Sarah-Jane Crawford: Life as I know it
SARAH-JANE, 29, is the new host of ITV2’s The Xtra Factor and a BBC Radio 1Xtra DJ. She lives in Kent with her boxer boyfriend Ross Harland
By: Pam Francis
Xtra Factor host Sarah-Jane Crawford cites red lipstick as her greatest weakness [GETTY]
Not a lot of people know this but I’m very good at… sprinting. I used to run for the district when I was 15. I reckon I could still whack out a personal best for the 100m with my spikes on.
My best friend is… Tre. I’ve known him for 10 years and he’s like the male version of me – a social chameleon you can take anywhere.
My nickname is… Some people call me Crawf but Simon Cowell calls me SJ. I normally hate that but he says “SJ darling”, which I love.
The bravest thing I’ve ever done was… live on a desert island for three months when I was 16, for a reality show called Shipwrecked. There were really scary moments like paddling past these striped sea snakes. If they bite you, you can die in two minutes. By the time I got back, I felt invincible.
My favourite TV show is… The X Factor. I’ve watched every show and now I’m part of it. With Simon and Cheryl back on the panel, it’s going to be the biggest year. Simon is a gentleman with a great sense of humour but you never know what he’s thinking. I thought Cheryl might not talk to me because she’s so famous, but she is lovely and warm, and asks me how I’m getting on. She and her new husband look really happy together – they’re like two peas in a pod.
My perfect evening is… a night at Ronnie Scott’s jazz club or a really good play like The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, then really nice food before hitting the dance floor with friends.
I’d like to say sorry to… my boyfriend Ross because I’m always doing his head in. I tend to be on an emotional roller coaster and he is the calming one. He’s happy to take a back seat while all this exciting stuff is going on for me, and he puts up with a lot of my nonsense.
My first kiss was with… a boy called Gary when I was 12. Is that bad?
My biggest regret is… not carrying on with athletics.
The one thing I’d change about myself is… to relax more and maybe do yoga. I’m hyperactive so when it gets to about 11pm, Ross will say, “We need to calm down now,” and I’ll say, “But there’s one more thing I have to tell you!”
The best thing my parents taught me was… the value of family – and money. There is nothing sweeter than getting something you have worked for.
The last time I cried was… when I got the Xtra Factor job.
It’s not good for my image but I like… Embarrassing Bodies on TV.
My greatest weakness is… red lipstick. I go through about 10 a month. I use Ruby Woo from MAC and it’s now become a bit of a trademark. We’re thinking of getting a red-lips sofa for The Xtra Factor.
If I could pass any law… Arsenal would win a bit of silverware every season without fail.
I drive… my boyfriend’s BMW. My Volkswagen died a terrible death.
My perfect Sunday… would be spent at a gastro pub, reading all the Sunday papers. If I’m at home, I’ll put Netflix on with Ross. We live near Rochester Castle, so we might go for a nice walk too.
My favourite place in Britain is… the Cotswolds. There are so many beautiful buildings and cottages, and it’s so peaceful. There’s no reception so no one can call me, which is completely at odds with my life in London.
My last holiday was… in Marbella, which sounds a bit TOWIE. But I stayed outside Puerto Banús for some peace and quiet during the day, and went to the clubs with my friends at night.
If I had half an hour left on Earth… I’d tell everyone I loved them and do something extreme like a bungee jump – if I’m going to die anyway, I might as well.
The Xtra Factor returns to ITV2 soon.