Cbeebies star says cost of living crisis so severe she couldn't afford to put heating on

Former CBeebies star Sarah-Jane Honeywell has said that things got so bad financially a few years ago that she refused to put her heating on.

Sarah Jane appeared on Tikkabilla, Zingzillas and Mighty Mites but was fired more than decade ago due to a controversial photoshoot while she was a children's TV presenter. She originally posed semi-naked for a Peta campaign, which had her lying on a giant plate of food in Trafalgar Square.

She is now back with the corporation and hosts a popular show on BBC Radio Lincolnshire and today spent time discussing heating and the best way to save money with the cold months coming. Sarah-Jane said: "A few years ago I didn’t put my heating on at all over the winter because it had gone up so much, I just could not afford to put my heating on.

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"We do have a log fire which I know is a bit naughty. This year thrifty Mum would not be proud of me because I haven’t even order the logs yet for the fire. I am really hoping it doesn’t get too cold until at least the end of October when hopefully I will have hopefully scraped some money together to either pay my heating or pay for some logs.”

She explained back in 2021 about the life-changing moment when she was sacked and how it resulted in her meeting her husband Ayden Callaghan and, soon after, having two children. "Im so grateful though and I now know, even when life doesn’t go the way you want it to, things can turn out better than you wished for anyway," she said.

"Without that bonfire I would never have met my husband @aydencallaghan I would never have had my two children, my boys, Phoenix and Indiana Fox whom I live for &… I would never have known real happiness."

She added: "I will always be impulsive (I either do or do nothing, there is no in between for me). If I think about my actions I am paralysed & I want to live, so I can’t think too hard I just have to jump & as I see it now I’m near my 50’s, if I’m not hurting anyone then why not be a little impulsive."

According to Money Saving Expert, Brits are being caught out by widespread heating misconceptions - and it's setting them back financially more than necessary.

The specialists have been debunking popular energy myths - including whether it's more economical to keep your heating running on a low setting throughout the day or simply switch it on when required, and whether it's worthwhile applying clingfilm to your windows to hold in the warmth.

This follows a social media user's inquiry: "Central heating - on low all the time or just put it on when you need it? I have been doing some research and find conflicting answers both sounding equally as compelling. "So in an average brick terraced house with modern gas central heating system what's cheaper. Turning boiler and thermostat down and leaving it in all day, or turning it on and off as an when needed? This topic seems to have supporters and critics of both options."

The key factors to consider in when to put on the heating comes down to several key factors. Firstly, your personal comfort is an important thing to consider when deciding when to touch the heating knob. The World Health Organisation recommends an indoor temperature between 18C and 21C for a healthy living environment.

The second thing to factor in is the weather, if temperatures outside are getting nippy it is probably going to cause a spike in the number of people turning the heating on. Once the average daytime temperature starts falling below 15C most people will consider it time to fire up the radiators.

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