Marc Ellis back in business

Marc Ellis

Marc Ellis' rocky road to redemption is coming to an end.

Fresh from being named New Zealand's favourite male personality at the recent Qantas Television Awards, Ellis is also set to regain his seat on the board of Charlie's, the juice-making company he helped found.

Yesterday, Ellis said 2005 "hasn't been the greatest of years". In August he was fined $300 for possessing five pills of the class-B drug Ecstasy as part of what has become known as the "celebrity drug bust".

He said at the time he was sorry for letting himself down. His television work continued and he featured in Matthew and Marc's Rocky Road, A Game of Two Halves and Sports Cafe.

He said yesterday he was thrilled by the board nomination and the opportunity to put the past behind him.

"If I'm voted back on to the Charlie's board, I'll be a bit more hands on and a bit more involved," Ellis said.

Shareholders will vote on November 30 whether to re-elect Ellis as a director. He resigned from the post in August.

Co-founder and managing director Stefan Lepionka said Charlie's received "hundreds of emails wanting Marc back".

"Marc has demonstrated to the New Zealand public that he slipped up," said Mr Lepionka. "Our research shows that people have appreciated the way he's handled the whole situation."