Jodi: "My birthday was actually two weeks ago, and I came home from Liverpool because I was filming that day. I had a mad rush onto the train and then I got home and Kian and my family were all at my house, so we went for a meal and had a really lovely evening. I didn't know about the party tonight - Kian and my sister Kelly organised all of it. I only found out yesterday. I knew I was having some sort of party because I had to book it off work, but I didn't know to what extent. The boat is amazing - unbelievable!" How did you decided what to wear?
Jodi: "I rang my friend from Liverpool who's a stylist and said: 'Help me!' She said she'd seen this Jenny Packham dress that I would love. She sent it down and it was fantastic - she was right. Then my sister drove me round today so I could find some shoes, I'm just starting to relax now." And it's a really special venue...
Jodi: "It's one to remember - having your 21st on a boat! Ever since I was a little girl I dreamed of having a big 21st birthday bash and this is perfect." What are you most looking forward to about tonight?
Jodi: "There's just so many people invited - family and very close friends, so just getting everyone together, people who've seen me grow up. I'm such a family girl, so it's a dream to have my boyfriend and my family and Kian's family here." How do you feel about turning 21? Is it a big deal for you?
Jodi: "From the age of 15 to 21, it's just been like a big blur. I started my career at 15 when I was signed to the band Girl Thing and I've been travelling ever since, so it just feels weird turning 21 because I've always been looked upon as the baby. It's kind of 'You're 21 now, you're a woman, you've got responsibilities,' but I don't feel any different." Do you like birthdays or are you one of those people who prefer other people's?
Jodi: "I love birthdays! I like the whole party and get-together, but I do like other people's birthdays as well. When it was Kian's birthday, I love planning and having surprises for him and buying stuff." Have you had any particularly good birthdays before?
Jodi: "This has got to be the best one - it'll take some beating! I'm very lucky to have this at the moment. This is more than I imagined." Are there people that you would have liked to invite but couldn't?
Jodi: "Yes. Because it was a last-minute thing. I haven't been able to invite a lot of people from work because I didn't know about it. I thought it was just going to be a family thing. I can say my sorrys now in OK! - sorry, I haven't forgotten you!" You went to school with Billie Piper, Matt Jay from Busted and Lee Ryan from Blue - do you still keep in touch with them?
Jodi: "Yes - I called Matt a little while ago. I talk to Matt a lot on the phone and I invited him and his girlfriend, but he's away at the moment. I was closest to Matt out of everyone at school. I was close to Billie as well but not so much now, but Matt's the main one I still keep in touch with. I bump into Lee every now and again as well. You do lose touch with people, but what is good in this industry is that you do go to events and bump into people." Did you get some lovely presents for your birthday, Jodi?
Jodi: "I got a laptop from my mum and dad and I'm determined to be able to use it and not have it as an accessory! I really wanted one - and this is going to sound really cheesy - because of Sex And The City! To pretend I was writing my column.
I got a Cartier ring from Kian. It's quite funky, which I like. It's not an engagement ring, though! Evidently we're getting married every week in the press. Last week there was a big story in the Irish press that Kian and I were officially getting married, and we were like: 'No we're not - leave us alone!' I'm 21! We're just enjoying each other's company, we're not planning for anything as yet. When I got home on my actual birthday, he had organised 150 red and white balloons and hanging from the ceiling as well." He sounds like a really nice boyfriend?
Jodi: "Yes, he really looks after me. Him and my sister Kelly completely organised the party with Joanne Byrne - I don't know what I would have done without them. I'm very lucky." How are things going with Kian at the moment?
Jodi: "We have a very strong friendship and a really good relationship. He's very loving - he looks after me in more ways than I ever imagined, and I think more than anything we're also best friends." What do you remember about the first time you met?
Jodi: "I met him when I was 15 and we were both signed to Simon Cowell. We always fancied each other, but I was young and we both had strong careers. I remember exactly when we first met - I first saw him when I was in Simon Cowell's office in a meeting with Girls Thing and Simon said: 'This is my new band'. I looked at the picture and all the girly were saying: 'Which one do you fancy?' and I said: 'None of them,' - actually really cool, but straight away I'd spotted Kian and I was like, noted! Then we were at Party In The Park and Westlife had just released their first single. I was talking to Simon when they came along and we were introduced. Kian told me later that he's said to Simon: 'Who's that?' We exchanged numbers and we called each other now and then. Then we met up a couple of years back and started dating." Was it a gradual thing or was there a definite start?
Jodi: "It started with a telephone call. He said there were playing in Manchester and did I want to come down. So I went with my sister, I was waiting in the dressing room and when he came in and we saw each other, there was the spark that had been there since I was younger. That night he said he liked me - I'd like him since I was 15, so it was the moment I'd been waiting for. I've got a lot of pride, so I would never have let on to him - I'd always been: 'Yeah whatever, if you want,' but really I was like: 'Arghhhhhhh!' It just felt right." How long have you been together now?
Jodi: "A year and three months." How do you cope with being apart for a lot of the time?
Jodi: "We speak a lot on the phone, but we don't find it difficult because I've never known anything else. Ever since I was 15 I've been away from home and I've always been working, so I've never had a boyfriend that comes round your house every day and you're together all the time. It's nice for us because if we haven't seen each other for a week and it's the weekend, we get really excited about seeing each other." Simon Cowell was your boss when you were in Girl Thing, what was he like to work for?
Jodi: "He's a darling, I love him. I've always got on with Simon and he's been nothing but a gentle man to me. He has strong opinions but at the end of the day, he's just honest. He was invited tonight actually but he couldn't come because he's in the States doing X Factor." Any plans to return to sing?
Jodi: "It's something I've done since I was young, but I haven't made any plans at the moment. Music is definitely something I'd like to go back to, but I'd like to try and push my acting career as fast as it will go. I don't want to be a typical soap star turned singer because people have a lot to say about that before they've even heard you sing. I don't want to ruin my opportunity by being a cliché." We've heard a rumour you've been leaving Hollyoaks. Is that true?
Jodi: "No. The contracts are up for renewal in October so I will decided then, but I'm really enjoying Hollyoaks at the moment. The show has been such an amazing opportunity and such a big learning curve." Are there any storylines that you've particularly enjoyed filming?
Jodi: "The one I really enjoyed was Dan's court case when he was getting sent down. Hollyoaks in general is quite tongue in cheek, and it was a chance for me to do some really serious acting - really get into the emotional crying scenes and the devastation of this boyfriend that I loved so much being send to prison. I really enjoyed filming that - it pushed me a bit further." Would you like to pursue films when do you leave?
Jodi: "I'd love to - I'd like to go to the States and give it a go. I'd love to be able to be as good as I can at my profession." JODI WOULD LIKE TO THANK HER PARENTS, KIAN AND KELLY FOR THROWING THE PARTY. Source: OK!
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