80s ‘Cadbury’s Flake Girl’ reveals why she turned her back on showbiz

A generation of Chocolate lovers will recognise Janis Levy for her now iconic turn in a Cadbury’s Flake advert.

The former actress became known across the UK as one of the confectionary brand’s famous ‘Flake girls’ in the 1980s, and actually held a role in the ad campaign for longer than anyone else.

The classic adverts strived to combine feelings of indulgence and sensuality, with stars enjoying a bit of chocolate in all sorts of situations.

From the bath to Janis’ memorable turn in jumping into a horse-drawn caravan in a sunflower field, the campaign became a defining advert in the 80s.

She got her break in 1985, aged just 17, and then moved to Los Angeles, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Dame Joan Collins and Sylvester Stallone.

She also appeared in another 50 adverts, ranging from TSB and Fair Liquid to Toblerone – clearly not forgetting her confectionary roots – and chat show host Des O’Connor once introduced her as the ‘most famous face on TV whose name you don’t know’.

Thanks to the Flake advert, she caught the eye of cast director Maude Spector, who gave Janis a role in crime drama Remingston Steele.

However, after 14 years in LA, she gave up the showbiz life to focus on family – and the family business.

She told the Mirror: ‘I had the most wonderful time in LA, but I came home when I had my daughter.

‘LA is fabulous – it’s exhilarating, but I wanted to come home – and that’s when I turned my back on the career.’

Her late father actually trained in Paris as a hairdresser, and went onto open up his own salon in London.

Now, Janis is the owner and creative director at Hair Development – which was set up by her father – and the company stays true to his East End roots.

The brand has provided hair and extensions for everything from Pirates of the Caribbean and Lord of the Rings to Strictly Come Dancing, as well as helping people with alopecia or who have been through chemotherapy.

‘It’s a very sensitive subject – you look after so many people. It makes a really big difference to how they look and how they feel,’ she said.

‘For many, many years I was based in front of the camera and being made to look glamorous. It’s a long way now from LA – from the make-up and going to the gym every day. You look after number one in LA. We are helping so many people.’

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