I would like to look back on my career and be proud of what I've done.

And I've been lucky in that I haven't had another job besides acting in the last five years.

L.A. to me is not really an attractive place.

My heritage is English, so I'm proud to be back here.

I look at my voice and my abilities as a gift. I don't feel that I can even take any credit for it, but it's such a huge presence in my life. It is my life. It's my identity, it's everything. And it's given me a great deal of joy and a sense of purpose - I can't imagine my life without it.

I enjoyed every experience that life offers.

I survived because I never took on big responsibilities in my private life. In the early days, I lived on two or three pounds a week and learned to cook - and I'm a good cook - because I had to. Even when I went on holiday, I stayed in other people's houses.

The truth is, I've been on a team my whole life. I'm the youngest of 7, so I've been training to be an athlete my whole life.