LEPTON actress Janine Mellor gets a big TV break tonight.
She plays brassy chip shop worker Mercedes in the ITV drama Fat Friends at 9pm.
Janine makes her debut in the latest six-part series.
The award-winning drama from Kay Mellor (no relation), now in its fourth series, tells the story of a cuddly group of flab-fighters struggling to beat the bulge.
Janine, 24, landed the role almost overnight, auditioning one Wednesday last June and starting filming the day after.
"I was offered the part straight away. It was nerve-racking, but it was great.
"All the other members of the cast were really lovely and they integrated me into the group," said Janine.
"It's my first big television role and I'm thrilled. Lots of my old friends have got in touch after seeing my Mercedes character introduced for a couple of seconds last week," she said.
Huddersfield-born Janine went to Lepton County Primary School, King James's School at Almondbury and Greenhead College.
She also danced with the Kirkheaton-based Clare Doosey School of Dance.
At Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Her family, including mum Trish, dad John and brother Alex, 27, manager at Waterloo's Total Fitness gym, will all be packed round the television at the family home in Gawthorpe Lane tonight to watch Janine.
Janine is currently working as an assistant at fashion store Next and studying fashion at Huddersfield Technical College.
She said: "My first love is theatre - but if Steven Spielberg rang tomorrow giving me a part in his next film, I wouldn't refuse him."
Janine's television credits include the BBC's Citizenship.
Her theatre credits include The Seagull at the King's Theatre at Tollcross in Edinburgh and several productions for the Dundee Rep Theatre.
