevitable impact on life and love and most importantly, her breasts.
