There are probably only a certain number of people who can understand or tolerate how long a job will take and what demands it puts on you. And why should they? It breeds a strange kind of selfishness immersing yourself in a character for so long.

You never know what the public is going to respond to or relate to.

To a certain extent I suppose all actors are big kids.

I like being in focus, in the moment, changing and adapting and creating and advancing a scene.

I've spent my life being responsible, building a career, and waiting to find the right partner with whom to start a family.

I'm an entrepreneur and a businesswoman and I do a lot of different things besides my work on television and people probably don't know that about me.

I was the youngest of four kids, and Dad, who had a garden centre before he retired, came from a large Lancashire family. Every one of my uncles had their own business, including a post office, two fish and chip shops and a painting and decorating business.

I was offered Fagin-type roles, but I wanted to do new things. I could have worked in America, but there was a recession in the British film industry, and I wanted to work in England. I've no regrets.