I'm on cloud nine - laughter is the best medicine'

After opening up about a turbulent time in her marriage, Francine Lewis turned it into a positive declaring how it's made her happier than ever

- EVE MACDONALD 

When OK! sits down for a chat with comedian Francine Lewis, we’re not sure which one of her hilarious personas will be on the other end of the call. Will it be a take on reality queen Gemma Collins? Perhaps a version of Sharon Osbourne? Or maybe even her iconic Stacey Solomon... We certainly couldn’t wait to find out.

Francine first entered the world of entertainment in the late 90s on The Big Big Talent Show, presented by Jonathan Ross. She went on to have her own show on Capital FM and later starred on Channel 5 shows Night Fever and 5’s Company alongside Davina McCall and Claudia Winkleman.

But when the comedian stormed screens in 2013 on Britain’s Got Talent with her spot-on impressions of celebrities, she really hit it big. Francine not only had the nation laughing with her impersonations of Holly Willoughby, Katie Price and Cheryl Tweedy, she also had Simon Cowell instantly declaring her “a star”.

These days, the 48-year-old is still using her platform

to spread joy. As OK! is exclusively invited into her stunning five-bedroom family home – built in Cuffley, Hertfordshire, by her husband Joel Ryan – we couldn’t wait to hear what’s been going on since she shot to fame. “Life is very exciting at the moment,” Francine tells us. “I’m on cloud nine. After all, laughter is the best medicine.”

However, it was just two years ago that life came crashing down for the TV star, when she claimed that Joel, her husband of 22 years, had “cheated” on her.