Rise of the not-so-wicked stepmother! Study reveals how figures like Kate Ferdinand, Stacey Solomon, and Frankie Bridge are helping to break the outdated stereotype
It's the Disney stereotype everyone's familiar with – the evil stepmother who is petty, heartless and cruel.
From The Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Lady Tremaine in Cinderella, these characters are some the most fearsome and memorable baddies in cinematic history.
Now, experts have warned that, while fictional, these portrayals can have real-world consequences.
Research reveals that some single mums are so concerned with being tarred by the same brush that it puts them off dating entirely.
However well-known figures such as Kate Ferdinand, Stacey Solomon and Frankie Bridge are helping to break the 'outdated' mould.
Kate and Rio Ferdinand, who wed in 2019, share two children – Cree and Shae – while Kate is also stepmother to Lorenz, Tate and Tia from Rio's marriage to late wife Rebecca Ellison.
Stacey Solomon, who is married to actor Joe Swash, has five biological children and is also stepmother to Joe's son from a previous relationship.
Meanwhile Frankie Bridge, who has two sons with her footballer husband Wayne, is also stepmother to his eldest child Jaydon, who he shares with Vanessa Perroncel.
Traditional 'evil stepmother' stereotypes stem from Disney classics. Pictured: Lady Tremaine treats Cinderella, her stepdaughter, like a scullery maid
The research found that some celebrities are bucking the trend. Stacey Solomon, pictured, shares children Rex, five, Rose, three, and Belle, two, with husband Joe Swash. She is also mum to sons Zachary and Leighton from two previous relationships, and is stepmother to Joe's son Harry
Former Saturdays star Frankie Bridge has previously admitted that she has never thought of herself as a 'step parent'
The study involved the analysis of 40 English films and TV shows featuring a stepmother character.
These included Cinderella, Snow White, Juno, and Modern Family.
The analysis found that two-thirds of them reinforced negative stereotypes, with stepmothers most frequently depicted as bossy, strict, neglectful, heartless and manipulative.
Some even portrayed them as wicked, evil or cruel.
A supporting study of 800 single mothers found that the negative stereotypes of stepmothers portrayed in popular culture has actually deterred 43 per cent from dating, with 37 per cent in fear of being thought of as the 'wicked stepmother'.
Nearly four in five said this concern was instilled in them from a young age after watching shows and films that perpetuated this narrative.
Dr Harriet Fletcher, Lecturer in Media and Communication at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge who analysed the findings, said: 'Tales of wicked stepmothers stretch back as far as Roman times.
'Many of the familiar stereotypes originate from 19th-century fairy tales like Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella and Snow White.
'While fictional, these media portrayals have real-world consequences, influencing perceptions and creating challenges for women stepping into blended families.
Kate Ferdinand, 33, is also helping to dispel the negative portrayal of stepmothers. Pictured with her husband Rio, 45
Kate is stepmother to Lorenz, Tate and Tia from Rio’s marriage to late wife Rebecca Ellison. Pictured: With Lorenz in a Mother's Day post
Well-known figures are helping beat the outdated stereotype, such as that depicted in Snow White (pictured) where the 'Evil Queen' tries to poison her stepdaughter
'Studies have shown that these portrayals can impact women by shaping perceptions and expectations of the stepmother role.'
Further analysis revealed that more modern film and TV shows are starting to shift the stepmother stereotype, depicting characters as caring, kind or beautiful instead.
'More modern TV and film portrayals are increasingly offering more nuanced and sympathetic depictions of stepmothers,' Dr Fletcher added.
'The movie Juno marked a significant shift by presenting a normalised, positive and supportive relationship between a stepmother and stepdaughter.
'In TV, Modern Family challenges the gold-digger stereotype by depicting Gloria, a young wife, as compassionate and caring toward her adult stepchildren.'
Beyond the screen, many A-listers are also helping to redefine the 'wicked stepmother' trope.
Over a third of single mums said that stars like Kate Ferdinand, Stacey Solomon and Frankie Bridge have inspired them.
The research was commissioned by Even, a dating app created for single parents.
Sarah Louise Ryan, dating and relationships expert from Even, shared some tips on how to confidently date as a single parent.
'The story that people have seen on screen about wicked stepmothers doesn't have to be your story,' she said.
'Equally, it's not your job to prove people wrong on this stereotype.
'Showing interest in the person you are dating's children will help to build trust and connection.
'Going on outings and excursions gives you something to talk about, which will help form connections, as doing new activities together creates new neuropathways in the brain, and so each person will remember those special initial meetings and moments.'
HOW WERE THE ORIGINAL DISNEY FILMS MADE?
Walt Disney productions was founded by Walt Disney, his brother Roy and a friend and fellow cartoonist called Ub Iwekrs.
After a failed cartoon company called Laugh-O-Works in Kansas city and declaring bankruptcy in 1929, the trio moved to Hollywood.
Here, they first drew up Mickey Mouse, his girlfriend Minnie.
In 1929 the first short film was released, called Steamboat Willie, which ran for nearly eight minutes.
Steamboat Willie (pictured) was a short film made in 1929 by Disney. It is widely regarded to be the debut of Mickey and Minnie Mouse and was the first time sound had been added to a Disney production
Disney produced its first feature length film in 1937, it was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
To make these cartoon films in an age before computers, the creators would first make a storyboard.
After animators and directors talk about the whole film and produce a complete storyboard, the dialogue is recorded first.
The animators had to know what the characters would say to correctly draw them.
Only after the story has been outlined and the dialogie is recorded to the characters start coming to life.
Rough sketches of just the characters are made, they have no background and no colour.
Some animated films have used over 50,000 individual drawings.
The top animators in the company would roughly sketch a few character drawings, leaving large gaps in between.
An 'inbetweener' would finish the scenes, by drawing in between the areas that the animator had left.
After the entire film has been drawn on paper, the animation drawings go to the inking department. There, the inkers copy the animation drawings on to a clear celluloid acetate, called a Cel.
When the characters have been drawn without colour or filler, the unfinished Cel's go to the Painting Department.
Here, the painters colour on the back of the Cel. This gave the characters a crisp outline.
Now, the backgrounds get added to the story.
Backgrounds tended to be done with watercolour or Tempera but occasionally it was painted on glass, like it was in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Now the background and the Cel with the character on are both completed, it can be photographed.
A special camera, that faced down on to a table top captured every single frame individually.
Usually, the background is placed into a special mount, then covered with the Cel, then covered with a large piece of glass, then photographed.
Now the frames can be combined and dialogue added, and occasionally the film was edited at this stage.
Walt Disney (pictured) released his first feature length film in 1937 and it was called Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Here, Mr Disney holds one of the stills from the film which was created by being printed on a 'cell' made of cellulose acetate
Mysterious 'portal' discovered on Mars by NASA that could lead to new world of alien life 
